B Flat Tuning - Anyone?

[whoatherechunk]

Alrighty then. I started playing with a Converge-esque band and it's my first time playing in devastating low B flat tuning. Anyone else out there play in this tuning. Which bands even use this tuning? CannibalCorpse/Chevelle have used this tuning....but it seems to be a little uncommon. Thanks!

 

[Ripper]

dude... if you go low go all the way... g or f# FTW

 

[Beej]

My band has a few tunes in Bb. We're usually in C#. For a while there, I was playing those songs on a short scale. Floppy goodness...

 

[Vic Winters]

Later Metallica, I'm pretty sure Jason tuned his 5's down a half step. Later Breaking Benjamin is in Bb (Diary of Jane).

 

[whoatherechunk]

Thanks guys! Keep it coming.

 

[dave64o]

Maybe it's because of my age, but I just don't get the idea that you can't be heavy unless you tune down and the more you tune down the better.

I predict that within 10 years the heaviest bands will only play live at major rivers because the only way to get a heavy enough bass tone will be for the bassists to play the suspension cables on the bridges.

 

[Thunderscreech]

I am going to have to try this tuning.

 

[whoatherechunk]

Yeah I'm definitely a standard tuning type of guy. Does sound metallic and sludgey though. Its growing on me though

 

[Double Agent]

My prog band has 2-3 songs in Bb, most material we play is in drop-Db. For the Bb stuff, I have a 5er that is tuned 1/2 step lower than normal. I can play most of the drop-Db as if it were in D and not have to change basses to play the Bb tuning. Our guitarists don't have that muddy, sludgy, St. Anger tone either. I hate that tone, and I was worried they would sound like that when they gave me the material they were writing, but they sound really nice, just deeper. FWIW, my Spector sounds GREAT in this context. Their aggressive nature really shines in this type of material and the low Bb slams in the mix.

dave64o, people have been using alternate tunings forever. It is not just a metal phenomenon. Many solo acoustic guitar players tune their acoustics all the way down to B or A for a fuller sound. Its not better/worse, heavier/lighter to me, its just a different sound. Its one more thing that can help you stand out in a crowd. However, once you get lower than A, I really think you are sacrificing good tone tuning low just for the sake tuning low. It gets really muddy and indistinct down that low.

 

[Vic Winters]

A thread on Ultimate Guitar listed the following:

-Early Meshuggah
-The Acacia Strain
-In Flames
-Deftones
-Chevelle

I didn't check for accuracy.

 

[Murder_Worship]

nevermore

 

[whoatherechunk]

i'm not really digging the nevermore but thanks! i guess it goes to show plenty different artists use different tunings just like double agent says. i think deftones is usually just in C. but hey that's almost there

 

[Ripper]

I think sun o))) uses tunings like that dont they?

 

[electracoyote]

Alrighty then. I started playing with a Converge-esque band and it's my first time playing in devastating low B flat tuning. Anyone else out there play in this tuning. Which bands even use this tuning? CannibalCorpse/Chevelle have used this tuning....but it seems to be a little uncommon. Thanks!

Okay, here's my chance to get educated a little. To the OP I ask, Are you using a 5 string that is normally tuned B, E, A, D, G?

 

[whoatherechunk]

no man i wish hahaha. just a 4 stringer...Bflat F Bflat Eflat.

 

[electracoyote]

no man i wish hahaha. just a 4 stringer...Bflat F Bflat Eflat.

Okay, Thanks. That's one I haven't tried yet. Sounds cool.

 

[FrankLaSush]

My band has a few tunes in Bb. We're usually in C#. For a while there, I was playing those songs on a short scale. Floppy goodness...

I keep one P Bass tuned in Eb and the other tuned to E ...