Help with lowering the notes on my strings

[Inxayn]

Hi all, sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldnt find a thread answering my question. I'm a bass newbie btw, I started 2 weeks ago and am teaching myself through books, so I have no instructor to ask.

Anyway, whenever I tune my bass (from standard tuning) to CGCF or BF#BE (as many tabs from my favorite artists require) my strings become really loose, especially my E string, so it buzzes a lot when I play, I was wondering how I could tighten the strings to stop the buzzing so I can play my favorite songs.

any help is appreciated, thanks in advance.

[Phantasm]

You could try a heavier string gauge, usually for those tunings you would use heavy gauge. This will require a lot of adjustment to the bass and you wouldn't want to alternate between standard and these lower tunings.

You could also try a 5-string bass, but whatever you do DON'T tune up 1/2 step to C!

[Inxayn]

ah I see..so I would have to ask a shop to do it for me I assume?
and I do plan to get a five string, but as I have said above, I have only been playing for 2 weeks, so the 5-string will have to wait, as well as the 4-string tunings I guess..=o="

thanks btw Phantasm, your help was much appreciated.

[Masher88]

Yeah...try getting a 5 string bass string set and just using the lower ones (the heavy gauges) You may have to route out you bass' nut to allow for the wider string gauges. You'll have to set the intonation for these lower tunings. otherwise, a "C" on the open top string will not be a C at the 12th fret, like it should be. By The Way...it's not a good idea to keep changing tunings on a bass...it really wreaks hovok on the neck. You should have several basses specifically set up for each.