# Jimmy Page plays acoustic - and can't tune **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776 "2017-01-09T23:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/1 "2017-01-09T23:33:16Z")
So I came across an article on Guitar Player about Jimmy Page playing a 12 string. And I open it up. Then became very sad. [Linky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQCv6jmv-EU). Slee ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/2 "2017-01-10T01:45:53Z")
Sounds like it’s tuned the way he wants it tuned. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/3 "2017-01-10T02:30:19Z")
Could it be he’s using open tuning on this performance? [For example, here’s a Led Zeppelin song done in open C tuning.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKge6Ay9O4E) ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/4 "2017-01-10T03:11:49Z")
Yes, some open tuning or other. You can tell by the way the bass strings sound like big rubber bands. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/5 "2017-01-10T04:36:07Z")
Another vote for it being in tune. It’s going slightly out of tune on the higher frets either due to the strings being loose and being easy to bend inadvertently or the intonation being off. I’d generally bet on the former, since he hits them with varying degrees of drift in the tuning. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/6 "2017-01-10T07:16:58Z")
Oh my, I didn’t know Page could play that badly. That’s not my cup of tea. Almost atonal and dissonant. I agree his strings are very loose and it’s got that rubber band thing going. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/7 "2017-01-10T07:22:40Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > Sounds like it’s tuned the way he wants it tuned. Maybe. Probably. But it still sounds out of tune. Like ass in other words. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/8 "2017-01-10T11:52:22Z")
I am not close to a guitar but it sounds like open G. Sounds fine to me - I could do without the moody distant camera angles. 12-string guitars have light-gauge strings on them, and Jimmy favors lighters gauges anyway. If you strum a bit too hard and the Low E string pair\* is tuned down to D, they can sound pitchy. \*officially called a “course” - a 12-string guitar has six 2-string courses. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/9 "2017-01-10T14:01:06Z")
I agree with OP. The low notes sound out of tune with the rest of the chords, like someone playing a fretless bass and not knowing the exact fingering locations or knowing how to adjust. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/10 "2017-01-10T14:14:39Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I agree with OP. The low notes sound out of tune with the rest of the chords, like someone playing a fretless bass and not knowing the exact fingering locations or knowing how to adjust. Yeah, I’m with you and the OP here. It’s not so out of tune that it bugs me _too_ much, but I’m not really fond of the piece. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/11 "2017-01-10T14:29:23Z")
I was also wondering what song this was _vaguely_ reminding me of and then I realized, “Four Sticks.” OK, I did say _vaguely_. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/12 "2017-01-10T14:30:55Z")
I’m not a musician (I can read music, and make my way along a piano keyboard, but that’s about it), so I can’t comment on whether or not it’s ‘in tune’…but that piece sounds to me like it could have been bouncing around inside Jimmy’s head since the _Led Zeppelin III_ days. In other words, it’s a perfect example of a ‘Jimmy Page acoustic guitar’ piece, and therefore it sounds “just fine” to me. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/13 "2017-01-10T16:36:58Z")
I’ve experimented with low tension strings on my upright bass before. A “bumped” set- a D string in the place of the G, an A string for D, etc, then a gut string or equivalent for the E. What happens when you tune it is that the pitch is good on the attack, but then rapidly goes flat. I think that may be what’s happening here. It looks fine on the tuner, but goes out of tune with any sustain. If he’s got some strings tuned low that effect may be in play. Particularly the lower strings. Also, doesn’t your setup affect tuning? The neck bowing due to a different tension it was set up for? Could it be that he’s pressing any low tension strings farther down to the fingerboard thus making them go out of tune? ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/14 "2017-01-10T18:09:36Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > the Low E string pair\*… > > \*officially called a “course” - a 12-string guitar has six 2-string courses. Cool thing I learned today. Thanks \*\*WordMan \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/15 "2017-01-10T22:50:28Z")
It’s a little underwhelming. Alternate tunings are tricky in that they can sound a little bit off if not tuned exactly right. This is why you’ll see performers with a whole stable of guitars on stage, they can dedicate a guitar to some wacked out tuning and leave it there. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/16 "2017-01-11T00:34:30Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > It’s a little underwhelming. Alternate tunings are tricky in that they can sound a little bit off if not tuned exactly right. This is why you’ll see performers with a whole stable of guitars on stage, they can dedicate a guitar to some wacked out tuning and leave it there. Not too long ago, I learned that the Queen of wacky tunings, Joni Mitchell, was no longer bothering to dedicate a guitar to them, or to pause to do the tuning. Instead, she uses a standard tuning, and a guitar amp emulator to change the tuning. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/17 "2017-01-11T01:20:17Z")
Blues men who played 12 strings often tuned them low; I suspect that this is because the neck would bow and the bridge would pop off if they didn’t. 12 strings are also pretty dang hard to tune; I love mine anyway. ---
**Author:** ![CatandMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@CatandMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatandMouse)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/18 "2017-01-11T01:27:50Z")
> [@sleestak](#): > > So I came across an article on Guitar Player about Jimmy Page playing a 12 string. And I open it up. > > Then became very sad. > > [Linky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQCv6jmv-EU). > > Slee I don’t know what’s going on there, but I can assure you that Page knows how to play the guitar. I’ve seen him twice, once he was playing the guitar so fast his fingers were a blur. (on big screen @ the concert) I get goosebumps just thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/19 "2017-01-11T02:17:28Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > Maybe. Probably. But it still sounds out of tune. Like ass in other words. Heh. Everybody’s got one. Depends on what you do with it. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/20 "2017-01-11T02:21:03Z")
I’m betting page was just rocking it and was aware of his own sound and not caring about how many cents off it was. Sometimes cents off sounds rocking. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776.md?page=2)