hioctane103 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 im watching some audience clips of the show on the 10th and it sounds like they tuned down. i dont doubt it due to roberts vocals but am i right? or am i just hearing things? were there any songs they altered? i heard they played ramble on, thats pretty cool. did they play some songs in tune to the original recordings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I think it's obvious they tuned some songs down. Everyone knew they were going to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trashbag Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 GTBT, Black Dog, Ramble On, Stairway, No Quarter and Rock and Roll are the only ones I know of that they tuned down. Whole Lotta Love, Kashmir, and For Your Life were played in the right key. Not sure of the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timboh56 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I'm going to guess they did that becuase of robert's voice. I can't think of another reason why they would do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andmoreagain Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 No doubt some songs were played in a lower key - but that didnt detract from any of it. The important thing is that they did it-Irony may well have dictated that Jimmy and Jonesy had to adjust to accommodate Planty once he'd decide to do it- who knows? but Zepp always was about challenges and transitional evolution anyway, so they did what they always did and will do-work round it, ever onward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hioctane103 Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 o i know that doesnt dtract from it at all. its them being there of course, but i was just wodnering cuz it sounded funny. im watching good times bad times right now... AWESOME!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billee Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 GTBT, Black Dog, Ramble On, Stairway, No Quarter and Rock and Roll are the only ones I know of that they tuned down. Whole Lotta Love, Kashmir, and For Your Life were played in the right key. Not sure of the others. Does this strike anyone else as kinda strange? Not the idea of tuning down to help Plant reach the notes easier, but why these ones in particular? Good Times Bad Times is not in a particularly high register, he's been singing Ramble On and Black Dog with Strange Sensation in the original keys, and on the Page and Plant tours he seemed to me to do just fine on No Quarter and Rock and Roll in the original keys (I know that was like 10 years ago, but from what I've heard recently his range doesn't seemed to have dropped much since then) And in the case of Stairway...I dunno...it's just such an iconic song it's hard for me to think of it being in anything other than the key of A. Granted I have yet to hear any recordings from the show (for something this big I don't want my first experience of it to be crappy cellphone movies on YouTube, so I'm waiting until hopefully a really good quality boot surfaces) so I can't really judge the effect the downtuning had on any of the songs, good or bad. In just seems to me, in theory, it doesn't really seem necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbking Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I agree, the songs that are tuned down a WHOLE step, DO sound a little strange. Obviously they did it to accommodate Plant. From what I have seen and heard they sounded pretty good all things considered. Seems like they had sound problems at the venue and there are most definitely several missed cues and mistakes, but what the hell. Better than their previous reunions to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I agree, the songs that are tuned down a WHOLE step, DO sound a little strange. Obviously they did it to accommodate Plant. From what I have seen and heard they sounded pretty good all things considered. Seems like they had sound problems at the venue and there are most definitely several missed cues and mistakes, but what the hell. Better than their previous reunions to be sure. Most of the mistakes aren't any different from mistakes made in Zeppelin shows all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trashbag Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 And in the case of Stairway...I dunno...it's just such an iconic song it's hard for me to think of it being in anything other than the key of A. Trust me, Stairway sounds just fine in G. Sorta gives it a more mellow and sadder feeling as opposed to the bright and happy feeling of the original version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Trust me, Stairway sounds just fine in G. Sorta gives it a more mellow and sadder feeling as opposed to the bright and happy feeling of the original version. Yeah, I'm normally not a fan of Stairway To Heaven, but the way they played it last night made me like it more than usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyedye Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 im watching some audience clips of the show on the 10th and it sounds like they tuned down. i dont doubt it due to roberts vocals but am i right? or am i just hearing things? were there any songs they altered? i heard they played ramble on, thats pretty cool. did they play some songs in tune to the original recordings? They did. It was most evident in STH, but did it detract one iota from the songs or the bands energy? Not in the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineMan Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Unless I'm very much mistaken, when playing live the vast majority of bands tune down a half-step anyway, from A=440 to what's known as "stage tuning", so that the lead singer doesn't have to strain as hard. For the songs on which Zep did tune down at the O2, they were only a half-step down from that (i.e., a whole tone down from A=440: A to G, D to C, etc.). It was really no big deal, and it allowed Robert to go for the high notes, especially on "Rock and Roll," on which he dropped down a _full octave_ from 1972 to 1980. SIBLY, my all-time favorite live song, also had a couple of stratospheric screams from Percy. I had goosebumps all up and down my arms and I am not ashamed to say that my tears, they fell like rain. Tuning down also gave the bass and guitar big-time crunch. When Jimmy hit that opening chord of "For Your Life," his tone was so FAT. Reminded me of the Black Beauty tone at RAH. Absolutely brain-searing. That, and his classic swagger throughout the song = THE most badass rock and roll moment it has ever been my privilege to witness in nearly 30 years of concert-going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorzep Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Tuning down also gave the bass and guitar big-time crunch. When Jimmy hit that opening chord of "For Your Life," his tone was so FAT. Reminded me of the Black Beauty tone at RAH. Absolutely brain-searing. That, and his classic swagger throughout the song = THE most badass rock and roll moment it has ever been my privilege to witness in nearly 30 years of concert-going.Except FYL was played in the original key. Still sounded FAT though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-ocean87 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Does this strike anyone else as kinda strange? Not the idea of tuning down to help Plant reach the notes easier, but why these ones in particular? Good Times Bad Times is not in a particularly high register, he's been singing Ramble On and Black Dog with Strange Sensation in the original keys, and on the Page and Plant tours he seemed to me to do just fine on No Quarter and Rock and Roll in the original keys (I know that was like 10 years ago, but from what I've heard recently his range doesn't seemed to have dropped much since then) And in the case of Stairway...I dunno...it's just such an iconic song it's hard for me to think of it being in anything other than the key of A. Yes they tuned down. Stairway was played in the key of G. Just one tune lower. Although it sounds lower. Ten years ago, Robert could sing R'n'R in the original Key. He sang it better then in the 70th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbking Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Just me but those tunes and their KEYS are a part of my molecular structure...so for me...a WHOLE step..is BIG step...really sounds different...if you guitarists out there play the intro to STH in Am...then play it in Gm...it JUST SOUNDS "wrong"...to me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramci Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 (edited) Just me but those tunes and their KEYS are a part of my molecular structure...so for me...a WHOLE step..is BIG step...really sounds different...if you guitarists out there play the intro to STH in Am...then play it in Gm...it JUST SOUNDS "wrong"...to me anyway. it is....sad.....that there are....purists....like....you. I'm a guitarist too and i don't give a shit. In fact, i am eagerly waiting to hear the new adaptations of the old songs. Sure, opinion respected etc but think about it. Edited December 13, 2007 by Ramci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverVishnu Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Yep, and it was a very wise choice vocal-wise. Page and Plant tuned down Gallows Pole 2 steps when they played it in the mid-90s and it really helped the vocals a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbking Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Well, yes, I did, ahh, think about it. I have heard the whole show, and all the songs that are tuned down sound a little "wrong" to me. ( you see where I said "to me" there?) and jeeez dude get bent outta shape at consecutive periods do you...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JABLES Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Nobodys Fault didnt sound right to me.. But if getting them onstage means they gotta change things up a bit, then go for it.. As long as they keep playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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