Question about playing Metal on bass

[Rock-Bassman]

metallica's master of puppets and most other "early" stuff was all E standard although I think motorhead played in Eb quite a bit. Don't worry about drop tuning, if your bass can handle it and it sounds gd in the song go for it but if it's not needed then don't bother and yes a 5 string never hurts and allows you to access low D, C and B tunings without detuning. there's only 1 song i've even come across which i can only play in drop D as opposed to 5 string purely because it required a lot of open strings in between high fretted notes. anyway drop tuning isn't a problem but old school metal like metallica and motorhead are usually in E

HHHHMMM was this mystery song "the pot" by tool?

 

[Corey_Bass]

Well,I really hate to drop down to a D, I just loose the natural feel, and its too loose for my fingers.

 

[ysand]

You have all the notes in standard tuning.
Why de-tuning? To make more mud? The truth is that this is very common lately. IMO this isn't metal.
Btw, Steve Harris plays in standard tuning. And he's a landmark for metal.

Focus more on your playing and practicing than such -trivial imo- stuff.

 

[Getaway Driver]

What's rather uncommon, and I don't know why, is D-Standard. Death From Above 1979 made use of it, and it had a very interesting tone. Since the strings are all one step down, you preserve all your fretboard work if you can just add 2 frets to all of your positions.

 

[Xeperu]

Actually, loads of black metal bands play in standard. Stuff like Watain, Dissection, Abigor, etc. I think even Dimmu Borgir has stuff in standard E.

Remember, tuning down =/= heaviness.

 

[Paperman]

I have been playing bass for about a year, and have been learning in standard tuning (EADG).

I really enjoy metal music, and was just wondering if it is possible to play metal without downtuning? Are there any metal bands that play in standard tuning?

Also, wouldn't extending the bass' range by playing a 5-string, for example, in standard tuning give you access to the same notes as if you had downtuned a 4-string?

I am just trying to learn about this, and am finding it slightly confusing -- please feel free to help educate me


Thanks in advance for any responses -- I really appreciate it!

- Paperman

Thank you *all* for all of the great responses -- they have really clarified the matter for me.

I appreciate the help!

- Paperman

 

[MaskedJackal]

I'd just like to chime in and say that Celtic Frost-- one of the heaviest bands ever, imo-- tune to E standard for the first three classic records and sounded TOTALLY huge. Of course, a big part of that was Tom Warrior rolling his tone knob completely off, but I digress...dudes never detuned until Monotheist in 2006.

 

[Getaway Driver]

I would like to throw something in, though...

There's a whole lot you can do with standard tuning, but never be afraid to innovate! Odd tunings aren't for sounding heavy, they're just a different way of doing things.

 

[bakjewel]

most "old" metal bands play without drop D I think... such as Metallica or Iron Maiden

 

[hellfleet]

Enter Sandman is in Eb.

No its not.

Live yes, and consequently perhaps on S&M album. Maybe also Motorhead's cover.

 

[bluesy_92]

Plenty of metal is in standard tuning, you just need to know where to look.

No, that does not mean in screamo.

 

[ErebusBass]

Sounding heavy has almost nothing to do with what you tune to. It's all about the chords you use, not what your low note is. Don't believe me? Listen to Emperor.

I could rattle off a bunch of bands that tune to standard who could rock the pants off of every single

If your going to focus on modern metal (As I Lay Dying, Between The Burried and Me, Killswitch engage) your going to want to detune, as 95% (probably more) of the people in that genre are going to do the same. I've played metal for quite awhile, and its been years since I've run into any standard tuning bands around my neck of the woods.

I would suggest however trying to change that up though and do some standard tuning songs, if you stay in the same tuning all the time (in regards to metal) a lot of it does start to sound the same in my oppinion. (Don't bash me metal heads... I am a card carrying / head banging / collapsed lung screaming metal man)

5-string is G-R-E-A-T for metal! BigOldHarry mentioned the dreaded floppy strings (feel and play wise I've never been a fan). But if your guitarist is in Drop-A tuning, all you need to do is drop all the strings one step (ADGCF) and you'll be able to match him / have a fuller range of notes to use / and it'll still play & sound nice.

Hope that helps!

If all of your songs sound the same, It has nothing to do with how you tune your instruments.

 

[JukeBoxHero]

Sounding heavy has almost nothing to do with what you tune to. It's all about the chords you use, not what your low note is. Don't believe me? Listen to Emperor.

