Doubly silly
Lol nah I got nothing against 5 strings I just snagged up this black peavey t-40 and I love the sound and the look and I really just want to use it in this band haha
I would say 50% more silly...or "like the inside of a piano"
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I would say 50% more silly...or "like the inside of a piano"
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,598
- 18,627
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
I will be doing a Video for GHS in Decemeber on drop tunnings and right now my band Flight is going to play around with some different tunnings just to hear a different voice.
It will be tuning a 4 string down a hole step D-G-C-F
I prefer a medium (for lack of a better term) tension, I play hard but bend and inflect a lot. I get a medium tension on GHS progressives in standard tunning and if I drop a half step.
For the full step we are going with stainless strings and slightly thicker gauges to get close to the same feel. I think the custom set (which will be avalaible) is as follow 50 - 70 - 85 - 106 (When I first heard those numbers I was like 'Oh My' lol).
Know your tensions and GHS has a tension chart for their brand.
It will be tuning a 4 string down a hole step D-G-C-F
I prefer a medium (for lack of a better term) tension, I play hard but bend and inflect a lot. I get a medium tension on GHS progressives in standard tunning and if I drop a half step.
For the full step we are going with stainless strings and slightly thicker gauges to get close to the same feel. I think the custom set (which will be avalaible) is as follow 50 - 70 - 85 - 106 (When I first heard those numbers I was like 'Oh My' lol).
Know your tensions and GHS has a tension chart for their brand.
Believe it or not, it is completely possible to play in the key of B (or any of the other 12 keys) even with a standard-tuned EADG 4-string!
That said, some bandleaders (particularly guitarists) like to have all of the guitar-family instruments in the same tuning, so that everyone's fingerings are the same. This gives a "choreographed" element to the performance. If your bandleader falls into this category, then in my opinion, it is completely appropriate to spend a few hours and get comfortable in the requested tuning.
Also if you are playing original material, and the songwriter is in the band (or someone that you know) it is a good idea in my opinion to ask the songwriter what they recommend. Some songwriters have a certain sound/mood in mind for their songs, and using different tunings can be a tool to achieve that.
That said, some bandleaders (particularly guitarists) like to have all of the guitar-family instruments in the same tuning, so that everyone's fingerings are the same. This gives a "choreographed" element to the performance. If your bandleader falls into this category, then in my opinion, it is completely appropriate to spend a few hours and get comfortable in the requested tuning.
Also if you are playing original material, and the songwriter is in the band (or someone that you know) it is a good idea in my opinion to ask the songwriter what they recommend. Some songwriters have a certain sound/mood in mind for their songs, and using different tunings can be a tool to achieve that.
In my originals band the majority of the material the Guitar tuning is drop B I play standard beadgc. I only drop when our guitar player plays his 7 string which is in drop A and in that case it’s aeadgc. Just the way I’ve always done it. Guitar is a much shorter scale instrument than bass. I like to have as much energy as possible onstage. I don’t mind switching positions from part to part but not constantly.
I find it interesting how the vast majority of bassists here seem completely opposed to the concept of drop tuning a bass but there are very real and practical applications. The most obvious one is if you want to have a certain pitch as a pedal-point/drone note you can utilize a drop tuning around that note so you have more than just the one octave option of it. Bands like Tool make really obvious use of this: Play a variation of the main riff between the D and G strings for softer sections and then drop it very simply down the the D and A strings for heavier sections. It also facilitates certain types of lines; while standard tuning makes normal arpeggios and runs easier to follow mentally and reach physically, drop tunings make less typical intervals, which may be awkward or impractical to reach in standard, easier to reach.
i mostly agree with this, but.... depending on the style of music, if its something where the bass follows or doubles the guitar, and the guitar is doing riffs that incorporates open strings, matching the tuning of the guitar could be beneficial. yes, most of the time the notes can be found elsewhere on the instrument, but i feel that riffs that use open strings can lose the feel if they are played in other positions.
and about the argument about not wanting to change to drop tunings so your patterns dont change, change can be a good thing. if you play more by pattern than anything else, learning to play in a drop tuning can force you to create new patterns and new ideas you wouldnt have come up with in standard tunings. music should be adventurous... dont be scared to try new things.
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If the guitarist is in drop tuning and you stay in standard... then you have a nice band that sounds like two baritones playing at once easily stepping on each other’s line. He tunes down you tune down.
I played in a standard tuning band, using a 5 string tuned down a whole step. Lots of songs were in A and D, and I wanted the bigger, low, open string sounds.
