5 string love?

[bassbully]

Personally, I'd keep my 5 or 6 string bass in standard tuning for flat keys, unless we wanted a low Bb.
I play a lot of folk , a huge amount of is Dm. So having low D and C is good, though I try to use those notes wisely, as they can be profound.

Well I'm confused. How do I keep the EADG standard if they drop?

 

[IronLung1986]

Well I'm confused. How do I keep the EADG standard if they drop?

You have the Eb on the B string. Guitars have to tune down to get an open Eb chord, but a 5 string bass naturally has that note in standard tuning. And of course you've got Ab on the E string and so on. So you already have all the notes you need to cover any chords the guitars play, even if they're tuned down and you are not.

 

[bassbully]

You have the Eb on the B string. Guitars have to tune down to get an open Eb chord, but a 5 string bass naturally has that note in standard tuning. And of course you've got Ab on the E string and so on. So you already have all the notes you need to cover any chords the guitars play, even if they're tuned down and you are not.

I understand that thanks. I don't want to use just the B string. If I use Eb say as the root on th B and then want to walk the chord using the the third and fifth on the standard E string these strings are tuned standard and will not be flattened. I want to play old country on the bottom four strings since its punchy there less sub bass . I played those songs in standard tuning for years. I only wanted to use the B on heavy bass nu country song. I'm confused.

 

[bassbully]

You have the Eb on the B string. Guitars have to tune down to get an open Eb chord, but a 5 string bass naturally has that note in standard tuning. And of course you've got Ab on the E string and so on. So you already have all the notes you need to cover any chords the guitars play, even if they're tuned down and you are not.

So if I read this right I would play the standard tuned string a half step down?

 

[G On Bass]

Ok this might be a stupid question so don't flame me please. The country band I'm auditioning for tunes down a half step... Ok cool did this when playing blues and really liked the tone. So I'm cool with that but what about the five string?
I would have to tune down the EADG strings a half step to stay in key and still use regular fingering positions . Do I flatten the B then to B flat. I'm more at home with my 4 strings tuned down a half step...I think I'm confusing myself here.

No need to downtune, IMHO. If you usually play higher up the neck with the 5, not using lots of open strings, then it's a really simple adjustment of a fretting position. If you play lots of open strings, then maybe consider downtuning or investigating playing fewer open strings.

 

[bassbully]

No need to downtune, IMHO. If you usually play higher up the neck with the 5, not using lots of open strings, then it's a really simple adjustment of a fretting position. If you play lots of open strings, then maybe consider downtuning or investigating playing fewer open strings.

Yes I do play open strings and changing the fretting positions is hard for me. I have played the old standards and to play then a half step below on the fretboard confuses me. Could I get it in time..yes but its not fun relearning a fretboard. I'm just starting to get the 5 down a little and if they were in standard tuning would be ok, but the drop tuning part suks.

 

[bearfoot]

The detune might give a tasty fret rattle, but my 2 cents is to stay in standard tuning and woodshed Eb, Ab, and Db scales and patterns, that way you gain the most of the situation. Those flat keys sound great on my basses, but yeah, I can get as confused as the next guy. I got my first 6 string last winter and after weeks of 2-hour woodsheds the overall simplicity started to set in. But I still get lost at times.