Tuning and more.

[Sgt.McCartney]

I have kind of a problem with tuning on guitar. I have song book that asks me to tune down 1/2 a step, what does that mean?

Also, when a song is played in an A key, or in the key of G, what does that mean?

Hope my questions were clear enough. Thanks in advance.

[matt2791]

One step is one fret. "Tune down a 1/2 step" just means that the strings should all be flat sounding- E flat, A flat, D flat, G flat, B flat, E flat.

The first chord in a song is the Key that it's in.

[DoubleD62]

One step is one fret. "Tune down a 1/2 step" just means that the strings should all be flat sounding- E flat, A flat, D flat, G flat, B flat, E flat.

The first chord in a song is the Key that it's in.

One step is NOT one fret. A step is two frets on the guitar. A 1/2 step is one fret. Tuning down a 1/2 step as you describe is correct (E-flat, etc.) but this results in tuning the strings "down one fret", not 2.

Also, the first chord in a song has nothing to do with the key the song is in. The key is determined by the key signature in the music (the flat and sharp symbols located on the left of each staff). For example, the key of A has 3 sharps (###), the key of Bb has two flats (bb), etc. Any good music theory book will give you the complete story, the circle of fifths, etc.

Cheers.

[Bexy_Starkey]

I just do whatever sounds right, or ask my dad

[Harbidge]

Or, instead of fiddling around with re-tuning the guitar, just capo it.