String guage and tuning suggestions for Djent Metal (5-string bass)

[MX5J6]

I am in the midst of forming a band, I love the Djent sound and want something along those lines. I will be getting a custom 5-string bass with a 35" scale and will probably be using Circle K Strings? So what kind of tuning would i need for a sound like that of Vildhjarta or Meshuggah?

I will probably be using something like a fEARful 15/6/1 (maybe adding another later on) and a Genz Benz ShuttleMAX 9.2 head, if that helps at all. I am pretty new to playing the bass, but learning quickly. So I would appreciate any advice anyone can offer.

[MooseLumps]

Z flat

[MX5J6]

Ha. Seriously though, no suggestions?

[jscomposer]

Basses don't djent. Sorry. lol

[MX5J6]

Then how do you play bass in a djent band? XD

[tylerwylie]

You can "djent" in standard BEADG tuning. That sound comes from guitars using lower tunings playing the exact same thing as the bass, however EQ'd cleverly to create a "single" sound

[jscomposer]

I thought "djent" was literally that palm muted raking octave power chord sound. Seems it refers to single note, not-at-all palm muted, staccato syncopated runs on the 8th string a-la Meshuggah post-Nothing. In other words, actual djent has been around since the 80s. What people mean by "djent" nowadays is "i can has meshuggah's 8th string?"

Amirite?

[ixlramp]

Depends on how low you want to tune, on the tuning of the guitars in your band, and whether you want to match their tuning (either unison or octave down) to make playing their riffs easier ... ? Consult your guitarists ...

[MX5J6]

I don't have guitarists yet. lol this is a current "in progress" forming of an experimental/djent metal band. Once i do get some though, that hopefully know more about the genre than i do I can get their opinions.

[Djentleman]

you're probably just gonna play in whatever tuning your guitarists play in, but it honestly doesn't matter at all what tuning you use

[MX5J6]

I guess that's good to know. What about string gauge? Anything you'd recommend? Otherwise I guess we will just experiment with tuning.

[Tractorr]

This video will let you hear what the bass sounds like on its own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOR0hUIGb4Y

While it isn't exactly djenty, I would say try some sort of nickel roundwounds or half rounds. Then use a very tight distortion, maybe a compressor as well, and EQ in a lot of mids. Probably an Fdeck HPF 3 to roll off the super lows. The 15/6 and GB amp seem like they will work just fine.

[Tractorr]

Oh also, Meshuggah doesn't use amps live anymore it is all through the PA.

I read in an interview it was because they play with so much gain (both of the guitarists play through more than one distortion pedal at the same time). Apparently before they switched to playing ampless they would get their pickups coated in lacquer to keep them from feeding back non-stop. That is crazy gain!

[MX5J6]

Would you recommend I go with a PA speaker over a normal cab? Or should I just stick with what I planned on before?

I was also suggested the Sansamp Bass Driver DI, will that work with the FDeck you suggested?

[Mr_Music90]

Meshuggah does things with 8 string guitars, tuned in F#. I know that their bass player, Dick Lövgren, plays mostly 5 string basses, tuned Bb, F, Bb, Eb, Ab. Maybe that can work for you as well

For the strings, you can also use Pyramid strings. They are specialized in heavy gauge strings. For that tuning, (if you will play in something like that) I would recommend something like .045 .065 .085 .110 .140, or even a.145 Just check these 2 websites :

http://schneidermusik.de/shop1/produ...oducts_id/8054

http://www.pyramid-saiten.de/catalog...log_12_eng.pdf

[MX5J6]

Thanks for that. Now if i could only find 7/8-string guitarists in my area. haha I will try that tuning out once i get my bass as well as other tunigs and see what works and what doesn't. That's what music is about, right? Experimenting.

[Mr_Music90]

Originally Posted by MX5J6

Thanks for that. Now if i could only find 7/8-string guitarists in my area. haha I will try that tuning out once i get my bass as well as other tunigs and see what works and what doesn't. That's what music is about, right? Experimenting.

You are correct there I hope you'll get everything on it's right place, cheers!

[knuckle_head]

When Meshuggah toured here last I got to lay hands on the Warwicks Dick plays. His 5s and 6s are tuned to C standard (guitars are tuned to F and the bass goes the one string lower).

You don't need a PA cab, but the lower the cab's natural tuning the better you will be served.

I know djent bands that go an octave below the guitars - as low as F and octave down E. This is viable and more than possible with any standard bass.

[Tractorr]

Originally Posted by MX5J6

Would you recommend I go with a PA speaker over a normal cab? Or should I just stick with what I planned on before?

I was also suggested the Sansamp Bass Driver DI, will that work with the FDeck you suggested?

15/6 is sort of like a PA cab so you will be fine with that I imagine. If you need more cab down the line you may just want to add the sub not another 15/6.

There is no reason the HPF and a Sansamp wouldn't work together. You would want to try and see if the HPF before or after the Sansamp works better.

The benefit for before it is that both the signal going to your amp and to front of house would be high passed. The down side is it could affect how the Sansamp reacts. Though there is no telling if it is good or bad until you try. In fact, it might actually work better but it probably will not be a very "natural" sound. However, natural is not exactly what you are going for if you are playing djent.

[MX5J6]

OK I guess I have the list of gear I'm gonna use. Just need to get the money now and work on finding some band members.