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Drop Db with a 4 string bass?

DrGroovenstein

DrGroovenstein

Apr 6, 2000
4,755
705
Livin' in the USA
#1
So, how do you handle tunes that guitar players want to play in drop Db with a 4 string bass? I pretty much only play 5 string bass these days. I do own a 4 stringer, but barely ever play it.... call me scared of missng the low D through B.

Anyway, I am planning to pick up a P bass, but I am not quite sure if it would work... especially with my band wanted to do this tune down thing. So what do you 4 banger players do? Detune completely down 1 half step?
 
#2
I've heard it referred to more as Drop C#. Same thing, I know, but the more common term is Drop C#.

Anyway, yes, for Drop C#, I do Drop D, and then tune all the strings down an additional half step. I've played for years in Drop D, so if the interval between the low string and the next string up wasn't a 4th or 5th, I'd lose place pretty easily, I think. When I drop the tuning down so low, I step up the string gauges as well, usually to a .105 for Drop C#.
 
#5
I play 5ers pretty much exclusively these days & in turn tune them all flat (Bb, Eb, Ab, etc..) and if there's a song where an open C# is called for, I just tune my E string down to C# for that particular song & then tune back to Eb when done. I take it you're tuned to standard pitch on your 5er, so maybe having a 4 string (or getting another 5er) dedicated to flat tuning would be to your benefit. No hard & fast rules here, just a recommendation :)
 
#6
It is just annoying having to change tuning. I've never detuned or played drop- anything heh. Maybe 4 string just isn't for me. We don't play many songs in Drop-D (or soon to be Drop-C#), maybe a block of 3 during a show. Drop-D, obviously is no big deal on a 5er or 4, but I guess if we go to drop-C# that means I need to detune everything.... pretty much have a dedicated bass just for that. BUMMER.
 
#7
Sean Baumann said:
It is just annoying having to change tuning. I've never detuned or played drop- anything heh. Maybe 4 string just isn't for me. We don't play many songs in Drop-D (or soon to be Drop-C#), maybe a block of 3 during a show. Drop-D, obviously is no big deal on a 5er or 4, but I guess if we go to drop-C# that means I need to detune everything.... pretty much have a dedicated bass just for that. BUMMER.
Click to expand...

Why couldn't you adjust to the second position? Why detune at all?
 
#8
My band stays in the tuning. For me to be able not to have floppy strings (I have a heavy right hand attack), I use 45-65-85-115. However, I don't dare tuning that 115 up to standard. Actually, I haven't even tried tuning it to Db. If you were going to pick up a bass just for that tuning some strings like that might help.
 
#9
Drop C# is common in my band, doesn't bother my 4 strings at all, the 4's pretty much what I play 90% of the time.
I still use stainless 45-105 on my 4's, and a 125 on my 5 string. Doesn't feel floppy, and I have always considered my self having a heavy right-hand technique.
 
#11
Sean Baumann said:
So what do you 4 banger players do? Detune completely down 1 half step?
Click to expand...

Umm...yeah? Is this a trick question? :hmm:

But seriously, yeah. That tuning is all I play at right now. You just have to set up your bass to play that way - check the neck pitch, pickup height, intonation, tuning, etc.

EDIT: and I do it with standard .45, .65, .85, .105 strings. I had a jazz bass set up that way too with .40, .60, .80, .100's and I didn't have any problems with floppy strings or fret buzz either.
 
#13
The band I've been practicing with tunes to D, a whole step down. From there we drop tune to C for half the songs. I put a set of GHS Fatties (115 or something) and it's great. It needed a new setup afterwards, but it works just fine.
 
#15
AJ Brown said:
Why couldn't you adjust to the second position? Why detune at all?
Click to expand...

I never detune on my 5 (or anything for that matter). What I am getting at is that I am lazy and I don't want to take multiple basses to a gig unless I have to. 4 probably wouldn't work as a single bass, I'd have to detune or switch to 5 string for these tunes....

Well I guess I could just leave my 4 string bass detuned and relearn everything heheh.
 
#16
Sean Baumann said:
I never detune on my 5 (or anything for that matter). What I am getting at is that I am lazy and I don't want to take multiple basses to a gig unless I have to. 4 probably wouldn't work as a single bass, I'd have to detune or switch to 5 string for these tunes....

Well I guess I could just leave my 4 string bass detuned and relearn everything heheh.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. Good luck with this one. :)
 
#19
TrooperFarva said:
I've heard it referred to more as Drop C#. Same thing, I know, but the more common term is Drop C#.

Anyway, yes, for Drop C#, I do Drop D, and then tune all the strings down an additional half step. I've played for years in Drop D, so if the interval between the low string and the next string up wasn't a 4th or 5th, I'd lose place pretty easily, I think. When I drop the tuning down so low, I step up the string gauges as well, usually to a .105 for Drop C#.
Click to expand...


That's the way I tuned my bass when I played in that tuning, it's been awhile though. When I was using that tuning I had a Scheter Diamond Series and didn't have any problems with it.
 

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