# 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:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/21 "2017-01-11T13:55:59Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > 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. Apparently since around 1995 according to Wikipedia. Interesting. I have played one of those modelers and it is off-putting when the volume is low enough to hear the off-key Standard tuning of the strings and the amplified non-standard tunings coming out of the digital pickup. Weird voodoo. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/22 "2017-01-11T16:09:05Z")
> [@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 have to agree. He had at least two strings out of tune. Whether that was deliberate or not, I can’t say. ---
**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, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/23 "2017-01-11T22:57:57Z")
I didn’t think it sounded that bad. I did think something was out of whack with the string section, though. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/24 "2017-01-11T23:23:28Z")
It’s like saying Picasso can’t paint because people don’t have triangular heads. ---
**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 11, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/25 "2017-01-11T23:32:53Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > 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. I learned \*Big Yellow Taxi \* a while back, it’s not really all that tough to play but it sounds great and is fun to play. She was into those super cool modal sounds at the time, that one is in Open E, she would typically tune to open D (easier on guitar and strings than actual Open E) and Capo on 2 The whole reason she employed her own tunings and others, she had Polio as a child, and so it was difficult for fretting and such. If you’re playing with others, they don’t want to hear someone tuning up, and especially, playing out of tune. When playing alone it’s a lot easier to at least get the guitar in tune with itself, if not exactly on concert pitch. Sometimes I’ll start in standard tuning, then Drop D (lots of famous hits) Double Drop D (ditto - including Zeps “Goin’ To California”) DADGAD (celtic) and Open D (Lots of hit songs). Throw in a Capo and there’s enough there to keep anybody busy for a long time. ---
**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 12, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/26 "2017-01-12T00:24:06Z")
I was looking for a joni song to play one time and it seemed to me she only had one song in standard tuning. And one in drop D which was never on an album. I gave up. I haven’t got to where I want to retune for songs. ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/27 "2017-01-12T02:14:14Z")
Page is definitely playing some dissonant chords in this clip like minor 6th-add-9 or diminished 7th sus4 type stuff. It’s difficult for me to tell if the instrument is properly tuned to the intended tuning. He can definitely tune a guitar at least when sober. I’m not worried about his tuning skills. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/28 "2017-01-12T05:13:22Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Apparently since around 1995 according to Wikipedia. Interesting. I have played one of those modelers and it is off-putting when the volume is low enough to hear the off-key Standard tuning of the strings and the amplified non-standard tunings coming out of the digital pickup. Weird voodoo. Not a problem if you use in-ear monitors though. Output of the modeler, mix in the audience away from a mic some distance from the acoustic…no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/29 "2017-01-12T06:22:30Z")
IANAG - rhythmically it reminds me of parts of _Over the Hills and Far Away_. damn that squeaky smooth floor’s JUST ASKIN for, say, three-on-three shinny, granted room is roughly a mimimum 150’ X 50’. The windows, though, would be a problem. And Jimmy. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776/30 "2017-01-12T11:26:00Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Not a problem if you use in-ear monitors though. Output of the modeler, mix in the audience away from a mic some distance from the acoustic…no problem. Another example of a great performance tool, from the sound of it, that I would not choose to use privately. A key part of my guitar joy is the sense of…connectedness?..with the instrument I’m playing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jimmy-page-plays-acoustic-and-cant-tune/776776.md?page=1)