Deftones Albums - Guitar Tuning Question

[truthaddict]

Sorry if this thread has been done, but I couldn't find a good answer doing a search.

Can anyone break down the guitar tuning and number of strings used on each album, (or each song if they are different)?  

I think I saw some video interview with Stef where he did this himself, talking about the tuning getting lower on each album.
Does he use the same tuning through an entire album, or switch it up between songs?

Is it something like:
Adrenaline = 6 string / Standard
Around the Fur = 6 string / Drop D
White Pony = 6 string / Drop C?

After this?  I know he is using 8 strings now.  Thanks!

[Shadow46/2]

I think there're a couple drop D songs on Adrenaline. Bored is one of them.

[deftoolsys07]

i think all of adrenaline is standard E...

after WP it's

S/T - 7 string standard tuning GCFEBGC
SNW - 7 string (possibly same as SNW)
DE - 8 string (i think standard, FBEADGBE)

i'm not positive on SNW or DE though but i think that's right

[deftones86]

I think there're a couple drop D songs on Adrenaline. Bored is one of them.

Adrenaline is all Standard. Its easier to play bored in drop D. But the way stef plays it is in standard.

S/T Is 7-String tuned G#,C#,F#,B,E,G#,C#.
SNW is tuned the same as S/T i think maybe a half step lower.

[deftoolsys07]

I think there're a couple drop D songs on Adrenaline. Bored is one of them.

Adrenaline is all Standard. Its easier to play bored in drop D. But the way stef plays it is in standard.

S/T Is 7-String tuned G#,C#,F#,B,E,G#,C#.
SNW is tuned the same as S/T i think maybe a half step lower.

yeah this is right... and i'm pretty sure SNW is half step lower, on each string

[defTHE1s]

check it at deftonesworld.com (or ultimate-guitar) and it's pretty explained from Adrenaline to S/T

Adrenaline: EADGBe, only Lifter is in DADGBe, and Bored can be played also like this, but Stefs plays it in Standard E
Around the Fur: C# G# C# F# A# D#
White Pony: CGCFAD
Deftones: G# C# F# B E G# C#
Saturday Night Wrist: F# C# F# B E G# C# and some songs it's possible they play in G# C# F# B E G# C#
Diamond Eyes: Stef said he is playing in E (octave lower) or this:

DE - 8 string (i think standard, FBEADGBE)

not sure at all on DE..

[whitefur]

Adrenaline - 6 string standard (E A D G B E). The chords in Bored would be extremely dificult to play in a drop tuning as the chords would run across five frets instead of 3. This album is the hardest to play for me as some songs are very fast and difficult to play in standard tuning (Nosebleed, Root, Engine Number 9). Engine Number 9 is one of the hardest Deftones songs to play. Also, even though it is in the highest tuning, Adrenaline is one of the heaviest sounding albums....pretty amazing how Stef made this album sound with just plain standard tuning.

Around the Fur - 6 string drop Db (1/2 step down from drop D) (Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb). Except for Dai the Flu which is 6 string standard Eb (1/2 step down from standard) (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)

White Pony - 6 string drop C (1 whole step down from drop D) (C G C F A D)

I don't have as much experience on the last 3 albums as the first 3, but here is what I know:

Deftones - 7 string standard Ab (One and one half steps down from standard) (Ab Db Gb B E Ab Db). Needles and Pins is played on a 5 string bass, not sure what the tuning is but I think the lowest string is F#/Gb.

Saturday Night Wrist - 7 string drop Gb/F# (One and one half steps down from Drop A) (Gb Db Gb B E Ab Db). Same tuning as Deftones except drop the lowest string to Gb/F#......the lowest 7th string actually ends up being the same note as the 8th string on Diamond Eyes.

Diamond Eyes - 8 string standard (F# B E A D G B E)

So, three albums are in a standard tuning, and three albums are in a drop tuning.

Also, while on tour, Stef doesn't use 6 strings anymore but will use a 7 string for all Adrenaline, Around the Fur, and White Pony songs and will just tune the extra highest pitch string the same as the 6th string.

[deftoolsys07]

Adrenaline - 6 string standard (E A D G B E). The chords in Bored would be extremely dificult to play in a drop tuning as the chords would run across five frets instead of 3. This album is the hardest to play for me as some songs are very fast and difficult to play in standard tuning (Nosebleed, Root, Engine Number 9). Engine Number 9 is one of the hardest Deftones songs to play. Also, even though it is in the highest tuning, Adrenaline is one of the heaviest sounding albums....pretty amazing how Stef made this album sound with just plain standard tuning.

ha dude the adrenaline shit is easy... just keep practicing. engine no. 9 is one of my fav's to play and ain't hard at all.. now that's not what i thought years ago, but... practice playing chords real fast just down strumming and palm muting. because that's the how the verse for eno9 is.. i LOVE playing nosebleed as well... when you nail these songs, it's really fun to play them on a stack just cranked out, especially if you have a back track of the drums and bass and shit

[deftones86]

I used to put adrenaline on and start playing and if i fucked up id start over. I did that for all the albums except SNW and DE obviously. But thats pretty much how i learned guitar.

[Hidalgo]

adrenaline is awesome. it's my favorite guitar work from Stef on any of their albums by far, the sound of the guitar anf his creativity. i kinda wish he's just use a standard tuned 6 string again, cause he tore it up on adrenaline

[Subliminal]

Whitefur, I'm going to take your info and add to it!

