Song in Bb Tuning or options?

Either of you suggestions work fine. A lot of gospel players tune their basses to E flat. Another option is to just drop the E string down a half or full step, either manually, or be investing in a drop tuner. There is no right or wrong answer necessarily, though it would probably be best to pick a strategy and stick with it so that you learn to use it effectively. Learning to play with a drop tuner on a 4 string is probably the method I would choose if you want to stick with a 4 string bass, or just get a 5 string and learn how to adjust to it.

 

It's possible if not likely that you'll need to setup the bass differently at a lower tuning. Not a big deal if you are able to do so yourself though. Simply dropping the E string down a full step usually doesn't require much of a setup change though. Of course the string will be looser, but adjusting your playing style to that is part of the process of learning as well. That's why I suggest you experiment a little, find a strategy that makes sense to you, and then just take the time to make it second nature.

 

We have a couple of Bb songs. As I play from the major scale box anyway I just move the box over the Bb note on the 4th string, 6th fret and go from there. No need to re-tune, just move the box's root over that Bb note on the 4th string and all the notes of the Bb scale await me inside the box.

Code:

Major Scale Box. 

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

If you want lower than this move the box's R to the A string 1st fret. Lower than that you will have to be looking at a 5 string or some other tuning. For one song, I just go with the above.

 

If you throw some fatter gauge strings on there it will help with the tension issue. I have 2 basses I play with live. One is a Epi thunderbird for standard and half-step tuning, and the other is my ibanez sr600 for drop C and drop B. The ibanez has the thicker guage strings but also I had it set up for drop b and c.

 

Will you be playing many tunes in Bb or Eb? Are you playing with horns? If so it might be worth checking out 5 string basses. Also some styles of music utilize the extended range more than others. I made that switch years ago and have never really wanted to return to 4 stringers.

 

Asking for 5 string recommendations is a can of worms. Generally speaking, if you like the tone a playability of your Jazz, than a 5 string jazz makes sense. The wide neck is because you are used to the extremely small neck of the Geddy. Learning to get around and be comfortable on a 5 string neck is just part of the process also. IMHO, the sooner you do this the better off you will be. It's the guys who play only 4 strings for years that seem to have extreme issues switching to 5's later.

Also, if you play in church a lot and continue, you'll need an extended range bass in the future, so this is another big reason to get a 5 soon and start getting used to it. I've been playing in churches for years, as well as outside of church. Honestly, the church setting is one of the few where I actually feel like I NEED a 5 string. I tend to play 4's in any other setting. In gospel and southern gospel, playing in "piano" keys like F, Bb, Eb, Ab, etc are very common. In modern contemporary Christian music, playing in F# and B is also common, and having those really low notes on a 5 string are practically a must, especially if you're trying to capture the authenticity of the original recordings.

In the end, it's really not about the key though. You can play in any key on any bass, 4 or 5 string, but it's about the note choices you have and what works in a song. Church music seems to really emphasize the use of lower notes much more often for dramatic effect, which is why I feel I need one quite often. It all depends on the set list of songs though.

You'll get over the wider neck thing with time. It just takes practice and proper technique. Proper technique is likely not something you've developed if you are new and have been playing a Geddy with it's almost toy-like neck. I hope I'm not assuming too much, and I'm certainly not bashing the Geddy. It's a great bass and I've owned one! But thin little necks are very comfy and tend to encourage bad technique which doesn't transfer over very well to playing extended range basses at all. The longer you wait, I'm afraid the transition will be more difficult.

It's also not like you are choosing to be a 4 or 5 string player right now. In fact, you never have to choose. Just incorporate a 5 string into your arsenal, play it often, and jumping back and forth between them is super easy, even for non professionals such as myself.

 

My 5 string jazz type bass is a Lakland DJ5. Passive ( no pre amp) like the Geddy, and with a very nice easy to play neck shape. They come up in the classifieds here. Around $1k - 1200 used. 19mm (3/4") string spacing and 35" scale. I'd recommend them especially if you can find a lighter weight one, as some tend to be 10# or more.

 

2nd fret A string is Bb?

 

It is if you tune down a half step.

 

This is an extremely poor option IMHO, especially for a church setting. The upper registers are popular in most modern Christian P&W music, even if they are used sparingly. You'd be much better detuning the E string down a half or whole step and keeping the rest of the instruments range intact.

I can't recommend a 5 string enough though if you are playing in church. Practically a necessity IMHO for that setting to really capture the full range of musical styles that are employed.

 

On whether a 5-string is necessary in church - it depends on the style of music you play. I've manage to get by okay with a 4 for a few months, when I was between 5ers. But I realised I use those low notes on more songs than I thought -more than half of our current list, and with only one in Bb. Sometimes it's for playing E without open strings, or a better position for F when playing in C, and it's nice to be able to go down a 5th from G, and it's always great to drop one of those low bombs at the end of a song or a section.

 

And I should add, with regards to BEAD as an option, that I find the full range of a 5er very useful. I can be playing high up the G and down to open B within the same song.

 

The Fender American Deluxe has all those qualities. It's an active/passive preamp, with a vintage tone control. It's also 34" scale like your Geddy. Lovely bass. I owned one for a while. I prefer Lakland myself but be aware that Lakland 5 strings are 35" scale.

 

It sounds to me like developing your fretboard knowledge is your best response. I agree with MalcolmAmos's suggestion for starters. If I'm playing in Bb on a 4 string, I'll anchor off 6th fret on the E, all else being equal, As you've discovered, playing off of 1st fret on the A leads to some awkward fingerings.

I find that playing in alternate tunings is just too confusing to me. Others apparently don't seem to have this problem, so YMMV.

I have a minor concern about moving to a 5 string before you're solid on the 4 string. It may be complicating things before you're really ready. My advice, FWIW, would be to get more familiar with the full fretboard on the 4 string before adding another string. But opinions will vary on that.