Rookie Q - would I be better tuning B-E-A-D?

[Maxra]

Advice appreciated: I’m learning bass to accompany UK/Irish/Celtic/Euro folk music. A lot is in keys around the top of the circle of 5ths. D, G and their relatives are common, followed by A, C, F and relateds. A YouTube vid (dangerous things) got me wondering whether stringing and tuning B E A D low to high (rather than standard E A D G) would fit this music better? I guess a 5 string would fix it, but 4 strings is what I’ve got, and I don’t see me using the top G string much in this music.

Obviously we don’t play root notes all the time, but I’d like to keep the bass line bassy. There are also other instruments in these bands playing in the area of the bass’s top string. I’m unlikely to be playing other kinds of music on bass in a wide range of keys. So, do you think stringing it B E A D might work better for these keys, or is it not worth the effort?

 

[michael_t]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-modified-bead-4-string-bass-club.1069699/

Another option for you might be the D-G-C-F tuning.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/d-standard-club-dgcf.1190032/

 

[johnh89]

I play a lot of the same sort of music . I have played standard and 5 string . Also BEAD for a little while . I usually end up with standard tuning on a 4 . The low D is nice to have on occasion but not necessary . Drop D (DADG) or D standard (DGCF) are worth a go with your bass to see if it will be of any benefit to you .

 

[bwildt]

For that genre of music, I think BEAD would pitched too low and would sound out of place for the genre of music you are looking at. When most of that was written, most bass instruments didn't play that low. I'd stick to standard, or maybe D standard as mentioned above.

Maybe it comes from years of listening and playing music before low tunings became popular, but I find that anything below the standard E string often sounds just too low and out of place. I play a lot in D, E and F starting on the 3rd or 2nd strings. This allows me to play the chord's fifth (i.e. alternating bass) below the root, which to be sounds best.

If that sounds a little weak to you, a little low-mid EQ boost will take care of it. Remember that a lot of bass speaker cabs really can't play the fundamental note way down low anyway. What you are mostly hearing is the 1st octave overtone.

For some modern genre's, those super-low notes are expected. OK, more power to those playing those genres.

After all this ranting against playing notes below the standard E, I will now admit that I play 5-string basses a lot-- but dip below the standard E only sparingly. Mostly for an occasional accent or for alternate fingerings higher on the fingerboard.

However, in the end, you do what works best for you and your band.

 

[Maxra]

Interesting - I guess one advantage of DGCF standard for a beginner is that you can put a capo on 2nd fret and play along at standard pitch with instructor books or jam tapes. However, I just tried dropping my standard tuned 32" 4 string to DGCF, and the La Bella Low Tension Flats I just put on don't like that at all. I guess I'd need some regular tension La Bellas to get that sound a whole tone (2 half steps) down.

 

[RSBBass]

I played in this genre for a while and I agree with Bwiltd. Anther option would be to install a Hipshot D tuner for those occasions when a low D would be helpful.

 

[Maxra]

I guess I just need to get used to playing 5ths below the root like bwildt suggests - if it sounds better, great!

 

[yodedude2]

Interesting - I guess one advantage of DGCF standard for a beginner is that you can put a capo on 2nd fret and play along at standard pitch with instructor books or jam tapes. However, I just tried dropping my standard tuned 32" 4 string to DGCF, and the La Bella Low Tension Flats I just put on don't like that at all. I guess I'd need some regular tension La Bellas to get that sound a whole tone (2 half steps) down.

i get a lot of mileage out of d/g/c/f tuning with a 32" scale and it's been my personal 'standard' tuning for decades. i use a string gauge set one 'step' larger than usual for this tuning, e.g., i use ghs medium pressurewounds with no issues on several different 32" scale basses. a set with a .105 or .110 'e' string should do ~

 

[Egg250]

Just so I put it upfront, I can be somewhat of a purist.

No, I don't think you need to tune to BEAD. There are times when I'd like to hit a D note below the open E, but it isn't necessary for what I'm playing and the lower notes can actually bring the "feel" of the song down. Notes in the higher register can give a slow song a bright feel whereas the lower register can make it feel like a dirge.

Just my opinion.

 

[HaphAsSard]

For that genre of music, I think BEAD would pitched too low and would sound out of place for the genre of music you are looking at. When most of that was written, most bass instruments didn't play that low. I'd stick to standard, or maybe D standard as mentioned above.

Maybe it comes from years of listening and playing music before low tunings became popular, but I find that anything below the standard E string often sounds just too low and out of place. I play a lot in D, E and F starting on the 3rd or 2nd strings. This allows me to play the chord's fifth (i.e. alternating bass) below the root, which to be sounds best.

