5 string tuning question

[justincest]

My band plays in drop a (A-E-A-D-F#-B) and I am just now buying my first 5 string bass. I was wondering what tuning I should play in.

[namraj]

wats rong with BEADG?

[justincest]

Originally Posted by namraj

wats rong with BEADG?

I'm assuming i'd need to drop tune my strings a bit aswell, to get the added heavyness. And to get the lower a aswell.

[justincest]

Originally Posted by Thunder Pulse

BEADG, and with drop-A it's AEADG

Alright, thanks!

[Thunder Pulse]

BEADG, and with drop-A it's AEADG. How did you arrive at F#BEAD?

Originally Posted by justincest

I'm assuming i'd need to drop tune my strings a bit aswell.

You would if you were using a 4-string, but the 5-string takes care of that with the added lower string.

[Fretlessboy]

Agreed

Originally Posted by justincest

Alright, thanks!

[Jostein]

The normal 5-string tuning should do fine, but if you want to experiment, you could drop all the strings down one step to ADGCF. That should work OK with a heavy gauge 5-string set (like 0.050-0.130). And then your deepest tone would be one octave below that of the guitars.

However, very few loudspeakers can reproduce notes that are that low, so it might not be that useful. But you don't know before you try.

[rpatter]

Originally Posted by Jostein

The normal 5-string tuning should do fine, but if you want to experiment, you could drop all the strings down one step to ADGCF. That should work OK with a heavy gauge 5-string set (like 0.050-0.130). And then your deepest tone would be one octave below that of the guitars.

However, very few loudspeakers can reproduce notes that are that low, so it might not be that useful. But you don't know before you try.

I second the idea of dropping your whole bass down a step. I often drop my B string down to an A and find that certain runs are a little more difficult to do because of the extra movement involved when going from my detuned B string to the E string.

If your band mates are tuned down a step, you will find it easier to play what they are playing on sections where you're all playing the same line. Also, your bass will have that darker more "sinister" sound that drop tuned instruments have.

Ralf

[Roland777]

If you're going down to A, go with a .145 for starters. For AEADG, buy singles in the gauges of .145, .095, .070, .055, .040. That'll give you a very even balance, compared to using the horribly balanced standard sets.

[justincest]

Alright, thanks everyone. When playing on my 4 string, i'd normally have to buy really thick guaged sets to tune to aead. So having the added 5th string should make the strings incredibly less loose feeling im assuming ha.