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alternate tunings

bThumper38

bThumper38

brian ebert
May 22, 2008
709
35
56
Cascade Mts. Washington
#1
Hey I was just curious who's messing around with alternate tunings, other than drop A/D tunings. I used to play 6-string years ago, and just got back at it. So last night I started working on bebop and beyond, and found it difficult to reach all the notes, so I tuned my bass..................
B---------------
Gb-------------
D---------------
A---------------
E---------------
B---------------...........It seems to make all the difference to reach the notes. kind of a guitard tuning. gonna take a minute to remember where all the notes are but it also relieves some tension off the upper strings. brian
 
#2
Yeah, that's basically standard six string guitar tuning, except in the six string bass range.

Standard guitar tuning E-E
E
B
G
D
A
E

Now if you move that down a fourth (some guys who downtune do this) you get a guitar tuned B-B
B
F#/Gb
D
A
E
B

Now if you move that down an octave you get you six string bass tuning.

If you like playing chords on the highest 3 or 4 strings that major third will make that easier.
 
#4
alternate tuning is interesting. It would suck if you were to lend you bass to someone not familiar to your tuning. Yvarg: what you have there is supposedly Victor Wootens piccolo tuning. I saw a video where Vic and Steve Bailey are playing "a chic from corea" and Vic was explainig that tuning. same as a 6 string except for the B & E.
 
#5
Yvarg said:
Right now I'm trying out tuning one of my basses:

C
G
D
A

It makes way more sense to tune in fifths in my mind, I just have not yet gotten used to where all the notes are yet. :D
Click to expand...
I've got a guitar tuned like that.

Starting with a low F(same note as a bass E string on the first fret :D) then CGDAE

Also when you write out tunings vertically the way you did it is usual to put the lowest pitch on the bottom.

So that should have been written
A
D
G
C

I agree it sounds great. :bassist:
 
#10
For ages I played in drop D, I like the extended range, and it made certain shapes easier. (I played in a soul band with this tuning!)

I've tried tuning my 5 to ADADA before, it's an awesome tuning, really versatile (especially when playing in A :p) but it does get a bit confusing as it's mixing 4ths and 5ths.
 
#12
I used to play standard and kept dropping down to Eb, then D, Db, C#, etc, and then I got a five string. So now in open B tuning with guitar tuned the same. I LOVE to change tunings! It's just fun. Gives you a uniqueness too. I am now addicted to the gigantic B string. Slides are better than ever. Just love the WOOOM sound. I missed out on the few basses that were made for B-E-A-D setups, but would love to have one. I was anti-5 for years and now I dig having that string that the "purists" don't. Plus I can scare the guitar players even more.... Elcamino 72, a low G??? I tried dropping down with the B and it is just too floppy to get a real tone, but I like the way you think man!
 
#13
Yvarg said:
Right now I'm trying out tuning one of my basses:

C
G
D
A

It makes way more sense to tune in fifths in my mind, I just have not yet gotten used to where all the notes are yet. :D
Click to expand...

I did that once, I tuned it like a cello. It was fun - there's some cool things you can do and I had some interesting ideas. For a while I was thinking 'I'll leave it like this'. But then I had a gig and I couldn't afford to screw anything up, so I tuned it back. I remember though, it was pretty hard to do lots of simple things with that tuning.
 
#14
bThumper38 said:
A
D
G
C
So would tuning in fifth's like this effect the tension? I'm really digging getting away from standard tuning. It feels brand new all over again. :hyper:brian
Click to expand...
dude, downtuning basically ruins the string tension (if you play in standard tuning at a normal tension) to the point where the strings just flop and rattle.

to fix that, buy some stiffer, long scale strings (i use DR Lo-Riders 5 set, they work perfect because they are compressino wound around a hexagonal core) and when your changing strings, while winding the peg manually, just dont let the string have any slack.

it worked perfectly for me. i use a five string, and i normally play tuned

Standard What I PLay
G F
D C
A G
E C
B G

(which is everything down a whole step, but the bottom two strings down an ADDITIONAL whole step, much how Ryan Martinie plays)

just by changing the strings with little or no slack on my bass (and help from a friend while i changed strings) it completely helped the tension. even at two whole steps down, my bass' tension is like normal in standard tuning. its awesome.

however, if you change tunings rather frequently and if your tuning down that much, you might have to re-set up your bass more frequently than you change socks, but my bass is a double truss rod, so i dont even have to deal with that. you will have to adjust the neck truss and saddle height a little after you first change the strings.

also, you might want to try changing out the tuners to stay accurate while tuning down. a new bridge would help too. i suggest a badass or a hipshot.

hope it helps :)
 

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