BEDG Tuning?

[zubrycky]

How about tuning in 5th’s?

C G D A

(...)

This.

I have a bass tuned this way. It's a wonderful tuning.

 

[J Posega]

I think the big gap between available notes in the same position between the E and D strings would be too weird.

I'd just tune BEAD and use a Whammy pedal to reach those higher notes that you lost (which are virtually unused for most players anyway). The money is in the first 5 frets or whatever the hyper-traditionalists say.

 

[bigjames]

I don’t think it is easier. It requires more shifting on upright. Most orchestra players use 4ths tuning. Probably 90% or so. Some more solo oriented upright players use 5ths tuning.

Yeah, it would require more shifting for sure...if I understood the reasoning, it was something about how composers would typically write their classical runs thinking of the fifths tuning on violin, so tuning that way on bass made it easier to play with similar shifts to violin, but I 100% agree that it would mean you were shifting more to get around and shifting on violin is essentially rolling your finger, which is WAY different that bass.

 

[alexclaber]

Just remembered that the bassist/vocalist from Toupé went from slapping a 6 string to slapping a 4 string tuned BEGC. A niche approach for sure!

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I just keep thinking, but the A is the best string....

 

[Winslow]

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

Had to wait to watch this when I had time, but now that I have, I just wanted to say thanks for posting that video. It's easy to hear how much genius was at work with Robert Wilson even with a casual listen to the Gap Band, but this succinctly underscores just how much depth there was to what he was doing. Definitely an under-appreciated hero of the instrument.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Had to wait to watch this when I had time, but now that I have, I just wanted to say thanks for posting that video. It's easy to hear how much genius was at work with Robert Wilson even with a casual listen to the Gap Band, but this succinctly underscores just how much depth there was to what he was doing. Definitely an under-appreciated hero of the instrument.

In my opinion, one of the great tragedies in the history of bass guitar was that we have comparatively little material where Robert Wilson was really featured. He was truly a creative thinker.

 

[Winslow]

In my opinion, one of the great tragedies in the history of bass guitar was that we have comparatively little material where Robert Wilson was really featured. He was truly a creative thinker.

So true. 53 is way too young to be gone.

 

[growlypants]

2tonic has the right idea - if you don't want a 5-er, but need a little extra low end, Hipshot Drop-D, is the way to go.

 

[GWGuitar]

I’m late to the BEAD party. I have played around with 5-string, but I couldn’t get used to it. I saw this video below and decided to give it a try. I have and old Epiphone Accu-Bass with tapewounds on it that I tuned down. I thought it would be way too floppy, but it worked ok. The sound on that bass is already edgy and it worked well in BEAD. I might keep it that way. I played along with some SRV and Joe Bonomassa and it sounded great.