Meshuggah's basses and tuning

[Trym Brovold]

I don't think I properly understand what basses Meshuggah use and how they are able to play in such low tuning. Are they using special made basses for lower tunings? Considering they're able to have their bass tuned to, f.e. on Straws Pulled at Random, F-A#-D#-G#, this must be the case right? Also with high gauge strings?

 

[Dirtnap]

The bass is tuned up a half step. It does not double the guitars an octave lower.

 

[Trym Brovold]

The bass is tuned up a half step. It does not double the guitars an octave lower.

are you sure? the internet for sure is not

 

[Dirtnap]

I'm mostly sure. I know some people try to play it an octave lower, but it never sounded right that way - at least to my ears.

 

[Argali]

The bass is tuned up a half step. It does not double the guitars an octave lower.

I’m not entirely sure if that’s still the case. It definitely was on the older albums.

 

[poochiecheeks]

The first few albums before Nothing were a 4 string tuned BbEbAbDb, with a 5 string on Chaosphere tuned the same. Nothing onwards they switched to BbFBbDbGb for everything to be in the same octave as the guitars with an added low Bb. Listen to the Obzen title track, it jumps from a low Bb to an F at the beginning and confirms this. However the song Spasm from Nothing is in some ridiculously low G# tuning or something which is only used on that song I believe. On Bleed from Obzen the main riff is in Eb so he uses a 4 string tuned BbEbAbDb for that song- this was on one of the gear rundowns on YT. Play along with anything post Nothing (Catch 33 especially) and the drop Bb tuning will make sense- almost all the riffs are written in F on Nothing for example.

I've done a lot of research on Meshuggah and I remember you posting a similar thread a while ago to which I responded similarly

Oh and their current bassist Dick Lovgren has used very expensive Warwicks for a while, I'm sure any standard string gauge would work for either tuning.

 

[Trym Brovold]

The first few albums before Nothing were a 4 string tuned BbEbAbDb, with a 5 string on Chaosphere tuned the same. Nothing onwards they switched to BbFBbDbGb for everything to be in the same octave as the guitars with an added low Bb. Listen to the Obzen title track, it jumps from a low Bb to an F at the beginning and confirms this. However the song Spasm from Nothing is in some ridiculously low G# tuning or something which is only used on that song I believe. On Bleed from Obzen the main riff is in Eb so he uses a 4 string tuned BbEbAbDb for that song- this was on one of the gear rundowns on YT. Play along with anything post Nothing (Catch 33 especially) and the drop Bb tuning will make sense- almost all the riffs are written in F on Nothing for example.

I've done a lot of research on Meshuggah and I remember you posting a similar thread a while ago to which I responded similarly

interesting, thanks for the great input. i probably have posted something similar in the past, i didn't even think about checking my post log. thank you so much!

So they use a 5-string, which they only tune down half a step? (as from Nothing and onwards)

 

[Barticus]

Watch this video from 7:15, he shows the Warwick Custom Shop Dolphin Pro that he plays and talks about the tuning as well. and then goes onto the 4-string bass.

 

[poochiecheeks]

Watch this video from 7:15, he shows the Warwick Custom Shop Dolphin Pro that he plays and talks about the tuning as well. and then goes onto the 4-string bass.

Yes this is the one I was thinking of

interesting, thanks for the great input. i probably have posted something similar in the past, i didn't even think about checking my post log. thank you so much!

So they use a 5-string, which they only tune down half a step? (as from Nothing and onwards)

The newer stuff is a 5 string tuned up a half step to F standard (I guess it would be C standard on a 5) but the low string is tuned down a half step to Bb. So it's like drop Bb on a 5 string. The older stuff was straight Bb standard on a 5. So
Bb-F-Bb-Eb-Ab low to high for Nothing onwards
or
Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb for Chaosphere/DEI/None/CC

 

[Trym Brovold]

Yes this is the one I was thinking of

The newer stuff is a 5 string tuned up a half step to F standard (I guess it would be C standard on a 5) but the low string is tuned down a half step to Bb. So it's like drop Bb on a 5 string. The older stuff was straight Bb standard on a 5. So
Bb-F-Bb-Eb-Ab low to high for Nothing onwards
or
Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb for Chaosphere/DEI/None/CC

what an interesting tuning, don't think i've ever heared someone have one string tuned down and the rest up!

 

[gatinh0]

I believe the bass is tuned to Bb on all records before nothing. From then on they a 5 string bass half step up. However I think for the inmmutable recorsing they used a 40 inch scale quake bass tunned an octave below a standard bass, not sure if its used in every song tho