867-5309 Jenny - A question of tone

EriktheRed · #1 08-23-2009, 05:08 PM

I already have a tab, this one:

http://www.bassmasta.net/t/tutone,_tommy/154670.html

Problem is, it sounds a little off when I play it. I tried tuning down a half-step, but that wasn't the problem. It just seems..."off"...tonewise, at least.

I play a Fender P-bass with a dimarzio split-rail through a 20-Watt Peavey practice amp.

Any ideas on how I oughtta set the tone for this song.

NicJimBass · #2 08-23-2009, 05:13 PM

Not sure about tone, but after toying with it the other day, it's tuned to 445, which is slightly above standard tuning (440). if you have a tuner, you should be able to adjust it to allow you to tune to this. I believe it's 5 semitones above standard, if you have a rackmount tuner like a Korg DTR-1000 or similar.

oldrocker · #3 08-23-2009, 07:13 PM

I use "Best Practice" to alter pitch down 1/4 step (25 cents) when I play along with this one.

PJSShearer · #4 08-24-2009, 08:59 AM

5 semitones = 5 frets which would mean tuning your bottom E to A!!.

jaywa · #5 08-24-2009, 01:46 PM

The song is in F#... not a common key for rock/pop/country. That may be why it sounds a little strange as well.

As far as the tone on the recorded version, it's pretty much your straight-ahead bland 80s bass tone. Nothing that really makes or breaks the song so I wouldn't get too worked up about it. Worry more about the guitarists executing their parts correctly (there are at least three separate guitar tracks on the recorded version that all have to pretty much be executed note for note), and especially the chord progression in the bridge ("I've got it... I've got it... etc. ) since that's kind of weird as well.

EriktheRed · #6 08-25-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicJimBass

Not sure about tone, but after toying with it the other day, it's tuned to 445, which is slightly above standard tuning (440). if you have a tuner, you should be able to adjust it to allow you to tune to this. I believe it's 5 semitones above standard, if you have a rackmount tuner like a Korg DTR-1000 or similar.

Now THAT did the trick!

Thanx.

NicJimBass · #7 08-25-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EriktheRed

Now THAT did the trick!

Thanx.

It seems like they either tuned that way on purpose, or someone was out of tune, and they simply tuned to each other. Either way, if you try playing this by ear, in standard tuning, it'll always sound weird.

jaywa · #8 08-25-2009, 08:05 PM

445.... weird... first time I've ever heard of a band tuning HIGHER than standard.

mpm32 · #9 08-26-2009, 07:55 AM

It was probably sped up in the studio. They most likely recorded it in 440 and thought it was a little too slow and sped it up.

No one would tune like that just for kicks - unless they didn't have a tuner and just tuned to each other. But then again, why would a studio not have a tuner?

jaywa · #10 08-26-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpm32

No one would tune like that just for kicks - unless they didn't have a tuner and just tuned to each other.

Or unless their singer couldn't get low enough

electracoyote · #11 08-26-2009, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicJimBass

It seems like they either tuned that way on purpose, or someone was out of tune, and they simply tuned to each other. Either way, if you try playing this by ear, in standard tuning, it'll always sound weird.

It's more likely that when this song was mastered for release to the record buying public and radio, they sped up the master tape to give it a slight tempo boost and make it sound a little more peppy and bright. Common practice back in the days of vinyl.

PJSShearer · #12 08-26-2009, 09:33 AM

I used to work on Cruise ships where the stability of the power supply could be "variable" and moving from room to room and Keyboard to Keyboard (Piano to Organ) meant some serious retuning was required.

I recall working with one Organ that, according to my Korg GT-6, was tuned to 443 + 1 needle width.

A Hammond I remember was so flat that the Sax Player couldn't pull out far enough to tune to it!!.

jaywa · #13 08-26-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJSShearer

I used to work on Cruise ships where the stability of the power supply could be "variable" and moving from room to room and Keyboard to Keyboard (Piano to Organ) meant some serious retuning was required.

I recall working with one Organ that, according to my Korg GT-6, was tuned to 443 + 1 needle width.

A Hammond I remember was so flat that the Sax Player couldn't pull out far enough to tune to it!!.

I sure hope you weren't working with guitarists in those situations who insisted on using their tuner instead of their ears.

fishtx · #14 08-26-2009, 10:48 AM

Yep, I found it weird when I went through this song...Another song that's slightly "off" is Layla (Derek and the Dominos)...

Gearhead17 · #15 08-26-2009, 01:10 PM

I noticed the same thing when I started learning the song. I literally played it last night with the band in standard tuning and it sounded just fine. It's not worth it to tune up for this song unless you are playing a bunch of songs live in this 445 tuning.

The biggest key with this song is making sure you stay with the kick drum and do the fills correctly and not lose the beat. If you blank out on stage with this one, it can sound like a mess!

jaywa · #16 08-26-2009, 01:17 PM

People love-love-love this song. As long as you throw down a solid beat, play the right chords and don't muff the lyrics, this tune is pretty much a layup as far as going over with the crowd. IME, anyway.

PJSShearer · #17 08-27-2009, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

I sure hope you weren't working with guitarists in those situations who insisted on using their tuner instead of their ears.

In those days tuners were quite rare and it was not uncommon to be asked if you were tone deaf 'cos you were seen using one. :-(.

PJSShearer · #18 08-27-2009, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishtx

Yep, I found it weird when I went through this song...Another song that's slightly "off" is Layla (Derek and the Dominos)...

... towards the end, it isn't even in tune with itself :-).

also, when Layla was recorded tuning meters simply did not exist - they probably tuned to a harmonica that someone had in his pocket

PJSShearer · #19 08-27-2009, 10:27 AM

On BBC Television in the early 80s there was series called "Rock School" which taught the basics of various styles of pop/rock music. They demontsrated how various types of music was put together (guitar plays this, bass plays that 'cos the drums are doing ...etc.) and showed interviews and playing examples from some serious players - Sly and Robbie for the Reggae show, Iain Paice & Gary Moore for the Rock Show and I recall Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers were in there as well.

But one I recall the best was a piece to camera from John Entwhistle which went something like:

"I played Trumpet in the Middlesex Youth Orchestra and had perfect pitch. Then I joined a Band that tuned to a harmonica!!. After a few weeks if you'd asked me to give you an "A", all I could have said was Huh?".

440 anyone??

warnergt · #20 04-28-2010, 10:32 AM

I was practicing this tune to the popular release. The tune that I have
is in G minor. Then, I went to play with our band and everybody else
was playing in F# minor.

I have 3 versions of 867-5309/Jenny in my collection:
the regular release,
an "unplugged" version and
an acoustic version (i.e. another "unplugged" version).

All 3 versions are by Tommy Tutone.

The regular release that I have is in G. Transcribe! (software) verifies this.
This isn't a case of being a quarter tone off. It is dead on G.
The other two tunes are in F#.

That's weird. How did that happen?

Speaking of tunes being a quarter tone off, the Rolling Stones'
"Jumping Jack Flash" is one. It is between B and Bb.