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Paranoia or thorough?
- Thread starter beaglesandbass
- Start date
I'm probably going to come off to most folks as sounding arrogant, but here's my take.
If you can't trust your bass to stay in tune for days at a time, let alone a few hours you have something wrong with your bass.
Electronic tuners are cool and all, but quality tuning keys are far more important.
If you can't trust your bass to stay in tune for days at a time, let alone a few hours you have something wrong with your bass.
Electronic tuners are cool and all, but quality tuning keys are far more important.
Does your 5 string actually go out of tune between sets or is it just something you're worried about happening?
I think it's considered thorough, not paranoid, to have redundancy built into your rig for gigging purposes. Who needs the stress of something going sideways when you can avoid it?
What model wireless? If it's a line 6 relay, you should be able to buy another transmitter. Set it to the same channel and turn it off. When its time to switch just switch off the current one while taking it off and switch on the new one while putting it on. If it's another brand you would want to research if this will work. If you happen to have their G70 you can actually have them both on and on different channels and switch with the footswitch.
We had a thread here recently about someone who's nemesis went and detuned all the strings on his bass at a gig. I had an experience once where I set an instrument down, and a tuner got turned in the process - it was a recording session, so no real harm, but we did get a good start to a take, and then....I started playing - badly out of tune, but with gusto. I play mostly church gigs, where between services, my bass sits on a stand on stage - a place where noone is likely to fool with it.
Still, every time I take the stage, I check my tuning. I get called because I don't make big mistakes. Tuning avoids one big possible, avoidable oops. Control what you can. Be thorough.
Depending on the weather and temperature differentials in the club, it could be an issue, but probably minor. Any temperature drift should be pretty minor if your 5-string is decent quality.
Tune during setup/soundcheck and then again at the start of the second set and you should be in pretty good shape.
This reminds me of that episode of "The Twilight Zone" where Shatner sees the fuzzy gremlin on the wing of the airplane.
Unlike an out of tune guitar, a slightly out of tune bass will not be noticeable since you can bend any troublesome notes or just play them somewhere else on the neck for the three minutes the song lasts.
Sometimes I don't even need to tune a bass between gigs.
Unlike an out of tune guitar, a slightly out of tune bass will not be noticeable since you can bend any troublesome notes or just play them somewhere else on the neck for the three minutes the song lasts.
Sometimes I don't even need to tune a bass between gigs.
I run a very similar setup in that I have my main bass running wireless and my backup wired with an A/B switchto change out if necessary (it's happened). I also have a tuner in my wireless but I put a second tuner in place 1) because I like it better than the wireless tuner -and- 2) I also use it as a system mute. Works well, didn't cost much, and it gives me peace of mind. If you're struggling with board real estate, get a clip on.
This guy is pretty much invisible: https://www.guitarcenter.com/DAddario-Planet-Waves/NS-Micro-Headstock-Tuner-1375800279142.gc
I made it easy for myself. No point for a wireless as I was never that far from my amp, anyway, a two-channel amp and a tuner to check either channel as necessary.
I used to only use clip-on tuners and had one on every bass.
As luck would have it at one gig I only had one tuner. Not a problem though as I tuned up both the 4 string and the 8-string before the set and it was only a single one hours set to get through so all should be good. All was going well as we did the first few songs and I switched basses to the 8-string...... as I turned around on the very, very small stage I hit the mic stand with the headstock.
The tuner basically exploded into bits. I was pretty sure that only the Dd and Gg string side of the headstock got knocked and the next song was all Ee and Aa strings so as the drummer counted in, rather than stop him and check tuning, we went into that song. It sounded horrible with one of the A strings being out.
Between songs I tried plugging into the guitarists pedal board to use his tuner but it didn't work (his pedal board was a piece of crap) so I resorted to using a tuner app on my phone with it on the floor in front of the amp. I've had a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner in my signal path ever since.
As luck would have it at one gig I only had one tuner. Not a problem though as I tuned up both the 4 string and the 8-string before the set and it was only a single one hours set to get through so all should be good. All was going well as we did the first few songs and I switched basses to the 8-string...... as I turned around on the very, very small stage I hit the mic stand with the headstock.
The tuner basically exploded into bits. I was pretty sure that only the Dd and Gg string side of the headstock got knocked and the next song was all Ee and Aa strings so as the drummer counted in, rather than stop him and check tuning, we went into that song. It sounded horrible with one of the A strings being out.
Between songs I tried plugging into the guitarists pedal board to use his tuner but it didn't work (his pedal board was a piece of crap) so I resorted to using a tuner app on my phone with it on the floor in front of the amp. I've had a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner in my signal path ever since.
I just do a quick GDAE or some 5/7 harmonics, and use my ear. If it sounds off, I'll pause and tune up again.
Then don't tune to the open B. Tune to a fretted G, A, or C. They're musically more useful anyway.
Needless worrying as far as I am concerned. Enjoy your gigs, your band members and the audience - that is what keeps most people in the game.
A hidden benefit you get from multi-effect units is that you can create duplicate patches that are equivalent other than that they account for tonal and input level differences across basses. Especially useful if you use filters or any other effect that responds to strength of input signal.
Plus, they have built-in tuners.
Personally I would not want to be the guy creating the dead space between tunes by switching basses and checking tune - maybe better to just use the bass you need across the set book.
Plus, they have built-in tuners.
Personally I would not want to be the guy creating the dead space between tunes by switching basses and checking tune - maybe better to just use the bass you need across the set book.
Wow, I must have the right collection of basses. I tune once when setting up for a gig. Unless the bass falls off its stand and hits the floor, it doesn't need any attention for the rest of the night.
I often use gig bags and the only real reason I usually need to tune is that the tuning keys might get bumped while in the bag. Or maybe if there were a big weather change.
I had an old Peavey T-40 with a hardshell case that protected the tuning keys. It would get played once a week at a church service. I'm pretty sure that one time I went about 2 months without the need to correct the tuning. It was always spot on every time I checked it.
I usually have a tuner with me, but the best thing you can do is to learn to tune by ear.
I often use gig bags and the only real reason I usually need to tune is that the tuning keys might get bumped while in the bag. Or maybe if there were a big weather change.
I had an old Peavey T-40 with a hardshell case that protected the tuning keys. It would get played once a week at a church service. I'm pretty sure that one time I went about 2 months without the need to correct the tuning. It was always spot on every time I checked it.
I usually have a tuner with me, but the best thing you can do is to learn to tune by ear.
Double check the tuning between sets and don't sweat it. If you're going down into 5 string territory, I doubt anyone will be able to perceive any intonation issues even if it did slip a little.
Why don't you just check the tuning before the 2nd set starts? It should only take a minute or two. I don't think it's paranoid to check your tuning before each set. I don't know why anyone would not take the 15 or 20 seconds to check it before starting a set.
