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

#62
RichardW said:
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?
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it's been around forever, practically a tradition in the blues and r&b world. nearly everything hendrix did was a half step down, not to mention srv, etc. etc.
 
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#63
thisSNsucks said:
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.
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Yeah just an addendum to this, some guys will notice the difference in feel of the strings, some basses may need a little tweaking especially if the neck is a little less rigid as we like.

I'm not saying it's a given, but as the rest of the comments show, some guys have no issues and some do.

Try it out and see what happens.
 
#64
I actually like this. I have a range of basses, both active and passive as well as vintage as in '60's basses and I think they all sound better a half step down.

The notes are still clearly defined but there is a noticeable tone with balls added that can't be replicated in standard tuning.

Other than that, you play the songs as you did previously in the same fret locations. You infact, just ignore the detune and carry on.
 
#65
RichardW said:
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!
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Sorry you don't seem to get it. The fingering, including where you play open strings, stays exactly the same.

If the song has an open E in standard tuning, it will have an open Eb when you tune down half step. But there is no need to think of it as open Eb. Just play as you normally would. In other words, if the song was originally in E, you think in E, but the sound comes out as if you are in Eb.

Tuning to Eb standard should not impact how you think about the music. The exception of course is if you have perfect pitch. Does this apply to you?

Tuning down will have some impact on the setup of the instrument and how it responds to your touch. If the bass is set up with super low action, you may have to makes some adjustments to the set up, or you may have to play with a lighter touch.
 
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#67
The majority of bands I've gigged in have tuned a half-step down. I usually keep one bass set up a half-step down. I'll use either a stiffer string or a thicker gauge for half-step tuning, to compensate for the looser tension.
 
#75
Here's all the thinking I put into this….

New gig 3 years ago. Artist requests we tune down 1/2 step. Easy enough.

Hmm, me not like the feel of the lesser tension.

I try a Digitech Drop. Ooooh, ickkkkk. Not worky well on A string and down.

Sweetwater exchanged the Drop for a Stomp (I swear, there's a song in there somewhere…😁).

Now we're talking! The Stomp with a transpose preset works well enough to use for the whole show. The bass good in (what's left of) my ears (IEMs). Our golden-eared sound guy sez it sounds like me. That's all I need to hear!

That was crazy simple. Well, except for the $549 part for the Stomp. Worth every penny to have my bass playing like it always did.

(The HX One is a simpler version of the Stomp that will do the same thing for $299. I wasn't aware of the One when I bought the Stomp)

And here's a pro tip (kinda)….

Know the songs well enough that one can play the song in any key. Your leader may request a usual song in a lower key. Gotta be prepared for all possibilities. I'm no chops freak, but I can play any song in any of my employer's repertoire in any key. Comes with the territory.
 
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#78
Sam Evans said:
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!"
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Actually, if you tuned down a half step the open strings will be Eb, Ab, Db, and Gb when you play E, A, D, and G. You don't have to do anything different or change the patterns that you used when you were tuned in E. Play it in E just like you've always done and you'll hear it in Eb. I don't understand the confusion on this. As long as you don't have perfect pitch, just tune it all down and play like you used to. If you have perfect pitch it will drive you nuts that you're playing in E and hearing it in Eb.

That's the whole point of tuning down a half step, so you don't have to transpose on the fly. Just play what you've been playing and it will still be in the right key as long as you've tuned down your instrument.
 
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