Nothing Better To Do, Leann Rymes. Killer song but challenging for me.

Anyway, I'm learning it in the original key of F on a 4-string. I really could use the Eb below low F for an Eb to F hammer-on. I've experimented with using a weird tuning, Eb A D G, but I dunno. It just seems too off the wall. Anyone ever actually use this tuning?

I could tune Eb Ab Db Gb and play the song in the second position as if it were in F# but it would sound in F. I could reserve a second bass with that tuning, but that doesn't sound like a great idea either.

Its going to be way easier to just forget about the hammer-on and play it in E A D G but I wanted the hammer-on if possible.

What would you do?

If it's just one little hammer on, just stay tuned to standard and do it an octave higher. If you really want to play it like the record, tune down a half step. I'm saying this without being familiar with the song by the way... Just going by what you're asking. Good luck!:bassist:

Thanks Matt

After listening to the song about 15 more times! I have heard that low Eb in there quite a bit. I need it for sure. I'm still fooling around with that Eb A D G tuning. I can play it with that tuning, so might as well work on it and see.

I don't mind using Drop D on some songs, but Drop Eb? :p I see a five-string in my future. I'm playing a lot of country these days and more and more of it uses a five string.

i use drop Eb all of the time, just to get the low Eb, it's not that weird of a tuning, and if the low Eb needs to be there, by all means, tune down.

I ended up getting a 5 string because I don't want to retune or lug around two basses myself :). Plus my group is tuned down and my 4 wasn't real happy about it... and we kept endin up with songs in Drop D...:ninja: A 5 is not a bad idea, gives you more room to play around on ! I wouldn't detune one string just for one song myself.... detune the whole bass if you're gonna do that. :bassist:

Thanks to all for your advice.

I ended up by playing the song in the tuning of Eb A D G. It actually works well for this song in the key of F, because the low Eb is used a lot in the song, much more than I originally thought. After a few days (and many times running through it) this tuning is almost like second nature, for this one song at least.

Yes, I could have tuned Eb Ab Db Gb and learned it that way, but I'm not changing it now!