Drop D Tuning

[tallman]

I've very new to the bass... having just bought my first guitar last week... so this is probably a VERY basic question...

When reading TABs... what is Drop D Tuning... is is possible with a 4 string bass?

Thanks for the help...

kev

[D Man]

Hey, to tune to D, just match the tone of the 7th fret of the E string with the tone of your A string, instead of matching the 5th fret to it.

[tallman]

Sounds simply enough... Thanks for the info...

kev

[Boplicity]

I'll just add a little bit more info here for you about drop D tuning. The E string is tuned to D. The other three strings do not change their standard tuning. Thus you have low to high: D, A, D, G.

In drop D, the octaves of roots are directly above the the root (same fret), but on the high D string. The fifth of the root is directly above the root (same fret) on the A string. This makes for some easier fretting of power chords for guitarists and possibly some faster fingering for you, the bassist, depending on what kind of bass lines you are playing. Jason OLDSTED