Tunning down a half step????

armybass · #1 03-24-2011, 09:16 AM

I have hooked up with the second group in a month that tunes down a half step. At first I was like "who does this"? Well I guess more folsk than I thought. My question is do you folks that do this find that it effects your set up. I raised my strings and reset the truss rod but I really like my action low. I am thinking I am going to just have to use an even lighter touch than I am used to to keep from getting fret noise with the action as low as I like it and haing the strings tuned down. Ugh...I am too old to learn new tricks...

kr0n · #2 03-24-2011, 02:01 PM

Perhaps a tad thicker strings so they won't be as loose and flabby? .105->.110?

BobaFret · #3 03-24-2011, 02:08 PM

I played in a band like this but played in standard tuning. It required some reworking of the bass parts they wanted but in the end they liked what I did.

Hawaii 5-0 · #4 03-24-2011, 02:09 PM

I got a second P bass and set it up for Eb, with heavier strings. It was a good excuse to buy another P bass.

jumbodbassman · #5 03-24-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kr0n

Perhaps a tad thicker strings so they won't be as loose and flabby? .105->.110?

thats what i do. 2 of 4 groups tune down. so i have a few basses with big ass strings....

johnboy65 · #6 03-24-2011, 02:13 PM

It will take some thought on your part but you can just drop your E to a D. That will take less setup, and keep everything the way you like it. Even better you can install a Hipshot D tuner so the bass can still be setup for your other gig too.

I also think playing with a heavier gauge will help if you dont want to tune everything down 1/2.

And yes, TONS of people tune down a half step... mainly for singers.

BruceBass3901 · #7 03-24-2011, 02:14 PM

I've used it for a couple of gigs becasue one or two songs were in Eb, and I just used a capo to go back to standard for the rest

jaywa · #8 03-24-2011, 02:15 PM

Yuck. I feel sorry for you, man.

Tuning down a half-step is a nice cheat for the singer and I know some guitarists like it but it's a big PITA for bassists (especially those who favor higher string tension) with not a lot of payoff sonically.

And if you're a 5-stringer then that B is dropping to a B-flat, at which point string tension and action become a major concern and especially if you're running anything shorter than a 35-inch scale length.

J. Montgomery · #9 03-24-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by armybass

At first I was like "who does this"? Well I guess more folsk than I thought.

Lots of people use dropped tunings, from Jimi Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughn to Guns N' Roses & Nirvana. I played in a cover band for >2yr that played tuned down 1/2 step. I tuned down for practice and gigs, and tuned back to normal for home practice (learning songs from records) and I never had any problems with it nor changed my setup. IMHO, don't over analyze it.

Lumpy_Bass · #10 03-24-2011, 02:25 PM

I tune to Eb for one and standard for the other on the same Fender Jazz V and have not noticed any issues for abouit 7 months now.

I initially tried transposing everything for the Eb band but once I tuned down it made a noticeable positive difference immediately.

fearceol · #11 03-24-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Montgomery

I tuned down for practice and gigs, and tuned back to normal for home practice (learning songs from records) and I never had any problems with it nor changed my setup.

Same here. Think I'd prefer the standard tuning though.

mike nyce · #12 03-24-2011, 02:43 PM

I've played my whole life in standard tuning. Now I'm in a band that plays songs in:

standard
D#G#C# F#
C#G#C#F#
DGCF
CGCF

I HATE IT!! the first six months I was constantly adjusting on the fly. I couldn't fall back on my"safe runs" either. I would learn the song by listening to a CD then show up for practice and they would change the tuning. Some of the tuning changes were to compensate for vocals and I would end up bringing four basses to the gig!( I have a major problem with playing the tuning song between songs while I'm on stage) It has driven me NUTS!

dpbass613 · #13 03-24-2011, 02:50 PM

Yeah almost every group i have played with in the last four years is tuned down a half step. Its for the singer. There is really no other reason, gives the singer and oppurtunity to be more consistent without straining there voice.

I prefer standard tuning, especially when recording to get that tight response, i do think you hear a difference.
However tuning down that half step can also give you that grungy geddy kind of rock tone, pending the bass you are playing.

dBPete · #14 03-24-2011, 02:54 PM

I was playing around with some Aaron Lewis stuff, and it seems like quite a few of his songs are down 1 1/2 steps. (The bassist might just be playing at standard). Anyone else ever go down this far?

change-jug · #15 03-24-2011, 02:58 PM

The dudes I`m currently jamming with now have me tuned down to CGCF or drop C. It`s kind of annoying. Some bands do it and it sounds good(to me anyways),like the Deftones. But for me the lack of tension on the strings,having to get a thicker gauge to compensate and relearning the basics was a bit off putting.
Plus I find that my sound just gets muddy alot of times. I would love to rock out in drop D and call it a day.

Stiggs · #16 03-24-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Montgomery

Lots of people use dropped tunings, from Jimi Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughn to Guns N' Roses & Nirvana. I played in a cover band for >2yr that played tuned down 1/2 step. I tuned down for practice and gigs, and tuned back to normal for home practice (learning songs from records) and I never had any problems with it nor changed my setup. IMHO, don't over analyze it.

I agree.. I play in two groups. One plays in standard E and the other Eb. I use my 78 p bass for both. I've never even thought about set up.

van_gogh_bass · #17 03-24-2011, 03:04 PM

This is becoming commonplace. It sure does mess with the physics of my bass!

BigOldHarry · #18 03-24-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike nyce

I've played my whole life in standard tuning. Now I'm in a band that plays songs in:

standard
D#G#C# F#
C#G#C#F#
DGCF
CGCF

I HATE IT!! the first six months I was constantly adjusting on the fly. I couldn't fall back on my"safe runs" either. I would learn the song by listening to a CD then show up for practice and they would change the tuning. Some of the tuning changes were to compensate for vocals and I would end up bringing four basses to the gig!( I have a major problem with playing the tuning song between songs while I'm on stage) It has driven me NUTS!

I'd tune to match them rather than fight it.

The new group I've been working with has got about 1/3 of their songs a half step low (for various reasons - vocalists' range, that just they way they learned it off of the recording, etc). It is annoying.

change-jug · #19 03-24-2011, 03:15 PM

We do it not for our singer but because lower sounds heavier and thus more "badass".

semiprohooker · #20 03-24-2011, 03:20 PM

I've just always used a 5 with all the bands I've been in that tuned down. Drop C??? Sure, my 5er goes to B in standard tuning. It takes a little more working to get the parts the way they want them on my side but I prefer the nice taut string tension since I have a bit of a heavy touch.