BL wants us to down tune half a step for next gig

[RichardW]

We've been playing together for 15 years, we're all in our 60s now and the high parts on the vocals are getting a little tougher to reach. Our BL wants us to down tune a half step for the entire gig.

Thoughts on this? I assume my fingering will stay the same (except for open strings). Any advice on how to become accustomed to this approach?

 

[Minimalist]

We've been playing together for 15 years, we're all in our 60s now and the high parts on the vocals are getting a little tougher to reach. Our BL wants us to down tune a half step for the entire gig.

Thoughts on this? I assume my fingering will stay the same (except for open strings). Any advice on how to become accustomed to this approach?

Open strings will also be a 1/2 step down.

 

[newfuture]

Practice it first to get used to the new vocal register and to see if works for you, but everything other than tuning is pretty much the same.
I did this for years in a GnR tribute and it isn't any big deal.

 

[jthisdell]

I do that in one band. It is no big deal, you think about it once when tuning and then forget about it.

 

[thisSNsucks]

Just downtune each string a half step and play every exactly where you played it before. Lots of bands do it to help the singer.

Only possible downside is now your strings will be lower tension, so the feel will be different and you may need a little setup tweaking.

They do have pitch shift pedals that can let you drop tune but leave your instrument in regular tuning, but they can be a little glitchy or artifacty.

 

[Ggaa]

Kind of same deal, we all tune down a half step for everything(even with a fiver). No change in fingering. My '06 Corvette is my dedicated downtuned bass, did get it set up for that. The Daddario nickels 45-125 I already had on it were stiff enough for the half step drop.

 

[Guitarodeo]

We've been playing together for 15 years, we're all in our 60s now and the high parts on the vocals are getting a little tougher to reach. Our BL wants us to down tune a half step for the entire gig.

Thoughts on this? I assume my fingering will stay the same (except for open strings). Any advice on how to become accustomed to this approach?

I play in a band that does this as well. You are correct on the fingering. You can play the open strings as everything is relative to the tuning. If you want to get used to the new sound, I suggest playing along with the original tuned down 1/2 step with software like Moises, Transcribe, or Song Master.

 

[SteveC]

Just downtune each string a half step and play every exactly where you played it before. Lots of bands do it to help the singer.

Only possible downside is now your strings will be lower tension, so the feel will be different and you may need a little setup tweaking.

They do have pitch shift pedals that can let you drop tune but leave your instrument in regular tuning, but they can be a little glitchy or artifacty.

I use the “pitch shift” on my Stomp for a few songs we do where the original is Eb standard. It works fine and sounds ok in the mix.

For an entire gig/band I would definitely set up my/a bass in Eb, maybe tweak the set up a bit and even try the next higher gauge of strings.

I’m doing a side project where we are doing Weezer’s Blue Album front to back. I haven’t tweaked the set up at all or used heavier strings as it’s just a one time deal and the bass works fine.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

We've been playing together for 15 years, we're all in our 60s now and the high parts on the vocals are getting a little tougher to reach. Our BL wants us to down tune a half step for the entire gig.

Thoughts on this? I assume my fingering will stay the same (except for open strings). Any advice on how to become accustomed to this approach?

There will be no difference. Most cover bands actually do this. Because, most singers can't hit the notes.

Tune flat, play everything normally. No difference.

 

[MattZilla]

Half step is barely anything if the high notes are hurting.

Tell him to think of the next five years and just go down a whole step now, or even lower.

New tighter strings all around.



Let the drummer stay for now, but instead of bringing pizza in from work, he’s gotta bring tea & honey.

 

[jthisdell]

I've been doing this for six years and often go back and forth between E and Eb and never saw any need to change the setup.

 

[shoot-r]

Just about every group I've been with for the past 30 years has tuned down a half.

Makes things alittle easier to hit, you'll probably not even notice, the audience sure won't notice, and when someone from the audience wants to get up and blow on their harp, don't tell em the band is down a half and watch them try to find what key your in!

 

[RichardW]

don't tell em the band is down a half and watch them try to find what key your in!

this was the one concern expressed by our rhythm guitarist who also plays harp.

 

[wysiwyg248]

Make sure you account for open strings, if you play them a lot.
All the best.

 

[monkeyland]

no sweat. Retune instrument and play everything the same as you always have. Once you are in tune you can forget that you ever retuned in the first place.

One small thing, if you are doing this on the fly, you might carry a tool to adjust your truss rod a tiny bit. Some instruments will need a little tension added to the neck to compensate for the loss of string tension.

 

[monkeyland]

this was the one concern expressed by our rhythm guitarist who also plays harp.

In that case, he just needs to remember to grab the harp that's one half step lower than what he thinks he needs. It's only a problem if he doesn't have a full set of harps

 

[gt96g]

Pitch shifter pedal. Don't have to change anything with the setup of your instrument and all fretting positions stay the same.

 

[Sam Evans]

We've been playing together for 15 years, we're all in our 60s now and the high parts on the vocals are getting a little tougher to reach. Our BL wants us to down tune a half step for the entire gig.

Thoughts on this? I assume my fingering will stay the same (except for open strings). Any advice on how to become accustomed to this approach?

Do you mean you'll literally tune your bass down a half step? Then fingerings will be the same including open strings.

Or do you just mean you'll transpose everything down a half step, while staying in standard tuning? Then you'll have some fingering adjustments, open strings at least. You'll also have to adjust to playing things a half step lower on the bass, which might be a bit of a challenge if you've played all these tunes many times before.

 

[RichardW]

Do you mean you'll literally tune your bass down a half step? Then fingerings will be the same including open strings.

This. I should have been more precise about open strings. Was mostly thinking of those times I need to hit the low E, for example, and remembering that will now be at the first fret instead of the open E.

Great input, all. Thanks!

 

[Sam Evans]

This. I should have been more precise about open strings. Was mostly thinking of those times I need to hit the low E, for example, and remembering that will now be at the first fret instead of the open E.

Great input, all. Thanks!

RIght, also when you have a choice between the open note and the fretted note, you'll have to remember that things have moved around on you a bit.

Mostly just pretend it's still in the same key and play as you always have, but then hope no one calls out an impromptu jam like "Okay everyone, blues in E!"