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I would either go all in, buy proper strings and do a great setup and match them, going an octave lower than standard tuning, or just get a killer sound and do standard E tuning, as the whole band mix may not be a lot different, as the guitarist will likely be dominating the entire spectrum.
I'm a bit crazy. I would probably search for a dingwall and attempt drop E. Sounds fun. If the bass is under 35" scale, results will probably not be great.
DR DDT strings are great for drop tuning, they may make a set heavy enough for drop E on a long enough scale
I'm a bit crazy. I would probably search for a dingwall and attempt drop E. Sounds fun. If the bass is under 35" scale, results will probably not be great.
DR DDT strings are great for drop tuning, they may make a set heavy enough for drop E on a long enough scale
Honestly, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it. Drop E is well below the frequency of almost every bass amp and cabinet in the world. It will probably sound better/fatter if you're on their frequency for those super low notes, TBH. Hell, Low B is 30Hz, which is near the bottom of a lot of cabinets' ranges.
I've been there and it can work, but I don't suggest hanging around the 0 octave too much. As long as the timbre is still recognisably that of a bass guitar, it's fine. I wouldn't stress over maintaining a strict octave between you and an 8st guitar. I believe a 5st bass in std tuning will suffice for this scenario. A bass tuned 8vb an 8st guitar will require careful signal processing to translate properly/at all. I think you will have more success using it live than on recordings. But consider that Dick Lovgren and a few others are doing pretty much entire shows only a semi or whole tone above this tuning. People seem to like it. I know I do!
That's true, but the upper harmonics can save us, if handled correctly. Bear in mind that the bottom of our range is 20Hz and an E0 is 20.60Hz. It's just barely inside the audible spectrum! A grand piano only goes down to A0. If you do want to faithfully maintain the 8ve gap, I suggest a bass guitar featuring an extra-long scale length (approaching 37") or a multi-scale instrument in order to maintain a decent string tension. This, combined with a high-gauge string selection (like the Warwick darklord strings for ex.). After that it's all down to the human ear, proper plucking technique and good taste rules.
I say good taste, but the sensation you get when a full-blown seismic event pours out of the cabinet may blow that out of the water!
That's true, but the upper harmonics can save us, if handled correctly. Bear in mind that the bottom of our range is 20Hz and an E0 is 20.60Hz. It's just barely inside the audible spectrum! A grand piano only goes down to A0. If you do want to faithfully maintain the 8ve gap, I suggest a bass guitar featuring an extra-long scale length (approaching 37") or a multi-scale instrument in order to maintain a decent string tension. This, combined with a high-gauge string selection (like the Warwick darklord strings for ex.). After that it's all down to the human ear, proper plucking technique and good taste rules.
I say good taste, but the sensation you get when a full-blown seismic event pours out of the cabinet may blow that out of the water!
I currently play a Dingwall NG2 (37" fanned scale) tuned to double drop D, with Kalium strings (around 210 gauge for the low D string), and it sounds beastly; dark and heavy as all get out. Throw a bit of clanky overdrive like some Darkglass or Tech21 VT bass or Oxford, etc. and you will cut right through. No way am I going to let the guitarist tune lower than me hahaha!
If you want to tune that low, go for it, and don't let the misinformed tell you that it can't be done, or that you can't hear notes that low!!! It works quite well. The key is using a High Pass Filter to cut out the subsonic muck that your speakers can't reproduce, and will waste your amp's power. Also EQ is extremely important. Boost the mids to bring out the harmonics, and you will be heard! DOn't over boost the bass or it will just be a boomy mess.
As several people above have said, you need a long scale (37") otherwise you will not be getting the kind of note definition or string tension you want for it to be anywhere near playable. If you can't invest in a bass with a longer scale, or you would simply prefer to not tune that low, I would follow the advice of others above and just roll with the B standard - For both E minor and E major, B is your fifth, so throw that in when your guitarists are hammering away on the open E. You don't always have to match the same notes as the guitarists are using when they are riffing, playing at a 5th or 3rd can really thicken up an already heavy part, and add some extra texture and interest.
Cheers, and have fun!
If you want to tune that low, go for it, and don't let the misinformed tell you that it can't be done, or that you can't hear notes that low!!! It works quite well. The key is using a High Pass Filter to cut out the subsonic muck that your speakers can't reproduce, and will waste your amp's power. Also EQ is extremely important. Boost the mids to bring out the harmonics, and you will be heard! DOn't over boost the bass or it will just be a boomy mess.
As several people above have said, you need a long scale (37") otherwise you will not be getting the kind of note definition or string tension you want for it to be anywhere near playable. If you can't invest in a bass with a longer scale, or you would simply prefer to not tune that low, I would follow the advice of others above and just roll with the B standard - For both E minor and E major, B is your fifth, so throw that in when your guitarists are hammering away on the open E. You don't always have to match the same notes as the guitarists are using when they are riffing, playing at a 5th or 3rd can really thicken up an already heavy part, and add some extra texture and interest.
Cheers, and have fun!
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