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The Fifths Tuning Club

#761
Made a quick rough recording of the Air from Handel's Water Music No. 1 using my ukes and the Dean. I read directly from the score on IMSLP, ukes on the violin and viola parts, the Dean on the basso continuou. No editing aside from a slight pan and reverb. All instruments used are tuned in fifths!
 

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#763
Here's me thinking that moving to tuning in 5th was a crazy idea and I'd likely be the only one doing it, but then I was directed here!

I currently play double bass (in 4ths), mandola and viola (standard 5ths tuning). I've just ordered a mandocello with the same tuning as the mandola and viola C-G-D-A and looking forward to moving across some of my bluegrass basslines to it for smaller acoustic gigs. Also learning a few chords to accompany myself singing.

Sadly I don't think I can do much with my double bass at the moment. I use Innovation Rockabilly strings and there are only the standard four EADG strings, otherwise I might go all in and tune it as my other instruments :(
 
#764
Gruff said:
Here's me thinking that moving to tuning in 5th was a crazy idea and I'd likely be the only one doing it, but then I was directed here!

I currently play double bass (in 4ths), mandola and viola (standard 5ths tuning). I've just ordered a mandocello with the same tuning as the mandola and viola C-G-D-A and looking forward to moving across some of my bluegrass basslines to it for smaller acoustic gigs. Also learning a few chords to accompany myself singing.

Sadly I don't think I can do much with my double bass at the moment. I use Innovation Rockabilly strings and there are only the standard four EADG strings, otherwise I might go all in and tune it as my other instruments :(
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Maybe Thomastik-Infeld Spirocore "Red Mitchell" Fifths Tuning (CGDA) strings?
Spirocore Tuning in 5th Double Bass | Orchestral Strings | Products | Thomastik-Infeld Vienna

Also, do a search for "double bass" in this thread only, and you'll find a number of tips, hints, insights, and resources related to playing the double bass in fifths. Welcome and good luck!
 
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#765
Gruff said:
Here's me thinking that moving to tuning in 5th was a crazy idea and I'd likely be the only one doing it, but then I was directed here!

I currently play double bass (in 4ths), mandola and viola (standard 5ths tuning). I've just ordered a mandocello with the same tuning as the mandola and viola C-G-D-A and looking forward to moving across some of my bluegrass basslines to it for smaller acoustic gigs. Also learning a few chords to accompany myself singing.

Sadly I don't think I can do much with my double bass at the moment. I use Innovation Rockabilly strings and there are only the standard four EADG strings, otherwise I might go all in and tune it as my other instruments :(
Click to expand...
If you're playing a synthetic core string you might like the Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Slap Bass set better than Red Mitchell Spirocores.
Lemur Music has them in G,D,A,E.
 
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#766
#767
Gruff said:
I used to play metal strings, but found I couldn't keep up hours of bluegrass playing. After switching to synthetic it would be hard to go back - I tried Spirocores recently and that wasn't a success. But finding synthetic in fifths tuning is going to be a problem I think :(
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Try a set of Evah's and report back! I think you could get a C string and make it a CGDA set.
Or possibly a mixed set with the synthetics on top? Many strings are available as singles. You could probably put together a mixed CGDA set that would work for you.
 
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#768
BlueRock said:
Try a set of Evah's and report back! I think you could get a C string and make it a CGDA set.
Or possibly a mixed set with the synthetics on top? Many strings are available as singles. You could probably put together a mixed CGDA set that would work for you.
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Yes, obviously the D would be good. I guess I could increase the G to an A and drop the A to a G without too many problems. So it's just the C string really... and as you say a single synthetic C would be all I need to buy.
 
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#769
An update on the short scale 6 string, The low C and high B lacked oomph and the high B kept breaking so I tried a different set of guitar chrome flats tuned GDAEBF#, I bumped up the gauges and the High B is much better and the whole set sounds much better except the F# is just too thin, I kind of expected that but hoped it would work.

This experiment has proven to me that 6 strings tuned in fifths doesn't work that well, starting at G0 on a longer scale or Fanned Fret instrument might work, but G1 5ths is great and depending on music maintains enough bass for bass duty and enough clarity and note separation for low chords to still sound clear.

This instrument is going to be converted to a double course set up (gG dD aA) but I have a 5 string guitar neck that I'm going to build out to a dedicated G1DAEB instrument and a short scale acoustic has moved up on my want to buy list for acoustic jams.
 
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#774
Gruff said:
He had those too, and they sounded like a good option - [This invalid link has been removed] but I wasn't sure about the description on the Innovation website "Unlike other Innovation Strings, the Innovation Honey Jazz uses a solid core with a chrome steel winding." I wasn't sure what "solid core" meant.
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It's a solid synthetic core like their nylon tape wounds if that's what you're wondering. I think what they mean is it's the only solid core string with a flat metal outer wind. Their other metal wound ones have a braided nylon core iirc.
 
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#776
Well it finally happened, the 1.5-year old Kaliums on my Dean EABC5 tuned CGDAE have gone dead, so it's time to get a new set. I've used Kalium and Stringjoy custom sets for tuning in fifths so far, but Stringjoy doesn't offer a 0.025" anymore for the high E, meaning I have to go back to Kalium or look elsewhere.

Newtone looks promising, tons of gauge offerings at roughly the same price, and with a much easier user interface than Kalium's. They even have bronzes as an option for the wrapping material! I just wish they had a dedicated tension calculator for their gauges.
 
#777
Cal03 said:
Well it finally happened, the 1.5-year old Kaliums on my Dean EABC5 tuned CGDAE have gone dead, so it's time to get a new set. I've used Kalium and Stringjoy custom sets for tuning in fifths so far, but Stringjoy doesn't offer a 0.025" anymore for the high E, meaning I have to go back to Kalium or look elsewhere.

Newtone looks promising, tons of gauge offerings at roughly the same price, and with a much easier user interface than Kalium's. They even have bronzes as an option for the wrapping material! I just wish they had a dedicated tension calculator for their gauges.
Click to expand...
I've been looking at Newtone for a fifths adjacent project, G0 A1 two string, I'll let you know how it goes if I get to that before you, they go longer then Kallium and just as thick. I just used Kaliums data for figuring out tension.
 
#780
If your tastes allow, I'd go higher.

Playing a five string in fourths, I never really used the low B down to a low B. Lots of C's, C#'s, D's & D#'s. CGDA, I've never missed lower than the C. But a 5 with a high E, hmmm. Range of a 7 in fourths in a 5 string.

I did a 6 a while back FCGDAE, bottom string was both awesome and useless - but that was just me.

Of course, YMMV.

John
 

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