Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What alt. tuning do you or your band use?
- Thread starter OOZMAN
- Start date
Guitarist writes most of his parts in drop Db, so I do Db-Ab-Db-Gb. When I had a 5, I did Ab-Db-Ab-Db-Gb.
The parts I write are usually std down a half step, so for a few songs I tune the low string up a whole step.
The parts I write are usually std down a half step, so for a few songs I tune the low string up a whole step.
We do about 2/3 of our sets in Standard, and 1/3 in Eb tuning.
I don't know why we have to do the Eb stuff. We have a female lead singer, and she can hit everything in Standard no problem. It doesn't really affect how the guitars and I play or sound all that much. I have raised this point to no avail.
I suppose, to the most sensitive ear, the EB tuning might make Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Kiss sound more faithful to the original. But what percentage of the audience is that? Some nights, I'm probably the only one who would notice.
I don't know why we have to do the Eb stuff. We have a female lead singer, and she can hit everything in Standard no problem. It doesn't really affect how the guitars and I play or sound all that much. I have raised this point to no avail.
I suppose, to the most sensitive ear, the EB tuning might make Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Kiss sound more faithful to the original. But what percentage of the audience is that? Some nights, I'm probably the only one who would notice.
My post from a different thread -
Our vocalist and lead guitarist/backing vocals INSIST on dropped C because they find it much easier to sing and scream to, there are some songs where one or both of them can't get the high notes if its in drop D. This is actually a problem right now as our rhythm guitarist's guitar can't go down to drop C so we either play drop D and listen to the vocalists complain or only have 1 guitarist. He's getting it fixed though apparently.
If it was up to me we'd probably be in standard E; we're a metal band and i find it challenging and fun to get the same amount of heaviness without downtuning. Trivium does it well some songs, same with Pantera (see cemetary gates, some of the riffs on that song are epicly heavy!)
Our vocalist and lead guitarist/backing vocals INSIST on dropped C because they find it much easier to sing and scream to, there are some songs where one or both of them can't get the high notes if its in drop D. This is actually a problem right now as our rhythm guitarist's guitar can't go down to drop C so we either play drop D and listen to the vocalists complain or only have 1 guitarist. He's getting it fixed though apparently.
If it was up to me we'd probably be in standard E; we're a metal band and i find it challenging and fun to get the same amount of heaviness without downtuning. Trivium does it well some songs, same with Pantera (see cemetary gates, some of the riffs on that song are epicly heavy!)
- Dec 8, 2006
- 42
- 0
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Warwick Basses, Picato Strings
The reason i started this thread is because I've seen a lot of people post that they play in drop C, more than drop D in fact, I thought this was strange, and the poll is showing that this trend is correct.
TalkBass give me smatness.
smartness sorry.
TalkBass give me smatness.
smartness sorry.
E standard in one band, but C standard in the other. It's a good excuse to keep multiple basses around 
.
EDIT: Flipped the d-tuner for one song at jam last night, which I guess would have been drop-A#. Sounded badass
.EDIT: Flipped the d-tuner for one song at jam last night, which I guess would have been drop-A#. Sounded badass
Can somebody please educate me on this? I understand what the drop tunings are. What I don't understand is why you need them - unless you need a note that is lower than what your bass will do.
I mean, if you need a low A or Ab, then I can see using a 5-string and tuning it down. But if you don't need any notes lower than a low B, why wouldn't you just play in standard tuning?
I mean, if you need a low A or Ab, then I can see using a 5-string and tuning it down. But if you don't need any notes lower than a low B, why wouldn't you just play in standard tuning?
