Should I learn on an EADG bass before stringing BEAD?

[RemoteOutpost]

I am a new bass player and I am just wrapping up the final lessons on bassbuzz.com which I have enjoyed. I will be done in a few more days and then I was planning on getting my bass strung BEAD by a really good local tech who has experience with it. After that I was thinking I would start private lessons with a local teacher I have texted back and forth with a few times, seems like a solid guy. I have brought up my plan to string BEAD and he said he's totally fine with it, won't be an issue at all if that's what I want to do, either way is fine. My question to you guys is whether or not I should become really proficient with the bass in EADG before exploring alternate tunings or if I should just start off with what I want to do which is play a bass strung BEAD. My reason for that is simply because I love the way it sounds, I'm not a fan of the tighter string spacing of 5 strings I have noodled with at the local big box and virtually all the music I love is played on drop tuned basses. My goal at the end of the day is just to become the best bassist I can be and if that means learning on EADG first and putting off the alternate tuning then so be it. Thanks for your input!

 

[Mushroo]

The main disadvantage of learning BEAD is the lack of instructional materials like books, videos, and online lessons. But if you have already worked around that limitation, by finding a local teacher who is willing to teach you, then I say yes, go for it!!!

There are two different ways to approach BEAD tuning, conceptually.

The first method is to treat the bass as a "transposing instrument." This means, mentally, you call the notes what they would be on a standard-tuned bass, but they come out sounding lower. So for example, if you play the note at the 1st fret of the lowest (thickest) string, you call that note "F" because that's what it would be in standard tuning. But it actually comes out sounding as "C" because you've changed the tuning of the string from E to B. This method is extremely popular with blues, rock, and metal musicians (especially if the guitarist is also using the same drop tuning). The advantage is that you don't have to do any mental gymnastics, and you can easily switch back and forth between standard tuning and drop tuning. You can even use this method for other tunings like Eb standard, D standard, and so forth. This is an extremely beginner-friendly method of learning BEAD tuning.

The second method is to mentally call the notes by their actual or "concert" pitch. So for example, that note at the 1st fret of the lowest string, you call it "C" because it is a C. This is the preferred method when you play with guitarists in standard tuning, or with other concert-pitch instruments like piano or keyboard. The disadvantage is that you have to make a mental adjustment when you switch back and forth between BEAD and EADG tunings.

Whatever you choose, I also recommend that you also learn to play EADG tuning, because knowing how to play standard tuning is an important part of being a versatile bassist, in my opinion. If you can't afford a second bass at this point, then you can kind-of-sort-of turn your BEAD bass into an EADG bass by putting a capo at the 5th fret.

Good luck!

 

[Malcolm35]

Why confuse the issue right now. Stay standard tuning. If the guitar guys capo or go with a different tuning ask the keyboard what key they will be using and you do the same.

Right or wrong I stay in standard tuning, because of what has been said, most informational books, videos, etc. are based upon standard tuning and IMO if you are still learning your trade, learn standard tuning first.

 

[Nashrakh]

Just saying: there are 5 string basses with 19mm spacing if that is your issue.

I learned how to read music on a BEAD bass. I see no problems with that at all if you're aware of the concert pitches just like Mushroo said. It also makes switching to 5 and 6 string basses a snap, so that's a big plus if you tend to go five string anyway.

In my experience, the limitations of bEAD tuning mainly concern upper range, or solo playing. If you just start out and pound root notes for example, no biggie at all.

 

[46and2]

I'm kind of in the same situation. I'm in a band that plays standard and drop-D tunes, but I also want to make some doom metal. So I have decided to look for an additional bass and will string one of them in BEAD. I don't plan to spend a fortune on the second one, just enough to get a playable instrument.

 

[Thum5b]

Since your instructor is cool with it, I'd say go for it, it's not like we're talking about drop tuning, which I'd avoid while learning.

 

[QweziRider]

...or if I should just start off with what I want to do which is play a bass strung BEAD.

That. Since your instructor is on board, that makes it even better. Either way, you become proficient at bass. Kind of like my daughter being a leftie but me insisting she learned right handed. Being new, it didn't matter to her, she didn't have any habits already developed. You're losing only the top 5 notes of EADG tuning, everything else is there. I'd say to go for it.

 

[James Collins]

I don't understand the limitations. Practice good technique and learn the notes on the fingerboard you use then it won't matter what your tuning is.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

99% of the four strings out there are tuned EADG and virtually all of the tabs, charts and videos you find will assume EADG. Stick with that while you learn and when you need BEAD, tray that.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Yep I would stick with standard for now. If when you start playing music that demands it, it's an easy switch. But better to get the building blocks down first.

