Lowest of the low...the C#'s got em! Check it out

Billy Low · #1 01-09-2009, 02:07 AM

Arguably, the developement of the C# string has been one of the most ground breaking and controversial developments in modern electric bass playing history in the last twenty years, yet it is still greeted in the bass playing community with as much love and respect as green vegetables on a two year old's plate. There are many misconceptions regarding it's functionality and practicality. Plainly put, most people just don't get it! To be truthful, I was one of those people. I had to ask the creator of the beast himself, Talkbass member Jauqo III-X, to shed some light. Okay, it was less diplomatic than that, I just bluntly asked him "what's the purpose".
Jauqo invited me to a studio mixing session of his yet to be released material, showing me the practical application of the C# string in a musical application. Upon hearing the first thirty seconds of the track recorded with Jaquo's subcontrabass (strung C# F# BE) my verbal response was "wow, this sounds like an anaconda on the prowl" Then I realized that I was hearing this groove monster through standard studio monitors! NO FOOLIN'! No trick setups, no subwoofer, no super-exotic effects.
What I heard was undeniably freaky. To put additional butter on the potato, I was shown the setup used to reproduce the subterranean magma moving tones: a 34' inch scale bass, and a bass cabinet with multiple 10" drivers. So much for the need of extended scale basses and super large drivers.

The following clip is an example of Gary Goodman demonstrating the use of the C#0 string. I can hear it clearly on my laptop, most of you should have no problem.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...84743029&hl=en

Now I'm sure that there will continue to be detractors out there. but let the record show that this developement is just as viable as others that were introduced with controversy. You know the ones: a solid body guitar/bass will never work; low B string is foolish; 6 strings on a bass is strictly for show offs; preamps on basses serve no purpose.

No, I'm not suggesting that this is a tool for everyone. That would be like stating that all thrash metal bands employ a sitar. Before you criticize the functionality of the super-low end remember, there have been many musical uses of the very same frequencies prior to this; they have never employed the use of a bass.
Move over pipe organs and bass synths across the globe, Jauqo has put the super-low in the hands of bassist!

Oh yeah, for all of those that still wanna whine about this concept, go eat your veggies, your plate is getting cold!

armywalaby · #2 01-09-2009, 02:18 AM

I can't define a pitch...but my hearing has been going away too. I'd love to play with a bass set up like this if I could hear it...

lemur821 · #3 01-09-2009, 02:32 AM

Cool video there. First time I've heard extended playing so low soloed. I'm doing E myself. Need some heavier strings....

Billy Low · #4 01-09-2009, 02:39 AM

For some it may involve a slight "training of the ear". It's not that the pitch is indecipherable, it's just your mind hasn't adjusted to it. By not having familiarity with those freq's there is no point of reference to determine the freq separation. BTW sorry bout the hearing.

eyvindwa · #5 01-09-2009, 02:51 AM

Looks cool, but the audio won't work at this computer

I'll be sure to check it out again when I get back home!

fullrangebass · #6 01-09-2009, 03:28 AM

Jauqo is a master of groove and his abilities don't get hindered by his instruments of choice. The low C# is just the medium and some people it can use it in a creative, musical and melodic way. Some others may not be able to use it. I suppose that more people are B-string scared (hesitant or dismaying) compared with those who are C#-string appalled

greenboy · #7 01-09-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Low

So much for the need of extended scale basses

Ah, but with a longer scale you get two benefits: better string feel, and more articulate voicing that has a more balanced spectrum of overtones even through simple passive pickups. I had a 39.5" Knuckle Quake in my hands for months, playing through a great ERB-friendly system, so it's not just theorizing.

Ric5 · #8 01-09-2009, 07:16 AM

The lowest I have tuned is ADGCF ... I found the low A to be lower than I needed. For me BEADG works fine. Even BEAD wouldn't work for me because I need a G string. Having a low E as the highest string would be really freaky.

Ric5 · #9 01-09-2009, 07:19 AM

I have trouble hearing the notes on the low C# on that video.

greenboy · #10 01-09-2009, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric5

I have trouble hearing the notes on the low C# on that video.

I don't have my computer hooked to audio right now, but that was one thing I liked about the longer scale of the Knuckle: way more overtone content from the low notes so pitch discernment was better when "solo". Regardless, even on a 34" scale, when you play in an ensemble the low notes are easy enough to hear. The context gives more pitch discernment and the low tuning has a cool tonal vibe - yeah, anaconda seems to fit!

greenboy · #11 01-09-2009, 07:38 AM

Anyway, things are looking up for low-tuners. Gary Goodman's octave4plus.com seems to finally be showing a variety of large gauges available, with more to come. Previously the choices were limited at best - it seemed you had to be a Big Name ERBer to get anything actually in production that was bigger than .145, unless you liked Conklin's OEM stuff, and it was all spendy.

http://garrygoodman.com/round_wound_strings.htm

jmac · #12 01-09-2009, 07:41 AM

I heard the notes just fine. For me, I don't have a need for it. I don't like the sound of the notes.

However, I'm not going to knock someone else for using it.

stflbn · #13 01-09-2009, 07:45 AM

Sounds like an octave pedal to me... so might as well just use an octave pedal.

Good for him though, but I just don't get the allure.

Mudfuzz · #14 01-09-2009, 07:58 AM

I have a bass with this tuning. It is beyond a octave pedal, I know I own 5 octave pedals.

The pitch is very definable.

Playing them takes a bit of practice though do to the amount of string movement, but when you get the hang of it it is very cool.

One thing though is when I got my C# string from Bill Conklin was that he said that he didn't know if SIT would be making any more of them for the time being do the the economy being what it is. I got the last one he had.

Psychicpet · #15 01-09-2009, 08:27 AM

i dunno. this low end seems to come through better with out any "training" of my ears involved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TesSAq6uY34

buckminster · #16 01-09-2009, 08:39 AM

The real low notes sound either too flabby or like they are coming out of an old Commodore 6400. I guess it's cool if you want a bass to be able to go that low, but how would you actually reproduce that sound live? Wouldn't you have to play through massive speakers driven by gigantic power amp just to get any kind of discernable pitch in a live setting?

Nyarlathotep · #17 01-09-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckminster

how would you actually reproduce that sound live? Wouldn't you have to play through massive speakers driven by gigantic power amp just to get any kind of discernable pitch in a live setting?

You say that like its a problem, or a bad thing

Jake of Bass · #18 01-09-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemur821

I'm doing E myself.

Drugs are bad mmmkay?

paganjack · #19 01-09-2009, 09:52 AM

those sure are some low notes...the computer speakers here can't really deal. i would love to hear it in person.

Jake of Bass · #20 01-09-2009, 09:54 AM

I can hear them fine and define the pitch... but it seems to me something that works, hmm not so much better, but has more application as a percussive thing. At least, from what I heard just now it sounded really cool.