Drop D half step down tuning

[Korladis]

exactly, Parts of scales not just a straight 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 4th etc etc, with drop tunings when i used them in a band situation i used the scales starting from the A string more often than D, so there is 5 Scales in that octave I can't get, but i wouldn't think you'd just play a straight scale from root to octave and then back again during a song, sorry if i didn't make that clear in the post i mentioned that in.

Not a straight scale from root to octave, but quite often variations on such. I'm not just a root note player.

 

[leftyduder]

if you choose to G#C#G#C#F#. make you sure you have enough tension..get thicker strings, if you dont already have one, get a 35 in scale bass. you need that tension, especially for the lowest string. im assuming your playing metal

 

[sloasdaylight]

Pinky on the root, middle finger on the third, and then sometimes index finger on the fifth. Unless of course I go to the low octave of the fifth which is a 4th below the root, as I often do.

Do you play a lot of major triads in chord form? because otherwise that has probably got to be one of the most unorthodox and seemingly inefficient ways to play a 1-3-5-8 arp i've ever seen.

G|---------4-7-12-|
D|-------5--------|
A|---2-5----------|
D|-5--------------|
   4 1 4 4 1 4 4

I mean, that's a G major arpeggio in a Drop D tuning how I would play it (2 octaves) And this is a standard:

G|---------4-7-12-|
D|-------5--------|
A|---2-5----------|
E|-3--------------|
   2 1 4 4 1 4 4

I'm quite obviously missing something about playing it with your pinky then second finger then index in a standard tuning, so please, explain.

 

[sloasdaylight]

Not a straight scale from root to octave, but quite often variations on such. I'm not just a root note player.

Nor am I, and I found moving to Drop D with the rest of my band, after initially thinking "I have a 5er, why down tune?" and got over myself, I realized how easy it makes stuff and how some interesting chord voicings become possible, especially considering I do a lot of 2h tapping.

 

[enemybass]

this thread is cracking me up
i never realised it was such a touchy subject
If you dont wanna tune down then dont ... Simple

 

[BDL1991]

Do you play a lot of major triads in chord form? because otherwise that has probably got to be one of the most unorthodox and seemingly inefficient ways to play a 1-3-5-8 arp i've ever seen.

G|---------4-7-12-|
D|-------5--------|
A|---2-5----------|
D|-5--------------|
   4 1 4 4 1 4 4

I mean, that's a G major arpeggio in a Drop D tuning how I would play it (2 octaves) And this is a standard:

G|---------4-7-12-|
D|-------5--------|
A|---2-5----------|
E|-3--------------|
   2 1 4 4 1 4 4

I'm quite obviously missing something about playing it with your pinky then second finger then index in a standard tuning, so please, explain.

the way he seemed to explain it was a Major minus the octave, and +1 the view of it seems to be an inefficient way of playing arpeggios, though I personally haven't tried it I'll see how it compares to the 2-1-4-4 so therefore it's what? 4-3-1-1 taking the example of A, it would lead to

G|-------2-------|
D|-----2--2------|
A|---4------4----|
E|-5----------5--|

it is an interesting take, easier for chording i would think if you'd gotten use to arpegiating chords in this manner

 

[sloasdaylight]

Yea, like, that's what I figured too originally; but then he said he frets his 4th finger with his 3rd as well cause his pinky isn't as strong as the others, or something to that effect, which is what sort of piqued my attention, because if you go by that assumption, then you're left with a middle/index stretch which is uncomfortable, to say the least.

 

[Korladis]

Do you play a lot of major triads in chord form? because otherwise that has probably got to be one of the most unorthodox and seemingly inefficient ways to play a 1-3-5-8 arp i've ever seen.

I'm quite obviously missing something about playing it with your pinky then second finger then index in a standard tuning, so please, explain.

Major arpeggios I play starting on my middle finger, generally speaking. I don't use them quite as much as minor triads and just the interval of the minor third by itself.

String jumping is much more comfortable to me than big stretches to play things.

Another thing I do very commonly is alternate between going down a 4th and up a 3rd. I use minor thirds a lot in my playing. Starting them with the pinky on the root (if it's not an open string) seems to be the easiest.

Major thirds I generally start with my middle finger on the root, depending on what I'm going to do next. I don't always complete arpeggios, sometimes using a passing tone instead to get to whatever I'm doing next.

 

[Korladis]

Yea, like, that's what I figured too originally; but then he said he frets his 4th finger with his 3rd as well cause his pinky isn't as strong as the others, or something to that effect, which is what sort of piqued my attention, because if you go by that assumption, then you're left with a middle/index stretch which is uncomfortable, to say the least.

Pinky + ring finger being used as one is fairly standard upright bass left hand technique.

 

[Korladis]

this thread is cracking me up
i never realised it was such a touchy subject
If you dont wanna tune down then dont ... Simple

I tune down, I just don't use drop tunings (unless there's a very very good reason to, which most of the time, as far as I can tell, there isn't).

