yep so i tuned my guitar a step down and im wondering, do i still play ex : the e minor scale at the same place its played on normal tuning or do i play it on eb? im kinda confused with this

If you tune down a half step, you must move up a fret to play the same scale.
So for example, in standard tuning, e minor scale:
e----------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------0--2------------------------------------
A------------0--2--3--------------------------------------------
E--0--2--3------------------------------------------------------

Eb tuning:
eb----------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------
Db-----------------------1--3------------------------------------
Ab------------1--3--4--------------------------------------------
Eb--1--3--4------------------------------------------------------

Same for any scale, if you tune the strings DOWN a half step you move the scale UP a half step (aka up one fret).

what if i play eb over an e chords, does it still sound good?

and what is the advantage of tuning down a half step?

This post was edited by icp_1 on Mar 13 2011 03:02pm

no... u would probably want to play the Eb minor scale then.. so you would play the same formation:
Eb----------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------
Db-----------------------0--2------------------------------------
Ab------------0--2--3--------------------------------------------
Eb--0--2--3------------------------------------------------------


I tune down a half step because the guitar fits my vocal range better. My voice is slightly lower than others so tuning the guitar down slightly lower makes my voice fit the guitar better. Other reasons someone might tune a guitar down is because they use heavy gauge acoustic strings, and they want to reduce the tension on the guitar's neck.

This post was edited by PSPZorZ on Mar 13 2011 03:05pm

i think i missexplained what i meant..


playing down tuned over an e chord, using the same patern as if i was tuned normally, like


Eb----------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------
Db-----------------------12--15------------------------------------
Ab------------12--14--15--------------------------------------------
Eb--12--14--15------------------------------------------------------


paying this on a regular tuning makes the e scale, but if i play it down tuned it becomes eb scale..? if so, playing in the same box makes me playing eb over e, is it still good or do i have to move up a fret to sound e on e?

The bolded statement is correct. You might need to elaborate a little bit more bc I don't know what you mean by "box"?

i meant, like the pattern, scale positions

might just forget about the box thing lol

what i meant is would it sound good to still play in the same position (eb since down tuned, e when normal tuning) over a e chord, or do i absolutetly have to move a fret up ?

This post was edited by icp_1 on Mar 13 2011 03:12pm

Playing the Eb minor scale over the E (minor) chord would not sound good. You will need to make sure you are playing the scale to match the chords. So for example, if someone was playing chords in the key of E minor, it would not be right to play Eb minor scale and you would need to move up a fret:
Eb----------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------
Db-----------------------13--15------------------------------------
Ab------------13--15--16--------------------------------------------
Eb--13--15--16------------------------------------------------------

yes thats what i meant.. so, tuning down to play some blues is useless? cuz yeah i down tuned my guitar cuz i saw some infos about jimi hendrix playing down tuned b scale over b chords progression.. so i wanted to see whats the difference

Tuning down isn't necessarily useless, it really depends on what you are trying to do.
If someone is singing and has a lower voice they might want to tune the guitar down.
I use heavy strings (14s) on my guitar which puts a lot of tension on the neck, I would not dare tune my guitar to standard because of this I keep it tuned to Eb.
It also might be easier on your fingers to play a tuned down guitar (less tension) if you are a beginner.

So there are definitely reasons to tune the guitar down, but I'd say at this point your better off just sticking to standard (:

EDIT: By the way you earlier showed this as the scale:

Eb----------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------
Db-----------------------12--15------------------------------------
Ab------------12--14--15--------------------------------------------
Eb--12--14--15------------------------------------------------------

The last note is a 14, make sure you are playing 14 instead of 15.. like this:

Eb----------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------
Db-----------------------12--14------------------------------------
Ab------------12--14--15--------------------------------------------
Eb--12--14--15------------------------------------------------------

This post was edited by PSPZorZ on Mar 13 2011 03:19pm