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"Slipknot tuning...Eh? (Ignore if u can't play guitar!)"

Today i picked up an old guitar mag and found a song by slipknot tabbed out. I decided to give it a go. Since they're a grunge band, i guessed it would be in drop D tuning. I played the song through and thought it sounded ok, then tried it with the backing track on the CD. I have only just realised why it sounded so wrong: You DO drop D....then take every single string down a further 3 frets!!! It's MAD! The bottom string goes down to a B for christs sake!!! And a warning to all guitarists: NEVER play ANYTHING by slipknot unless your string gauge is at least [.053-.014]. Plus the tempo of this song (people=) is 237 bpm! So really all in all, being able to play at this pitch and speed seems to make slipknot a pretty talented bunch...

Any thoughts?

Today i picked up an old guitar mag and found a song by slipknot tabbed out. I decided to give it a go. Since they're a grunge band, i guessed it would be in drop D tuning. I played the song through and thought it sounded ok, then tried it with the backing track on the CD. I have only just realised why it sounded so wrong: You DO drop D....then take every single string down a further 3 frets!!! It's MAD! The bottom string goes down to a B for christs sake!!! And a warning to all guitarists: NEVER play ANYTHING by slipknot unless your string gauge is at least [.053-.014]. Plus the tempo of this song (people=) is 237 bpm! So really all in all, being able to play at this pitch and speed seems to make slipknot a pretty talented bunch...

Any thoughts?

Okay, so their good musicians, but....c'mon.
I would guess they probably used a 7 string for that...they have drop B on the extra low string. Also, on the recording it might have been at stage pitch (1/2 a semitone down) which would add to the general lowness of the whole affair.
They're still a bunch of masked fudge packers though.

Re: 7 strings

Possibly, but the tab is on 6 lines and it shows the pitch change (in very small font which is why i didn't see it!) going from E to B, A to F# and so on.

Ah, well, you beat me I guess.
Although, not many people would have 7 stringers, so the tab may have been tabbed specially for normal guitar so as not to alienate anyone with no more than half a dozen strings.

Maybe, but think about it: Most of it is short, repeated riffs using chords on the bottom two strings. You couldn't do that if there were seven strings. You need to detune 3 steps anyway so therers no point in an extra string! I think.....it's confusing!

Korn definatly use 7 stringers though, I'm sure of that.

I see. They just like to make it difficult for us......
Yeah, I think Korn are like 'reknowned' for pioneering 7 stringers.
Um, good for them? ....

Yeah, I'll stick with 6 string! That's how i learnt to play guitar, so thats how i'm gonna play guitar! It's got to be easier than 7 strings, that just doesn't work! for me anyway!

Yeah, it's a bit gaaaaay if you ask me.
Although Muse - Citizen Erased is on a 7 string, and that's a beast.

I wish all songs were in the same tuning, that would be cool! No more having to re-tune or change guitars on stage!!! Never gonna happen though. Shame really....

True...but it's fun messing up your tuning a bit and trying out stuff...

Try EGDGBE and EADFsharpBE