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Double Bass anyone ever tuned down a half step?

chuck3

chuck3

Jun 19, 2009
4,469
1,063
Brooklyn & Rhinebeck NY
#1
some guys I'm playing with have written an 11-minute jazz fusion epic in Eb. At least some bowing will be required. I'm concerned that, while I have no trouble playing a jazz standard in Eb (in fact I like the key), it ain't gonna be easy giving them what they want on this one without some nice fat open notes, and hitting the low Eb would add something.

I have never been a big retuner, but guitarists do it all the time and bass guitarists too from what I can read on the BG side of the board. Anyone here ever tuned down a half step on DB, and if so what was it like?
 
#2
I've tuned my E down to a D on occasion for orchestral work. There are lots of low Ds in Carmina Burana and it also helps to play the opening of the Firebird suite. It wasn't a big adjustment for me as I often have my Stingray and P tuned DADG. Are you just tuning the E down or all four?
 
#3
MysterMunky said:
I've tuned my E down to a D on occasion for orchestral work. There are lots of low Ds in Carmina Burana and it also helps to play the opening of the Firebird suite. It wasn't a big adjustment for me as I often have my Stingray and P tuned DADG. Are you just tuning the E down or all four?
Click to expand...

I was thinking all four. It's kind of a modal piece and Ab and Db also figure prominently.

When you tuned your E down to D did it keep a good tone quality?
 
#4
The tone was comparable to when my bass was tuned regularly. What I did notice was the slight delay in bow response when playing an open low D, due to the lighter tension. It wasn't an issue when I would play fingered notes. I got around this by doing a slight left hand pizz to get the string moving. No issues when playing pizz.
 
#7
anyone ever tuned down a half step?

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Ya when I played 4 string basses ... I had my Rickenbacker tuned EADG .... My p-bass was 1/2 step down, and my jazz was D standrd DGCF. But When I switched to a 5 string bass I tuned BEADG and the one bass replaced the other 3.

Opps ... you guys are talking about double basses ...

Can they be tuned DGCF?
 
#9
If you can get an extension, the tension issues I had go away. I've played basses with both Stenholm and Gated extensions and they have fat, tight C strings that are made to play those low notes. If you go the extension route, I recommend gated as the stenholms I've tried and heard were noisy and typewriterish.
 
#10
Ric5 said:
anyone ever tuned down a half step?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ya when I played 4 string basses ... I had my Rickenbacker tuned EADG .... My p-bass was 1/2 step down, and my jazz was D standrd DGCF. But When I switched to a 5 string bass I tuned BEADG and the one bass replaced the other 3.

Opps ... you guys are talking about double basses ...

Can they be tuned DGCF?
Click to expand...

lol - you edited fast! Yeah, on bass guitar this is no problem once you have a fiver, which I do.

D does not concern me so much because you have the open strings to work with and that's all I want for this purpose. Eb is just a different dynamic on the upright, at least for me. Regular Eb major for jazz standards is fine, but this is a very long modal type piece requiring some bowing, and in which the open strings would sound good.
 
#12
finally got around to doing this, because it's pretty much required in some stuff I'm playing on the side from my regular band. It doesn't seem to be a problem. I mean, it takes a minute, but in the other band our guitarist retunes like five times a night and no one seems to care.
 

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