How Do You Think Stef Will Keep Pushing The Guitar Limits?

truthaddict · May 19, 2013, 07:34 AM

I've read some interviews, and seen some interviews on Youtube where Stef discusses his guitar specs. He has tuned the guitar down a little lower, or added an extra string for just about every album. I just found this on Wikipedia:

He used six string guitars in E standard for Adrenaline, drop D♭/C# for Around The Fur and drop C for White Pony. Carpenter then switched to using seven-string guitars, using G#/A♭ standard for the self-titled album and drop F#/G♭ for Saturday Night Wrist. On the album Diamond Eyes, he used an 8-string in F#/G♭ standard tuning, while on Koi No Yokan Carpenter used Drop E tuning on some songs such as "Poltergeist" and "Gauze" and half-step down tuning (standard F) on songs "Tempest" and "Rosemary" in addition to F#/G♭ standard.

What do you think he will do for the next album to keep pushing the limits? I can't imagine him stopping this, but he is kind of running out of string options.

Whatever he does, I'm looking forward to it.

DeftonesNZ · May 19, 2013, 07:46 AM

Just going to expand his technique possibly introduce more advanced tapping and other stuff, I think the tuning gone as far as it can now I think he will just learn how to use the 8 strings better, he even said in a recent interview he plans of doing a music theory course to get his technical skill up.

Gee · May 19, 2013, 07:51 AM

I hope he will focus more on writing good riffs next time -even if KNY had some killer ones, such as Poltergeist or Tempest- because like it's been said he has run out of options in tunings. I do enjoy his tapping very much on Entombed, and it's pretty nice to see him do that live.

truthaddict · May 19, 2013, 07:55 AM

This was a cool interview from a few months ago, where he talks some about his guitars, technique and tuning.

http://youtu.be/4PFIFPD4uVk

DeftonesNZ · May 19, 2013, 08:07 AM

Yeah I'm looking forward to hearing those jams he talks about making, also I like the fact he wants to be better on his instrument I just hope the theory doesn't interrupt the natural talent he has for writing great simple riffs, I know some people who have lost some of their ability to naturally feel stuff out because they keep questioning the technical correctness of everything instead of writing what comes naturally.

truthaddict · May 19, 2013, 08:13 AM

I used to have a 12 string acoustic that sounded amazing. I wonder if he will ever mess with some 12 sting electrics. They are a bitch to tune, but it's worth it.

truthaddict · May 19, 2013, 08:17 AM

Quote from: DeftonesNZ on May 19, 2013, 08:07 AM
Yeah I'm looking forward to hearing those jams he talks about making, also I like the fact he wants to be better on his instrument I just hope the theory doesn't interrupt the natural talent he has for writing great simple riffs, I know some people who have lost some of their ability to naturally feel stuff out because they keep questioning the technical correctness of everything instead of writing what comes naturally.

Yeah, I think sometimes just going from gut instinct makes some of the best music. I'm always amazed how many of my favorite musicians say that they can't actually read music.

DeftonesNZ · May 19, 2013, 08:29 AM

Yeah I love that though it gives you the confidence to learn an instrument, I was always keen on guitar but the only experience I had was when I was real young in school and it was on acoustic playing nursery rhyme type stuff where you just look at books of chords you had to learn and it made learning real daunting and it made me think to be any good you needed to know lots of theory but then I heard what guys like Stephen were creating with little theory knowledge and it made the guitar more accessible.

gwenudo · May 19, 2013, 11:47 PM

Steff uses drop E on the entire KNY album .. not just 2 songs ..

SwerveCityUSA · May 20, 2013, 12:16 AM

I read the KNY tuning was a lower octave of Standard E tuning...But either way his playing isn't simple, is very precise and each part is played with precision with the drums. But what's he's doing now, I wouldn't ask for anymore because it is perfect for this band, it doesn't need to be over analyzed, if you want more then maybe check out a different band. If he does add lead techniques then cool if it sounds good.

defTHE1s · May 20, 2013, 02:26 AM

Quote from: DeftonesNZ on May 19, 2013, 08:29 AM
Yeah I love that though it gives you the confidence to learn an instrument, I was always keen on guitar but the only experience I had was when I was real young in school and it was on acoustic playing nursery rhyme type stuff where you just look at books of chords you had to learn and it made learning real daunting and it made me think to be any good you needed to know lots of theory but then I heard what guys like Stephen were creating with little theory knowledge and it made the guitar more accessible.

This.

And for Stef, I think what he uses is good and he would keep experimenting with that tune for 8 strings, and even using some cool G# tunings which I think is my favorite tuning, as well as C# for their albums

nicklav · May 20, 2013, 02:37 AM

Quote from: defTHE1s on May 20, 2013, 02:26 AM
Quote from: DeftonesNZ on May 19, 2013, 08:29 AM
Yeah I love that though it gives you the confidence to learn an instrument, I was always keen on guitar but the only experience I had was when I was real young in school and it was on acoustic playing nursery rhyme type stuff where you just look at books of chords you had to learn and it made learning real daunting and it made me think to be any good you needed to know lots of theory but then I heard what guys like Stephen were creating with little theory knowledge and it made the guitar more accessible.
This.

And for Stef, I think what he uses is good and he would keep experimenting with that tune for 8 strings, and even using some cool G# tunings which I think is my favorite tuning, as well as C# for their albums

Yeah, the tuning on S/T was awesome. Some great sounds came out in that record.

Bifrost · May 21, 2013, 08:12 PM

as much as I love his Chunk on the new stuff I miss the dissonance of ATF and WP, kinda wish he would go back to a 6 string, though that will never happen $:-\$

Jerry_Curls · May 22, 2013, 12:15 AM

Quote from: Bifrost on May 21, 2013, 08:12 PM
as much as I love his Chunk on the new stuff I miss the dissonance of ATF and WP, kinda wish he would go back to a 6 string, though that will never happen $:-\$

When I first read this topic, "dissonance" popped up in my head then I get to your post! haha

bewareofrats · May 22, 2013, 04:05 AM

I think he needs to either be more interesting and creative with the 8 string or ditch it. As it is now, I wish for him to ditch it.

RxHEAD · May 23, 2013, 12:00 AM

I'm pretty sure he will stick to the 8 string E. Looking forward to hearing him getting more comfortable with it, I think you could hear his respect to it in parts of KNY.
However, I would really like to see him using 6 strings again, even if it would be only for one or two songs on the next records. I'm realy into the Db tuning. I don't know how but it kind of makes songs more punchy than any other one.

SwerveCityUSA · May 26, 2013, 12:32 AM

With his 8 string now, I've never heard more balls and confidence. I love seeing any good musician get comfortable with they're craft through the years and show prowess and that is exactly what he's doing. He also knows when not to play since SNW era. Not one bad lick on these last 2 albums.