There's a lot of people get confused about what tunings Devin uses on which songs. Also alot of new people just wanting to know. I decided to make this list for reference. Hell, maybe it'll get stickied!

Starting with SYL, then solo and DTB, then other stuff, (Punky Bruster etc.)
Will edit to update whenever needed.


STRAPPING YOUNG LAD


Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing

All tuned to Open-C CGCGCE except for

The Critic in Drop-D DADGBE


City

All tuned to Open-C, except for

AAA, in AAAEAE

Detox in Drop-D


SYL

All tuned to Open-C (CGCGCE)


Alien

All on a 7-string tuned to GCGCGCE, except for

Two Weeks, played on an acoustic tuned to Standard E

Possessions tuned to ECGCGCE.


The New Black

All on a 7-string tuned to GCGCGCE again except for

Far Beyond Metal, Polyphony and The New Black, tuned to Open-C


=============================================


SOLO & DTB


Ocean Machine/Biomech

All in Open-C except for

Bastard tuned to Open-C tuned down half a step, B,F#,B,F#,B,F# D#
Funeral is in Standard
Things Beyond Things is in Drop-D


Infinity

All tuned to Open-C, CGCGCE



Christeen EP

All in Open-C


Physicist

All tuned to AAAEAE


Terria

All tuned to Open-C, CGCGCE


Accelerated Evolution

All tuned to Open-C, CGCGCE


Synchestra

All on a 7-string tuned to GCGCGCE except for

Let It Roll and Notes From Africa in Open-C CGCGCE

Vampolka, Vampira and Sunshine & Happiness in Standard E


=============================================


Punky Bruster

All in Standard E

Ziltoid The Omniscient

ZTO, Hyperdrive, Color Your World and The Greys are in Open C.
All others in the 7-string tuning with the low-G.

=============================================

Devin Townsend Project.

Ki

Coast, Gato, Ki, Lady Helen, Terminal, Demon League are in 'c'
a monday, trainfire, disruptr are in 'b'
heaven send and winter are in 'Bb'
quiet riot is in standard

Addicted

The Dev wrote:Ah yes...

Most of Addicted is open B ( b f# b f# b d#)

Universe in a ball is Bb (Bb F Bb F Bb D)

Hyperdrive is open C# (!) (C# G# C# G# C# F)

The Way Home is in regular Open C

Deconstruction Of A Cheeseburger


If I've got any of these wrong (I'm pretty sure I haven't) say so and I'll update it. I don't have the Christeen EP or the two Ass-Sordid Demos yet, so if someone could let me know I'll include them in the list.

Rock on!!

EDIT: I've updated the list with the Ki tunings. Will add Addicted and Cheeseburger when the info becomes available.

EDIT 2: Amended the tunings for 'Funeral' and 'Possessions'.

Good one! Very usefull, thanks!

The 7-string tuning (GCGCGCE) is just open C with a low C added, right? Therefore I don't think the tuning for the 'exceptions' which are in open C would have to be changed, he'd just ignore the low string.

Probably. But if you'd want to play it (which would be the most obvious reason for being interested in the tuning), you don't necessarily need a 7-string, so it might be a good idea to distinguish between the two.

Ocean Machine/Biomech

All in Open-C except for

Funeral tuned to Open-C tuned down half a step, (B,F#,B,F#,B,F# D#)

Replace Funeral with Bastard!
Typo me thinks.

And isn't Funeral in standard E tuning?

Ocean Machine/Biomech

All in Open-C except for

Funeral tuned to Open-C tuned down half a step, (B,F#,B,F#,B,F# D#)

Replace Funeral with Bastard!
Typo me thinks.

And isn't Funeral in standard E tuning?

My bad! Now you've said it I do remember it being Bastard after all.

Never heard of Funeral being in standard. May try it out later.

Probably. But if you'd want to play it (which would be the most obvious reason for being interested in the tuning), you don't necessarily need a 7-string, so it might be a good idea to distinguish between the two.

Bingo!

Hey this was a great idea!
It's really useful to see which songs have different tunings to the usual Open C so good for you!

And isn't Funeral in standard E tuning?

Mmh yup', quite possible, couldn't confirm it though.

And Bastard is in open-C down half a step ?
Or not ? That's the tuning I used for the tab I did (of the 1st part), but some said it wasn't the right tuning, still don't know for sure...

Oh and isn't The Filler in A ? Or open-C down 1 and a half step ?
Or am I playing this an octave to low ?

a little extra fact: Dev plays on a baritone 7-string. I wouldn't recommend tuning to open C with an extra G on a normal 7-string, no matter what gauge you use.

EGCGCGC on Possessions? Are you sure about this? It seems quite impossible to tune the 6th string down to G.

And Bastard is in open-C down half a step ?
Or not ? That's the tuning I used for the tab I did (of the 1st part), but some said it wasn't the right tuning, still don't know for sure...

Oh and isn't The Filler in A ? Or open-C down 1 and a half step ?
Or am I playing this an octave to low ?

EGCGCGC on Possessions? Are you sure about this? It seems quite impossible to tune the 6th string down to G.

If it's not possessions then it's another one of the songs. Byron mentions he has to tune to a lower E for one song in the bonus material that comes with alien, and I've heard people on here say it's Possessions. If ya listen to it it does sound tuned a bit lower than the usual 7-string stuff.

I'm just going by what I've read on here. Never heard about The Filler tuning, but if anyone wants to confirm the different tunings let me know and I'll immediately update the list.

I knew I'd get at least one song wrong!

A low E? Holy shit...

Ive always thought that Things Beyond Things was in drop D, apparently not

As far as I can tell, this is COMPLETELY 100% right...

Possessions and Bastard included.

A low E? Holy shit...

Ive always thought that Things Beyond Things was in drop D, apparently not

I always play it drop D, and it sounds fine to me. I'm not a big fan of downtuning my semi-hollowbody down past drop D, anyway.

Someone sticky this

A low E? Holy shit...

Ive always thought that Things Beyond Things was in drop D, apparently not

I always play it drop D, and it sounds fine to me. I'm not a big fan of downtuning my semi-hollowbody down past drop D, anyway.

It's all still a matter of what feels good for you. These songs are written in open C tuning, but they can also be played in different tunings. For example, I've transcribed almost the entire AE album on my 7-string in standard tuning. Sure, it makes some songs more difficult to play, but it makes the solo's a helluva lot easier, because I'm used to solo-ing in standard tuning.

I must admit that I've been writing songs in open C a lot lately, as you can hear in my band. It's a nice tuning, especially for progressive music, because you can add the 9's real easy, which are played over and over again in Dev's music, and they still sound awesome

I wish I had a scanner, because I've got three pages from Total Guitar with Devin explaining solo'ing and arpeggio's in open C tuning (WITH the low G)