Tuning a 5-string to C#

[Greenman72]

I have a regular (BEADG) 5-string bass.

I want to play Guns & Roses, who plays in D# tuning. No problem. I lower everything down one half step.

Now I want to play "Judith", by A Perfect Circle. The tabs are written in C# standard. (C#, F#, B, E)
What do you do?

(Note - I'm just now making the switch from 4- to 5-strings, hence the question.)

 

[JonathanPDX]

Learn to transpose. You already have all those notes on your bass, there's rarely a need to down tune to Eb, let alone Db, especially just for a couple of songs.

 

[FC Bass]

I only used the C# tuning for a video, tuned all strings up for that one:

 

[Brandon Shea]

I agree with learning to transpose… that’ll serve you much better in the long run, and it’s way easier than re-tuning all the time. I used to have the exact same mentality where I’d match my tuning to the recording I was playing along with, but it’s sooooo much more liberating to just be able to play stuff. Easier transposition is probably the best part of having a five string bass.

 

[MtManiac]

I don’t understand the problem. Why change your tuning? Are you playing multistop chords? C# is the second fret on the B string. Just depress the string there with your finger.

If the tab says C# for tuning and gives you a 5, make it a 3 instead. Or learn the note names and just play a D.

Or learn it at the wrong frets and then when everyone else at band practice notices, roll your eyes and say “effing tabs, amirite?”

 

[Element Zero]

Transposing is important, however, sometimes riffs or specific basslines are super difficult to play in a different tuning or position than how it was recorded. My vote is to keep your 4 string in C# standard… BUT… the alternate route is to download the Moises app. You can change the key and tempo of any song that you own and import into it. Phenomenal app.

 

[MtManiac]

Transposing is important, however, sometimes riffs or specific baselines are super difficult to play in a different tuning or position than how it was recorded. My vote is to keep your 4 string in C# standard… BUT… the alternate route is to download the Moises app. You can change the key and tempo of any song that you own and import into it. Phenomenal app.

I don’t think that’s the case with this song, have you seen the C# tab for it?

 

[2thAche]

If he's playing heavier stuff, there will be hammer-on/ pull-off riffs off open strings that won't transpose well.

If you can play what you need to play transposed, so be it. If not, try C# standard and see how it works, but that's going to be alot of tension so expect to change your setup and hopefully your tuners/ neck are beefy.

 

[MtManiac]

If he's playing heavier stuff, there will be hammer-on/ pull-off riffs off open strings that won't transpose well.

If you can play what you need to play transposed, so be it. If not, try C# standard and see how it works, but that's going to be alot of tension so expect to change your setup and hopefully your tuners/ neck are beefy.

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[sikamikanico]

The proper Talkbass response is that you need a 4-string tuned Eb for GNR, a 4-string tuned C# for APC, and the 5 string is for the rest.

For up/down-tuning, you want to balance the sound and the feel. My gut says APC downtuned, it gives a heavier sound; tho maybe they also used somewhat thicker gauges, otherwise strings get floppy. Either way, you gotta do a full setup. Perhaps something like 115 for the C#, so maybe a DR DDT-55 set would be a good place to start.

 

[Tj smith]

You could use a drop pedal also.

 

[dalahorse]

Agree with all the advice to transpose. It really is as simple as moving your left hand and not relying on open strings. You'll also have to transpose the tab, I suppose. But that becomes irrelevant once you have learned the song.

If a particular song leans heavily on open strings so much that it is extremely difficult to transpose, I take the unpopular choice to capo. It only takes a couple seconds to place a capo on the instrument's neck. And your instrument's playability (action, tensions, string gauges, etc.) remains unchanged. When the song is over, take it off and you're right back where you were.

Both options eliminate the need to assign specific instruments to specific songs.

I voted "cry" as the obvious "transpose" option was absent from the list.

 

[LowActionHero]

Not many open strings in Judith. I wouldn't retune just for one song.

A transposing pedal like the Drop is good for the occasional lower song.

If your going to play stuff like that regularly then another bass is the answer, IMO.

 

[2thAche]

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I would just transpose that, I don't see anything that needs open strings.

 

[2thAche]

You could use a drop pedal also.

This is an easy option too. You'll lose some tone and get a warble on lower notes, but with a full band you won't really notice, and much better than trying to tune to C# for one track.

 

[Guitalia]

If he's playing heavier stuff, there will be hammer-on/ pull-off riffs off open strings that won't transpose well.

If you can play what you need to play transposed, so be it. If not, try C# standard and see how it works, but that's going to be alot of tension so expect to change your setup and hopefully your tuners/ neck are beefy.

If he's playing heavier stuff he'll be buried by the guitar player(s) chugging/djenting through halfstacks, so it won't matter what he does.

 

[FullumMusic]

Don't tune the B string UP to C# unless you're specifically looking for the tone of an insanely tight string and really trust your truss rod.

If i can play on my 5 string in standard tuning easily, i'll do that.

If the need for open strings makes playing the 5 in standard tuning a major PITA, 4 string tuned to C# standard, or use a 5 string tuned to G#/Ab standard.

I'm obliged to say you don't need to buy more basses. You can re-tune; you can use a 5 string; you can use a pitch shift pedal... there are lots of other options. But also, it would be really fun to buy a bass that's just for C# standard tuning. Then you can get it strings that feel best tuned that low and keep the trust rod and setup just for that lower tuning and thicker strings, and just jump between basses when you need different tunings.

 

[RGerhart]

Get a 4-string and tune it down a half-step (Eb-Ab-Db-Gb), then get a Hipshot detuner for the E-string, so now you can play everything you want with a flick of a switch (Db-Ab-Db-Gb).

 

[Karl Kaminski]

workarounds are fine (always tune down vs tune up - it may break a string or add too much tension on the instrument), but learn to transpose. ie learn basic scale fingerings both in-position and in open-position.

The wonderful thing about a string instrument is the 'fingerings' can easily be moved/transposed up or down the neck to play in any key. Your understanding of the neck and the patterns is the first step to fluency.

 

[mambo4]

There are a few legit reasons to detune for a song

• because you like the tone
• because you like the string feel
• to more easily double the guitar chugs*

"because the tabs are detuned" is not really a good reason

* this song does not sound like it necessarily needs an open C# to chug-double, with 5 string