Tune the way it works for you. I came from a guitar background, so I had some reference for playing in drop D and I was "used to it" on bass.
Tune the way it works for you. I came from a guitar background, so I had some reference for playing in drop D and I was "used to it" on bass.
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I used to use drop tunings (drop C#) in the band I sued to be in because I was too lazy to transpose the riffs from the guitars. To be honest, these days I probably would transpose them- it makes improvising embellishments much easier if everything stays in the same place relatively.
I once tried tuning to cello tuning- CGDA (cookie if you guess who I was emulating) and damn, that took a bit of getting used to. I'd rather just keep things in standard and not have to worry.
I once tried tuning to cello tuning- CGDA (cookie if you guess who I was emulating) and damn, that took a bit of getting used to. I'd rather just keep things in standard and not have to worry.
It’s a preference thing. There’s notes but also timbre to consider. High string tension on a bass A will be different from a guitar’s Low A.
I have done BEADG 5-string happily, but also 4 string EADG and dropping to D and C on songs in D and A. I actually like it better for rock, so much so that my 5 is now EADGC, and I downtune to D or C as needed.
I have done BEADG 5-string happily, but also 4 string EADG and dropping to D and C on songs in D and A. I actually like it better for rock, so much so that my 5 is now EADGC, and I downtune to D or C as needed.
All of my 4 string basses have hipshot bass extenders. I play several tunes in drop d, while the guitarist stays in standard tuning (actually he always stays in standard). In one song I flip the hipshot for one part of the chorus. Playing drop D is different than fretting a D on the B string of a 5 string, so it does have its place.
I just tune to D Standard, guitarists be damned! That open D comes in handy way too often and I have no need for the lower notes you get when tuned to B. Plus, it seems that everybody else in the bands that I play with are capable of using their ears rather than their eyes... so I just consider it my way of helping guitarists improve their ear training! lol.
The downside is that I occasionally find myself missing the highest two notes for solos and stuff sometimes. I'd like to have a 26 fret bass for that reason, but I'm not about to go and drop like $2500 on a custom bass just to get two notes.
The downside is that I occasionally find myself missing the highest two notes for solos and stuff sometimes. I'd like to have a 26 fret bass for that reason, but I'm not about to go and drop like $2500 on a custom bass just to get two notes.
Plenty of people here here will tell you that instead of tuning drop-D, use a 5-string with the low D available on string 5.
The thing with drop tunings is songs often pedal around the low note, and so having your open string tuned down is beneficial to the flow of the song.
We play in D, mostly drop-C, I use a Hipshot D-Tuner for instant tuning changes and it’s probably the single most important bit of kit I’ve bought for my bass.
If anything, on a 4-string, drop tuning makes for easier runs, giving you octaves on the same fret and grouping your notes together into tidy boxes.
The thing with drop tunings is songs often pedal around the low note, and so having your open string tuned down is beneficial to the flow of the song.
We play in D, mostly drop-C, I use a Hipshot D-Tuner for instant tuning changes and it’s probably the single most important bit of kit I’ve bought for my bass.
If anything, on a 4-string, drop tuning makes for easier runs, giving you octaves on the same fret and grouping your notes together into tidy boxes.
Man, you must’ve really wanted that gig.
I tune all of my basses one whole step down from standard tuning. BEADGC becomes ADGCFA#.
For me, it sounds better and provides less tension which translates to less tension and pull on the neck and truss rod(s).
For me, it sounds better and provides less tension which translates to less tension and pull on the neck and truss rod(s).
I think you mean Bb, not A#.
Basses are tuned in perfect 4ths, not augmented 3rds: Is the bass tuned in perfect fourths or fifths?
For bass, Drop B and B Standard won't really make a difference. For guitarists, it can make some chords a lot easier to play. As long as the notes are available to you and easy for you to play, then it doesn't matter what tuning you use.
A certain amount of tension is required on bass and guitar to get the "right" sound. On a telecaster i can't stand less than 15 lbs on the low E. To soft strings and you can't dig in without the attack getting too sharp on the low strings.
One tuning i am attracted to on bass is D standard. So many songs benefits from having that low D and it is a good comprimise for 4 bangers as tuning to BEAD requires nut filling and pickups that actually do not support a low C and B. A set of nyxl daddario heavy 55-110 might just be the thing for D standard.
Ha!! I guess so!! But for some reason, my tuners all read it as A#.I think you mean Bb, not A#.
Basses are tuned in perfect 4ths, not augmented 3rds: Is the bass tuned in perfect fourths or fifths?
