Your approach to lower tunings

[Massan]

Hello Justin

Stumbled upon your video and it peaked my interest.

At around 4:00 you are playing those low nasty riffs
I really enjoy the feel you achieved here - reminds me of Chelsea Wolfe’s and NIN obviously

Could you elaborate on your aproach to lower tunings, intonation, tension and gauges?

It’s particularly interesting to me because I really like flatwounds and p-basses, but never though it could work down there.
I use extremely low tunings for my trailer composing and production needs, but until now I primarily used my stringray with roundwounds and crazy gauges like 0.145 and 0.160, which works well but obviously MM humbuckers provide a completely different sound esthetic.

What’s your thought process here? Just some heavy d’addario chromes singles? They go up to 0.132 which would work for B but not lower I suppose.

Or you simply don’t give a crap as this whole droney, distorted and detuned style of yours with lots of noises and bends works fine with lighter gauges?

Looking forward to anything you’d be willing to share!

Thanks

Dmitry

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Hello Justin

Stumbled upon your video and it peaked my interest.

At around 4:00 you are playing those low nasty riffs
I really enjoy the feel you achieved here - reminds me of Chelsea Wolfe’s and NIN obviously

Could you elaborate on your aproach to lower tunings, intonation, tension and gauges?

It’s particularly interesting to me because I really like flatwounds and p-basses, but never though it could work down there.
I use extremely low tunings for my trailer composing and production needs, but until now I primarily used my stringray with roundwounds and crazy gauges like 0.145 and 0.160, which works well but obviously MM humbuckers provide a completely different sound esthetic.

What’s your thought process here? Just some heavy d’addario chromes singles? They go up to 0.132 which would work for B but not lower I suppose.

Or you simply don’t give a crap as this whole droney, distorted and detuned style of yours with lots of noises and bends works fine with lighter gauges?

Looking forward to anything you’d be willing to share!

Thanks

Dmitry

Hi Dmitry,
No real approach, except that I like heavy gauges on lower tunings if the bass is always down there. Normally though I just drop one or two strings to suit and if I'm just using regular .50 - .110 or something I just use a light touch so I don't bend things sharp. It works just fine with more standard gauges - just have to be more careful. I actually like the fact that more standard gauges just start sounding more weird the lower you tune them...less fundamental, more harmonics.

 

[Massan]

I actually like the fact that more standard gauges just start sounding more weird the lower you tune them...less fundamental, more harmonics.

I find that to be true with higher gauges aswell. Its all about the harmonics in those tunings - so distortion always works great filling out the spectrum to the point of almost acting as an octaver.

Thanks. I’ll try the .132 d’addario flats then!
Btw, have you found any use for flats on MM style basses?