Help! Raised B Tuning????

Raised B is a strange tuning. The good news is you won't damage your guitar - the tension on the neck will be nearly identical to standard tuning... the bad news is you'll need to re-string your guitar with a fresh set of strings - and you'll need to have an extra B string ready, too.

Here's a practical way to get it:

1. Take off your sixth string, and put on the fifth string from a new set. Tune that to A to match your fifth string.

2. Take off the fifth string, and replace it with the fourth string from the new set. Tune that up to D to match the fourth string.

3. Replace the fourth string with the third string from the new set. Tune that up to G to match the third string.

4. Now take the third string off, and replace it with a second string from the new set. Tune that up to C to match the first fret of the second string.

5. Take the second string off, and replace it with the first string from the new set. Tune that to E - match the fourth fret of the new third string.

6. Now take off the first string, and put on the extra second string. You'll tune that to A - that's the same note as the second fret of your fourth string. Don't go for the octave - in raised B tuning, your second string will be the highest one on the guitar, your third string will be next highest, and your first string ends up in the middle of the tones.

Now slap a capo on the second fret.

Doing it this way gives you almost identical overall tension to standard - your third string will be 1/2 step higher than normal tension for the gauge, and your first string will be a full step lower than standard for the gauge. The net effect is a slight reduction in tension.

If you decide not to use the capo, you need to tune every note a full step higher than this method... which puts a lot more tension on the neck, and you'll probably need some adjustment.

That sounds like a really weird tuning, but I guess on closer inspection it has exactly the same intervals as standard. So, in that respect, wouldn't it be possible to get B-E-A-D-F#-B just by capoing the 7th fret? Ah but then your first string would still be an octave too high, so you'd have to tune it way down or more likely replace it with a loosened G-string or tightened D-string. Could be a more hassle-free way to achieve the tuning though, if you don't mind being capoed up.

By the way, what songs use this tuning?

Tom, very clever way to get that funky tuning. Never thought about putting strings in different places. N, What song is that tuning for?

Dennis - the first time I came across strings out of place was nearly 30 years ago, when I learned 'Nashville' tuning. That's the same as standard, but the 3rd through 6th strings are an octave higher - making your strings (high to low) the 3rd, 1st, 4th, 2nd, 5th, 6th. It gives you a really interesting sound - but the same chord fingerings as standard tuning!

An easy way to get Nashville tuning is to buy a set of strings for a twelve string guitar and just use the "non-standard" ones. I think that's how they originally came up with it, but don't take my word on that.

And speaking of strange tunings using different strings, I'm pretty certain the acoustic guitar part of Pink Floyd's Hey You is done with Nashville tuning with an extra twist - they use a normal high E string for the sixth string as well as for the first. Probably got the idea from playing a five string banjo! :wink:

Peace

Nashville Tuning is one of my favorites! 8)Especially if your playing with someone else droning the same part.

Thats a pretty cool tuning.

I always thought that EABEBe was alsp called a Nashville tuning. I may be wrong or heard different. Not sure.

I'm gonna have to try that raised B soon.

Hi!
Wow... thats a pretty nice evening-pass work... changing strings strangely... I love it!
Thanks a lot...
The song is "Stay or leave" Dave Mathew's band
I simply love it... but I dont have an extra guitar to check it out... dave's surely has :wink:
I've heard the capo on 7th trick... but wanted to know how it would be on open... cause he plays it without capo.
Again Noteboat... you prove to be the MASTER (put reverence here)

Are you sure it's not C tuning turned down a half step?

C tuning = CGCGCE

That would make B tuning....

B F# B F# B Eb

Just a question....

It's not dropped B - that's why it's called raised B.