Five string question...

[Skeet]

Not sure where to put this i was thinking basses, but it is mainly tuning so whatever.

So recently I have been thinking of getting a new bass, sounds good, Im pretty much set on spector.
However The bass i have at the moment is a fender precision 1975 model, is mint condition and i do not want it to get too worn, I want to get my new bass and leave the Fender in Standard tuning, and there lies the problem.
In my current band, we play in Drop C: C G C F.
This would be fine if i got a 4 string, i would just down tune easily.
But i was thinking i might go to a 5 string to have that low B if i joined another band, and we played in a different tuning.

So after that explanation here is the question.
How would i tune a 5 string down to Drop C.
Would i go A, C, G, C, F?

(Please dont tell me C is on the first fret of B string, because, we have lots of riffs such as): And skipping strings would suck holding down first fret on B string, playing finger style, as i am a spaz with a pick.

Ill show a pic of what hell it would unleash on me.


Ohh and i know i can move a few of those notes around, its just getting back to the low c quickly, as its tempo is 200

Any help/opinions?
Ohh by the way in the wall of text i left out, im fairly metal orientated, but with a huge range of other bands aswell.

[Krowser]

I don't see what the problem is...

I play with a five string as well, AND in drop C (hell yeah!). I just leave it to B unless I actually need it.

The whole point of tuning an instrument is to make it easier for YOU to play what YOU want. If you want to tune it to D D D D D, no one is stopping. It will just be hell playing with that, and something will probably break.

So, if you have low A notes in your songs, drop the 5th to A, if you want to keep the usual tuning progressing, drop it to G (althought at that point you will probably be able to shoot an arrow with your bass.)

[Skeet]

Ahh k so you play BCGCF?
Just tune all but one down?
Yeah, k i get what you mean, i have only been playing bass seriously for bout a year now,(so im still noob) and i thought some of the weird tunings would warp the neck.....
Thanks.

[Psychotic_Hell]

My Tech Death band has just moved the guitars to 7 strings

But when we were going for the drop tuning i would tune my lakland to; ACGCF
I tell you what, put that tuning + Heavy Finger style + Tubescreamer = Brutal Tone

[Lokkenjawnz]

Originally Posted by Skeet

Ahh k so you play BCGCF?
Just tune all but one down?
Yeah, k i get what you mean, i have only been playing bass seriously for bout a year now,(so im still noob) and i thought some of the weird tunings would warp the neck.....
Thanks.

I may have misread Krowser's post, but I'm fairly certain that he meant just standard 5 string tuning, as in BEADG, not BCGCF. Tuning your bass BCGCF would be pretty redundant, seeing as your lowest two strings would be only a half step apart. I know all this tuning stuff can be pretty confusing, hopefully thing's are pretty clear now.

-Lokkenjawnz

[headonastick]

Easiest thing to do if you're talking about using this bass with other bands as well would be to tune the B UP to C, and leave everything else in standard tuning. Is there a reason you're in dropped tuning apart from to get the low C?

[Skeet]

Originally Posted by headonastick

Easiest thing to do if you're talking about using this bass with other bands as well would be to tune the B UP to C, and leave everything else in standard tuning. Is there a reason you're in dropped tuning apart from to get the low C?

I heard tuning the b up to c is a way to warp the neck?
Ithink the reason we tune down is to be. br00talz. I don't know.
I'm guessing it's for the low c.

But psycotic I may do that. Coz I have a hard fingerstyle technique

[headonastick]

I don't, and never have, played metal of any kind, so I warn you that my knowledge of this sort of thing is limited: but what I've never understood is why a guitarist drop-tuning means that the bassist has to as well. If tuning your bass similar to the way their guitar is tuned makes things much easier then fair enough, but if the concern is just for the low C then I wouldn't bother retuning the other strings. I'm sure there will be tone issues depending on the tuning, but I'm really not partial to the sound of loose strings, so my advice is definitely biased in that regard. I would be very surprised if tuning a low B string up one semitone warped a neck, given that the neck can handle the various tensions of different string gauges without warping.

[73jbass]

Tune it to C standard if you don't need the low B.

[rapturebass]

just tune a 4 CGCF, its easier to manage.

[JustDavid]

Originally Posted by Skeet

I heard tuning the b up to c is a way to warp the neck?

Whoever said that; never listen to them again.

You have a truss rod to counteract string tension's effect on the neck, short term & long term. You also have string tension choices.

Could go 5. Or could go 4 with a 5 string set. Not sure which'd be best tuned to CGCF; stringing BEAD or string BADG.

[Skeet]

Thanks for everyones help!

[MNAirHead]

Why tune together?

Basic answer is that metal type rock is commonly riff bassed and commonly sycopated...

Tuning together really helps the "groupmanship" when establishing new material

I would never do this.. but there is a purpose.

T.

Reminds me of a very tenured player I know.. he will dork all his tuning 1/2 to a full step (arbitrary string changes)... he can use them on the fly and compensate.. guess this is the stuff that 50 years of experience can bring you.

Originally Posted by headonastick

I don't, and never have, played metal of any kind, so I warn you that my knowledge of this sort of thing is limited: but what I've never understood is why a guitarist drop-tuning means that the bassist has to as well. If tuning your bass similar to the way their guitar is tuned makes things much easier then fair enough, but if the concern is just for the low C then I wouldn't bother retuning the other strings. I'm sure there will be tone issues depending on the tuning, but I'm really not partial to the sound of loose strings, so my advice is definitely biased in that regard. I would be very surprised if tuning a low B string up one semitone warped a neck, given that the neck can handle the various tensions of different string gauges without warping.