Drop C tuning

are they perhaps a sludge band?

Sabbath tuned to C and C#, it does not have to sound like sludge. you just need to be smart about your setup and EQ.

 

sounds great with the right gauge strings. you'll need to buy singles to account for the variation in tension in the low C.

I'm repeating myself from many other threads, but i use:

.125
.90
.70
.50

Roto steels as they are one of the few brands you can buy singly over here.

 

Unless you have "perfect pitch" you probably won't be able to hear the difference between E and C tunings. If it's just for an audition then I wouldn't even bother changing strings or anything like that. I use a .086 E string sometimes for drop C and it sounds great! Just tune down to C, jam with the band, and if you get the gig, then maybe think about switching to a heavier gauge of strings.

Drop tunings are very common these days, so if that's not an appealing concept to you, I bet they'll have no problem finding a bassist who is open minded to the idea.

 

That C is a half step higher than standard tuning on a 5, so it will sound fine with the right strings.

I wouldn't walk in with normal EADG strings and try it without a trial run first. Depending on your strings and technique it could be a rattly mess.

 

Once you de-tune it, the neck relief will disappear, meaning you'll probably have fret buzz.
check the neck relief & adjust the truss rod accordingly

 

I have Hipshot D-Tuner on most of my basses. They are all double-stop, so i can tune it down to D and to a C.
34" scale length, medium gauge strings. It sounds great and it's a lot of fun. I could possibly go down to B but the string get floppy. It's ok depending on the kind of music you are playing but when tuned down to a C it still feels pretty good.

 

Lots of modern metal is played in drop C. Not necessarily sludge or doom. Listen to Ola Englunds band "Feared" for a great example of modern, tightly-played stuff in Drop C. Or Children of Bodom, also lots of stuff in Drop C.

Drop C isn't even that low, its just D standard tuning with a dropped bottom string.

I think you'd have to go up in string gauge if you played that tuning regularily.
Especially the E (now C) string will be quite floppy, since its tuned down two full steps.
Intonation might be another issue, as will fret buzz.

 

I think it's one of those things that seems like a great idea in the rehearsal room, but doesn't really translate terribly well at concert volume - I've never seen a band that actually sounded great live, using Drop C.

Even Queens of the Stoneage : great band, great songs, great records - but live, the songs have the liveliness sucked out of them, with everything sounding veiled.

The amps, cabinets, and instruments, weren't really designed with that in mind - though I'm all for pushing the envelope, and abusing technology, so long as it sounds good.

I know this opinion isn't going to be popular ; but personally Drop D is as low as I'm happy going (and that's pushing it), because any lower than that, and it stops sounding like an electric bass.

At that point, there are any number of instruments (electric, electronic, woodwind, brass, hammered) that handle the really low frequencies much better, and with a much more interesting timbre.

That's why I won't touch a 5 string bass, when I can just reach for a synth / sampler.

One thing you could try, is tuning your bass down a whole tone, so that your D string becomes a C string.

But yes, you can just drop the E string down to C - though you ought to increase the gauge by 1 set per downward step, to retain tension, clarity, and intonation (which may require permanent adjustments to the nut).

 

It is tricky but not impossible. My band uses two tunings, CGCF and BEAD. What stinks about the drop C tuning is that you either have to deal with a floppy C or order custom strings.
Currently I use .120 .90 .70 .50 on my drop C bass. A stiff set of .110 strings will work too. It can work on a P bass, bands do it all the time, you may need to adjust your EQ settings a little as now you are producing a lot more low end and clarity is more important. You can also look into certain OD pedals that will enhance your attack.