drop d playing help

[trianglebiscuit]

everytime i play the bottom three openly in drop d, i get a really undefined sound, unlike playing regular chords excluding the bottom string. anyway way to counter this?

im using a set of 9s, could the lack of tension in the bottom string be causing this? thanks!

 

[Creeping_Deth]

Um is it because the notes change on the bottom 3 strings, and you're actually getting a totally wrong chord? Im not too sure abt your question.

 

[trianglebiscuit]

yeah i know about the note changes, just that when im playing open strings like

----------
----------
----------
---000---
---000---
---000---

i get a really crappy, neither-here-nor-there-sound.

 

[anep]

ermm, u sure u got it tuned correctly?

 

[trianglebiscuit]

yea, by digital tuner. but for other chords like

----------
----------
----------
-333-----
-333-----
-333-----

etc etc sounds alrite. for drop d open strings chords, do i need to get stiffer strings? im using 9s lol

 

[ShredCow]

9s are okay for drop d.

If your open D power chord sounds so thin, how abt the other chords? Its highly likely your amp settings are at fault..

 

[trianglebiscuit]

maybe i have to tweak my effects and stuff abit. but would thicker guage strings help it to be more full-sounding and defined?


shit wrong section

 

[ShredCow]

ah.

Well.

Bascially, yes. The thicker the guage, the more body there is to the tone. Mind you, its not a drastic increase in thickness, it isn't like upping your mids for a fatter tone. Its more subtle but its a must if you are very intent on chugging. Also helps with the tighness of the chug.

10s are a good mid point...

 

[trianglebiscuit]

alrite, thanks alot!

 

[Lifehouse]

Try upping your bass alittle and mess with the EQ abit. A good setting for lead probably won't do it for a rhytm tone. You can also consider using 9-46s gauge, if you don't really want to move up to 10s.

 

[Luke]

My guess is simply because you are picking pretty hard, your strings go out of tune as you hit the chord. Thicker gauge strings will help to rectify this but I would say, watch the strength of your attack as well.

Since you didn't elaborate on your setup, I am going to assume that you are using a hard tail bridge as opposed to one with a trem.

Again, your problem might be completely unrelated to anything that any of us have said but its impossible to determine the exact cause without seeing it for ourselves.

 

[Darren]

what is drop D open string?

For drop D if you play without any fretting yeah it sounds like a weird chord. Its drop D not open D, totally different thing. I used 9s for drop
D it was ok.

Another thing that I encountered was this guy said when he dropped D his string tension was too tight... I was like what? So what happened was instead of dropping the E to D he tuned up!!! Yes this is a true story.....you know us guys... no means yes.