At the risk of making a short story long, I'll explain my situation. I am playing in a duo with a horn player (clarinet/alto sax), using an Epiphone Dot. I have arrangements of several tunes (pop ballads, old standards, light jazz) that I have been playing for many years, many of them in "guitar" keys, such as E, A or D, in order to take advantage of open bass strings. The horn player is good, but he struggles with playing and improvising in some of those keys, as he ends up with lots of sharps in his transposed key. I have been using capo on first fret for those songs, which puts us in a good key for him. But then I struggle with remembering to move everything up a fret, for songs I have been playing the other way for ten years or more!
I also have a 68 Les Paul, that I have used for years in rock bands. I have recently retired from what I'm pretty sure is my last rock band, so that guitar isn't being used much. I am thinking of tuning the Paul up a half step, so I can play my arrangements as I always have, he ends up playing in D, G, C, and F, instead of C#, F#, B, and E, and everyone is happy! But still use the Epiphone for songs where it isn't a concern. I have 10s on my Paul now, and wonder if keeping it tuned up somewhat permanently could do any damage? Not worried much about bending strings for this type of music. I could always change string gauge if stress on the neck might be a concern.
Thanks for any advice!
I also have a 68 Les Paul, that I have used for years in rock bands. I have recently retired from what I'm pretty sure is my last rock band, so that guitar isn't being used much. I am thinking of tuning the Paul up a half step, so I can play my arrangements as I always have, he ends up playing in D, G, C, and F, instead of C#, F#, B, and E, and everyone is happy! But still use the Epiphone for songs where it isn't a concern. I have 10s on my Paul now, and wonder if keeping it tuned up somewhat permanently could do any damage? Not worried much about bending strings for this type of music. I could always change string gauge if stress on the neck might be a concern.
Thanks for any advice!