Greetings, I've been pondering a few questions about the guitar and song writing in B for a while and I've decided to ask a few questions that I just can't seem to figure out for myself.

When playing b standard If use the notes in the E minor scale pattern over then entire fret board would that make it B minor? Would I want to do this? Or... would it be better to to take all the notes from the B string in standard tuning and use them on the low string. With the rest of the notes being the same as the e minor scale pattern? I'm not sure which one's correct if not both.

Also, how would I go about converting my standard five string arpeggios to b. ie (major, minor, diminished)

Im pretty sure I want the Key to stay in E minor just using the low b to go two steps down. But I'm not sure the best way to relearn all this theory to use in song writting?

I've noticed too that songs in B aren't usually played as fast as thrashy D or standard tuning songs. Is this the norm? I've noticed bands like iced earth, slayer, and metallica play at tempo's that excede the likes of Bolt thrower, at the gates and carcass. Is there a speed limit on playing in this tuning due to string tension or is it just mainly personal preference?? I think B sounds alot better. I just put a new pickup in my RR3 and it really came alive when I dropped the tuning. I've then thrown my guitar in the shop to put 14's and set it up fully for B tuning, so some advice would be greatly appreciated and put to good use.

I don't know much about the technical aspects of playing in B, however I can say a lot of doom metal groups use the tuning for a reason (dirgey aspects and whatnot).

I mean, when Celtic Frost reunited, they played a lot of their old, Standard-tuned songs in B, and they sounded pretty damn heavy, but a bit more "looser" than before.

Actually I'm lost as shit. How do you tune the G string of a guitar to F#? And then transposing notes? How do notes on the high b string in standard tuning transpose to the low e string in b standard? I know there not exactly the same because the octave shifts a half step on the two high strings on a guitar. Would this apply to the scale as well?

That would depend on what you mean by notes. If you literally mean notes, than no, it would still be in E minor. If, however, you mean playing the same frets (that is, the same positions on the neck), then yes, you would be playing in B minor.



That's more a matter of personal choice than of being correct. If you wish to play everything you've written in E in B instead, than simply play the same frets in B tuning. If you decide this does not sound as good to you as it did in E, you can still play them in E---you'll just have to find E in your new B tuning. With B, this is pretty easy----B standard tuning is B-E-A-D-F#-B. In other words, whatever you were playing on the thickest string, simply move it up to the second-thickest string, since it's the same note (E).





It depends on the a few things. Your preferred string tension is one of them. Some bands have a very loose sound and like it that way, but usually they play a bit slower so it doesn't sound like utter shit. Now, I've never downtuned to B, but I imagine 14-gauge strings would make it tight enough that it wouldn't get that rubber-band sound, and since you say you've taken it to a shop I'm sure they made it good for B. My guess is you don't like the rubber-band sound, hence why you took it a shop. Regardless, it should be fine for faster speeds, if that is what you wish to play.

You should note, however, that there are bands who play fast in this tuning, or even lower. For example: Nile play in drop-A, and they play pretty fast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNQpLFns-CA




Tuning the G string to F# is just down tuning it half a step.

Transposing notes from the high B (in standard tuning) to a low B (in B standard) really isn't transposition---both of the notes will be the same, just lower in pitch. For example: if you want to play a riff made entirely for a high B on a low B, just play the exact same frets, except on the lowest string---they're both B's, it doesn't matter. One will just be lower than the other.

Thank you for taking the time to break it down for me.

From what you said I can just take the notes in the e minor scale on the b string in standard tuning and move them down to the fattest string and that will be the correct scale pattern for e minor? I'm sure of myself on the rest of the notes since they (the strings) are just e-b, minus the high e string.

I was wondering too why is a six string in B tuning different then a seven string in b tuning.

Why is the string tuned to f# on a six string and g on a seven string?

Because the interval between the 2nd and 3rd is always a major third, IE 2 full steps. It's also not corresponding to the G on a 7string, its corresponding to the high B.

I want to keep the key in E minor so figuring out the notes in the scale is on the agenda. I've dropped my guitar down to B without setting it up and it sounds like crap. I just learned how to adjust the springs so I'll probally give it a try next time since I won't need to go bigger in strings. I chose the seven string pack equivelent to 14's. I could of gone bigger on the e string but I think a 58 is large enough. As for playing speeds, I want to play all speeds. I like very dynamic music so I will incorperate tempos from 90bmp to 240 if possible. With most riffs being between 160 and 200. I understand the difference between the six and seven string version now, thank you. the high g and the f# is actually on two different strings. Any one else got any theory tips on playing in B?? Things that work, things that don't? Any information on arpeggios??