Tuning down half a step?

It's pretty common to do. I have found that many of my basses actually felt/played better 1/2 step down. Obviously, the strings will get a bit "floppier" and a tweak of the setup will be needed. It's nice to have a second bass (in standard tune) for wood-shedding and learning songs.

I eventually started using a 5 string bass and I really enjoyed that much more. My guitarist played 5 different guitars with like 4 different tunings. So the 5'r was a no-brainier.

 

If my group wanted to do this, I would go down a whole step to D standard so I didn't have to think in half steps.

I use 110 gauge sets to do this to avoid low tension.

 

As someone who usually gets stuck singing the highest harmony line, I don't believe a half step will actually make that much of a difference in vocals - so you are singing a G sharp rather than a G. Think about it.

I think most people really do it because they read about it, and it sounds like a "cool" thing to do.

 

Just tune down to A 432 and you will be aligned with the universe

 

Backed a singer who requested tuning down 1/2 step.
He said it makes a big difference for him on a gig.
Less strain on the voice.
I will suggest it to another band I work with.
Lead singer has a limited range and it would help him.

 

I have a bass specifically set up with DR DDTs for down-tuning. It's much quicker to do a quick swap than to retune. It also maintains the same string tension as my standard tuned basses. We don't do it for every tune, but sometimes it works well.

 

Ok, educate me here. Unless you're reading charts with a mixed bag of tunings from everyone else, why is tuning down a full step easier than a half step?

If everyone is tuned the same an E or Gm will still be same, it will just sound a half step lower. No transposing on the fly necessary.

 

If I understand it correctly, an Eb tuning is a pretty common blues tuning. A surprising number of rock bands used it both so the vocals were in the right range, and it give their music a little extra mood.
If it helps your vocals, why not? A half step down barely changes the feeling of your instrument. As a listener I was drawn to several bands tuned a half step down without even realizing it. I say do it.

 

It is easier for me. I do better thinking full steps. Also, If I go down a whole step, then I don't have to change the way I am thinking to play in standard tunings. I can play with the Eb group and a E group with no changes to the bass.

You may have an easier time just going down the half step. Especially if you like the sound of open strings.

 

Being in a hard rock / heavy metal cover band, we tune down to match the original song...if the original band tunes to Eb, we do too...if you dont, things just dont sound right, at least to me, I know this is subjective...my lead singer also says it helps with his vocals.
I do always bring 2 bass' with me, one tuned standard, one tuned Eb, as stated earlier, it is much easier to swap a bass than to re-tune..it also looks cooler and adds to the show ;-)

 

I'm not about to down tune my bass and throw the setup out of wack(upright bass). I'd much prefer to accomplish this with a 5 string bass, and that is what i would do if in a band that needed the down tune.

But doesn't down tuning really only help on certain songs, depending on the original key and where it is going down to? I suppose a lot of rock music does use the open E, so it makes some sense.

 

What the heck, try it and see. If the band doesn't like it then go back to standard tuning.

We tune down a half step in an 80's hair band tribute that plays Poison and Def Leppard, that sort of mindless crap. It works fine for that.

 

I tend to keep all of my basses down-tuned a full step unless my band situation requires standard tuning (rather than vice versa). I prefer the lower tension and access to a couple of extra low notes without going to a five string.

 

I used to have a "friend band" who did it, and it did make vocals easier. It's commonly done, and not a big deal. Do it! Have fun. I'm a stickler for being in the "right key," and I am also known for pitchiness, so take advantage of the 1/2 step.

 

I've been doing this for years. As a singer who doesn't have a great range, I can tell you that it absolutely does help. I never had to make any changes to my basses from tuning down 1/2 step, but it wouldn't hurt anything to do a setup after you tune down to make sure nothing changed.

We also tune down a full step for a handful of songs, so I have one bass set up for that. I did need to make some adjustments on that bass. YMMV.

There are other threads on this topic. I'm not sure why some people have such consternation about it.

 

I'm not sure why some people have such consternation about a lot of things.

 

That reply gives me consternation.

 

if everyone tunes down a 1/2 step ... for all intensive purposes , things are in the same key as before , with looser strings ... unless a sax player, or harp player might sit in .. !!??

a 1/2 step might not seem like much vocal relief for 1 song ... but it will be felt over the course of a night ... !! my ' chest voice ' stops at a certain note , then ' head voice / falsetto ' ... so relearning that break point might sneak in .. ?

gtr players can use slightly heavier gauges ... more metal , more sustain/tone ( SRV .! )

luckily , us keyboardists have a Transpose button to make life much easier ... !! if your keyboard player has a Rhodes and B3 , he might not be to happy .. !?

learning songs , ... i'd use a Capo ... or another bass tuned normally ...

 

We do a whole set tuned down 1/2. It's where we place all the hair band tunes and it helps with the vocals for sure. Our vocalist is great but ending a 3hr show with GnR, Journey, Def Leppard etc. can wreck a voice in original keys.