I could rattle off a bunch of bands that tune to standard who could rock the pants off of every single



If all of your songs sound the same, It has nothing to do with how you tune your instruments.

Rather the lack of creativity on the band's part.

Getaway Driver: Death played D standard for the entirety of their career if I'm not mistaken.

 

[hbarcat]

yeah, recent times like early black sabbath

Most early Black Sabbath was in standard tuning. But as their albums progressed they added more and more drop tuned songs.

I play a lot of Black Sabbath (was once in a Sabbath cover band) and I pretty much had to keep two basses on stage - one in standard tune and one dropped a half step. It's possible to play some of the drop tune songs on a standard tune bass but often it makes for awkward playing and it doesn't sound right.

 

[hbarcat]

HHHHMMM was this mystery song "the pot" by tool?

Sober by Tool is a waste of time unless you play the bass in drop D. Lots of Tool stuff is that way - as big a fan as I am, I don't play any of it because I just don't dig playing in drop D.

 

[xjeremiahx]

I see this thread has become "well this band USED TO play in standard back in the OLD days...blah blah blah"

To bring it back on track, playing metal on bass is all about how YOU want to play it. I've been in 2 metal bands over the past 4 years and I play 5 strings, and have played both in standard and dropped.

the first one I tuned regular(BEADG) while the guitars tuned to drop D. I had to learn to bounce my hand back to the 3rd fret on my B a lot for those open notes, and everything worked out for me.

this band, i switched it up. I tuned my bass (EADGC) adding the higher C for more high end stuff. then we ALL tune down to Drop C (CGCFA#[for me]). I find that this works really well as i'm playing a lot of different stuff(power chords, sweeps, running lines, etc etc) and the dropped tuning allows for a bit more ease in playing some parts.

ALSO, if you're worried about how much your strings are going to rattle...maybe play with a heavier gauge? I used to play in standard using .45-135, but now i play with .50s on up and the strings are a bit tighter than the lighter gauge.

Lots of things to try out in metal, and I think that's what's so great about it, you can play your bass HOWEVER you want, slap & pop(cryptopsy), fingers(black dahlia murder), tapping(braindrill & COUNTLESS others), pick(almost ANYBODY). You can really apply a lot of different techniques & styles to metal. It's definitely one of my favorite genres to play!

keep on rockin' dude

 

[jansenh]

I can not see any reason why you should stick with EADG if your band wants to play something else?

With the proper strings and a decent setup of the bass, tuning down one or two whole steps and playing in that tuning is just as easy as staying in EADG.

I play D'Addario Chromes 110, 100, 85, 75 gauge and tune C, F, A#, D# and recomend that to anyone who asks. These strings are a little high on tension, hence there is no floppiness. One Fender p, one Fender J and an ESP are setup this way, and I play it in a metal band and some blues on the side.

regards, Henning - Norway

 

[Kenbuntu]

thank you



you mean generic industry trendcrap, i.e. "pop music" :scowl:

.

NOPE! I don't know about as i lay dying and Killswitch engfail, but I will not stand by and let Between the Burried and Me receive insults. Check out their latest record, Colors. It is superb. Far from "pop music". Heck i find 90's rock, "pop music" but thats just me.



I usually play 1 step down. I find more grit there. Everything just sounds better. The strings are looser thus making the bass easier to play. Gives me a good metal tone.

 

[Kenbuntu]

Just to add another point, Many bands go down a step or two depending on their vocalist.

 

[KPAX]

Well, Metallica often uses standard tuning ...
re the 5 string, in theory yes, but practically speaking, no. It's not the same if the song was originally on a 4 string in say drop-D or Eb (all strings down one semitone) or D (all strings down two semitones) or D-drop-C ...
It depends on the song. Sometimes you may get away with it on a 5 string but often the fingerings are different and geared to the tuning or the song may have open strings that just sound better or drone.
Try doing a Tool song in anything but a 4 string in drop-D. It won't work and/or it won't sound right.
Make sense?

I have been playing bass for about a year, and have been learning in standard tuning (EADG).

I really enjoy metal music, and was just wondering if it is possible to play metal without downtuning? Are there any metal bands that play in standard tuning?

Also, wouldn't extending the bass' range by playing a 5-string, for example, in standard tuning give you access to the same notes as if you had downtuned a 4-string?

I am just trying to learn about this, and am finding it slightly confusing -- please feel free to help educate me


Thanks in advance for any responses -- I really appreciate it!

- Paperman