Sorry for the dumb question but can certain strings only be tuned within a certain range? I am planning on doing some diddley bows with my daughter's brownie troop and to save costs was going to use a couple of packs of strings and split them up among the girls. I don't know what the limitations are.
Thanks for any advice,
Mike
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Strings that is the whole question????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
It is possible to use really light strings tuned down. I have extra lights 1-4 tuned to ( from high to low) B, G, D, G. But I wouldn't recommend it. The guitar is hard to keep in tune and hard to play. Have to be careful how I strum and hold a cord or note down. It's way to easy to bend the strings out of tune.
This is just laziness on my part. I had the guitar set up to be a tenner in standard tuning. Then wanted to try 1513 tuning. I'll put better strings on it soon.
PS, no such thing as a dumb question. Only dumb answers. : )
The greater the scale length, the greater the range of notes that will be accessible for a given string. Also heavier strings have a larger range to them than lighter ones.
Each String diameter will be labelled on the package. E A D G B E are the "intended" notes for each string. (starting from the biggest to the smallest) For your DB's if your scale length (the length of suspended wire) is between 23"-25" I would stick to the recommended note, or one up/down... your choice.
Go to your local music store and get the cheapest "medium" acoustic guitar strings you can find. Don't stress it. Should be $5 a set or less... The diameters will be listed on the package... If you go from biggest to smallest, and use E A D G B E, you will do just fine. The girls will have fun trading them around and trying the different strings.
If the girls want to play together, (and not sound too much like dying cats) you could use an open tuning: (aka Vestapol)
D-A-D-F♯-A-D On the same strings.
The lowest string (E) becomes D, G Becomes F#, B becomes A, and E becomes D.
This makes a chord, so 6 Diddley bows all playing the same note (Open, fretted at the third, whatever) are now in harmony... THis is all within the acceptable range for the strings... and well... they're diddly bows being played by kids... it's not rocket science.... have fun with it!
Take your smart phone and download a free tuning application: on my android I use Pitch Lab free... works great.
Replies
six diddleys strung EBGDAe - should make an interesting orchestra! :-)
Strings that is the whole question????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
It is possible to use really light strings tuned down. I have extra lights 1-4 tuned to ( from high to low) B, G, D, G. But I wouldn't recommend it. The guitar is hard to keep in tune and hard to play. Have to be careful how I strum and hold a cord or note down. It's way to easy to bend the strings out of tune.
This is just laziness on my part. I had the guitar set up to be a tenner in standard tuning. Then wanted to try 1513 tuning. I'll put better strings on it soon.
PS, no such thing as a dumb question. Only dumb answers. : )
Thx again!
Each String diameter will be labelled on the package. E A D G B E are the "intended" notes for each string. (starting from the biggest to the smallest) For your DB's if your scale length (the length of suspended wire) is between 23"-25" I would stick to the recommended note, or one up/down... your choice.
Go to your local music store and get the cheapest "medium" acoustic guitar strings you can find. Don't stress it. Should be $5 a set or less... The diameters will be listed on the package... If you go from biggest to smallest, and use E A D G B E, you will do just fine. The girls will have fun trading them around and trying the different strings.
If the girls want to play together, (and not sound too much like dying cats) you could use an open tuning: (aka Vestapol)
D-A-D-F♯-A-D On the same strings.
The lowest string (E) becomes D, G Becomes F#, B becomes A, and E becomes D.
This makes a chord, so 6 Diddley bows all playing the same note (Open, fretted at the third, whatever) are now in harmony... THis is all within the acceptable range for the strings... and well... they're diddly bows being played by kids... it's not rocket science.... have fun with it!
Take your smart phone and download a free tuning application: on my android I use Pitch Lab free... works great.
and ... there's tradition ..
http://www.onestringwillie.com/id23.html
and you can get the clean usused reall stuff here
https://www.etsy.com/listing/48497004/broom-wire-for-diddley-bow-co...
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