Tuning the bass by ear...

[LowActionHero]

I also have more trouble in the lower notes than guitar. If I'm not using a tuner (or even if I am) I'll fine tune it by ear after using the tuner or harmonics. Lately I've been tuning the open string to the 14th fret of the next one (higher 5th), then double checking it down low. I agree that practice makes it easier.

 

[retslock]

Hey all,
I've played both the bass and guitar for several years. One of the things I really have a horrible time with is tuning the bass by ear properly. I didn't usually have a problem tuning the guitar by ear, probably because of the higher frequencies, but with the bass, I always need a tuner--like always.

Am I just losing my hearing or is this normal? Does anyone else have problems identifying the notes of the lower strings when tuning? It seems a bit counterproductive in playing bass if I can't hear what I'm doing.

I’ve always been very quick at tuning guitars but basses are different. The lower notes can sometimes be vague in some rooms due to harmonic overtones and tuning can be difficult using the 5th fret to open string equivalent.
However, using the bell harmonics, (5th and 7th frets) tuning becomes a whole lot easier. Listening for the speed of the vibrations that out of tune harmonics create is much easier than listening for the fundamentals being in tune. I don’t know if you’re familiar with that method but the quicker the vibration, the more out if tune the strings are to each other. When the vibrations slow right down and disappear, you’re in tune.

 

[Joe Nerve]

My hearing is shot to hell. I don't have a problem tuning though, because I only do it with harmonics. Well... I usually do it with a tuner, but when I don't, I only do it with harmonics.

If you practice, you don't have to even hear the actual notes. You can do it in a noise room. Its all about getting the pulsations to line up perfectly, and stop. I'm not even going to try to explain that though...

Just did a quick search, and wow.

This IS NOT the way to do it. If you're half deaf, anyhow.



This IS the way to do it:

 

[Nevada Pete]

One thing I've noticed tuning both bass and guitar is that if you tune to harmonics chromatically, your instrument will be just a little sharp on fretted notes because when you fret a note you are stretching the string a little. The light touch on a string employed to evoke a harmonic obviously does not stretch the string. Not sure if this particular phenomenon actually matters all that much under fire, but it's something that's there.

I've also noticed that depending on the key and the chord progression I sometimes have to make small adjustments in tuning. But things get really crazy if I attempt to justify my tuning, because then the intervals I'm working on will come in tune, but others will then be out a little. Fix the intervals that are out a little and the intervals that were formally perfect will then be slightly out of tune. Sometimes I think having a very discerning ear is a PITA because in equal temperament, tuning is always a compromise whether you employ a tuner, or not. This used to just drive me totally crazy especially in the studio, which is one reason I like bass. These small but quite audible intervallic deveiences from just tuning do not stand out so much with bass.

My Peterson Strobo+HD tuner has a ton of custom tuning's that are a few cents off one way or the other to compensate for various tuning situations and requirements. Buzz Feiten has created an interesting way to deal with equal temperament on fretted electric instruments, including bass. My luthier told me he has done guitars like this (he's an authorized tech on it), but that he's never seen anybody do it on bass even though Feiten offers the system for bass. So I haven't done it. Yet.

 

[JW56789]

These can/can't tune by ears threads come up every so often, and I always say the same thing:

Aside from the few of us with very good ears, the rest of us use tuners. They can be had real cheap, or you can spend a lot of money if that's how you want to go. Either way, I can't hear several cents difference even though I can tune by harmonics and get close. But why just get close when I can nail it with a tuner?

It's not a test of your musical depth or acumen. It's not worth wondering about. And for guys that think they can tune guitars by ear, go do a 12-string and show me, then we'll talk. A tuner gets everybody in the room on the same page fast, then we can go play.

Of course, my favorite is the lead guitar front man that chases it all night, running half the crowd off while he tunes . . . . . by . . . . . . ear . . . . . . between every other song. Geez. But he THINKS those untrimmed strings in big loops over each key are just so cool. I think that by far tuning problems are 90% incorrectly strung axes or improperly set-up or maintained axes. After that, getting in tune and staying tune is just going to be a short-lived thing.

 

[retslock]

A few years back I took my old acoustic DB to a local luthiery for a bridge fitting, when they'd finished adjusting it they asked me to stick it back on the bass and tune it to see how the action was... so no tuner and with a few people watching I did the A string from memory and then the rest from there and lo, it was correct to a tuning fork that suddenly got produced. I'd like to claim perfect pitch but I have to say even though I have perfect relative pitch it was total fluke to get that A right in the first place.

Yes I’ve pulled that off a few times but not enough that I could get smug about it. No perfect pitch here I’m afraid. I find that sometimes, if you just stop and listen to your inner sense, you can get it right. The brain is a truly amazing thing.

 

[walking Bass]

There's perfect pitch and then there's relative pitch (you know, like throw your nephew off the porch ). Which are you actually referring to?

perfect pitch - like Ray Charles allegedly had. Most people have some decent level of relative pitch.

 

[richntiff]

I tried tuning by ear once. It hurt like hell, so I just use my fingers now.

For 99.9 % of us - a tuner is better than we are. Do your band mates and your audience a favor and use a tuner.

