Get Off My Lawn: Downtuning

[Raenil]

People can tune however they like, there might be many reasons for it - including matching the open strings of the downtuned guitar or easier slap bass playing than with a 5 string.
I don't play with downtuned guitars and i cant slap even if my life depended on it. Furthermore I can't handle changing the patterns I already learned. I'm just to lazy, i didn't practice it.
So I bought a 5 string instead because i like those 5 extra notes.

 

[JakobT]

We all have our likes and dislikes. My own view is that as long as it works, and gets you the effect you want, it’s in. If I don’t like it, I just won’t do it myself.

 

[micguy]

Bass guitar is a man made thing - saying it was “meant to be” a certain way is utter nonsense. God did not put instruction in the Bible about how to make or tune a bass guitar (two cubits in scale length). The issue with dead spots on G strings would strongly argue that something in that “recipe” is not optimized. Down tuning is one thing that actually makes a more optimal instrument in that regard - it lessens the dead spot issue considerably in most cases (tune your bass to D standard or BEAD, and you’ll see what I mean).

 

[kmon]

I can’t take a left turn or pump my own gas. I shake my aged fist at you NJ…

 

[mdlewis]

I have no opinions on down tuning as I have never encountered it in the genres I play (blues, soul, jazz, pop) other than the “is it E or Eb?” that happens with older recordings. So I think this might be genre-related. Metal-folks that I run into seem to really like down-tuning and tell me that it makes their instruments sound more aggressive. I don’t know much about this genre beyond Motorhead (and I don’t know if this is really even considered metal).

As for me, I’m usually asked to just “stand and deliver” - play the notes and parts as required. It’s always been up to me how I produce those notes and play those parts. If I don’t do a good job, I’m not asked back. Lower notes than the E 42, when they used to be required, were produced with a 5. Noone even asks me to play those anymore. Noone has ever asked me to tune to anything except an agreed upon standard pitch (A440). So I understand where you’re coming from but think maybe some conversation with the metal players might be enlightening.

 

[bassGtar]

Nice try to get folks on your therapy couch. I don’t do drop tuning, but unless I really wanted to play a song that required it, I wouldn’t let it get under my clover. Herbicides & pesticides, those are my only get off my lawn things. !

 

[MultiScaleMale]

What about short scale instruments? Are they not designed for EADG and should be tuned to F#BEA instead? I guess a hipshot d-tuner should not exist and only one gauge of strings and one tension?

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

I do appreciate a p-bass through an SVT and an 810 fridge. But generally I'm not a traditionalist when it comes to my music gear. Show me something new. But there is one modern bass thing that I just can't quite get behind: downtuning.

So many people do it now. It's a mainstay in whole genres of music it seems. But every time I read people's questions about it (what's gauge strings should I use if I want to droptune to A?) I can't help but think don't do that! The instrument wasn't made to be tuned that way! (Although nowadays I'm sure some of them definitely are)

So normally I like new things. I seek them out, even. But the downtune thing is my personal get off my lawn issue. Fess up. What's your get off my lawn thing?

View attachment 4710291

I don’t love downtuning either. My ears get used to what note maps to which neck position, and changing that up throws me off a bit.

I like the sound and feel of downtuning though, and employ it often when recording. But when a band situation calls for it to be used for only some songs, I don’t prefer it.

 

[FunkHead]

Well then you don't get to play one of these(Tuned F#, B, D, G):
Link Removed

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I don't care for the bass tone on Journey's Don't stop Believin...

Amen. Preach it, Brother. It's awful, but RV's part, as played still kicks my backside.

As for the rest of the thread... 440 or fight.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I think you've probably already got enough answers/responses. It's all opinon and preference. It appears that the majority of opinions are not in harmony with yours... and of course, that's OK.

 

[micguy]

26506666[/URL], member: 355902"]I don’t like Mexican food north of Dallas or east of Tyler.

