Bodies - Drowning Pool Help/Suggestions

[Byrdman]

Hey guys! I have been playing with 4 others since last Feb. After some drama we got new bassist and singer about 4 months ago, and everything is so much better now. I have been spending most of my spare time learning songs and practicing, so I haven't been here as often.

Anyway, our new singer is really good and everyone wants to learn Bodies. After watching a few live videos, covers, and lessons, It doesnt look to terribly difficult but I have not played in Drop C tuning much and when I have in the past, I really did not care for it. I have all my guitars set up with low action and Drop C is kind of a pain, fret buzz, staying in tune, etc.

I suggested that we pick 1 to 2 others in a full step down so it would be worth dedicating one guitar to a full step down setup but they just want to learn this one for now. We normally play 1/2 step down anyway to help the singer, so another half step isn't the end of the world or anything, just seems like it will be a pain to tune in and out of this tuning for one song on stage when/if we ever get there.

I have a pretty damn good Dual Rec Stomp preset, thanks @MirrorProfiles, but if you have any suggestions on tone, Stomp amp models, presets, etc., I should use with this one LMK? I have always liked the song, just not enough to sit down and learn it. BTW, I did suggest some QOTSA songs to add to this one, but I got out voted for now. I also like Albatross by COC that I believe is tuned to D too.

Anyway, some of you here probably play a lot more experience in lower tunings and maybe even this song, so please feel free to offer suggestions and it would be appreciated!! Also feel free to tell me I'm just being a whiny little bitch and to suck it up and learn how to play better in lower tunings, lol... Thanks Guys!!

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Hey guys! I have been playing with 4 others since last Feb. After some drama we got new bassist and singer about 4 months ago, and everything is so much better now. I have been spending most of my spare time learning songs and practicing, so I haven't been here as often.

Anyway, our new singer is really good and everyone wants to learn Bodies. After watching a few live videos, covers, and lessons, It doesnt look to terribly difficult but I have not played in Drop C tuning much and when I have in the past, I really did not care for it. I have all my guitars set up with low action and Drop C is kind of a pain, fret buzz, staying in tune, etc.

I suggested that we pick 1 to 2 others in a full step down so it would be worth dedicating one guitar to a full step down setup but they just want to learn this one for now. We normally play 1/2 step down anyway to help the singer, so another half step isn't the end of the world or anything, just seems like it will be a pain to tune in and out of this tuning for one song on stage when/if we ever get there.

I have a pretty damn good Dual Rec Stomp preset, thanks @MirrorProfiles, but if you have any suggestions on tone, Stomp amp models, presets, etc., I should use with this one LMK? I have always liked the song, just not enough to sit down and learn it. BTW, I did suggest some QOTSA songs to add to this one, but I got out voted for now. I also like Albatross by COC that I believe is tuned to D too.

Anyway, some of you here probably play a lot more experience in lower tunings and maybe even this song, so please feel free to offer suggestions and it would be appreciated!! Also feel free to tell me I'm just being a whiny little bitch and to suck it up and learn how to play better in lower tunings, lol... Thanks Guys!!

What is your scale length of the guitar?
What gauge strings do you use?
Are you opposed to drop tune, as an effect?
Do you have a guitar to dedicate to this tuning?
Why are you still in a band that would play this ..but not QOTSA?

 

[JiveTurkey]

If you are tuned down to Eflat currently; play Bodies in Drop C#.

 

[Byrdman]

What is your scale length of the guitar?
What gauge strings do you use?
Are you opposed to drop tune, as an effect?
Do you have a guitar to dedicate to this tuning?
Why are you still in a band that would play this ..but not QOTSA?

What is your scale length of the guitar? LP 24.75

What gauge strings do you use? 9's & 10's

Are you opposed to drop tune, as an effect? Yes, with my Stomp, it takes up too much DSP

Do you have a guitar to dedicate to this tuning? I can, but don't want to for just one song but I will

Why are you still in a band that would play this ..but not QOTSA?
I know you are joking, but when we were playing with the other singer and bass player, they were more experienced playing in cover bands over the years, so they were making all the decisions and then left to go play with another band that broke up. Now everything is done by vote and we go with majority. This is a lot less stressful even though I have to learn things I wouldn't normally do and it has made me a better player.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Preciousness about maintaining the original tuning is overblown to a ridiculous degree. It's one thing if the song is in A440 but the singer wants to shift it to drop A. Usually you are working within a half step to a step at most adjustment on these changes. There is no reason to match every different cover tune's tuning. That continues to be the dumbest thing I see any cover band get hung up on. Adjust it to the closest tuning you have available and go from there.

 

[Byrdman]

If you are tuned down to Eflat currently; play Bodies in Drop C#.

I suggested that, but our singer tried. It did not sound as good and requested that we learn it in Drop C, and he really does sound better in the original tuning. He is older and the pipes are still great, just not as good as they use to be so we all try to help him out as much as possible. We don't want to stress him too much because we have a few others that are higher register songs which is usually placed towards the end of the setlists.

