How do you tune your bass?

[Matt O]

Wait… you’re supposed to tune it?



Oh wow, this explains a lot.

 

[Phil Horrocks]

4-string tuned AEAD (Drop-tuned BEAD). I'm in an originals band (stoner rock/metal) and a cover band (90s-00s rock, pop, dance, etc.), most of my playing is on the EAD strings regardless and having that open A0 is much more useful than having a B0 string.

 

[jd56hawk]

Tuned for nearly every song on my iPod...the way McCartney does it.

 

[BioDriver]

EADG, otherwise known as "standard tuning."

 

[Nightsprinter]

Aw yay @ the Peter Steele reference

 

[InhumanResource]

BEADG and EADG, plain old five and four stringers depending on the gig.

But…this:


BEADG tuned down a half step

Why. Why have you done this.

 

[JKaftertwoxans]

I tune to the so called tuning of mediocrity according to many enlightened ones round here, good old EADG. I find it funny how much ego bloat an extra string can give you, I have to wonder how much that arrogance would grow if they stepped up to the big leagues and got their hands on one of these....

 

[Sharko]

Isn’t this the wrong tuning for Green Day and a Bass VI?
Green Day plays tuned down a half step, not drop d. And bass VIs are tuned EADGBE, no?

 

[Egg250]

I thought this was a thread about which order you tune your strings and wondered why my choice wasn’t an option in the pole. I go GDAE.

I have a LTD bass, and I really need to start tuning this way. When I tune "EADG", every time I doublecheck the E, it is slightly flat.

 

[BasslineJunkie]

C#F#BE on one and mostly EADG on the rest

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I play 4 and 5. I indicated that but don't agree that 4 strings are for sissies. I tend to play 5vers mostly because I play with SINGERS who are sissies and won't sing in the original key! (JK about the sissy part, not about why I play 5vers)

The Bar Band Bassman

 

[gln1955]

I use my tuner to spell out words. I try to make a different word each time.

 

[logdrum]

Hybrid bass+guitar is Charlie Hunter tuning on 3 bass strings GCF -- I also have one 4 tuned CGDA (5ths) and solo tuning F#BEA

I can still tune by ear but need a reference like a piano or tuning fork and sometimes I get lucky with guessing G -- well mostly close enough and I tend to guess sharp.

 

[Katoosie]

Standard 5 string.

 

[ThunderV]

1/2 step down D#, G#,C#,F#

 

[J Wilson]

How is my five-string tuned?

Carefully, and always UP, never DOWN to pitch.

Standard B-G.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

One string at a time..

 

[Harper]

Depends on what kind of music I'm playing with, the band, etc. I keep different basses in different tunings. Also, I'm pretty sure a lot of Green Day stuff is in the Kiss tuning, at least more often than drop D.

 

[skycruiser]

D-A ?

 

[Laurent]

1/2 step down D#, G#,C#,F# when playing Jimi Hendrix tunes.

I smiled when the original post listed one fret down! See survey.