Why do people refer to D flat tuning as C sharp?

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EXPcustom

EXPcustom

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You dont call E flat tuning D sharp because you are coming down from E.

So why do people today call D flat tuning C sharp? I figure you are coming down from E so you would call it D flat? :confused:

I hope I am not missing something and come off as a dumbass? :lol: :LOL:
 
flat or sharp really only depends on the root note/phrasing. tuning wise standard tuning is A440 - if you are going down from this you would reference from A440, not anything else.

generally speaking though it gets the point across so why does it matter? isnt that the point of musical theory :dunno: :lol: :LOL:
 
glpg80":15a2fnqf said:
flat or sharp really only depends on the root note/phrasing. tuning wise standard tuning is A440 - if you are going down from this you would reference from A440, not anything else.

generally speaking though it gets the point across so why does it matter? isnt that the point of musical theory :dunno: :lol: :LOL:
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I was always told if you are going "down" from the root note you refer to the half steps as flats instead of sharps? Or at least it's proper music theory grammar? :lol: :LOL:
 
EXPcustom":hqthdtim said:
glpg80":hqthdtim said:
flat or sharp really only depends on the root note/phrasing. tuning wise standard tuning is A440 - if you are going down from this you would reference from A440, not anything else.

generally speaking though it gets the point across so why does it matter? isnt that the point of musical theory :dunno: :lol: :LOL:
Click to expand...

I was always told if you are going "down" from the root note you refer to the half steps as flats instead of sharps? Or at least it's proper music theory grammar? :lol: :LOL:
Click to expand...

grammar wise you are 100% correct - at least to my knowledge thats what i was always taught with piano.

it all depends on the relative key though. for instance - organs back in baroque periods had many different tunings and simply defer to the cents of tuning that is used, instead of "C#, Db, Cb, E#" etc.

like i said, if you understand what tuning they are in i dont think it really matters - thats the entire point and existance of theory - is to get a point across.
 
good question , I dont think there is an right answer other then because , I call it c#
 
It's all perception really. I don't think most guitarists who use lower tunings (for metal styles for example) are aware there are different ways to think about notes and keys. Not saying metal guys aren't into theory, but usually when you're not playing in standard it becomes difficult to know what key you're in.

If you think of the key C#, then you have 7 sharps: C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#

It's easier to think in Db because you just have the 5 flats, with the F and C being natural. (it's been awhile since music school so I may be rusty)
 
Here's the reason :

tony_iommi.jpg
Tony-Iommi.jpg
 
My honest guess, is that your more likely to come across a C# in music than a Db, seeing as Db doesn't show up till the key of Ab, from F, Bb, Eb thennn Ab, where as with sharps it's just G, then at D you get the C#.. thats my rational for it anyways.
 
wouldnt that be going down only a half step if they called it c sharp ???? i dono people are dumb

if im in D standard tuning and i played drop i would call that drop C tuning
 
Because we don't like flat Women do we? So we shouldn't like flat tuning either.
 
Dallas Marlow":1sxjyggt said:
My honest guess, is that your more likely to come across a C# in music than a Db, seeing as Db doesn't show up till the key of Ab, from F, Bb, Eb thennn Ab, where as with sharps it's just G, then at D you get the C#.. thats my rational for it anyways.
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Good point. But honestly I don't think that's why most guitarists refer to it that way. I really think it's because it sounds cooler than saying Db. :dunno:
But yeah, it is more common in music to come across those keys than Ab. Also like I said above, who the hell wants to use a key with 7 sharps! Not I.
 
Also have to point out that the key of C sharp is...well weird. It has seven sharps, including B# which technically doesn't exist, because B# is C Natural. But at the same time it has to exist to think of the key in the correct way.
 
The only other idea I have to add is every tuner I've ever recalled seeing if you try tuning to C#/Db, the tuner will register it as C#
 
shadowfax29":3rdyc5g3 said:
The only other idea I have to add is every tuner I've ever recalled seeing if you try tuning to C#/Db, the tuner will register it as C#
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This is true :yes:
 
Each note out of the five "odd" notes in the chromatic scale has two names.

In this case: C#-Db

Musicians "name switch" their odd notes when composing, transcribing or reading an actual piece of music because their "name" depends entirely on their relationship with the other notes used under a certain key in music theory.

In simple terms, your C#-Db 6th string (and all the other odd notes in your instrument) will/might constantly shift between flat and sharp when playing different passages and pieces of music.

So in logical terms, this kind of tuning should be called C#-Db.
 
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