Tuning 4 string, noob, problems ERRGGG

[cnl83]

Ok I have a fender squire jazz bass. I download tabs from the internet and play that way. Rage against the Machine (Killing in the name, and Boomtrack).

When you all are playing songs that change tuning how are yall tuning them? For instance if I want to play Killing in the name, its in Dropped D. When I play boomtrack its not. How do yall make that transition? It gets really really irritating having to play with my tuning keys everytime I want to play a different song. I tune my bass with a keyboard when I want to tune my guitar.

[stedtale]

you can get one of these:
http://www.hipshotproducts.com/cart....oduct_list&c=6



it'll allow you to drop your E to a D and back again with the flick of a switch.

[cnl83]

other than that, your just moving the keys?

[stedtale]

I have a six string and I never "retune". On one of my 4 strings I have a hipshot xtender, works great.

Otherwise, I'd just mute and drop the tuning quickly. And do the same, but in reverse when you're done.

[Matthew Bryson]

Play a set of your standard tuned songs, then detune and play all of your detuned stuff, then tune up and play in standard again for the rest of the night.

That's what I do. I use a Boss TU-2 floor tuner for quick silent tuning. I'm considering using 2 bases, even at rehearsals, to make the transition between sets a bit quicker.

[Thor]

MY PERSONAL OPINION is that dropped d tuning is for guitarists,
not bassists. Guitarists often begin to insist that
you use it when they are relying on your visual cues to play.

I use a hipshot extender key on my geddy lee 4 and nothing
on my 5. It will play in any key just fine.

People who detune often end up substituting heavier guage
strings to compensate for the lack of string tension and
the problems that entails, intonation, string slap, fret buzz
and whatnot.

Ok, tune your G down to Eb. Oops, a bit clanky and floppy so
you go with a heavier string. a .065 sounds better than the
.045. Then you go ahead and change the rest. So what you
did was change your 4 to a B-E-A-D tuning. Actually, raised
one half step. So did you detune, or not? There is really
no beating the physics involved in bass designs.

For drop D, just use a 5 set up straight or use a hipshot detuner.
You can catch D through A on the D/E string tuned
in a fifth and use all the other tuned in fourths.

That should mightily confuse your guitarist.