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weird tunings

Discussion in 'General Instruction [BG]' started by Ajak, Apr 13, 2012.

  1. Apr 13, 2012 #1
    Ajak

    Ajak Guest

    Mar 31, 2012
    Bern, Switzerland
    I've been wondering if you guys/gals have seen or even played tunings that aren't standard or ordinary drop-tunings.

    To start with here's my example:

    I have recently seen a band live I have playing along with with my iPod. So I knew more or less what the bassist would play. While watching him I tried to figure out his tuning and this is what I got:

    C#
    G#
    C#
    low Bb (the really low one) :eyebrow:

    So if you blend out the low string you get a drop-C# tuning. Most of the riffs he plays along are in C#, so it makes sense to have an empty C#-string.
    On some songs he uses the low B but I've never seen him play the Bb. C#-standard tuning witha hipshot d'tuner down to the B would make things a lot easier wouldn't it?

    Don't get me wrong! Everybody should use the tuning he/she likes to. I'm just curious :D
     
  2. Apr 13, 2012 #2
    Varcolac

    Varcolac Guest

    Mar 31, 2012
    London, UK
    Strange tuning indeed. I've never used anything other than full fourths for bass. Never even did drop D ; I have a fifth string for that note.

    One of my favourite bands, the sadly now-defunct SikTh, had a variety of weird and wonderful tunings for guitar and bass. They'd have the guitars in Eb standard, but with the low Eb dropped to an even lower Ab for some bowel-shaking riffage. I tried it out but I could never get used to having an octave gap between the bottom two strings.
     
  3. Apr 13, 2012 #3
    MalcolmAmos

    MalcolmAmos

    Jul 18, 2009
    Deep East Texas Piney Woods
    Never saw the need to go anything other than standard.
     
  4. Apr 13, 2012 #4
    jonesn4bass

    jonesn4bass Supporting Member

    Jun 2, 2009
    Granville, Ma
    I use that A# C# G# C# tuning. As you said - unconventional, but it works for me! The guitar players play in drop C# and a lot of riffs require the open ability to chug a C#, but some parts I play require going lower to compliment what they play, so A# is the logical tuning for it. It is a bit weird, but it works well and makes the parts much easier to play by tuning to Drop.
     
  5. Apr 14, 2012 #5
    Derek Balonek

    Derek Balonek Guest

    Mar 15, 2011
    USA, CA, Sacramento Metro area
    Drop B (BADG) is cool sometimes. Makes octaves easy.

    Fifths tuning is handy for extra range, but it makes major thirds difficult to play.

    I once tried Db Gb B B. Having two strings in unison makes for some cool sounds.