There are places well outside of Texas where there are people that make excellent Mexican food. Chicago has more Mexican born immigrants than any city in Texas, and there is plenty of excellent food here. I have, however, had “Mexican food” in Indianapolis, which… is not one of those places.

 

[Snibborwocky]

Other musicians that believe wearing shorts on stage is an absolute musical sin. GET OFF MY LAWN!

 

[BassFalcon]

If you think about it the double bass wasn't 'designed' to be tuned to A440. If we consider the double bass to be the progenitor of the electric bass then the same logic should follow.

It also wasn’t designed for 4 steel strings, it was “designed” for 3 gut strings, so technically any bass with an E string is an “extended range bass”. But really 500 years ago when the double bass started to coalesce A was lower and also all over the place, following regional trends and preferences. It crept up over the years, the theory I’ve heard is basically the volume of life increased as the industrial revolution barreled on, in bigger and bigger cities with more and more machinery, etc. and more people had more money and could afford to go see the orchestra so halls got bigger and bigger. To compensate and remain exciting the orchestra needed more volume, you couldn’t turn the volume knob up, so you could hire more string players (expensive), or by increasing the tension of the strings (raising the A a little) you could squeeze a few more dB out it. Also, if we are going the double bass as progenitor of electric bass, 5-strings with a low B have existed in Germany for well over 100 years, and speaking of downtuning Berlioz wrote in his symphonies for the Octobass. It’s a 2 story double bass that requires several people to play. None more metal.

 

[thunesBARROW]

I disagree. Electric basses aren’t intended for any specific tuning. If the neck can handle the tension, or if the scale length is long enough, you can tune however low or high you like.

My only issue with drop tuning is that it makes it hard to sight read, and to play pieces I’ve memorized that are now in a new key.

I like to play in E, Eb, D, and Db standard tunings, as well as 5 string and piccolo basses. I always try to use the right “tool” for the job, and for me it’s not always an E standard tuned 4 string.

 

[bucephylus]

What don’t I like?

Well, I don’t like that the internet has become a place of predation, rather than what was intended.

I don’t like that people can’t come together with common sense much any more.

I don’t like the fact that we spend as little as possible on our children’s education, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas.

I don’t like the fact that we seem to ignore how our economy actually works.

Downtuning is way down the list for me. I guess it would depend on the gig.

 

[Jack Butler]

Well I'll throw on my flame suit and play. Most Jazz instrumental music. I love virtuosity, artists from Ella Fitzgerald to Yngwie Malmsteen. It's probably not Jazz itself, just something I can't put my finger on that's more prevalent there? Jaco is unlistenable to me it's so boring. Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" is loved by so many players that I like and respect, but I find it utterly boring. I hate to even admit it. I want to be the type of person that thinks "Kind of Blue" is a masterpiece. I know it's weird to think this kind of jazz seems pretentious, but then be OK with Yngwie

 

[Bob Coldwell]

I don’t like Mexican food north of Dallas or east of Tyler.

There was a Mexican restaurant in International Falls, Minnesota called "South Of The Border". Genius.

 

[michael_t]

But the downtune thing is my personal get off my lawn issue. Fess up. What's your get off my lawn thing?

I have no problem with the idea of down-tuning. In fact, I keep one of my basses tuned to DGCF for certain situations that may warrant it. Just another tool in my toolbox.

What does annoy me, though, is the idea that some bassists let their guitarists dictate how they should tune their basses according to how the guitars are tuned. Now that's silly if you ask me...

 

[Jason Schulhz]

I do not personally like tuning down. However, the role of a good bassist is to support the chords being played. So if I meet a creative guitarist who can shred and tells me at least half of his original songs are tuned down, I’m going to tune down. That’s essentially the story of what happened when Redding met Hendrix, Shannon met Vaughn, and Dirnt met Joe.

Plus, you know….. if I ever wanted to wear a wig and be in an 80’s tribute metal hair band I would have to learn to tune down anyway.