Changing D-string

[VirgilDonati]

Hi guys! As you soon will discover, I'm a total bass guitar n00b so please excuse me if I come off as an idiot.
Anyway, I was tuning my bass the other day and the D-string broke. When I go to the store to get a new one can I just say that I want a new D-string or are there different sizes or such that I need to know about? The bass is normalsized I think, so I probably won't need a special length or so. Can I use any brand or will the sound differ? I'm still a beginner so if it's just a little it won't matter.
I hope this is the right forum, btw!
thanks in advance!

[Blapto]

You should probably change all the strings at once.
You can change just the one string, but it will probably feel out of place, and will definitely sound different. The note coming out will be correct, but the way the note sounds will almost certainly be noticably different.

Also, you should probably buy a chromatic tuner, or tune with a piano or other in tune instrument to help you. You may be tuning the bass higher than you mean to. What are you using for your reference pitch?

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by Blapto

You should probably change all the strings at once.
You can change just the one string, but it will probably feel out of place, and will definitely sound different. The note coming out will be correct, but the way the note sounds will almost certainly be noticably different.

Also, you should probably buy a chromatic tuner, or tune with a piano or other in tune instrument to help you. You may be tuning the bass higher than you mean to...

Good advice.

[VirgilDonati]

Originally Posted by Blapto

You should probably change all the strings at once.
You can change just the one string, but it will probably feel out of place, and will definitely sound different. The note coming out will be correct, but the way the note sounds will almost certainly be noticably different.

Also, you should probably buy a chromatic tuner, or tune with a piano or other in tune instrument to help you. You may be tuning the bass higher than you mean to. What are you using for your reference pitch?

ok thanks, that's too bad though, I'm so broke right now.
I was using a chromatic tuner actually! Although it has been acting rather strange latley, so I should probably get a new, better one as soon as I can afford it.
thanks for the advice, i appreciate it!