Video Question: Tuning Down a Half Step

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Date: April 9th, 2009 | Length: 1.28 | Instructor: Jim Deeming

Onebobstirling asked "When you tune down a half or hole step do you keep playing the same cord patterns or do the patterns change to make the cord harmonically correct? Example, if you are tuned down one hole step and play an "A" cord pattern the notes that are played are BGD, not ACE." Another benefit of being a member of JamPlay is the video response section. Our expert staff fields questions from our members and provides video responses each week.

Other Video Responses:

Shifting Chords - April 11th, 2008 (2 minutes, 20 seconds)

Dsrinath_123 asks, "Hi Steve, this is srinath here, enjoying your basic lessons. I have started learning guitar a few months back before joining jamplay, i learned a few chords and while i was doing a chord shifting i used to hit all open strings in the last beat, this is how I learned (I dont want to mention from where i learned). To explain a bit more, let me put this way, I am strumming a 4/4 eight note strum( D U D U D U D U) and two chords Dmajor and Gmajor and when I am going to shift from Dmajor to Gmajor or vice versa, I would hit all open strings at the last note(U) , but in your lesson it seems that we have to shift after the last note, i want to know whether what i am doing now is correct or not, if not please provide me some exercise to correct it. I would be very glad if my question is answered by Steve Eulberg." View Response

Circle of 5ths - December 11th, 2007 (1 minutes, 00 seconds)

Sampaul asks, "Hey Folks! I was wondering if one of you guys could explain in a little more detail the circle of 5ths as it associated with the Major and Minor scales. I've watched Matt's 1st Scale video and I can't quite grasp what the heck he's talking about when referencing the diagram. I have looked at the diagram and for some reason I feel like I'm trying to read Japanese. LOL I must be an idiot! :-) Thanks!" View Response

Thumb and the Neck - December 3rd, 2008 (2 minutes, 00 seconds)

Pajammer asked "Hi Steve! IM having trouble keeping my thumb on the back of the fretboard. While practicing the chromatic scale it getin the way. Any suggestions?" View Response

Acoustic Guitar Tones - June 7th, 2007 (1 minutes, 17 seconds)

Benjamin asks "I can not seem to get any tone, or the right tone. It's not the tuning, it is that I do not know when I strum the strings with my right hand when I work the fret board with my left. Do I put my finger down on the fret board then strum with my right hand or strum with my right hand and then put my work my fingers with the fret board?" View Response

Wrist and Forearm Pain While Playing - December 3rd, 2008 (3 minutes, 00 seconds)

Lucasholland "Hello, I think there's something wrong with my technique. Even after playing very short periods of time, my left wrist and forearm (and sometimes my thumb as well) become really tense and I find it very uncomfortable to play. Yesterday, I practices for 2-3 hours (according to my mother, I didn't really notice...) and now my left wrist and to a lesser extent also my left forearm are in a terrible state. I realise that some of it might have something to do with muscle strength not being quite there yet, but surely playing guitar shouldn't hurt your wrist and forearm! Here's what I'm planning to do: 1. I'm gonna get a second strap button installed so I can wear a strap to angle my guitar. Also, I'm gonna have the action lowered and I'm gonna use lighter gauge strings. 2. I'm gonna warm up before playing, stretch my fingers and my wrists. 3. I'm gonna try to relax while playing, not push down too hard on the strings. Is there anything else apart from the things listed above that I can do to fix the problem? Thank you very much in advance and keep up the great work, Lucas." View Response