Tuning lesson learned

tobie · #1 10-07-2009, 11:30 PM

Last night just before leaving home I've tuned my bass in order to 'save time' at church where we're practicing for a play coming up in a fortnight. We did not follow the usual pattern of first 'setting up' the band and a few seconds into the first song I realised that something's very wrong! I checked my bass' tuning and ALL of my strings were way too flat!

The band went ahead full-steam and I had to improvise in order to tune (placed the tuner right in the bass amp's face) - no opportunity to unplug the cable & plug in the tuner as the soundman had his own problems in setting up the vocalists (now that I'm thinking of it - I should check whether the amp has a line out and plug in the tuner in advance every time we're playing)!

Lesson 1 learned: Always leave your bass for a few minutes at the venue where you'll be playing (to adjust to temperature differences) before tuning!

Lesson 2: Always insist on a proper setting-up session before playing the first song!

ByF · #2 10-08-2009, 08:34 AM

Lesson 3: Arrive early enough to get your gear ready before rehearsal starts.

Ed

DWBass · #3 10-08-2009, 08:38 AM

I always tune before playing. It takes 2 minutes or less plus all my amps have mute switches and tuner outs so I always have my tuner at my disposal.

stflbn · #4 10-08-2009, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByF

Lesson 3: Arrive early enough to get your gear ready before rehearsal starts.

Ed

+1

You're responsible for your own preparedness. If you're not setup tuned and ready it's your fault.

ThunderLizard · #5 10-08-2009, 08:43 AM

tobie-
good advice.
Never let someone start a song/rehearsal/gig before you're in tune. Everyone will regret it, including the audience.

ChrisPbass · #6 10-08-2009, 08:52 AM

or buy a modulus that doesn't go out of tune ;-)

Honk'n_down-low · #7 10-08-2009, 08:56 AM

Tune twice cut once : )

Febs · #8 10-08-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobie

Last night just before leaving home I've tuned my bass in order to 'save time' at church where we're practicing for a play coming up in a fortnight.

You mean it wasn't tuned at the factory?

tobie · #9 10-09-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByF

Lesson 3: Arrive early enough to get your gear ready before rehearsal starts. Ed

They only open the doors after everyone has arrived, so all of the band members enter at the same time. The band leader should allow some time to get the group settled in, though...

tobie · #10 10-09-2009, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs

You mean it wasn't tuned at the factory?

You mean you never tune your bass?

walterw · #11 10-09-2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobie

Always leave your bass for a few minutes at the venue where you'll be playing (to adjust to temperature differences) before tuning!

here's a "secret" trick to speed up the process: put your hands right on the strings for about 10-15 seconds to warm them up to your body temp (which will make them expand slightly and thus go flat), then tune. do this after every set break.

Pilgrim · #12 10-09-2009, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobie

Lesson 1 learned: Always leave your bass for a few minutes at the venue where you'll be playing (to adjust to temperature differences) before tuning!

Lesson 2: Always insist on a proper setting-up session before playing the first song!

Absolutely right!

Another lesson: don't use a tuner that is out of the circuit, or that prevents you from muting to tune at your convenience. Then you can tune up in a few seconds at any time.

I like my TU-2 a lot!

MNAirHead · #13 10-09-2009, 10:09 AM

Let your bass aclimate to the room.

I either play fretless or a modules for these type rooms.

blubolt · #14 10-09-2009, 10:14 AM

++1 on the TU-2 - Inline with mute or bypass plus the added convenience of being able to daisy chain power to your other pedals. I love mine!

tobie · #15 10-11-2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blubolt

++1 on the TU-2

Sounds like a nice-to-have but way too expensive for an amateur!

walterw · #16 10-11-2009, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobie

Sounds like a nice-to-have but way too expensive for an amateur!

umm, no, a stage tuner can be had for well under $100, and having one is as important as having say, an E string on your bass! you'll never get past "amateur" status until you get this sorted out.

Soverntear · #17 10-12-2009, 12:09 AM

could be worse. my guitarist will not use a tuner. he always tunes to my bass. has a nasty habit of being a bit flat

tobie · #18 10-14-2009, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

umm, no, a stage tuner can be had for well under $100, and having one is as important as having say, an E string on your bass! you'll never get past "amateur" status until you get this sorted out.

I've discovered that both my personal & church amps have 'Tuner Out' slots. Just turn the amp volume down, do the necessary string adjustments and turn the volume back on. A bit more of a hassle, but it works for me (considering that the likelyhood of any re-adjustment after start-of-play is minimal).

PSPookie · #19 10-14-2009, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisPbass

or buy a modulus that doesn't go out of tune ;-)

A carbon fiber neck will not prevent thermal expansion of the strings.

On the other hand, a cf neck won't move with changes in humidity which means you won't have to adjust your truss rod when the weather changes.

PJSShearer · #20 10-14-2009, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobie

I've discovered that both my personal & church amps have 'Tuner Out' slots. Just turn the amp volume down, do the necessary string adjustments and turn the volume back on. A bit more of a hassle, but it works for me (considering that the likelyhood of any re-adjustment after start-of-play is minimal).

I just pull the cable out of the amp and plug it in the tuner, then put it back after I'm in tune !!