Drop tune - why is it looked down on?

[Burlington]

...so you keep saying. I've listened to your dramaspace songs and sorry, but you guys are not even close to the DM genre.

Some of our current songs on Myspace could be seen as metalcore, I can give you that. Our new stuff that will be released soon will be going in a different direction. Not like a really care what genre you think my band is, though.

Now back to the topic at hand...

 

[ksandvik]

I played DGCF for a long time in all kinds of configurations, all styles. Reason was that I could do fun stuff with E-D low end variations and similar things others with 4-string bass configs can't do.

Switched back to normal tuning recently mostly as it's tough to do funk slapping with little tension and I wanted to use that technique here and there.

Remember, the audience is not checking your tuning, if it sounds good, it is good.

 

[Ric5]

I totally get why guitarists play drop D tunings, and I love the sound of a detuned guitar. Although if I played guitar I would do D standard DGCFAD. My favorite part of old Black Sabbath is the sound of the guitar tuned to D standard. With the advent of the 5 strings bass a bass player can cover any song by tuning BEADG or ADGCF. Then all of your scales, octaves, 5ths, and 3rds are in the "right" place on the fretboard.

 

[Burlington]

With the advent of the 5 strings bass a bass player can cover any song by tuning BEADG or ADGCF.

Sorry, but that is not true in every case.

 

[doctorpunch]

We play in C# standard, I actually got myself a 5er in G# STD to add a deep end to the slower stuff. I'd be nuts to try to play the C# stuff on a regular 5er, my index finger would have to be glued to my 2nd fret and be able to stretch about 10 frets sometimes.

 

[Rebecky]

I used to hate drop D because I felt like it was for lazy guitarists so they can do powerchords all the way through a song with one finger, and I just couldn't be bothered with the hassle of seperate tunings and forgetting which note was where. Also I played using patterns which didn't help, naughty me...

Now I play in a band which uses E standard, one in D standard, one using Eb standard and drop C# and another which uses open C#! My opinion has definately changed, I don't really mind what I'm asked to play in.

Although if it's all down to me I'd rather stay in standard tuning. I know the notes better which makes it easier to read, easier to play within a key and easier to comunicate with the rest of the band (avoiding getting flustered and panicked and saying "umm, third fret! Whatever that is!") Also my rickenbacker really isn't fond of down tuning and I like how it's set up right now, I only have two basses and really can't afford any more just so I can have one set up perfectly for each band. I also normally play 35-95 gauge strings which isn't ideal for downtuning.

I think alternative tunings are more suited to guitars as you're normally playing chords and sometimes it's not physically possible to get your hand in the right shape! But as bass is usually an instrument for single notes there's less of a reason for it, you don't always need to copy mr guitar guy!

Now I'm not even talking about drop tunings anymore... Eh. /rant

 

[LiamPodmore]

Just to clarify, it's rarely used in death metal if at all. Death and thrash metal bands have always typically used a lowered standard tuning. I believe you're speaking of different genres such as nu-metal (i.e. pop), melodeath, etc.

Yeah, i know it isnt used that much in death and thrash, but thats how people that look down on drop tunings see it because most of them don't know otherwise.

Liam

 

[rockstarbassist]

I totally get why guitarists play drop D tunings, and I love the sound of a detuned guitar. Although if I played guitar I would do D standard DGCFAD. My favorite part of old Black Sabbath is the sound of the guitar tuned to D standard. With the advent of the 5 strings bass a bass player can cover any song by tuning BEADG or ADGCF. Then all of your scales, octaves, 5ths, and 3rds are in the "right" place on the fretboard.

Wrong again. Notch yourself up with the other people in this and other threads who have no clue as to how this all works.

 

[zachoff]

Then all of your scales, octaves, 5ths, and 3rds are in the "right" place on the fretboard.

That's the statement that gets me right there. The "right" way is what's most comfortable for whoever's playing it. I don't write songs with finger placement and all that crap in mind. I write what I think sounds good and what I write is simply easier to play on a downtuned 4 string that it is on a 5 string.

Plus, I flat out dislike 5 strings... They're frumpy to play, they're tough to find without active electronics, they're even tougher to find in passive P form, and none of them sound even remotely close to the basses I play in my band.

 

[EatADeadGoat]

Hey all. So, thanks for all the civil conversation (even with the disagreements) on the thread. I think I'm starting to understand a bit more, but it just seems silly in a way. I can understand the dislike of the floppier strings, but as far as flat out refusing to try something different - kinda makes me laugh.

I'm just tired of hearing people ask about drop tuning and then get burned badly by "real" musicians who play only in standard tunes.

 

[ksandvik]

Hey all. So, thanks for all the civil conversation (even with the disagreements) on the thread. I think I'm starting to understand a bit more, but it just seems silly in a way. I can understand the dislike of the floppier strings, but as far as flat out refusing to try something different - kinda makes me laugh.

I'm just tired of hearing people ask about drop tuning and then get burned badly by "real" musicians who play only in standard tunes.

Well, many musicians are 'heard' animals, they do what others do without much experimentation. Or, if Jaco Pastorious played CFAD, then a bunch of Jaco-wannabes would also tune their fretless basses trying to sound like him, and so on. Same with the death-metal scene, most are aping each other.

