Tuning Question

[fuzzurin]

So I've been playing bass for about 8 years, but I've always used 4 string basses, and only deviated from standard tuning every now and then.

I just bought the bass song books for Between the Buried and Me's Alaska and Colors. Their bassist uses a 5 string, tuned to G# C# F# B E. As I don't have a 5-string, I was wondering how I could tune my bass in order to be able to play these songs. Do I just leave off the low G# and play the note elsewhere? Also, he mentions adjusting the action to facilitate this tuning; why would that be necessary?

I feel like this is a stupid question, but I'd rather ask and be educated than remain in the dark!

 

[Nuggets]

Well, seeing as the BTBAM bassist uses all 5 strings most of the time, you wont be able to play a lot of the stuff on a 4-string. There may be times when he wont use one string and you can tune to the other four, but generally, you wont be able to do most of it. I did the same thing, i play a 4-string, and was lookin at some BTBAM tabs, and because of his using a 5 string i couldn't play a lot of it.