I use a Zoom inline Tuner! plug & tune, easy. Has a Calibrate button to put it into 440-A. I even use it for Tuning Piano's. Tuning Fork too.
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How do you tune your basses (AT GIGS) with low E/B?
- Thread starter eJake
- Start date
I use a Zoom inline Tuner! plug & tune, easy. Has a Calibrate button to put it into 440-A. I even use it for Tuning Piano's. Tuning Fork too.
I just use harmonics. To me, a safe and trusty method I've used for years.
Sure, harmonics work great as long as you get the first one right.
No option for my low "D"- I use a pedal tuner that I carry in my gig bag or more recently the tuner built-in to my Peavey MiniMax head.
Headstock tuners aren’t great but I like the weight advantage. Normally I tune the 5th fret harmonic or if it’s way out tune by ear referencing E string then double check 5th fret harmonic. If it dies or breaks worse case I just get a good note from one of the other players, usually an A note, and tune other strings from that reference. Old school
I find headstock tuners kill a little bit of vibration of my bass. I clip it twice every gig to check tuning but never leave it on when playing.
I'm with you, I use the Peterson VS-R Stroborack. By far, the most accurate tuner I've ever used. Great for adjusting intonation. It is accurate down to 1/10 of a cent where most others are accurate to only 1 cent. Peterson rocks..!
...too funny! 
i'm with the group (the few?) who doesn't care what others consider "dorky" --- i've used headstock tuners since i became aware of them,* i leave them clipped on (front or back depending on the headstock), and i depend on them as frequently as i might suspect a tuning issue (not just me, on fretless, but also a guitar, a horn player, the occasional acoustic piano, etc.). horn bands = i rarely play in the 'rock keys' and so i don't have open strings as possible drones to tune on the fly. usually, though: i tune before the downbeat and i recheck before starting each next set. if i'm playing outside: i might silently check my tuning between tunes if i think i hear issues.
you cats who are deviating from the "whatever works" credo by value-judging "the look" have too much non-gig time on your hands, and/or you don't play a lot in the usual horn keys --- the humor in some previous posts, notwithstanding.
but i also realize that differences in taste/style/routines/experiences (the YMMV credo?) is what makes this the fun place that it is...so rock on...or jazz on (lots of flat keys) brothers and sisters!
* (i realize that there are many here who have never played a real gig with an acoustic piano!) i'm old enough to have experienced (for decades!) the acoustic piano as the only tuning reference for any/all gigs --- and when i play with an acoustic piano, now, i put my tuner away and just tune to the piano = best that can be done --- even when the piano is not in tune with itself (life is full compromises, no?)
Rack mount strobe tuners for me. Remember to tune that B and E a bit flat since they are going to go sharp every time you hit them. Tune how you play, not all soft and by harmonics. You don't play like that. I tune WHILE playing. No need to mute to tune.....it just doesn't read the way you play. Cheers.
Be careful with the "harmonics" method! 7th fret harmonics are 2 cents sharp. Hypothetically if you tune the C string of a 6-string to a reference pitch, and then use the harmonics method to tune the other 5 strings, your B string will be out by 10 cents. Not a huge discrepancy, but noticeable to a trained ear.
Tune?? Seriously, I use a clip-on and I tune ALL my strings @ 5th "space", i.e., E on the B string, A on E, etc. It works-for me, anyway.
I like the convenience of clip-ons for electric and upright. I've tried many but like you found most struggle with low B in noisy (or even quiet) environments (including snark etc). One day I chanced on a cheap rebranded one at a local music store that handled low B on all my basses, (don't really play nightclub gigs anymore so not sure how they go in environments with massive subs) so I bought 10..... although sometimes I still can't find one when I really need it :-/
Invalid Link Removed ......this is it I think, I've seen others that look identical with different branding.
Posts like this are where the OCD comes out. I don’t care that people think they look dorky. They’re convenient, they move where you move, they’re quick and they work. It’s not a priority to preserve the look of my headstock when I’m doing a gig. Nobody in the audience is going to notice anyway.
I use a D'Addario mini headstock tuner and just leave it on the bass. I have to use the octave harmonic on the B, E, and sometimes A, but it's small, light, and barely noticeable.
I’m with you. Although I use one at home and for rehearsals and church cause those are pretty low stress situations. The bad thing is if they get dropped, sometimes they won’t work anymore. I have the Korg cassette tuner too. Great tuner (bought it new in the 90’s) but some of the little led’s don’t work anymore
I purchased a nano polytune and haven’t looked back since. If I don’t take my pedal board I just place it on top of my amp and all is well. In low E/D, I use the twelfth fret harmonic.
+ 1 clip-on tuners are ugly and unprofessional looking. BTW so is chewing gum on a gig! Please stop doing it guitar players!
I use a Peterson strobe, got tired of the inaccuracy of everything else I ever tried. sits on top of my amp, fed from "tuner out" jack, always on so I can touch up while playing. I usually have to play a 12th fret harmonic on low B strings though.
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I use a Peterson strobe, got tired of the inaccuracy of everything else I ever tried. sits on top of my amp, fed from "tuner out" jack, always on so I can touch up while playing. I usually have to play a 12th fret harmonic on low B strings though.
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I've actually never used a headstock tuner. I don't like the aesthetic. I use stomp box tuners.
