just have a question

[Goat_Herder]

ok, i feel like a chode askign this, but here goes...
im trying to do a variation of Open C tuning, and i cant get it down right. im trying to make the 6th and 4th strings into C, which i can get, but i cant make the 5th string to an F, i can only get it to G, and when i take it lower i always end up throwing it out of tune, im doing this so i can play a soundgarden song
4th of july, i figure its an F, since it doesnt sound right with the G
but anywhoot, im off topic, is there any type of trick that i can use to get my tuning to CFCGBe? id leave the first three strings the same, anything u can give me is fine, cuz i am stumped on this one.
thanks for tolerating my incopetance.

[cyberfret]

Actually it is not your fault :) ...it is physics. Tuning a standard gauge string down that low will cause tuning problems. They probably had a guitar that was set up specifically for that tuning. When tuning that low you will need heavier strings. Also as you tune down one string, there is less tension on the neck....so as you tune your 6th string down, all of the other string will raise slightly. It is going to take a few passes to get it in tune. Once you tune the 4th string down, go back to the 6th....you will find that it has raised a little. If you have a Floyd Rose or any other floating bridge, forget it.....you will never get into this tuning.


--Shawn

[Goat_Herder]

ur reply helps a lot, and i understand y i cant get into that tuning
but i wonder if theres any way i can get into that tuning.
as for having any type of special guitar, or floating bridge type stuff, i just have my trusty affinity strat.
this information is definitely of use to me, one more question tho, since i cant develop the sound for it, kinda like the way i started doing drop d is tuning the twelth fret of the E to a D, and it wuld b an octave lower, all that stuff, and it came out right, now i know the sound so i dont hafto do anything to match the pitch.
is there any way i can find an F on the guitar, and match the fifth string to that?
no prob if i cant, just figured id ask as 4th of july is a really kickass song :D

[cyberfret]

If you have your 6th string tuned down to a C, from there you could play the 5th fret on the 6th string and that would be an F. I would strongly recommend getting a chromatic electric tuner.

For things like this it is very helpful to know what the names on the neck are, and how the notes relate to each other. Knowing that if your 6th string is tuned to a C......then D would be at the 2nd fret.....E would be at the 4th.....and F would be at the 5th. Check out the lessons below for understanding how notes relate to each other on the neck of the guitar.

http://www.cyberfret.com/first-fret/note-names/index.htm

--Shawn

[Goat_Herder]

off the the geetar, lemme c if i can finally get it in tune
ill check out the page after i post this message
ur a really good help, thx for ur time
an electric tuner i hav, but it was just for when i started, i got the KORG GA-20, (the cheap one) and i dont use it much, i think flat tuning i can only use 4 flats, each one is a half step, and i dont think it goes down as low as an F, but spare time is a thing i do hav, so i can try the method u described, which im pretty sure will work
thx again, good thing it was joining these forums