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Playing live in F#

#44
Play in Gb major…..don’t understand why this is a complex problem. Isn’t transposing, shifting, something all bassist should know how to do without “downtuning”, “uptuning”, changing strings, buying eighteen different basses………..???????? Weird.
 
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#45
brianrost said:
What does an open F# even sound like? That's only 23hZ.
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That was gonna be my question... I'd be worried about the mud... I use an HPF to trim all that out.

CpdI.gif
 
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#49
For physics and stability, I'd go for a very long scale for this for sure.

I'd also consider that I'd need some overdrive/distortion/fuzz that had a clean through for the lows (however much those really matter). I just can't see far below 30 Hertz being useful without some serious accentuation of the upper harmonics. You do hear synth bass that goes this low, fundamental wise, but there are a lot of upper harmonics typically. So adding some of that could make this viable.
 
#50
If I were going to experiment with those lower notes, my first thought would be to tune everything else up by 2 semitones and then tune a low fifth string down. So basically I'd be creating a higher pitched four string with an added droner low string that I could use for accent notes. Trying to incorporate those lowest notes musically in any meaningful way sounds like a recipe for mud to me, but I don't have a clue, really. That's just my first thought.
 
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#51
LBS-bass said:
If I were going to experiment with those lower notes, my first thought would be to tune everything else up by 2 semitones and then tune a low fifth string down. So basically I'd be creating a higher pitched four string with an added droner low string that I could use for accent notes. Trying to incorporate those lowest notes musically in any meaningful way sounds like a recipe for mud to me, but I don't have a clue, really. That's just my first thought.
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That's an interesting idea. If I understand you right, you're saying F#, F#, B, E, A right?
 
#53
Ditch the pedal. You can convert a 4 string or get a 5 (which would probably get you closer on your own). Best bet is to bring whichever bass you want to get in that tuning and drop it off with a tech who knows what they’re doing. Extra large strings help but they’re not a necessity.

PS. Kalium is unreliable as they come. I do not recommend ordering anything from them.
 
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#54
Phoning in @Jack Deth, who made a thread last year on subcontrabass tunings (sadly it hasn't gotten any more attention since I subbed back in August :whistle:).

This video has a real good comparison of tuning in unison vs. down the octave in context.


Despite all the flak the subcontra register gets, I think it has genuine musical use.

Jack Deth said:
The lower tunings are like a vast uncharted wilderness that only has a small handful of routes going into it by others to be used as guideposts. I believe it has many secrets to tell, but is misunderstood by most that choose to peer down into it from atop a well known, comfortable canyon wall.
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#57
fu22ba55 said:
Sadly, I think the OP means the F# BELOW the open E.
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Capo on second fret and an octave pedal, then :)

Seriously, though - your amp isn't going to be reproducing F# worth a damn, so you are relying on harmonics to create the impression of something very undefined because it is such low frequency without the benefit of being able to feel it like with a big church organ. So I am not sure I see the point.

By the way, get off my lawn.
 
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