Alternate Tunings.

[lukeavenuedrape]

I'm not sure where to post this. I'm just curious on some alternate tunings people use. I've been experimenting lately with E A C# E, D G D G, D A D A. Share any tunings you like!

[AcidFripp]

CGDA is a good one, as is EEEE.
Try them out, see if you like any!

[oniman7]

DGCF, CGCF, CGDA, Eb Ab Db Gb, DADG

If you have a guitar, I like to tune it DADFAE. the bottom 5 strings are an open D minor chord, and the E makes it an add 9. On bass, it's the same concept if you tune it DADF. Hit a row of harmonics, and you get a harmonic chord with minors.

With a 5 string, you can tune ADADA or ADADG and hit 3 octaves of A's or D's (your choice) in a "chord"

Also, I seem to recall a certain bassist tuning CGCA... which seems weird given that the C to A is a sixth jump. But whatever floats your boat.

[SMILEYSIXX]

I'm sorry, but what in the world is E A C# E? I have never heard of this and can't really make heads or tails of what it's purpose is.

[SMILEYSIXX]

Back to the OP, I use standard mostly but when I'm not it's usually AEAD, CFA#D#, BF#BE, CGDA, CGCG, or EG#CE.

[rewopnayr]

i usually keep it tuned to AEADG.

[CopperheadLXXIX]

I tune my 12 string CGCG, kind of like open C on a guitar, except obviously missing the two highest strings. My 8 string I tune EBEG...which is weird but works.

[oniman7]

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

I'm sorry, but what in the world is E A C# E? I have never heard of this and can't really make heads or tails of what it's purpose is.

It's an inverted A Major Triad


E A C# E
5 1 3 1


Why anyone would tune to that is still confusing, but to each their own. Maybe the highest E string would be use to mimic guitar riffs on the high E?

[Plantbrain]

Add some detuners, then you got both a standard or a detuned, or a change the detuned toa different de tuned(within the limits of the detuners of course).

Lots of potential for tap and harmonics, take me a lifetime to explore this option.

[lukeavenuedrape]

Originally Posted by oniman7

It's an inverted A Major Triad


E A C# E
5 1 3 1


Why anyone would tune to that is still confusing, but to each their own. Maybe the highest E string would be use to mimic guitar riffs on the high E?

Yes, I've been playing in a 2-piece drum and bass band. So some of my bass parts do mimic guitar riffs just to try to add more melodic sounds. Oh, and the harmonics on the C# and E sound really really awesome together, at least to my ear.

[Mushroo]

I like DADG and CGDA. For one song my old band did I tuned AADG, the low A was pretty floppy but it sounded good fatten up octave riffs with the adjacent A string.

[champbassist]

I tune GCFA for my acoustic bass. The intervals are the same as the middle four strings of a six string: as such it makes playing chords and arpeggios a bit easier, IMO.

[nshnth]

Here are a bunch of tunings ive collected from here and there:

4 String:

Standard: EADG
Drop D: DADG
Drop C#: C#ADG
Half Step Down: EbAbDbGb
Full Step Down: DGCF
Drop D/G: DGDG
Raised G: GADG
Low B: BEAD
Low A#: A#D#F#C#
Low C#: C#F#C#G#
Low C# Dropped To A#: A#FA#D#
Drop B: BF#BE

EAC#E

EG#DF

EF#BF#

EEBE

EbACF#

EbFEF

DADA

DGDG

C#AC#F#

C#G#C#A

CACA

CGDG

CGCF

5 String Bass:

5 String Standard: BEADG
Tenor EADGC
Drop C: C#DADG
Half Step Down: GbDbAbEbBb
Full Step Down: ADGCF

6 String Bass:

6 String Standard: BEADGC
Baritone: BEADGB
Low C: EADGCF

8, 12, 15, and 18 String bass:

8 String Standard: EeAaDdGg
Full fifths: EbAeDaGd

12 String Standard: EeeAaaDddGgg
Full Fifths: EbeAeaDadGdg

15 String Standard: BbbEeeAaaDddGgg
Full Fifths: GgdDdaAaeEeb

18 String Standard: BbbEeeAaaDddGggCcc
18 string baritone: BbbEeeAaaDddGggCcc