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Getaway live = tuned down??

ForceofNature101ForceofNature101 Posts: 1,284
edited November 2013 in The Porch
Don't get me wrong it sounds badass live judging by the video but I wonder why it is tuned down a half step? Ed hits notes in Lightning Bolt that are about the same range

Its kind ironic that the tunes they downtune are from the most recent albums (Comatose, Got Some, The Fixer, Getaway, etc.) Although they occasionally play some tunes a half step down but revert back to the original key. This happened with Rats this tour and in the past couple of years with DTE and Once
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • JM16768JM16768 Posts: 79
    Lots of musicians do this...including myself at live shows as it depends on how your voice feels/sounds that day. It can also be a voice saver...I can't say this is WHY they did it or do it on others but its a reason musicians do.
  • nostackedvinylnostackedvinyl Maine Posts: 857
    my guitar is tuned down a half step at all times and it is strictly for vocal purposes. half step down = singing all night. standard tuning = junk vocally after about four songs. and most people listening in a bar, restaurant, etc. aren't going to notice the difference as long as they know the song and can sing along.
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  • mustbechrismustbechris Posts: 228
    They play most of Backspacer down a half step. I've also heard Habit and Once and I think Marker in the Sand down a half step.
    Speaking as a child of the 90's
  • boyo79boyo79 Warrington, UK Posts: 6,525
    Apparently most of the songs are tuned down now to assist Ed.
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  • Digital TwilightDigital Twilight Posts: 5,642
    Yeah tuning it down is to help the vocals. I figured that was the reason it took so long for Getaway to be played live. Gonna See My Friends was another example of this and why it doesn't get played often. It just sounds a little off.
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    i saw the video at youtube...
    its to hard to sing..so fast and so many words for ed to catch up at the chorus
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • ceskaceska New York Posts: 1,130
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    i saw the video at youtube...
    its to hard to sing..so fast and so many words for ed to catch up at the chorus

    That's how I feel about MYM but they play it every night.
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    ceska wrote:
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    i saw the video at youtube...
    its to hard to sing..so fast and so many words for ed to catch up at the chorus

    That's how I feel about MYM but they play it every night.
    the opposite,mym is getting slower at the chorus,
    Getaway is a non stop keep going!!
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • Keep on JamminKeep on Jammin Posts: 377
    Can someone explain to this layperson what tuned down half a step means?
  • thefixer9thefixer9 Posts: 9,376
    Even with it turned down...I would still love to see it.
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  • thefixer9thefixer9 Posts: 9,376
    edited November 2013
    Keep on Jammin wrote:
    Can someone explain to this layperson what tuned down half a step means?

    That just means you tune down each string down half a step, so the E string becomes E flat, the A string becomes A flat...ect...It makes it easier to sing and hit certain notes. That's why when you hear the Getaway live video, the guitar sound more deep sounding....
    Post edited by thefixer9 on
    Tres Mts- 3/16/2011
    Eddie Vedder- 7/16/11
    Brad- 4/21/12 (RSD Performance), 4/27/12, 8/10/12
    Flight To Mars- 5/23/12
    RNDM- 11/27/12

    PEARL JAM- 12/6/13 I have finally seen Pearl Jam live!
  • ceskaceska New York Posts: 1,130
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    ceska wrote:
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    i saw the video at youtube...
    its to hard to sing..so fast and so many words for ed to catch up at the chorus

    That's how I feel about MYM but they play it every night.
    the opposite,mym is getting slower at the chorus,
    Getaway is a non stop keep going!!

    Yeah, but the verses are super fast... I sure can't keep up!
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,431
    Keep on Jammin wrote:
    Can someone explain to this layperson what tuned down half a step means?

    They take the guitars and tune every string a note lower. Makes it so they can play songs with the same fingering but it's musically lower pitched, thus easier to sing, for aging singers, with less strain.

    For a good, easy to hear comparison listen to the very beginning of Comatose on studio and then a live version.
  • pleathermanpleatherman Posts: 472
    Towards the end of "The Kids Are Twenty", you can hear the band banter about doing that for 'Once', if memory serves me correctly.
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjW86CNAmX4

    for the ones,didnt see it yet
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • Chad GrattanChad Grattan Posts: 73
    I don't think that it sounds awful, but it's not good either..

    Being a musician/singer/guitar player, I don't understand recording a brand new song for your new record, that you don't think you will be able to sing live... I am quite certain Ed can hit this song no problem... He is singing the best of his career IMO, and one song isn't going to break his voice for the night/week, etc. Evolution would destroy it way more than Getaway.

    I'm disappointed in the downtune, hopefully it was because of where it fell in the setlist, and was just easier, I have to look into that show to figure it out. It just sounded flat to me. One of the best songs on the record not delivered right.. ugh. Can't believe I'm saying all of this... about the greatest band ever, but it just doesn't do it for me.
    ...makes much more sense to live in the present tense.
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  • JK109224JK109224 Posts: 638
    It sounded terrible live. Pretty obvious why it's not making many sets.
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