 

[eddybuzzard]

If you learn on the BEAD, you're 75% on your way to knowing a standard, and 80% of the way to a Fiver.
Basses are tuned in all fourths, and not as strange as going from a six string guitar to a seven, which is not all fourths.
1 vote for BEAD

Edit-Oh, and you're 100% on the way to where you want to be.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Yes...

 

[Seashore]

If you're excited about tuning low, tune low. Don't talk yourself out of trying something, you'll always be thinking about it in the back of your head. Worst case scenario, you decide you hate it and put your bass back in standard.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

If your goal is to be the best bassist you can be, I would strongly suggest learning on EADG first. This is the way the majority of bass players play and the format that almost all instructional material will be in. Once you learn EADG it is really not that tough to transition to BEAD or a 5 or 6 string. While there is not anything wrong with starting BEAD, I think it would make the early going more difficult and not really give you any advantages. The other thing I would suggest to someone starting out on the bass is to be flexible. What seems like a great idea right now may not seem like such a great idea once you learn more about the instrument and the music you want to play.

 

[lomo]

There's no correct answer to this....it's all possible, but my personal recommendation is to stick with EADG and at some point get into 5 string.....unless you rarely if ever use the G string......

 

[dalahorse]

Bass is a transposing instrument as it is (one octave down). BEAD or EADG tuning has nothing to do with it.

I personally have no need for the G and use the B in just about every song.

Do what you want with your instrument.

 

[TheReceder]

Of the cover bands I play in there's only 2 songs where I have to drop tune my 4 string. If it was me, I'd say learn with it in standard tuning first, Since the "music you love" is drop tuned, (and I'd make sure it actually is) I'd say go for the bead, with the plan down the road to go 5 string. Just because you don't like the feel of a 5er now, doesn't mean that you won't appreciate having that G string to go high in the future.

I know a lot of the tunes I play I wouldn't be able to get by without the G string. Again.... it's all about what you plan on doing in the future.

BTW... the previous post is a perfect example of 2 bassists that disagree... and we're both right... it depends on what style and what tunes you play. dalahorse... thanks to you I'm checking out symphonic metal. everything you said makes perfect sense.

 

[lucas303]

Do what makes you happy. If you like the sound of BEAD, go for it. You'll be more motivated to practice if you're making the sounds that give you the fizz.

You and I are in similar positions. I've been playing for just over a year (just recently turned 42), and I started with bassbuzz as well. Now I'm taking private lessons. When I got my first bass I got a normal four-string, even though I had a strong feeling I'd want to play a five-string eventually. It didn't take long before I tried some fivers and took the plunge. After that I never played the four again and ended up selling it. I originally bought it because I thought I had to start where everyone else starts, and stick with what's standard until some arbitrary point in the future when I could "graduate" to what I really wanted to play. It was a mistake. If you know what you want to play and the sounds you want to make, go with that. There are no rules in this...do what makes YOU happy.

Edit: Make sure to stop in to this thread Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

 

[RemoteOutpost]

Do what makes you happy. If you like the sound of BEAD, go for it. You'll be more motivated to practice if you're making the sounds that give you the fizz.

You and I are in similar positions. I've been playing for just over a year (just recently turned 42), and I started with bassbuzz as well. Now I'm taking private lessons. When I got my first bass I got a normal four-string, even though I had a strong feeling I'd want to play a five-string eventually. It didn't take long before I tried some fivers and took the plunge. After that I never played the four again and ended up selling it. I originally bought it because I thought I had to start where everyone else starts, and stick with what's standard until some arbitrary point in the future when I could "graduate" to what I really wanted to play. It was a mistake. If you know what you want to play and the sounds you want to make, go with that. There are no rules in this...do what makes YOU happy.

Edit: Make sure to stop in to this thread Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

Makes sense thanks and glad to meet someone on a similar path. I have also been tooling with the idea of just trying CGCF, I think Windhand uses that and I love their bass player's tone. It's all a process of learning and playing and I try not to be in too much of a hurry but it's tough when you really have a vision for what you want to sound like and the kind of music you want to make.

 

[lucas303]

Makes sense thanks and glad to meet someone on a similar path. I have also been tooling with the idea of just trying CGCF, I think Windhand uses that and I love their bass player's tone. It's all a process of learning and playing and I try not to be in too much of a hurry but it's tough when you really have a vision for what you want to sound like and the kind of music you want to make.

I know EXACTLY what you mean. The silver lining is that even though I still suck I can look back six months and know that I've improved noticeably.

If you want to really get wild, you could look into tuning your bass in fifths. There's an interesting thread about it somewhere on here...it lets your four-string cover the same ground (or very close) as a five-string tuned in fourths. I'm not saying you should do this...but it is a thing.