Playing along to Tommy Shannon??

[Cadillac_Mike]

Tommy Shannon is one of my top 3 bassists but playing along to their stuff you realize that SRV always down tuned a half step so they play off the open strings. What's the best way to get around that; start at the E string 11th fret if your bass has perfect intonation?

*What a dummy, answered his own question lol

No, I really want to know what you guys do..... I think a lot of bands will just play it in E.

 

[5StringBlues]

Playing along, I'd use a program to raise the music a half step or just tune down. When I've played SRV live it's always been in standard tuning.


Part of SRV's tone and part of why he tuned down is that he used a .13 gauge set of strings.

For contrast, Eric Clapton uses .10's, tho he used .9's in Cream.

 

[Hot Rats]

I tune my bass to whatever the music is tuned to and then have a ball.

 

[Dave TB Killer]

I have been tuning to DGCF for years. This is part of the reason why.

 

[Phlipper]

When I started switching off on bass from lead many years ago, I bassically learned how by playing along with Tommy Shannon. I was a huge SRV fan and played only Strat-type guitars (G&L Legacys) with 12 ga strings way above the board. I bought into the whole thing.

But he was the first guy I followed. Listening very closely to his work was inspiring and eye-opening. He ain't just a 'roots and fifths' guy. So you have an excellent bass role model.

A lot of the bands I play with tune to Eb to make it easier to sing. We're mostly old farts and our vocal chords ain't what they used to be. Many newer artists tune to Eb, possibly for the same reason (easier to hit/hold notes)? Luke Combs, Train, Kenny Chesney, and others.

Good luck!

EDIT .... forgot about this. The second guy I started REALLY listening to and trying to emulate was Leon Wilkeson. Listening closely to those old Skynyrd tunes reveals a master of his craft. I'd played lead guitar on those songs for years but never paid attention to what was truly happening on the low end.

Those two guys and Robert Deleo made me the total bass hack I am today.

 

[MrLenny1]

Tune down a half step. That's all.