 

[Korladis]

Nor am I, and I found moving to Drop D with the rest of my band, after initially thinking "I have a 5er, why down tune?" and got over myself, I realized how easy it makes stuff and how some interesting chord voicings become possible, especially considering I do a lot of 2h tapping.

I don't do much tapping. I don't have very complicated right-hand technique, being about 60% pick and 40% fingers.

 

[sloasdaylight]

Major arpeggios I play starting on my middle finger, generally speaking. I don't use them quite as much as minor triads and just the interval of the minor third by itself.

String jumping is much more comfortable to me than big stretches to play things.

Another thing I do very commonly is alternate between going down a 4th and up a 3rd. I use minor thirds a lot in my playing. Starting them with the pinky on the root (if it's not an open string) seems to be the easiest.

Major thirds I generally start with my middle finger on the root, depending on what I'm going to do next. I don't always complete arpeggios, sometimes using a passing tone instead to get to whatever I'm doing next.

See, that makes a hell of a lot more sense than this:

That's not easier for me, it's actually pretty awkward. When playing a minor, or major arpeggio, I usually play the root with my pinky (combined with my ring finger, using the two as one finger). I use the intervals of perfect 4ths, minor and major 3rds a ton of the time in my playing.

YOU might not, but I certainly use parts of scales in runs during songs.

Pinky + ring finger being used as one is fairly standard upright bass left hand technique.

I know this, I played stand up for 6 years, but on an electric bass it can usually wind up being somewhat limiting, especially if you play runs quickly, do a fair bit of string hopping, and especially tapping.

 

[Korladis]

See, that makes a hell of a lot more sense than this:

Yeah, I realized that when I took my bass out today and found that I did in fact play major and minor arpeggios with different fingerings from each other. My bad.

I know this, I played stand up for 6 years, but on an electric bass it can usually wind up being somewhat limiting, especially if you play runs quickly, do a fair bit of string hopping, and especially tapping.

I found it actually improved my playing quite a bit to apply upright technique to the electric.

 

[AleemRadunzel]

Tool are the only good band to use drop d.. i think thats sig worthy..

watching tool was the worst experience of my life.. and ive seen some bands in my time.. great bass player **** band..

the only good album they did was opiate, which was them deliberatly selling out to get signed to earache..
they have since spent the rest of their careers trying to prove to people that they are credible band by creating "really deep" first year uni student ,psuedo intellectual themes to their albums, making **** claymations about being nonced off and a promoting a lucrative notion that they are censored.. when in reality its just the fact that anyone who doesnt play an instrument doesnt actually give a **** about them.....

oh whats that a really irriating atonal guitar riff.. whats that the same riff with 3 variations for 7 minutes really great stuff guys totlyyy drm theretres! Adam Jones has been hanging around wes borland in his spare time... totally credible..

oh and the miCrO tOnAL sinead o'connor in that prince cover vocal thang that he does got really boring in less than 30 seconds..

That poor poor drummer i would cuddle him if i could

you can flame me all you like but ill be the first to admit their bassist is cool.. but even a bass player cannot live by bass alone, and the first thang i said about selling out in opiate and subsequant albums trying to back track by being "intellectual" is 100% truth..

In the 3 circles of life, mark tool under.. doesnt get it but realises there is nothing to get

RANT OVER

oh and about drop truning

i agree is easier to write in standard but sometimes you gotta be nice to your guitard, and there are something that you cant do EASILY in standard tuning

BUT i find its TOO easy to fall into the root 5th 4th oct trap in drop D

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

Tool is the only band I've ever heard that uses Drop tunings well.

Nile, and they tune to drop A.

 

[grifff]

It's generally considered bad form to "/thread" your own post.

The internet has form?

 

[EADG mx]

There is no real "need" to play drop tuning if you have a 5 string bass. You can tune it to standard,BEADG,and I'll bet you bandmates won't know the difference.

But then there wouldn't be a low A. We all need more low A.

 

[EADG mx]

What's the deal with bass players and snobbery against open tuning?

I never saw a banjo or guitar player think twice about retuning or using capos to get a specific sound or feeling.

To be fair those instruments are typically used for chording, and often use drone strings. The bass typically is not used this way.

 

[Chris K]

Reading this thread at first gave me the feeling I took the wrong bus, but I enjoyed trying to understand all the possibilities of scordatura for bass.

IMHO some general thoughts are missing in this thread. Over the centuries, all musical instruments have evolved to fit new musical needs. Experiments were vital to keep this process going. Nice to see you guys doing that on (or: to ) the BG as well. It's good, normal, ... exciting!.

On the other hand the built of all musical instruments, including the BG is a result of compromise. For instance, lighter strings play easier, but sound less powerful. As for tuning, it's give and take also. if you 'take' drop tuning because it fits your style, you 'give' (up) the flexibility to play anything that comes up on an instrument that has evolved to comply with various musical needs.

That also goes for strings, that have been developed to give the best results at the tuning they were designed for. Last night I experimented a little with both drop D and drop A. They started to sound less compact compared to the rest of the set. So the waiting is for genuine drop strings.

 

[MHensleyJr]

Wow, just wow...