Cover Band Tunings / Multiple Basses / Etiquette

[Bunk McNulty]

I personally prefer not to detune, even when playing a song in Eb, I just compensate and play up the octave if need be... so far it's worked well, as an example, our keyboardist insists on playing 'Hot, Hot, Hot' in Eb (for some ungodly reason).

Tough key for you, easy key for the keyboardist.

 

[GrapeBass]

Tough key for you, easy key for the keyboardist.

In this case, the song is simple so it ain't that bad. LOL

 

[theduke1]

I must clarify why I use a Digitech Drop. The bands I play with use different tunings for their shows, not just for certain songs.
My main band The Kolache Bros tune down 1/2 step the others are either 1/2 or a whole step. This is done to make the vocals easier on our voices.
I chose to go the Digitech route so as to not have to do setup adjustments and at a whole step down bass strings become floppy
And one extra benefit for me is sometimes our worship leader forgets or places his capo in the wrong position so being able to switch tunings in a instant is helpful lol
I know this is not for everyone, but I have been using it for several years with no issues.
Again, it must be first in the signal chain to work properly.
Duke

 

[turf3]

I think one thing people need to keep in mind in offering advice to this particular OP is that the band is set, the tunes are set, and the tunings they use are set. So telling him, the newest member, to make the band change the way they play a song, seems unresponsive.

One thing I hadn't thought about - how did the guy before you do it? If he did it by switching amongst four basses (for example) then I would expect that setlists and stage practice were already set up to accommodate the instrument switches. On the other hand, if he did it by playing everything on a 5 string bass and never retuning, then it might become very very difficult to do a bunch of switching when the previous guy could go from one song to the next without any delay.

So, OP, I'd ask that question. I don't THINK I saw this info in your original post.

 

[Turtle71]

None of the above. Song's in Eb? Play it in Eb!

That's the plan! And currently the reason I've been bringing 2 basses to rehearsal (one in standard & one in Eb), I was "kinda" hoping to try one of those Drop pedals, just to at least say I gave it a chance...Of course they are sold out pretty much everywhere, however @theduke1 may have gotten me steered in the right direction to snag one.

 

[Turtle71]

One thing I hadn't thought about - how did the guy before you do it?....So, OP, I'd ask that question. I don't THINK I saw this info in your original post.

I only saw these guys once a couple years ago, and at that point he was using 2 basses, though I can't tell you what tunings he was using....I'm going to assume E and Eb.

 

[BaltoNealio]

I minimize the need to switch tunings as much as possible - if you need to tune down a half-step for some songs, then just play them all a half-step down. The guitarist and I coordinate that, but it sounds like in this band they expect you to make the change, and it sounds like the expect you to get the pedal. And since it sounds like a great gig, you'll have to go along. Me, I would learn the songs tuned to drop-Db and just play things one fret up (or 3 frets on the Db string).

After discussing guitar-switching (and grouping songs by natural tuning and drop-tuning to Eb) the lead, rhythm guitarist and I just kinda looked at each other, blinked like dummies finally solving a puzzle, and went "D'OH!" and agreed to play everything down a half step. No more swapping, no shuttling/unnecessarily long delay between songs. The only delay other than a break is when our rhythm player—also the lead vox—shifts to elec-acoustic 6-string, or singing without guitar...and those are sprinkled sporadically throughout the sets. We are primarily a punk cover but also include a bit of hard-driving indy-alt rock, so dropping a half step works just fine (which our singer said he appreciates since some songs stretch his ability to nail the landing on high notes and screams).

 

[DwaynieAD]

What tunings are we talking about here? If it's something like E and Eb then the audience will 100% never know if you play them all in one or the other. E and Drop D? Got a detuner. Got some drop C in their just play them in drop D. Any lower than that use a 5.

Cover band crowds close enough is close enough.

I'm gonna quote myself here but OP said they play in E and Eb... They should really just play it all in Eb and save everyone some major headaches

 

[logdrum]

I think you have enough time to get on a 5 string bass and learn to transpose on the fly. However if the music calls for an open tuned bass, then bring multiple.

 

[pepj]

5 st and its covered. Why make it harder.
Thats the gig.

 

[mouthmw]

Sounds like you got it covered with 2 basses. What does the guitarist do? We're tuned half a step down for all the songs in my cover band, so I only need one bass. For the drop C# tuning we had in a few songs it took me 3 seconds to tune to that, so that was never an issue.

 

[hrodbert696]

This all depends very much on the set list. My mantra for these kinds of questions is that songs aren't made of tunings, they're made of notes. You only need a non-standard tuning if that's the only way to be able to hit the notes you need. If you're able to hit the notes, it doesn't matter how the guitars are tuned.