Adrenaline - 6 string standard (E A D G B E) add the extra E for 7 string. Lifter isn't in Drop D either, because whilst your playing the root notes in the verse riff, you're palm muting the low E string whilst doing it. Teething is also in standard tuning.

Around the Fur - 6 string drop C# (1/2 step down from drop D)/(Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) (C# A# C# G# B# E#) add an extra E# for 7 string. Dai the Flu which is 6 string standard E# (1/2 step down from standard) (E# A# D# G# B# E#) once again add the E# for 7 string if you're using one. Crenshaw, Can't Even Breathe are Drop C# also.

White Pony - 6 string drop C (1 whole step down from drop D) (C G C F A D) add an extra D for 7 string.


Deftones - 7 string standard G# (One and one half steps down from standard) (G# C# F# B E G# C#)/(Ab Db Gb B E Ab Db). Chino plays in Drop C# for Minerva and Battle-Axe, whilst playing in standard G# for Deathblow (he uses one of Stefs guitars for that live, you can find a video of it on YouTube)  Needles and Pins is played on a 5 string bass, tuning is (C#, F#, B, E, D#) and is played on the F#, B, E strings further up the neck, watch Stef playing it here to figure it out Deftones-Needles And Pins

Saturday Night Wrist - 7 string drop F# (One and one half steps down from Drop A#) (F# C# F# B E A# D#)/(Gb Db Gb B E Ab Db). Same tuning as Deftones except drop the lowest string to F#, Chino also plays in Drop C# for Beware, Combat, Cherry Waves and Drop C for Riviere

Diamond Eyes - 8 string standard (F# B E A D G B E)/(Gb B E A D G B E) whilst Chino plays in Drop C for Beauty School, Royal, 976-EVIL and Sextape.

My advice would be to get a Line 6 POD (Stef has a rack mounted version in his set up and practically every decent band uses one) as it has a perfect Digital Tuner and displays tunings in the Db, Gb, Ab fashion it'll help you get all these tunings spot on.

I've listed them as the C#, G#, F# fashion aswell because I think it's easier when it comes to tabs, as a lot of them are labelled in this way online.

[whitefur]

Thanks for filling in the gaps subliminal. The only thing is that I think Deftones is in standard Ab, not A#......A# would only be a half step down and Ab would be one and one half down.

[Subliminal]

Thanks for filling in the gaps subliminal. The only thing is that I think Deftones is in standard Ab, not A#......A# would only be a half step down and Ab would be one and one half down.

Ahh shit, you're right, I didn't mean to put A#

I've corrected it now

Here it is in simple terms.

Adrenaline -  (E A D G B E) - Add an extra E for 7 string.

Around The Fur - (Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) - (C# A# C# G# B# E#)  add extra Eb/E# for 7 string.

White Pony - (C G C F A D) add extra D for 7 string.

Deftones -  (Ab Db Gb B E Ab Db) - (G# C# F# B E G# C#)

Saturday Night Wrist - (Gb Db Gb B E Ab Db) - (F# C# F# B E A# D#)

Diamond Eyes - (Gb B E A D G B E) - (F# B E A D G B E)

[wax]

Stef  i kinda wish he's just use a standard tuned 6 string again, cause he tore it up on adrenaline

and i wish frank would play keytar

[truthaddict]

This is a big help. Thanks everybody.

[mono]

bored and engine nº9 are very easy in guitar.
7words bass line is fucking great

[whitefur]

so what are everyone's toughest songs to play??

mine is Engine No. 9, and then the intro to Feiticeira.

Does anyone know if Dai the Flu and Needles and Pins are the only two songs that use a tuning that is different from what the rest of their respective albums use?? Do Diamond Eyes and SNW use the same tuning throughout the entire album?

[deftones86]

When i was first learning Feiticeria that song kicked my ass for some reason.

[Subliminal]

I think the hardest Deftones song for me to play is.. Rats, Rats, Rats it just kills my hands, they aren't big enough to grasp higher up on the neck for long periods of time and it's where most of the riffs are based!

so what are everyone's toughest songs to play??

mine is Engine No. 9, and then the intro to Feiticeira.

Does anyone know if Dai the Flu and Needles and Pins are the only two songs that use a tuning that is different from what the rest of their respective albums use?? Do Diamond Eyes and SNW use the same tuning throughout the entire album?

I'm not claiming to know it all, but it appears to be that Stef has a core tuning and just mimicks or plays whatever needs to be played in HIS tuning, what Chino is playing in a completely different tuning.

Then the B-Sides are the only songs Stef switches up the tunings and stuff himself.

I forgot, Chino plays in Drop D for Hole In The Earth.

[deftoolsys07]

so what are everyone's toughest songs to play??

mine is Engine No. 9, and then the intro to Feiticeira.

Does anyone know if Dai the Flu and Needles and Pins are the only two songs that use a tuning that is different from what the rest of their respective albums use?? Do Diamond Eyes and SNW use the same tuning throughout the entire album?

intro to feiteceira is wayyyyy easier than i think people think it is... it's just harmonics over the 9th fret, just a little variation on which strings on that fret. listen to the album to get it down... i seriously injured my hand but i'll see if i can't put a vid up..