Get Off My Lawn: Downtuning

[MDBass]

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?

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Wow. Harsh. Even my self-deprecating confession generates nothing but negativity.

You started a thread asking what things people actively dislike, while mentioning your personal distaste for something that musicians on this forum do, and you expected positivity?

 

[IronSpatula]

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

I liked this post not because I don't enjoy jazz, but because there may not be anyone more pretentious than Yngwie.

 

[funkinbottom]

Fess up. What's your get off my lawn thing?

Witness points. In over 40 years of playing bass, I have never set witness points on strings, never will and never a problem for lack of it. Sounds like a bunch of hooey to me.

 

[BurtMacklinFBI]

A further thought. I'm glad that there are people out there doing things that almost nobody did when I learned to play. New things are good. Even if oldsters don't always "get" them. Yes, it makes my eyeballs itch when I read about others downtuning. But that's on me. Just thought I'd share it for a laugh.

I feel ya. There are some things (Tosin Abasi's weird guitar/bass hybrid playing, for example) that I just can't get into but I'm still glad they're out there. It's important that people keep pushing the envelope even if the results they get aren't my jam personally.

 

[scottfeldstein]

I feel ya. There are some things (Tosin Abasi's weird guitar/bass hybrid playing, for example) that I just can't get into but I'm still glad they're out there. It's important that people keep pushing the envelope even if the results they get aren't my jam personally.

Just what I mean. And a healthy response to finding yourself in that situation is to laugh at yourself a little. IMO

 

[E2942]

There are a lot of things other people do that irritates me a little, but when it's their stuff to do what they please, I tend not to care, as long as they're not getting in my way.
I guess what I'm getting at is: How did other people's downtuning harm you?

What bugs me is when people are downtuning for the pure sake of it,
similar to how someone will buy a 5-string & be asking what songs they can play on it.

They should have had the NEED for the instrument & songs for it before buying it.

bass tuned BEAD. its a sound and imo its a good sound.

Peter Steele made it his signature sound.

LA is Louisiana,

I would have to agree, worst Mexican cantina food I ever had was in New Orleans.

 

[lermgalieu]

Correct, since LA is Louisiana, east of Tyler. If you mean L.A., Los Angeles, that city is west of Tyler.

I meant Los Angeles, and if the post didn’t mean to preclude Los Angeles, it was incorrectly worded. North of Dallas OR east of Tyler. If it was supposed to be what you are saying, that “or” would be an “and.” And I would never get Mexican food in Louisiana, that’s just dumb.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

What's your get off my lawn thing?

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Pedals

 

[coy garcia]

I liked all bass things new and modern for most of my life...now I like all things traditional... 4 strings, passive pickups, tube amps, standard tuning.
My get off my lawn moment is when people rewrite history or call me a boomer.... I am the child of a baby boomer, a grandchild of WW2 generation who has studied history my whole life from all viewpoints.

 

[scottfeldstein]

Pedals

I kinda used to be that way! Until I realized about a decade ago that I just didn't know that much about them. Now I'm a pedal man.

 

[lokikallas]

I have a limit of what I see as a clear tone. At some point the strings flop is just a toneless mess on a lot of the drop Z flat tracks I'm hearing on many newer metal songs. I grew up with Carcass tuning to B and Korn started in with the 7 string thing. That's generally as low as I can take without the tone getting lost completely. Kudos to those of you who rock .220 gauge strings, but no thanks lol.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

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

The moniker "Boomer"...It's OK if you don't like me ( and if you don't, there is probably a rather large contingent you belong to LOL!!), I'm fine with it. That said, not liking me based on a non individual basis is absolutely not OK.Using monikers such as Boomer and others as a descriptive term is not only offensive, but in the larger sense, counter to a peaceful existence. Now, get off my lawn.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

I kinda used to be that way! Until I realized about a decade ago that I just didn't know that much about them. Now I'm a pedal man.

I know plenny 'bout 'em. I had severe PUD (pedal use disorder) as an adolescent guitarist but have been in recovery for decades. One song at a time.

 

[REV]

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

There's Mexican food North of Dallas or East of Tyler?

 

[Panhandle Paul]

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 feel your pain. String tension gets too loose, even on extended scale basses. I have two long scale basses I use with bands that tune down. It helps, but only a little.
My worse peeves; keyboard player's left hands, and musicians who don't understand inversions.

 

[Cal03]

I've thought about this scenario before: you're playing a song in Eb, and you want to have that Eb1. Do you tune your 4-string down a half-step or just get a fiver?

My solution? Get a fiver and tune it down a half-step! You get two Eb1's, an open string and the other one being the 5th fret of the Bb string. And you get a Bb0. More options for holding down the low end when playing in flat keys.

But I do try to avoid down tuning if I don't need to, makes reading sheet music a nightmare.

-Cal.

 

[ewarren88]

keyboard player's left hand

Did it really take 115 posts? This. So much this! I would slap a downtuned boomer bass at A=432.5 through 13 pedals for an audience of deer if it would make the keyboard player stop droning roots at full volume.

Yep, that’s get-off-my-lawn territory!

 

[Cal03]

Did it really take 115 posts? This. So much this! I would slap a downtuned boomer bass at A=432.5 through 13 pedals for an audience of deer if it would make the keyboard player stop droning roots at full volume.

Yep, that’s get-off-my-lawn territory!

Before I played bass, I also played keyboard and was very guilty of slamming my left hand all over the bassist's territory. It was only after taking up bass that I realized how grave my sin was.

 

[Tony In Philly]

This happens so often on this site -- i.e. OP has curiosity, legit questions and concerns about downtuning, and eventually the thread degenerates into fervent technique and gear comments often mixed in with "just get a 5-string" rhetoric. I have to admit I find it all an amusing read though.

 

[Guitalia]

Did it really take 115 posts? This. So much this! I would slap a downtuned boomer bass at A=432.5 through 13 pedals for an audience of deer if it would make the keyboard player stop droning roots at full volume.

Yep, that’s get-off-my-lawn territory!

I once sent this video to the keyboard player of the modern country band we both played in and told him that that's how he should be using his left hand. He thought I was joking.