How do you tune your bass?

[ThinCrappyTone2]

When possible, I use a pedal tuner that mutes. TC polytune mini. When that’s not available, the tuner app on my phone (guitar toolkit) gets the nod. I always tune up to the note.

 

[theduke1]

I use a Sonic Research T-300. A little pricey, but the best I have ever found
Duke

 

[MultiScaleMale]

The same as I’ve done since the late 80’s, use a pedal or if there is a piano, tune to it. Tune up, pull the strings slightly, check again. I rarely use headstock tuners, dislike their look.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I use a Sonic Research T-300. A little pricey, but the best I have ever found
Duke
View attachment 4690063

Congrats...you actually have 3 tuner options on your board. I do my finer work at home with a Peterson then use my BFR's or Zoom's onboard function. I've A/B'd both with the Peterson and they're spot-on with decent "capture" using harmonics, open strings, and/or fretted. The worst onboard tuner was the TE Transit B.

Riis

 

[Michael Favata]

One of my short scale hybrid bass+guitar is tuned up a minor third. E is G. I have one in 5ths tuning. CG D A but I digress

If there is no tuner but have a piano then tune the highest open string and tune the lower strings via harmonics.

In a gig specially bar. restaurant or outside gig. Korg tuner. Good enough for government work as they say. I still have a tuning fork though in A

I think it’s interesting you have an alternate tuning. I’m gonna try that just for sh… and giggles and see what’s there. Thanks.

 

[Michael Favata]

I dont know why, but I can hear D's and G's in my head with near perfection....Its not a brag or boast because Im not sure why I can do that either lol....I use a tuner playing live but, if I absolutely had to (like often sitting on my couch), if I think of something in the Key of D, usually the intro guitar of Boston's "More Than A Feeling", I can grab that open D string, tune the rest of my bass, and Im ready to gig for standard tuned bands....Its a mystery to me why I can do that but at least its a good mystery lol

I think it’s because you’ve trained your ear to hear that and hold it.
When I played 6 strings I would try to get in tune by play Sweet Home Alabama or Over the Hills and Far Away. If those two songs sounded right to me I knew I was close.

 

[Michael Favata]

I tune it to the sound of my tinnitus.

I’m battling tinnitus this past week. This sucks! This better go away…

 

[Michael Favata]

I use a pedal tuner if my pedal board is plugged in, otherwise a clip on. (I recommend the Turbo Tuner pedal and the TC Polytune Clip.)

I start with the G string and work my way down. On three of my basses I just tune with open strings because I know the intonation is adjusted well and further tweaking isn't usually required - my Stingray 5 in particular has excellent intonation all the way up the neck.

On my first bass, originally the nut slots were a bit high on 3/5 of the strings, which meant I couldn't tune using open string pitches on those strings or the notes in the first few frets would be sharp. At the time I didn't know the nut could be fixed - and this was pre world wide web so I couldn't just Google it - so I just compensated by tuning with the fifth fret pitches and that meant everything ended up pretty good as long as I didn't use open A, D, or G. Fortunately the E and B strings didn't have that problem so I could still hit open E no problem. An embarrassingly large number of years later I finally got the nut fixed, and now I tune that bass by starting with open string notes and just slightly tweaking based on pitch of a couple of fretted notes. ("Fixed" in this case means "significantly improved", not "perfect".)

Another person who starts at G. Interesting. More and more here mention that. I’m not alone. Cool.
Back in the day was cool. For all the reasons people who were there can tell you. But being able to go to the youtubey thing and find any answer to any problem (and all the notes to all the songs!) is pretty friggin cool. Can I skip back about 50 years and take my phone with me?

 

[Plectrum72]

I tune from the top string to the bottom and tune up to pitch, not down. I use a tuning pedal so others don't have to hear me tune. I'm fortunate that there have always been electric/pedal tuners since I started playing in the late 80s. Boss TU-12, TU-2, TU-3...I know how to tune using 5th fret and/or harmonics, but the circumstances under which that is necessary are rare. Why would you play the tuning song for your audience if you don't have to?

 

[Michael Favata]

At blues gigs I'll ask the guitar player for an A and tune from there harmonically at 5th and 7th frets. At other jams and gigs and such, tuners are the way. I only recently got a headstock tuner a few months ago. Boy what a great tool and I can't believe it took me so long to get one. For 20 years I've been hauling around a Boss TU-12. Sheesh.

I keep trying to spend money on a tuner but always end up back with the simple headstock tuner. (Just returned a Peterson strobe headstock tuner that cost some money but was driving me nuts) It’s such an important process it seems it should cost more to do it right but for most of us those headstock things are just fine.

 

[Michael Favata]

Decades ago, I'd ask the guitarist for open E, then tune my E string to that using a harmonic. After awhile I started asking for open A because I thought it was easier to hear.

Of course I'd use harmonics to tune my remaining strings relative to the E (or A). It would be via the usual "ping... ping", meaning a pause between the first string and the second. Then I saw a very good bassist hit the harmonics on both strings simultaneously. I realized it was perfectly valid, and less annoying sounding, so that's what I've done ever since when I'm not using a tuner, or doing a quick doublecheck after using one.

These days I'm all about clip-ons. The good ones are fabulous. Even the average ones are good... the typical problem is recognition of open low B, but when that happens the easy solution is to use the 12th fret harmonic.




Ya know, I just realized I'm the same as you: for years now I've been starting at high G and working my way down to low B (I'm a fiver guy, obviously). I don't know when or why I switched.

That’s great insight thank you.
I’m gonna try the double harmonic ping on both strings. I always finish fine tuning with the harmonics. Thanks…

 

[Michael Favata]

I always start tuning from the G string. I found the tension of the high strings affects neck bow and thus tuning of all other strings the most.

When you start from the lowest string, it can be out of tune again when you are done tuning the G string.

It seems many of us do start at G. Cool. Thanks.

 

[zubrycky]

I use my ears.

I don't have a tuner and I only use such devices on recording sessions.

 

[Gustopher]

Whats the point? Did you learn how to adjust your cars valves, even though you will never have to do it?

That’s a totally different thing. Tuning by ear is useful for ear training and for situations where your tuner may not work.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Usually by turning the tuners ! sorry. Could not pass that one up

 

[InhumanResource]

Ugh, that reminds me of when headstock tuners 1st came out and all the guitar players were tuning with their guitar still turned up

That’s just ridiculous, lol

 

[Michael Favata]

@bigdaddybass12
Lol it’s al good.
The guy who said the bass came tuned when he bought it so why would he tune it was pretty funny too lol.
It does seem to be a very basic question that could seem ridiculous to ask which is why I hesitated. We all do this very “simple” process every time we pick up the bass right (well almost every time lol) and it’s not that complicated. Or is it. I’ve learned a lot in these 4 pages of this thread. So I’m glad I asked. I found I’m not alone starting at G. Something me and Jeff Berlin have in common! The only thing we will ever have in common lol. Some other cool approaches and tips to. It’s just good to know what everyone’s doing. So thanks everyone for your insight. I appreciate it.

 

[fhm555]

Before tuners, we always tuned to my dad or brothers guitar. These days I’ve got a TC pedal tuner and a Korg clip on.

 

[TreySonagras]

No matter what tuner I use I always check the harmonics.

 

[truand85]

For unknown reasons I seem to be able to get the G pitch just right without a tuner. So I start with G and do the rest. Never bothered to try anything else since that seems to get me in tune everytime.