BEDG Tuning?

[darwin-bass]

You play a 4 string but sometimes want the low notes. One approach is BEAD tuning. But then you lose the high notes.

What about BEDG tuning? Dedicate 2 strings to the lows and 2 to the highs. I've not though through it but I bet fingering would be tough to adjust to.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

According to PDbass, the late great Robert Wilson tuned his P-bass BEDG.

 

[Killing Floor]

I tune my 5 string B-E-A-D-G.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I tune my 5 string B-E-A-D-G.

Some folks are determined not to use a five and I have lost interest trying to convince them of anything. Down tuning with a four will result in a loss of notes in other parts of the range. If they are good with that trade off, cool.

 

[bassbones2]

Some of us have hand issues and used to play 5’s/6’s but can’t anymore…..you do you if it works it works
JB

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Some of us have hand issues and used to play 5’s/6’s but can’t anymore…..you do you if it works it works
JB

You know your situation and I am not here to judge. Extending the range of a bass is the best way to get more range. If that is not an option for you, fine.

 

[bassbones2]

Not busting chops…but tuning down a 4 string and using a whammy for that lost range was the answer for me.
No worries man
JB

 

[bassplace]

How about tuning in 5th’s?

C G D A

Gets more range but consistent across strings. I have a guitar tuned this way and it’s been pretty intuitive for that. Keeping the basses EADG though. I don’t have the energy to relearn a lot of bass parts and am not carrying 2 basses

 

[J Wilson]

My new go-to for every forthcoming (and they just keep coming, relentlessly) "Do I Need a Five" vs. "Why Would Anybody Need a Five" thread:

Just . . . play . . . what . . . works . . . best . . . for . . . you.

 

[superheavyfunk]

Why not BEAD? It’s a strange jump, not having the A string in the mix. I certainly use the A string more than the G string, myself

 

[gln1955]

You play a 4 string but sometimes want the low notes. One approach is BEAD tuning. But then you lose the high notes.

What about BEDG tuning? Dedicate 2 strings to the lows and 2 to the highs. I've not though through it but I bet fingering would be tough to adjust to.

I can live without the high notes from missing G more than doing the gyrations needed to work around a missing A string.

 

[darwin-bass]

So, I see some just-get-a-5 posts. I get it. Played exclusively 5 for a bit. But my hand just hurts. And I mean really hurts. For days. Like have to wear a brace type hurt. But I'm pain-free with a 4. So, while I totally agree "just play a 5", such a response does not really foster discussion & discovery, which is what a Forum is about, right?

To answer my own question, I think a better approach is to detune the whole bass 1 step (DGCF). You get the low D (which is huge), and maintain all the patterns you know & love.

Though tuning in 5ths is an interesting alternative.

 

[rylie]

re: You play a 4 string but sometimes want the low notes.

I play a four and have no problem delivering low notes.
Not difficult to do with EQ, string gauge and efficient bass speakers.
Nothing against a five. They just add more co$t and weight.

 

[two fingers]

My new go-to for every forthcoming (and they just keep coming, relentlessly) "Do I Need a Five" vs. "Why Would Anybody Need a Five" thread:

Just . . . play . . . what . . . works . . . best . . . for . . . you.

Terrible for your liver. Go with turmeric extract or some other natural anti-inflammatory substance. If you must use a drug go Ibuprofen.

And just get a dang 5 if you need more range.



(Seriously, I don't care what bass anyone plays. Just goofing off.)

 

[Marko 1]

I can play BEAD, I don't need a G very often, maybe it's the kinda of material I play, but when I need that higher note, I just slide up the neck. Ya get use to it.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Why not just play in standard tuning and invest in a good quality octave-down effect? You can access that low D, C, B, or even lower (with a very specialized setup of course) without having to completely redesign your entire instrument (nut, bridge, tension, etc.) and learn a new fingering that will cause a major additional step to transcribing just about anything you want to learn.

Even with a pretty standard 2x12" rig and a mini-POG or Line-6 pedal I get great tone down to low C and I don't have to change anything in my setup. If I was spending a lot of time in that register I could easily adjust my signal chain and speaker rig to better accommodate hanging out in the swampy low end.

 

[BarfanyShart]

How about tuning in 5th’s?

C G D A

Gets more range but consistent across strings. I have a guitar tuned this way and it’s been pretty intuitive for that. Keeping the basses EADG though. I don’t have the energy to relearn a lot of bass parts and am not carrying 2 basses

That's what I ended up going with, partly because I really wanted a 4-banger for life. Funny story, though, once I got into fifths tuning I got another 5 string that I tune CDGAE - and now THAT'S my main bass. The only thing better than more range is more range, amirite?

I also tried BEDG and BEAD in the past, and it didn't work for me. I ended up using a fiver in standard tuning (or drop A) as my only BG for ages.

 

[wysiwyg248]

Why not BEAD? It’s a strange jump, not having the A string in the mix. I certainly use the A string more than the G string, myself

You mean wear the G string, LOL
In a more serious tone, if I can play a 5 string, anyone can play it. I have very small hands, the MTD neck profile helps a lot though,

 

[bassrique]

B A D G makes more sense to me.

 

[2tonic]

Hipshot is your friend.
That D is the shizzle.