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Drop tune - why is it looked down on?

#201
I'll freely admit that it's easier to play our songs on a dropped 4 string. We write them that way.
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Zachoff, I totally respect you for that, you are honest in your reasons.

The reason against making things eaiser is that in the long run it rarely is. Sure, this approach might get you instant gratification on something but I promise you there will be a point where you will have to unlearn these bad habits in order to grow.

I firmly believe that the most complex musical concepts are simply the sum of a lot of easier concepts. (note I didn't say simple) If you reduce the less complicated aspects of music to the point that you never really learn them correctly then you will not have the tools required to master a more complex concept at a later time because you skipped completely over/went around the initial concepts required to get it correct.

So I am against it because I know in the long run it limits your abilities. In Essense, I am against it out of concern for your growth.

Does that help?

-eSmith.
 
#204
I'm not real concerned with that though. I've been playing for 20 years and haven't had a lesson since year one and even then I only learned major, minor, and pentatonic scales. Every bad habit I've ever developed has been engraved, burned, and lacquered into my playing & I don't really have the time or drive to fix any of them. I'll never play in a jazz ensemble, I'll never play in a cover band (tribute, maybe), and I'll probably always play original rock (punk, metal, or otherwise) or maybe when I'm old and don't have the rock in me anymore I'll settle on writing some country music. :D

Point is, I'll never be the guy that even wants to take the time to learn to play the instrument the "right" way. I'll just continue to do it my way & my way, right now, is on a detuned 4 string bass.
 
#205
Can anyone post when the first C-extension was installed on an upright bass and why it was done?

I think most can agree that professional orchestral bassists have a pretty decent grasp on technique, so it probably serves some other purpose than to just make a piece easier to perform.

If you dig the way drop tuning, down tuning, alternate tuning, open tuning, tuning in 4ths, tuning in 5ths, whatever, sounds, why not go with what you like?

Even standard tuning. I usually use whatever tuning is appropriate for the music I'm playing. Why is that bad?
 
#206
I see this thread as fundamentally flawed, in that there is little to no point in DEBATING alternate tunings as opposed to discussing them. What gets learned by people just trying to prove their points? Nada. Zip.

Fact is the point is to play good music. There isn't anything there about tuning technique. Just good music.

I personally tend to play 5 or 6 strings in standard tuning; but, that is primarily due to re-tuning laziness / actual need. For example I do recognize that certain phrases can be played horizontally rather than vertically - Sweet Emotion is a great example on a 4. Slither is sort of a "drop" standard more recently that definitely lays better with the de-tuned string (way it was written), but can be played with a bit more effort on standard tuned 5.

Manring's stuff, much of it, would no way even get played properly on a standard tuned ERB.

So, no question, there are legit musical reasons for alternate tunings. But, if guys want to tackle pieces in standard tuning and pull it off, that's cool too.

But, why on earth all the "mine's bigger than yours.." diatribe here?? Can't you cats get more information by intelligently trading ideas? Just a thought and no offense intended. GL2A
 
#208
Kwin Smith said:
Can anyone post when the first C-extension was installed on an upright bass and why it was done?

I think most can agree that professional orchestral bassists have a pretty decent grasp on technique, so it probably serves some other purpose than to just make a piece easier to perform.

If you dig the way drop tuning, down tuning, alternate tuning, open tuning, tuning in 4ths, tuning in 5ths, whatever, sounds, why not go with what you like?

Even standard tuning. I usually use whatever tuning is appropriate for the music I'm playing. Why is that bad?
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The C extension is needed to go lower, not to facilitate easier riffs, which is the main reason I think metal players are doing this.
 
#212
Burlington said:
And judging by the links in your sig, you know all about metal! ;)
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Actually, I do. I just grew up and put away childish, simplistic things like Heavy Metal many, many years ago.


When I was 12, my two favorite bands were Priest and AC/DC.

And let's say that about 15 years ago, I was in a hard rock band that was quite popular locally, and they were drop tuning all the time, mostly so they could play power 5ths as riffs,with one finger. (The guitarist for a while was the son of the owner of a very large guitar company that specializes in axes for heavy metal, whose name I don't want to say). This was music that was very much in the vein of Korn. I pretty much hated it, but the guys were my bros....so I stayed longer then I should have. That was the last hard rock/metal band I ever played with.

So please don't assume that the music I play now, when I am middle aged, is the only music I have any experience with.
 
#214
drop-tuning on upright bass ... hide the women and children!

martini_scroll_c.jpg


Seriously ... people think there's a right and wrong? It's all music. If you don't like it one way, do it your way.
 
#217
chuck3 said:
drop-tuning on upright bass ... hide the women and children!

martini_scroll_c.jpg


Seriously ... people think there's a right and wrong? It's all music. If you don't like it one way, do it your way.
Click to expand...

Again, the c-extension is used to go lower. It's not intended to be used as a cheat, to make certain riffs easier to play.

If people insist on drop tuning, that's fine......play whatever you want...but what eSmith was trying to say is that it is a bad habit to get into, and that you are better off learning standard fingerings, in the long run. It's just good advice he was giving, and advice I happen to agree with.

Drop tuning is occasionally needed. First time I really heard it was Chris Squire "and you and I". The problem is that it is being used too much, that's all. Kind of like "auto tuning"....it was novel the first few times T-Pain did it...now every song has it, it seems...

Frankly, I wish I had been given the kind of advice some of the obviously older posters on this forum give, years ago. I would be a much better player today if someone had helped me out. Do you know how long it takes to unlearn bad musical habits?
 

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