"B" and "A" tuning for Bass

[Coop DS]

Hey my name is Cooper and i'm filling in for a band that has a song in "A" tuning and a song in "B" tuning i was hoping someone could help me figure out the tuning cus i am kinda lost, my band mostly does Drop D but i have a 5 string and a 4 string so if anyone has any recommendations on which bass to use as well that would be neat. thanks!

 

[Sid the Kid]

They probably play in B standard and drop to low string to A sometimes. Use your 5.

 

[jlepre]

I've never understood these special tuning for bass. I mean I can understand with guitar as you need to play chords, but bass?

 

[jlepre]

Maybe if you're playing Country music, LOL. Some of us play chords.

Chords on guitar...bass is single notes. If you're playing chords and need special tuning them you need to switch instruments.

 

[jlepre]

You've never played chords on a bass?

Sure I have...fooling around, but the job of the bass is to lay the groove.

 

[subsonicbassist]

Chords on guitar...bass is single notes. If you're playing chords and need special tuning them you need to switch instruments.

Thanks for the extensive and unbiased opinion of how to play bass, seems like I've been doing it wrong for years. Cheers

 

[jlepre]

Thanks for the extensive and unbiased opinion of how to play bass, seems like I've been doing it wrong for years. Cheers

You're welcome. Glad to be of service.

 

[Sid the Kid]

I've never understood these special tuning for bass. I mean I can understand with guitar as you need to play chords, but bass?

You don't understand drop tuning? The idea is to have the same low notes as the instruments you are accompanying. Not really a chording thing at all. A lot of heavier basslines are impossibly difficult without drop tuning.

 

[jlepre]

You don't understand drop tuning? The idea is to have the same low notes as the instruments you are accompanying. Not really a chording thing at all. A lot of heavier basslines are impossibly difficult without drop tuning.

5 string solves that. That's all I play.

 

[subsonicbassist]

You're welcome. Glad to be of service.

If you really need help understanding your options on how to tune your bass differently as you mentioned above, I would recommend reading the first 7 letters of the alphabet. They correspond to musical notes you play on your bass guitar, and you can use any of them as a reference for tuning.

 

[subsonicbassist]

Hey my name is Cooper and i'm filling in for a band that has a song in "A" tuning and a song in "B" tuning i was hoping someone could help me figure out the tuning cus i am kinda lost, my band mostly does Drop D but i have a 5 string and a 4 string so if anyone has any recommendations on which bass to use as well that would be neat. thanks!

Because it hasn't been clearly stated, I would ask them if they are in standard or drop tuning first. Drop A tuning from bottom string to top would be A E A D G, A standard is A D G C F, Drop B is B F# B E A and B standard is, well B E A D G which is considered the standard tuning for most 5 string basses hope that helps!

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

You've never played chords on a bass?

I've played 5th, but anything closer than that sound like a horrible mistake.

 

[subsonicbassist]

5 string solves that. That's all I play.

There are notes lower than a low B ya know...hence the term Drop tuning, in which you "drop" the tuning of a string below the original pitch. Try playing a fast song in Drop A with a low string tuned to B and see if you get the gig

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Chords on guitar...bass is single notes. If you're playing chords and need special tuning them you need to switch instruments.

Awww...aren't you adorable. You even tell us the role a bass is supposed to take. I'm sure Anthony Jackson and Michael Manring will be sending you apology letters soon.

5 string solves that. That's all I play.

Lots of music relies on repeatedly playing an open string under a pattern that is nearly impossible to play without the use of open strings. This is what alternate turnings can help with. Having a 5-string doesn't solve that.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Tony Iommi started the whole down-tuning thing way back in the early 70s, starting with "Master of Reality", where he and Terence both tuned to C#.

 

[Skokiaan]

Sure I have...fooling around, but the job of the bass is to lay the groove.

That's just one of the jobs of the bass. There are several. John Entwistle and Chris Squire weren't known for laying down groove.

 

[obimark]

I've never understood these special tuning for bass. I mean I can understand with guitar as you need to play chords, but bass?

Metal.

 

[Seiki]

5 string solves that. That's all I play.

Meanwhile drop tuning enables the player to set an open string to a note, which is super useful in many styles of music

u can drop tune a 5 string btw

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I've never understood these special tuning for bass. I mean I can understand with guitar as you need to play chords, but bass?

Different tunings allow for playing open notes that let's say your regular tuned 5 string doesn't have. Let's say If you're playing a riff that requires playing the D below the lowest E, and then sliding to a different high note on the neck while the D is ringing, then you need an open D below E. You can't play the D (3rd fret on the B string) and slide to a different note while the D is stil ringing. Now think of a different note let's say C. Same problem.

Also, the D (3rd fret on your low B) sounds different than the open D. Either would be appropriate depending on the case. Does it make sense?

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Lots of music relies on repeatedly playing an open string under a pattern that is nearly impossible to play without the use of open strings. This is what alternate turnings can help with. Having a 5-string doesn't solve that.

Could you explain this in more detail, or link me to somewhere I can learn more about this? I'm a new bass player (only a month) and I'd like to know exactly what makes certain patterns nearly impossible to play without the use of open strings.