If that sounds a little weak to you, a little low-mid EQ boost will take care of it. Remember that a lot of bass speaker cabs really can't play the fundamental note way down low anyway. What you are mostly hearing is the 1st octave overtone.

For some modern genre's, those super-low notes are expected. OK, more power to those playing those genres.

After all this ranting against playing notes below the standard E, I will now admit that I play 5-string basses a lot-- but dip below the standard E only sparingly. Mostly for an occasional accent or for alternate fingerings higher on the fingerboard.

However, in the end, you do what works best for you and your band.

I don't dispute that "folk revival" is a genre with a tradition of its own, and playing, say, Fairport Convention originals or one of their renditions of a traditional tune with a 5-string bass might sound out of place to some listeners.

However, when reference (or reverence) to such a "tradition" is not implied, the only reference is the "original", the way it was presumably performed in the pre-recording era, or first recorded. As it happens, a number of European folk music styles did not feature bass instruments *at all*, let alone bass guitars. In other words, anything goes: using a bass guitar in them is effectively "new", and a recreation, and limiting oneself to standard 4-string tuning is an unnecessary respect paid to a relatively thin slice of time - '51 to '81 - when folk started being electrified, but low Bs weren't common. Forty more years have passed and, say, flamenco bassists use fretless basses and 6-string basses and piezos and Lightwaves and, really whatever they feel works best.

 

[GretschWretch]

DGCF is the best for the keys you mostly will be playing in. BEAD would have you spending most of your time halfway up the neck and, for the higher notes, WAY up the neck where the shortened string will not give as resonant a tone. In addition, if you will be playing for dancers, that low B is just too low and likely would be more of a hindrance than a help to them.

 

[mambo4]

I think BEAD would pitched too low and would sound out of place for the genre of music you are looking at.

My first thought too.

assuming you know your way around the fret board reasonably well,
I do not believe detuning makes any key truly easier. Just different.
There's more than way to skin a cat...er...key.

"I like the sound" is the only legit reason for detuning IMHO

 

[Smooth_bass88]

The keys you're playing in has nothing to do with using the BEAD tuning unless you really need those super low notes, like they do in heavy stuff like metal. Stick to standard tuning and familiarize yourself with all the keys and their relative minors across the entire fretboard.

 

[micguy]

If I were playing gigs where I used a bass amp to cover the audience, I’d probably use a 4 in D standard tuning - bass cabinets really don’t support a low B at all, even D is pushing it.

However. All my gigs are ampless at this point, and the PA’s are all very capable, so I play 5’s. Low B? No problem.

 

[BarfanyShart]

You would not necessarily be any better, but your bass would be pitched lower.

 

[Yahboy]

Interesting - I guess one advantage of DGCF standard for a beginner is that you can put a capo on 2nd fret and play along at standard pitch with instructor books or jam tapes. However, I just tried dropping my standard tuned 32" 4 string to DGCF, and the La Bella Low Tension Flats I just put on don't like that at all. I guess I'd need some regular tension La Bellas to get that sound a whole tone (2 half steps) down.

I got great tone on D standard tune with la Bella LTF4A, on 34 scale Squier classic vibe 50P. So far, this is the best 1 step down tuning flatwound bass string i been use. She retain the la Bella vibe with great string to string tonal balance.

 

[Killing Floor]

Not sure what bass you play but a lot of modern options have D and B.

 

[biobass]

For the music that I play: musical theater, rock/pop, jazz, country, etc., I do use 5 string fretted and fretless these days, but mostly for increased range without having to change positions too much. I only play the notes below the low E very occasionally (the low Eb comes in very handy). Most of my playing is in the range of low E to the b’ or c’ above the octave g’ on the g string, I do utilize the entire fingerboard up to the f” (and artificial harmonics up to the f#”and g”. I think that I would very much miss having the g string. I do have a Hipshot D-tuner on my 4 string. Your music and taste will be different.

 

[ejaggers]

I had one of my basses tuned BEAD because I'm an old dog that was fighting a new trick (5-string).
I use the G waaaay more than the B, so for me, it is a bad idea.

A better solution was to get a 5, which I did,
but I still don't need the extended range that much.....057912

 

[fourstr00]

I played in this genre for a while and I agree with Bwiltd. Anther option would be to install a Hipshot D tuner for those occasions when a low D would be helpful.

I play in the same genre most weekends and this is the answer. Switching to drop D and out again gives you options when the song is a droning D (like when playing with Irish pipes or Strathspeys) but back to standard when playing songs.