 

[EatADeadGoat]

Hahaha, so true. I just play in what sounds good for myself, and more imprtantly the group. I got over my "I have to be the next cliff burton so I will copy everything he does"

granted, I learned a lot from that phase, but I grew past that. I do mah own sturf nao.

C'mon, we're all musicians people! We're supposed to be creative and innovative!

 

[zachoff]

Yeah, well everyone knows there's a real way to do everything...

Standard tunings with fingers, duh. Be damned if you use a pick and detune.

The real way to construct a song is verse chorus verse chorus break chorus,

Songs should be in the pattern of C-G-A-F or nobody will like it.

Your bass should be at nipple level.

Don't move around on stage! Bass players aren't to draw attention to themselves. If you must do something, make a funny face. Other bass players seem to be OK with that.

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[rockstarbassist]

Hey all. So, thanks for all the civil conversation (even with the disagreements) on the thread. I think I'm starting to understand a bit more, but it just seems silly in a way. I can understand the dislike of the floppier strings, but as far as flat out refusing to try something different - kinda makes me laugh.

I'm just tired of hearing people ask about drop tuning and then get burned badly by "real" musicians who play only in standard tunes.

IMO, anything you don't have in your bassin' ability just makes you less of a "real" musician in the first place. Same goes for the ludicrous pick v. fingers nonsense that starts up every 3rd day it seems. We get it, you can't play with a pick. That doesn't make it "less" of a technique. Same goes for this stuff too. If you can't train your ear to anything besides Std. E and I can, well, .

 

[JoeVictim]

...The E string has a bit less tension, which was something I was worried about initially, but I can play no problem...

Use the low end part of a 5 string set and watch your string tension come back to life.


My band has been playing in drop D but the guitarist and I are looking in to 7 string guits and 5 string basses. Right now I have my 4 string tuned BDAD.

Lately I have been messing around in drop C. Sure is fun. And new power amp arrives today!

Haters gonna hate.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Use the low end part of a 5 string set and watch your string tension come back to life.


My band has been playing in drop D but the guitarist and I are looking in to 7 string guits and 5 string basses. Right now I have my 4 string tuned BDAD.

Lately I have been messing around in drop C. Sure is fun. And new power amp arrives today!

Haters gonna hate.

If you're using a BEAD set, try matching your drop D w/ a low A if your bass can handle it. It's pretty awesome.

 

[zachoff]

If you're using a BEAD set, try matching your drop D w/ a low A if your bass can handle it. It's pretty awesome.

Yeah, that's the only problem I've run into with my basses and detuning is that anything less than a .110 set won't intonate correctly... Maybe I should look into one of those 35 scale 4 strings.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Yeah, that's the only problem I've run into with my basses and detuning is that anything less than a .110 set won't intonate correctly... Maybe I should look into one of those 35 scale 4 strings.

I promise it sounds like a mini-cult, but I've tried most all strings out there and Skip does wonders with his Circle K's! My NS5 is only 34" scale, actually and I hold a low A thru drop C no problems at all, perfectly intonated all the way up the fretboard too. Even though we tune low, I still play above the 12th fret pretty often!

 

[dwm74]

Just my two cents, but if the drop tuning actually serves a purpose, then fine. But too often, what we see (and hear) are guitarists playing in Drop D or C# or whatever...because it's 'cool' to say you play in Drop D or C# or whatever.

If anyone saw the know-it-all clown on VH1 Classic Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp telling the rest of the band to play in Drop D, then sounding like a complete fool when the keyboard player asked what the actual chord he was playing. He rattled off four different chords before he figured out what was actually being played. "Uh... F...no, it's D...uh, no it's C#...wait, I mean G..."

Besides, it's all a moot point. I just looked it up in the Book Of Rules, and it clearly states Bass Guitars shall be FOUR strings, tuned EADG, and all music shall be in 4/4 time. And louder is always better.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Just my two cents, but if the drop tuning actually serves a purpose, then fine. But too often, what we see (and hear) are guitarists playing in Drop D or C# or whatever...because it's 'cool' to say you play in Drop D or C# or whatever.

If anyone saw the know-it-all clown on VH1 Classic Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp telling the rest of the band to play in Drop D, then sounding like a complete fool when the keyboard player asked what the actual chord he was playing. He rattled off four different chords before he figured out what was actually being played. "Uh... F...no, it's D...uh, no it's C#...wait, I mean G..."

Besides, it's all a moot point. I just looked it up in the Book Of Rules, and it clearly states Bass Guitars shall be FOUR strings, tuned EADG, and all music shall be in 4/4 time. And louder is always better.

Who from and where do "we" hear/see this occurrence? I don't. Maybe you play with n00bs. I don't. But to each their own. We play in drop C b/c my singer has a voice that matches it perfectly. Drop D is too high and D std. is something else we check out.

And if that clown was on a TV show and can't transpose what chord he was playing from simple drop D then that's not a misguided stereotype problem, but an idiot producer one for putting him in charge of anything.

Your book of rules probably thinks Jaco had good tone too...