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Drop D# - is that a thing?

#25
I experimented with it when my band wanted to play 'ain't nobody'. It worked quite well, although to play that song properly, I would also have needed a low C# (I just played that phrase an octave higher). In the end, we decided to play that song a half step up, so I never really used it. But I see how it can be useful.
 
#28
Aceman said:
So I am playing some bass in the charity work band.

A couple of tunes were in Eb, so I tuned down the E string a half step. What I noticed is it was pretty easy to play in "Eb" tuning with only that string tuned down.

I can't be the person who discovered this, but I have never really heard of it.

Is Drop D# a thing? Obviously drop D is, and all strings down a half step is.
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A proper "drop" tuning is usually considered to be the lowest string tuned down a whole step lower relative to the rest. The reason for this is that the lowest string will be the same note as the third lowest string, which makes all three low strings form a power chord. So, "Drop D#" or "Drop Eb" would actually be Eb - Bb - Eb - Ab, where you tune the low string down a half step from standard and the three high strings up a half step. It would be the dropped version of tuning up to F.

As for simply tuning that one string down a half step, there's nothing stopping you from doing it. It's just weird to play. I played a song where I tuned my low string down from E to Db, but left the other strings alone to minimize tuning time between songs. I'd mostly just play that song on one string, because the shift in pattern messed with me too bad.
 
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#29
I did some experimentation with this not too long ago. I wanted to see if it was feasible to use a double-stop Hipshot tuner and set it to Eb and C. It was interesting, the Eb worked fine for the literally one song I'd need that tuning for. But then the tunes that needed that low C also needed convenient ways to play every other note, which ended up putting me back on a 5 string for most gigs.
 
#30
Of course it’s a thing. The need for various drop tunings or the equivalent has been around for centuries, if not millenia. Tuning down is just one technique, and probably the oldest and most simple, for achieving them.

The Hipshot that can do it has been on the market for 40 years, while E string fingerboard extensions have been used on basses for a very long time, both with and without mechanical keys for fingering the added lower notes.
 
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#31
jdjk7 said:
A proper "drop" tuning is usually considered to be the lowest string tuned down a whole step lower relative to the rest. The reason for this is that the lowest string will be the same note as the third lowest string, which makes all three low strings form a power chord. So, "Drop D#" or "Drop Eb" would actually be Eb - Bb - Eb - Ab, where you tune the low string down a half step from standard and the three high strings up a half step. It would be the dropped version of tuning up to F.

As for simply tuning that one string down a half step, there's nothing stopping you from doing it. It's just weird to play. I played a song where I tuned my low string down from E to Db, but left the other strings alone to minimize tuning time between songs. I'd mostly just play that song on one string, because the shift in pattern messed with me too bad.
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I see no practical reason for this. Tuning down a half or whole step and adding the drop low string yes, but this is just useless and serves no practical purpose in my opinion..however that and a dollar may get you a cup of of coffee. I just bought a digitech drop pedal and have extenders on all my basses so its stupid easy to be whatever tuning
 
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#32
When I only had four string basses, this was my solution when I needed it. Cheaper than buying a five-string bass at the time. At one point, my band said let's cover 'Are You Ready' by Creed and I knew I was licked. I gave in, bought a five string bass - and we never learned the tune.
The bass player in Big Wreck, based on learning some of their songs, used what I believe is called 'open tuning' so of the two songs I learned he dropped the A on one song and the E string on another.
 
#33
Aceman said:
Is Drop D# a thing?
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It is if you make it a thing. I'll do Drop Ab on my 5-string for one song here and there. I've gone as low as dropping the E string to C# on a 4 string and playing the rest of the bass in standard, for one song on a setlist. As long as you can wrap your head around where the low string is at relative to the rest of the strings, you can tune it to whatever you want. Drop D makes sense because its a nice whole step interval. Half step changes make it a little weird, but it just takes some practice and/or thinking on the fly to make it work.
 
#40
I have at least 2 basses that are not fivers.
Therefore, I can detune one bass to Eb or D drop tuning and still have a standard tuned bass.
A drop D tuning is more useful on a bass than a drop Eb tuning.
Therefore, I do not need a drop Eb tuning.

I also have a 5 string.
 

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