anyone tune a 5 string bdadg?

[fenderthrupeave]

I have found myself using this tuning since I stated playing 5 strings. My band does alot of songs in d so it just kind makes life easier and I think in heaveir parts an open low D sounds better than a fretted D. Just wondering if anyone else use this tuning.

[TylerofTheVeil]

Interesting tuning. I think the only problem is that the B and D are a minor 3rd apart, and, assuming that all of these songs are in a minor key, the B doesn't fit into the scale. It would sound a little weird if you accidentally hit that B in the middle of a song.

[GreenFunkGuy]

For a while I played in my brother's band, he kept his bass in that tuning so when I used his bass I played in that tuning. It takes alittle bit of time to adapt to, but nothing too bad. Having it in d I think is a good idea if your six-stringers are tuned to drop d.

[Tobbo]

dunno.. I'd use ADADG in your situation... makes more sense =) or at least for me :P

[EADG mx]

I've heard of it. It seems redundant to me so I wouldn't use it personally

[Jake of Bass]

Certain basslines it makes easier to play, eg. 'The Pot' by Tool. But in doing so you never use the 5th string anyway.

Personally, I'd get a 4 string and play it in drop D, or like Tobbo said, downtune everything a whole step.

[SpiralSwinger]

Originally Posted by Jake of Bass

Certain basslines it makes easier to play, eg. 'The Pot' by Tool. But in doing so you never use the 5th string anyway.

Personally, I'd get a 4 string and play it in drop D, or like Tobbo said, downtune everything a whole step.

I definetly agree with you on that one.IMO,It's easier and more fun to play Tool songs on a BDADG tuning.Especially songs like Schism and Parabola

[Mikio]

I find it unnecesary, but I do think an open low D sounds better than a fretted low D

[Absentia]

I've been using it ever since I got my 5er

[madbassplaya]

I don't understand why you would tune like that. For me, one of the reasons that I like a 5 string is not having to down tune my E to a D. Also, if you are going to down tune a 5 string, drop tune it to A as someone suggested earlier.

[bassadicct]

Originally Posted by Mikio

I find it unnecesary, but I do think an open low D sounds better than a fretted low D

normally i would agree but if you have the right bass it can sound different. not better or worse just different, which lends to having your 5'er tuned bead way more convenient imo and ime.

[Absentia]

For me the open D just seems to have more bite to it.

[IanStephenson]

I guy I know tried this for a while, as he'd learnt a load of songs in drop tuning on a 4 string, and simply didn't want to relearn them (after many years of playing them) in a new way - it simply wasn't worth the effort.

Last time I spoke he was looking into getting a hipshot fitted on the E string, but having problems making it fit. He was temporarily switching back to his 4 string for drop D songs as that did have a hipshot on, but wanted to stick with the 5 as much as possible.

I wouldn't do it, but it worked for him (and he's a really good player), so why not.

[elpelotero]

I do it often but by necessity, not choice. My band has a few songs that are an absolute necessity to play with an open D because of the nature of the riff. So, I have no other option than to drop it down. But then I put it back up.

[Puarija]

ADADG makes more sense, as already mentioned. I played in a band using this tuning for a couple years. We had written a bunch of stuff in Drop D and when the guitar player got a 7-string, he went with ADADGBE and I retired my 4 and got my 6 back out. ADADGC was my tuning forever.

Now I'm more of a EADGC kinda guy. Mmmmmm

[Revmizery]

I normally tune A#D#G#C#F#B but if i need I go down to A#C#G#C#F#B. I use it for the sake of ease when either playing covers in Drop D or when my guitarist just wants to show me something in the drop tuning.

[MarcusPocus]

DADGAD is a fairly common alternate tuning used by guitarists. I think you have some real nice open string drowning type things that can occur with all those open Ds. Your basically using that tuning but the Low B is kinda out of place, but a minor 3rd can be a hip thing between open strings too. .

[Jake of Bass]

D on the 5th string usually has more low end and sounds fatter than the E tuned down a step. This is the case on the three 5 string basses I own (all different brands). Pretty sure this is due to the B string being thicker.

[Vic Winters]

I believe the bassist from Disturbed uses a Bb Db Ab Db Gb tuning on some songs.

[ShawnStones]

I use ACGCF on my 5er.