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Is constant retuning bad for your bass?
- Thread starter TonyMontanaSlot
- Start date
It used to be fairly common in the analog era for commercially released recordings to be off-pitch. I've heard a variety of reasons for it (engineers/producers thinking a different tempo would be better after tracking, tape-stretch and compensation for it, just to screw with amateur musicians, etc.), I certainly don't know why, but I do know it certainly did happen. So, I would be very skeptical of your two songs that you say are only 1/4 and 1/2 tone off. Def Leppard may have actually played them in standard. I don't really know, but you might give it some thought.
D
My solution is twofold.
First, I finally picked up a five string and it saves me so much headache. Should have done that years ago.
Second, I keep my four string tuned half a step down, as half of what I play seems to require it.
Two basses, and with that setup I almost never have to muck with changing tunings.
First, I finally picked up a five string and it saves me so much headache. Should have done that years ago.
Second, I keep my four string tuned half a step down, as half of what I play seems to require it.
Two basses, and with that setup I almost never have to muck with changing tunings.
- Apr 15, 2009
- 539
- 260
- Disclosures
- Sales and electronic tech/piano tech: England Music Center - Clinton IA - now closed
I carry 3 basses for different tunings - a 6 string Warwick Corvette Std for regular tuning, a 5 string Peavey Foundation tuned 1/2 step flat and a 12 string Hamer Chapparral for dropped D.
And I have a TASCAM GB-10 that I load with new cover songs so I can change the tuning without having to change the tuning on my basses.
Quite a few songs we play our vocalist cant sing in the original key so we usually drop it 1/2 step for her.
And I have a TASCAM GB-10 that I load with new cover songs so I can change the tuning without having to change the tuning on my basses.
Quite a few songs we play our vocalist cant sing in the original key so we usually drop it 1/2 step for her.
I have four basses.
I only play one string on each, so, THAT is my E bass, THAT one is my D bass hehe, just kidding
I only play one string on each, so, THAT is my E bass, THAT one is my D bass hehe, just kidding
Hopkins
Commercial User
Another solution may be to simply change the pitch/tuning of your mp3 files to match standard tuning. The singers voice may sound funny at first, but after a minute you won't notice it anymore. Won't help with single string tuning though.
Many of the DAW editing programs allow you to change the tuning of songs and save the mp3s.
I've used both reaper and pro tools to do it.
I use this impulse player when I need to change the pitch of a song on the fly instead of tuning my guitar
Link Removed
This is a great free online service to change the tuning of a song without messing with the tempo. Just upload your MP3's, then download the new version a few minutes later.
http://transposr.com/
I haven't tried this free online service yet, you may look into it.
http://onlinetonegenerator.com/pitch-shifter.html
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I've got one of these, it works great AND can not only change the pitch of any song, but can slow down the song while keeping the original pitch!
Tascam GB-10 - USB Guitar/Bass Trainer/Recorder
Tascam GB-10 - USB Guitar/Bass Trainer/Recorder
Granted, it's easy to memorise which notes to play on these songs but to play them with perfect timing is really hard to me at this stage. I'd probably say that Sugar is hardest because of slow tempo 84bpm which means large spacing between notes (almost always quarter notes there). I tend to go slightly ahead of the beat in the chorus.. I'm sure not so much of a fan of these overplayed hit songs but still like them
Yes, I like to play to original studio recordings
Don't do this until you go blind - just do it until you need glasses.
It's an old joke.
"Don't do it...you'll go blind."
"Well, then I'll only do it until I need glasses."
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
"Don't do it...you'll go blind."
"Well, then I'll only do it until I need glasses."
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
For me the best solution, which I already use if I don't want to retune, using Audacity software, is to change the pitch (http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/change_pitch.html) the number of semitones (+ or -) to match standard tuning. It allows to change fraction of semitones too. The only downside is that depending on the original tuning, voice pitch change and you can heard it as hellium-voiced singer.
BTW, Pour Some Sugar On Me is more or less like a Drop-C#, but you can use E Standard and play 4th fret on A string actually.
My brother went through a period where he was retuning his guitar almost every song as he explored alternate turnings. He got tired of replacing broken strings pretty quick.
These days he's got his regular guitars tuned to standard, a slide only rig tuned to open G and an acoustic tuned to open D. He also plays slide in standard tuning, but we do enough stuff in G that needs a slide so he leaves his old (danelectro) silvertone tuned to open G.
I just leave my bass tuned EADG and do the best I can to muddle through.
These days he's got his regular guitars tuned to standard, a slide only rig tuned to open G and an acoustic tuned to open D. He also plays slide in standard tuning, but we do enough stuff in G that needs a slide so he leaves his old (danelectro) silvertone tuned to open G.
I just leave my bass tuned EADG and do the best I can to muddle through.
