Incorrect. As AGCurry pointed out, D# as a note exists, even though D# major as a key doesn't. You're not tuning your bass to a key; your bass doesn't have an inbuilt key. You tune the individual strings to individual pitches.
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Drop D# - is that a thing?
- Thread starter Aceman
- Start date
For three-piece bands, Rock-influenced with guitar, bass drums, tuning down a half-step is not unusual. The word I have relied upon is that the additional lower frequencies build a “perceived” fullness.
However, alternate tunings a have become more and more frequent.
I use drop Eb tuning on my two very extended range basses because, in first position, the melodic multi-finger plectrum style matches up with traditionally tuned instruments with the finger-picked chordal styles I employ with them when recording.
However, my alter ego player style, which is late 60’s early 70’s 3 or 3+1 band inclined playing a more traditional bassist role likes drop to Eb.
So...is it only for a few songs or the whole gig? If it's the whole gig then do you play those songs elsewhere? If so, how do you remember where to fret your E string?
I mean people can make up any old thing they want. Whether it's practical or useful is another question.
I mean people can make up any old thing they want. Whether it's practical or useful is another question.
Damn! I wanted to be the one who made this joke. Haha
Honestly, I think it’s two things: 1) Fender electric guitars (or perhaps guitars with a 25.5” scale) just sound and feel better in Eb for some reason, and 2) Alt Rock as a genre sounds and feels better tuned anywhere down from E standard. I don’t have a working theory or anything but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for …well, since the 90s.
Are there any tunings to make “Sir Duke” not so all over the fret board? (I never thought of alternate tunings for “horned” songs…) at least I know it’s a thing now
What a great song, not to mention a challenging bass part. I learned it reading off of a bass chart. Took it one lick at a time in standard tuning. Yeah it bops around on the finger board and it took me a good bit of woodshedding to get it down.
But that was 40 years ago. It’s playable in standard tuning, but it’s going to take work. Non-standard tuning for me would tie my brain in knots. I’m afraid I’d never recover. LOL.
BTW, are you in a band/vocalist that can cover this or is something cool you want to learn for your own edification? Because, if you are in a band that can cover it, I am duly impressed.
1) Detensioned guitars have a different timber, especially when bar chording.
2) A detensioned guitar allowed guitarists to bend heavier strings easier and get a fuller sound.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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No, you have that backwards!
D# is also a great key to play in. I refuse to play keys that don't have at least one double sharp.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
I'm playing a gig tonight with a local singer and I tune up to F# on the low E for one song as it makes it easier to keep hitting that low F# on the 1 in the verse.
With another project, I tune the D to C on one song as it makes the rest of the fingering easier and locks in with the cellists low C.
And drop D in a few songs with yet another band I play with regularly.
Tune how you like if it helps you make music.
With another project, I tune the D to C on one song as it makes the rest of the fingering easier and locks in with the cellists low C.
And drop D in a few songs with yet another band I play with regularly.
Tune how you like if it helps you make music.
?
If you mean you see no practical reason to tune Eb Bb Eb Ab, then I would tend to agree. I don't see a reason to either. I'm just stating a fact about the accepted conventions for what a drop tuning is, for the benefit of those who are using the term to simply mean any tuning with a downtuned string.
I’ve been chipping away at it off and on for literally years, every which way, small sections over and over, tutorials, setting you tube settings to half speed, etc etc…
And you learned it the old way, before all this tech… now that’s something to be impressed about.
Wow - so much to say...I'll take the various themes one on one.
First - a little about me:
- Guitar player for 40 years; Blues, Rock, Metal, a few years of exclusively classical, solo/duo acoustic, and recently Keys & Bass
Next: Guitar players tune down PRIMARILY for singers, but when using extremely heavy strings (like 11+ gauge) may tune down for bending. I use 10's and can bend as far as I want.
Then: We call EADG(BE) E Standard or just Standard. I assume bass players do to. We call EbAbDbGb "Eb" or Eb Standard (Standard referring to the intervals), or just "Down 1/2 step). I again, assume bass players do also. Drop D is D ADG(BE) - Often used in both Jazz and Metal circles on guitar, and less often classical. I occasionally use Drop high D to play chords in standard tuning and slide in G. on the top 4/5 strings. I know - minds BLOWN!
For the Music Teachers out there: Go floss with my dirty G string. Not the one off my instrument. What a bunch of pedantic tight @$$es...I said D sharp because I was thinking about Drop D and just said this is like Drop D#. Jeez. [insert Steve Martin quote here]
For the Tune to anything crowd: Yeah, I get that, but certain things just work...Such as a Cello tuned in 5ths, or guitar/bass Drop D. Or the B string on a 5 string (vs any other note).
Just wondering if DROP Eb was a more common thing than me just finding it fast cheap and easy for a couple of tunes. I would by default just go all flat, or down toD. However - this just seemed to have a vibe about it to me. I don't know enough bass tunes to say if there are 387 tunes that you can easily play with Drop Eb or not.
First - a little about me:
- Guitar player for 40 years; Blues, Rock, Metal, a few years of exclusively classical, solo/duo acoustic, and recently Keys & Bass
Next: Guitar players tune down PRIMARILY for singers, but when using extremely heavy strings (like 11+ gauge) may tune down for bending. I use 10's and can bend as far as I want.
Then: We call EADG(BE) E Standard or just Standard. I assume bass players do to. We call EbAbDbGb "Eb" or Eb Standard (Standard referring to the intervals), or just "Down 1/2 step). I again, assume bass players do also. Drop D is D ADG(BE) - Often used in both Jazz and Metal circles on guitar, and less often classical. I occasionally use Drop high D to play chords in standard tuning and slide in G. on the top 4/5 strings. I know - minds BLOWN!
For the Music Teachers out there: Go floss with my dirty G string. Not the one off my instrument. What a bunch of pedantic tight @$$es...I said D sharp because I was thinking about Drop D and just said this is like Drop D#. Jeez. [insert Steve Martin quote here]
For the Tune to anything crowd: Yeah, I get that, but certain things just work...Such as a Cello tuned in 5ths, or guitar/bass Drop D. Or the B string on a 5 string (vs any other note).
Just wondering if DROP Eb was a more common thing than me just finding it fast cheap and easy for a couple of tunes. I would by default just go all flat, or down toD. However - this just seemed to have a vibe about it to me. I don't know enough bass tunes to say if there are 387 tunes that you can easily play with Drop Eb or not.
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