C standard tuning - new bass player.

[RemoteOutpost]

Hey there, I am new to the bass. I took lessons a long time ago, but I remember nothing, and am starting from scratch. Anyway, I have noticed that in the style of music I love the most, namely doom/sludge/stoner metal, alternate tunings abound, and C standard tuning is popular, and I like the way it sounds. My question is simply, if I were playing in a band that plays in C standard, in tuning from E standard to C standard, is there a whole new fretboard to learn or does one simply play as though they were in E standard as far as shapes, patterns, etc., are involved? How complicated do things get when switching from one standard tuning to another standard tuning, musically speaking. I know this might be a dumb question, but I know very little and I am super curious about this. Thanks!

 

[SteveCS]

Hey there, I am new to the bass. I took lessons a long time ago, but I remember nothing, and am starting from scratch. Anyway, I have noticed that in the style of music I love the most, namely doom/sludge/stoner metal, alternate tunings abound, and C standard tuning is popular, and I like the way it sounds. My question is simply, if I were playing in a band that plays in C standard, in tuning from E standard to C standard, is there a whole new fretboard to learn or does one simply play as though they were in E standard as far as shapes, patterns, etc., are involved? How complicated do things get when switching from one standard tuning to another standard tuning, musically speaking. I know this might be a dumb question, but I know very little and I am super curious about this. Thanks!

If you stick with 4ths tuning, i.e. C, F, Bb. Eb) the interval patterns on the fingerboard remain the same. Obviously the actual pitches are in different places.

 

[Malcolm35]

Dirt simple logic, if you change the tuning your notes are still there, however, not in the same location they used to be with standard tuning. Yes it is confusing...

Long story, what with all the non-standard tuning, capo placements, etc. I elected to stay in standard tuning. Yes I had to adjust. Let's stop there and not get into how on this post. A lot of theory is involved and probably more than you want to get into right now.