So for instance, it might be possible to play a full gig with a bass in drop-D or 1/2-step down; there may be some songs that could be played in standard tuning, but if you can still hit the notes on your downtuned bass, then you're good.

Me personally, I always bring two basses to a Mugshot Monday gig. For one thing, it's good to have a backup anyway. I can play the full gig on the five-string. The other bass is a 4-string (tuned standard) that I basically use on batches of songs that don't need the lower notes - just because I like it. Our guitarist brings four different guitars (one tuned standard, one a half-down, one in open G for Stones tunes, and I forget what the other's for), and we group songs in batches by which instrument he'll be using to minimize instrument changes. I try to keep it so I don't change instruments more than once per set.

One thing to bear in mind about changing instruments; if your cover band is trying to get people dancing, then dead air is the wintry blast of hell. I have timed it on gigs and you literally have four seconds from the time you end a song till the dance floor empties out, unless you get another groove going within those four seconds. FOUR. So keep instrument switching to a minimum and practice doing those switches as smoothly as possible.

 

[turf3]

4 seconds sounds about right from my cover band days. You want to be able to count off any tune as soon as the last note dies down from the one before. If there has to be a spoken intro, do it over the first few bars of the tune, old school radio jock style.

 

[musicman7722]

The Drop works well and tracks but the signal drops a bit and the sound flattens out. i find I need to boost my signal a bit when I use it. If I used it a lot i think a graphic EQ pedal would be the ideal way to do this. Turn on the Drop and turn on the EQ.

 

[kevindahl]

I use a digitech drop pedal for Eb and D keys. I also use a hipshot if I just want to drop my E string.

The digitech sounds better with a guitar than a bass and there is definitely tonal changes when using it. It doesn't really bother me though. It's harder to hear in the mix.

I did a ton of research and it was the easiest and best way to go without having to purchasing a 5 string or switching to another bass. Time wise changing basses can be a problem or at least the way we want to run the sets.

If I was playing genres like metal or country that had lower notes than a D I would use the 5 string. The artifacts on the Digitech get worse as the pitch lowers, at least IMHO.

 

[Runnerman]

Party band here. 75% of songs are in standard. Rest in 1/2 step down. A few with extender drops as well.
I take 3 basses.... one standard, one half step, one spare.

Guitar player also switches usually at the same time as me. Sometimes not but we've played together long enough that we know what each other is doing.

Our goal is to keep the songs rolling, sets are structured so that we rarely stop between songs. Really the only stops we do are to change guitars/basses and use that time to grab a quick drink or interact with the audience. I play only 4's. Did play a 5 for a while but I just didn't enjoy it and the weight wore on me. I've toyed with the pedal down-tuner idea but never committed. I do enjoy playing different basses on a gig and I get the sense that audience appreciates that.

 

[mrperkolator]

a line selector would help with switching guitars. may need to mute with the tuner after this pedal. but "click" and your other bass is on the input....

example pedal (i have no experience....just found it....) I think they're called ABY pedals....I've seen similar used, but I haven't used them.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I think people are too concerned with the bass lines being exact on every song.

In most cases, a band cannot cover every track that is on the original recording. Changing some things can actually help make it sound closer to the recording (Not talking being lazy, but searching for what works best).

I was in a modern country band for about six years - one guitar, and a vocalist who played some guitar, sax, and flute. I used a 4 string, with a detuner on the E string. Playing some parts up an octave actually did a better job filling the sonic space (many of those songs had at least three guitars, pedal steel, banjo, fiddle, keys, etc.).

 

[Retired Guy]

I think people are too concerned with the bass lines being exact on every song.

In most cases, a band cannot cover every track that is on the original recording. Changing some things can actually help make it sound closer to the recording (Not talking being lazy, but searching for what works best).

Sure, many songs have multiple instrumentation. But 99.9% of the time there is only one bass line to learn. I always learn it the way it was originally recorded, with exceptions being made if I have to cover a rhythm guitar part during a lead, for example if we think that will sound better.

Almost every time I hear someone not playing the right bass line I usually decide that it's due to laziness or lack of skill.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Sure, many songs have multiple instrumentation. But 99.9% of the time there is only one bass line to learn. I always learn it the way it was originally recorded, with exceptions being made if I have to cover a rhythm guitar part during a lead, for example if we think that will sound better.

Almost every time I hear someone not playing the right bass line I usually decide that it's due to laziness or lack of skill.

Generally only one bass line, but you have to cover for missing guitar or key lines, and a very low (sub E) bass line makes it sound even emptier