 

[rollie 55]

Back in the Stone Age, I learned to hold a tuning fork between my teeth: perfect 440# A in stereo. Tune to that. Use harmonics to help hear the lower tones. Put your ear on the upper bout, you’ll hear and feel the warble coming up to tune.

i used to do this

 

[nilorius]

You can't, unless you have an absolute hearing, other way is to tune at least one note with a tuner and others by flajoletes (flutes).

 

[Nephilymbass]

Hey all,
I've played both the bass and guitar for several years. One of the things I really have a horrible time with is tuning the bass by ear properly. I didn't usually have a problem tuning the guitar by ear, probably because of the higher frequencies, but with the bass, I always need a tuner--like always.

Am I just losing my hearing or is this normal? Does anyone else have problems identifying the notes of the lower strings when tuning? It seems a bit counterproductive in playing bass if I can't hear what I'm doing.

It can be difficult to tune by ear for some people. Personally my question to you on that would be why are you worried about a dead skill? Buy a tuner, problem solved.

As far as it seeming counterproductive to struggle with hearing the low notes by ear I think the thing with bass is picking out a low note on a bass say a 5 string with a low b string in particular is tough if it’s only thing making sound is the bass. But in the band context if you play the wrong note on the low b it should be pretty darn obvious.

 

[happycat]

I kinda got used to using a tuner (for me the one in the Boss GT10b) - regardless of my ability to tune by ear, playing live and tuning by ear is simply not a good way to "treat" your audience. Mute the instrument and be guided by your tuner. Also, in a live situation, there are a lot of other things going on which makes tuning by ear difficult.

 

[Nev375]

And for guys that think they can tune guitars by ear, go do a 12-string and show me, then we'll talk. A tuner gets everybody in the room on the same page fast, then we can go play.

I've been tuning 12 string guitars by ear since I stated playing in the 80's 12 string basses since I got my first in 2000. I didn't have a fancy electronic tuner.

I WILL agree that low E and B strings are the more difficult and I usually have to resort to harmonics on those. But all I need is a reference note for a second and then I can hear that pitch in my mind and tune to it very quickly. I believe this is called "relative pitch" rather than perfect pitch. But to hear everyone talk about it in this thread you make it sound like it's a superpower.

I have a friend back in my hometown who is blind but he has TRUE perfect pitch and he tunes pianos by ear for a living. Now THAT is a superpower and very amazing to behold. I watched him tune an old piano in my friend's studio using nothing but a tuning wrench and it was dead-on and sounded amazing.

Just like everything else in the world, you get better and better with practice.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I can only do it with harmonics. I have a terrible time with a low B string.

Harmonics can get you relatively in tune string to string, but you better have the first one in tune or your bass section will be out of tune with the rest of the band. I have decent relative pitch and can get a bass respectably in tune. That’s fine for practice or rehearsals, but I always tuner when recording and for a live performances.

Best advice, buy a tuner. It’s faster, more accurate, and best yet, silent.

 

[4001]

Try intonating by ear.....

I knew a guy who could tune his car... by ear... so perfectly... he then put it on the dyno and it was almost spot on every time with hardly any adjustments..

 

[saabfender]

I find this thread fascinating and honestly thought it was a bit of a joke. “Who here can’t tune their guitar properly unless they have a tuner?”

Tuners used to be mondo-expensive. Conn Strobotuners were hundreds of dollars and I paid $100 in the mid ‘90s for my TU-12. Funny, I don’t think I ever used it at BG gigs but once or twice. It was a hassle and I kept killing the battery. Besides, you tune to the keyboard and that’s the right answer.

Basically, before ubiquitous tuners (I use Snarks and my phone), if you couldn’t tune your instrument without a tuner, you sucked. I don’t get all this “I can’t hear right” or “it’s so hard”, esp at stage volume. When you play the 5-7 harmonics, you can feet the beats in your feet and hands. No hearing required. It ain’t hard.

As compensating for fretting pressure, that’s part of setting up a guitar properly, so it’s in tune with itself up and down the neck. I guess you’d be chasing the intonation around if your instrument isn’t set up properly.

This is why I was confused with the early comment “well I suck at tuning my instrument. Others suck at it too but they just don’t know it” made me say “WHAT?!” (New segment on TB: “Rich says ‘What?’”). Seems like a poisonous attitude to me; excusing your mediocrity or poor performance with such a rationalization.

Poor tuning is demonstrable. You know if it’s right or not and don’t need a machine to tell you. The possible amount of bass players who think they’re in tune but aren’t is probably around none. I’d be interested in data to the contrary. I'm still having a hard time believing this is a thing.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

I can tune my bass by ear, but the whole thing always ends up a quarter step flat.

 

[Medicine Man]

I can install strings on a guitar or bass and tune by ear with no reference tone, just a G in my head. It's a useless party trick, because I'm not gonna sit there on stage tuning like a teenager at open mic. I use a pitchblack to mute and tune every show despite the skill.

 

[Ekulati]

Thank you, you're right, that's what I get for typing on the phone while cooking.

Ah yes, spell check gets all of us eventually!

 

[theduke1]

I stopped tuning by ear in the mid 80s when the first electronic tuners hit the market
Now because I work with multiple bands the use different tunings and I use a Digitech drop pedal to change tunings being in standard 440 is a most I switched to a Sonic Research Strobe tuner for a more accurate tuning of my 5 string basses
I have not trusted my ear for decades
Duke