It's just an inconvenience for the rest of us, where with him it is a little more important to keep him singing all the songs.

 

[Byrdman]

Preciousness about maintaining the original tuning is overblown to a ridiculous degree. It's one thing if the song is in A440 but the singer wants to shift it to drop A. Usually you are working within a half step to a step at most adjustment on these changes. There is no reason to match every different cover tune's tuning. That continues to be the dumbest thing I see any cover band get hung up on. Adjust it to the closest tuning you have available and go from there.

We play everything down a 1/2 step so we dont really care about that, we just want him to be able to sing all the songs and not stress his voice any more than it already is.

He really has a great voice so I dont mind being inconvenienced if it helps him to keep singing all our songs we already know.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I suggested that, but our singer tried. It did not sound as good and requested that we learn it in Drop C, and he really does sound better in the original tuning. He is older and the pipes are still great, just not as good as they use to be so we all try to help him out as much as possible. We don't want to stress him too much because we have a few others that are higher register songs which is usually placed towards the end of the setlists.

It's just an inconvenience for the rest of us, where with him it is a little more important to keep him singing all the songs.

If he truly can't do it a half step up from what it is; it would be either alter tuning with digital tools or find other songs in that tuning to justify adding a guitar. I mainly speak about this in these cases where singers pick songs from 15 different tunings and wonder the rest of the band thinks they're a pain in the a$$

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

What is your scale length of the guitar? LP 24.75

What gauge strings do you use? 9's & 10's

Are you opposed to drop tune, as an effect? Yes, with my Stomp, it takes up too much DSP

Do you have a guitar to dedicate to this tuning? I can, but don't want to for just one song but I will

Why are you still in a band that would play this ..but not QOTSA?
I know you are joking, but when we were playing with the other singer and bass player, they were more experienced playing in cover bands over the years, so they were making all the decisions and then left to go play with another band that broke up. Now everything is done by vote and we go with majority. This is a lot less stressful even though I have to learn things I wouldn't normally do and it has made me a better player.

Ok....all silliness aside.

Go with a guitar with a HB in the bridge. While I love the short scale Gibson thing, 25.5 or longer is better, especially with 9s or 10s.

Go up a gauge, tune to drop C and adapt.

I use heavy bottoms skinny tops EB strings and get the best of both worlds....but you have to know how to adjust the guitar, and your playing style, a bit, for the best overall benefits.

Without a digital tuning adjustment, this is the best recommendation I can make.

P.S. not totally joking though.....I will die on the QOTSA hill.


Also...I'm one of those sadists that uses 12s in standard tuning.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Let me also say this; of all songs in the world...Bodies is not one that is going to break a band or setlist if it isn't there. That bridge is We did it in one of my modern rock turd bands years ago and I just mimed the guitar part because my brain refused to learn something so undefined and stupid

 

[la szum]

Great advice so far!

Drop C on an LP scale length guitar with 9s or 10s is going to be Flop City, The Sequel.

Either have a guitar dedicated to those songs, or get a pedal (Drop) you can run before
your Stomp and have that alter the tuning for you.

I've done both--and each has its hassles/issues. Just have to determine what works best "
for you.

Oh, and glad to hear you are playing with others. Even if we don't get our way all the time
it is priceless. Just get to experience and do things with others we can never accomplish on
our own. Happy for ya, Barry!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Great advice so far!

Drop C on an LP scale length guitar with 9s or 10s is going to be Flop City, The Sequel.

Either have a guitar dedicated to those songs, or get a pedal (Drop) you can run before
your Stomp and have that alter the tuning for you.

I've done both--and each has its hassles/issues. Just have to determine what works best "
for you.

Oh, and glad to hear you are playing with others. Even if we don't get our way all the time
it is priceless. Just get to experience and do things with others we can never accomplish on
our own. Happy for ya, Barry!

Always with the first names!

 

[la szum]

I do it IRL, too. At a store, in a car, at a bar, under a bridge. Nothing wrong with
being personable in an increasingly impersonable world.

You can call me, Donna.

 

[Byrdman]

Ok....all silliness aside.

Go with a guitar with a HB in the bridge. While I love the short scale Gibson thing, 25.5 or longer is better, especially with 9s or 10s.

Go up a gauge, tune to drop C and adapt.

I use heavy bottoms skinny tops EB strings and get the best of both worlds....but you have to know how to adjust the guitar, and your playing style, a bit, for the best overall benefits.

Without a digital tuning adjustment, this is the best recommendation I can make.

P.S. not totally joking though.....I will die on the QOTSA hill.


Also...I'm one of those sadists that uses 12s in standard tuning.

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Thanks for the suggestions! I'll be right beside you on that QOTSA hill. One of my favorites too