I've never strung a bass BEAD though I could use it for a few songs we play that are modern country. I did try tuning to DGCF and found it pretty easy to adapt and I liked the low D. Do you 5 string players use B,C,C# much? With more modern amps a loud B is possible but it doesn't seem like I hear it much.
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BEAD thoughts
- Thread starter Zolddd
- Start date
...which brings us back to tuning in fifths--like a Cello, C,G,D,a. You get more notes on both ends, and while playing in the box there's almost no such thing as a wrong note. Anybody else do this, or am I the only weirdo?
- Aug 5, 2005
- 7,243
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- Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses
Oddly enough, the few times I've played a 4-string tuned BEAD I've felt like I was playing a "transposing instrument" (like Bb trumpet, or Eb alto sax, or French horn, etc) i.e., the notes I fingered didn't correlate to the pitches I was hearing. If I was reading I really wanted to transpose the chart so it seemed like I was playing a conventionally-tuned (EADG) 4-string.
Yet I don't have any such problem when I play my 5- or 6-string basses!
Yet I don't have any such problem when I play my 5- or 6-string basses!
Back in my youth when I was just a four-string guy I strung a backup bass BEAD for the low notes that I always seemed to crave (this was the early '90s when a decent sounding fiver/B-string cost far more then they do now as did decent amplification to hear the d@mn notes, which in retrospect was why I simply didn't purchase a 5-string). It worked just fine for me at the time, but I was very much just a simplistic Rock/Metal player. These days I can't even imagine playing a BEAD-strung bass for most of the reasons already listed, but I'll mention that it all comes down to the individual player - if you think it'll work for you, go for it. It's also hardly a non-reversible proposition - pretty much a nut swap and a setup is all you really need.
...which brings us back to tuning in fifths--like a Cello, C,G,D,a. You get more notes on both ends, and while playing in the box there's almost no such thing as a wrong note. Anybody else do this, or am I the only weirdo?
I do this when my guitar pal ticks me off.. screws him up almost more than pulling out a 7 string
...which brings us back to tuning in fifths--like a Cello, C,G,D,a. You get more notes on both ends, and while playing in the box there's almost no such thing as a wrong note. Anybody else do this, or am I the only weirdo?
Jannick Top of Magma always used that tuning back in the 70's. But that was a peculiar band.
You never see guitar players doing LOTS of stuff bass players do. And vice versa.
I'm just sayin'....
As long as your useing the B string more then you'd be useing the G string then its fine tuning. So long as your bass is up to giving an articulate rather then floppy whompy B string sound.
Man - this was great - I picked up an Ibanez soundgear for $75 yesterday and gave it a little love on the workbench. Came out really nice, but what the hell do I need yeat ANOTHER P/J passive bass for.
Stumbled across this and found the answer - we have enough tunes that have to adjust the key for the vocals and I am screwed (try playing Livin on a Prayer in D on and standard 4 string)....... I just ordered a 5 string set of DRs and will do this puppy BEAD. Plus with this having a 2 octave neck, I just have to use a higher position for some stuff - I can deal..... THANKS!!!!
Stumbled across this and found the answer - we have enough tunes that have to adjust the key for the vocals and I am screwed (try playing Livin on a Prayer in D on and standard 4 string)....... I just ordered a 5 string set of DRs and will do this puppy BEAD. Plus with this having a 2 octave neck, I just have to use a higher position for some stuff - I can deal..... THANKS!!!!
My one and only bass is strung BEAD. I play weekly at church and the old hymns rarely use the D let alone the G string. I find BEAD gives me more logical playing positions, it puts Eb in a better spot. The only downside is that if you use tabs a lot, you'll have to transpose.
Never tried it for a serious matter, but the tone changes an effing lot when you tune like that, so you have to think about that too.
i switched to BEAD a few months ago and have no plans of ever going back.
I find that it's not so much a G string that I need, I just need the notes that are happen to be 1 or 2 strings higher than the fundamental that I'm playing. With BEAD I can just transpose parts down to play them lower, or just play 5 frets higher. There are a few songs that become tricky, but not many. The occasional trickiness actually improves my playing anyway.
Having the "center" of where I play (E&A strings between the nut and 5th fret) makes more logical sense being the middle two strings rather than the lowest 2. The B&D then give me room to move up or down from there.
I find that it's not so much a G string that I need, I just need the notes that are happen to be 1 or 2 strings higher than the fundamental that I'm playing. With BEAD I can just transpose parts down to play them lower, or just play 5 frets higher. There are a few songs that become tricky, but not many. The occasional trickiness actually improves my playing anyway.
Having the "center" of where I play (E&A strings between the nut and 5th fret) makes more logical sense being the middle two strings rather than the lowest 2. The B&D then give me room to move up or down from there.
I swear, I’m not trolling or trying to be an azz, but, can someone please explain to me why someone who can play BEAD can’t/won't play BEADG?
I always wanted to play one for a while to see if I dug it. I switched from 5 to 4 because I just liked the way I played on it. I felt I was abusing the B (my OWN opinion - not trying to start a discussion on it) if I ever found myself in a situation where I needed the B I might try it . . .
My buddy just switched both his P's to BEAD - swears by it now . . . says he loves the looks of shock he gets when he goes down low
My buddy just switched both his P's to BEAD - swears by it now . . . says he loves the looks of shock he gets when he goes down low
Fair enough. I guess if someones got a four-string theyre particularly fond of, it would make sense. (not going to a fiver).
Probably different reasons from different players. Some don't like the wider neck. Some don't own a five... etc...
For me though, I just never could wrap my brain around playing a 5. I've been playing on 4's 8's and 12's for 20 years. You put a 5th string on there and it feels like there's an extra string in my way no matter which string I'm aiming for. I could probably transition to a 6 string easier than a 5 if I was really forced to.
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of a 5, but it just doesn't work for me. Doesn't feel natural.
