bass guitar tuning D A D G vs D G C F

for · 06-02-2021, 12:28 AM

bass guitar tuning D A D G vs D G C F

i see some songs use one and some others

when would you use each one?

zeekat · 06-02-2021, 02:58 AM

This is respectively a drop D tuning and a standard full step down. My advanced musical knowledge tells me you use those when you need em. Drop tuning makes playing power chords one fingered on guitar possible, and you tune the bass the same to make things easier (esp if you're a guitarist forced to also record the bass parts). Standard full step down is for the situation when you want to play standard stuff. Full step down.

Down tuning is good for metal. And people with deep voices. And metal people with deep voices.

serr · 06-02-2021, 06:58 AM

Already well said by zeekat.

Drop your low string to give you access to some lower notes while keeping all the notes on all the other strings where you remember them.

Drop the whole thing to keep scale patterns across strings relative.

Us guitar players you know. We learn tricks in E A D G & B. The other keys are +1 or -1 fret.

The stupid asinine complexity of a lot of music theory is a workaround for that awkward instrument designed only for the key of C. It's just intervals otherwise. (Remind your keyboard playing friends of this. They always find it interesting to hear!)

Beat Machine · 06-09-2021, 10:33 AM

serr

you dont need notes on the piano; just play all the black keys...
or conversely ,...all the white ones

serr · 06-09-2021, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beat Machine

serr

you dont need notes on the piano; just play all the black keys...
or conversely ,...all the white ones

Well, that would be about my speed on the piano! See the problem with that instrument? You can really only play in C or it gets stupid. Guitar lets you change keys intuitively.

Geoff Waddington · 06-10-2021, 03:41 AM

Yeah, but try to voice lead on a guitar, compared to a piano

I'm a bass player, you can drop the E to a D without much problem, but if you tune the whole thing down a tone, it will get sloppy to play, mucky sound-wise, and likely won't record well -- that said, if you are looking for a certain effect, sure, go for it

shanabit · 06-10-2021, 05:05 AM

I like the idea of running bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set
and cutting the nut for those to fit.

I think this is the best bass option. I dont know why they dont sell
them that way. You get down to a low B and dont lose much on the high end
which most dont use anyway

zeekat · 06-10-2021, 09:50 AM

I see no downsides to using a 5 string. It's like four string, just with an additional convenient thumb rest and an option to go even deeper (more bass in bass, what's not to like). Necks are slightly wider but there's tiny women with tiny hands playing those, so if you complain - git gud

Beat Machine · 06-11-2021, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanabit

I like the idea of running bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set
and cutting the nut for those to fit.
... You get down to a low B and dont lose much on the high end
which most dont use anyway

i guess that will be my next buy
,... or a carbon body upright

I play a 24 fret 5 sting through a 16' speaker with an accoustic head

err,..
you cant just tune down a bass, you get serious intonation issues
...playing spagetti strings

zeekat · 06-11-2021, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beat Machine

err you cant just tune down a bass, you get serious intonation issues
...playing spagetti strings

You can, the exact bit you quoted says how - use 4 bottom strings from a 5 set. Buncha Swedish metal bands doing that for an example. Tried personally too and it worked (.135 as B) but you also need a 4 string bass with a compatible bridge (not all of them will accomodate bigger strings unmodded).

Bazzbass · 06-16-2021, 10:42 PM

sometimes you learn a tricky bassline in one key, but the singer can't sing in that key and you need to transpose it. It may be easier to keep the existing bassline's pattern and just change the tuning.
Or sometimes a song needs a low D from the bass,so you drop the E to a D.
lots of reasons

vdubreeze · 06-17-2021, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanabit

I like the idea of running bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set
and cutting the nut for those to fit.

I think this is the best bass option. I dont know why they dont sell
them that way. You get down to a low B and dont lose much on the high end
which most dont use anyway

That's what I do. I keep one bass around set up BEAD. I just don't get along with 5 string basses

ivansc · 06-17-2021, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanabit

I like the idea of running bottom 4 strings of a 5 string set
and cutting the nut for those to fit.

I think this is the best bass option. I dont know why they dont sell
them that way. You get down to a low B and dont lose much on the high end
which most dont use anyway

Ancient history, but Fender`s first five string basses were offered from the factory with either a high C or a low B as the "extra" string.

Glennbo · 06-17-2021, 05:54 PM

I used to play my 5-String OLP Stingray almost exclusively because I liked having the low B, but then I traded a bunch of old gear for a sooper cheep Ibanez Talman 4-String bass. The Talman is so fun to play I have all but forgotten I used to always have a low B at my disposal.

If I write something in a key that needs bass below open E, I'll use the 5-String, but for everything else, I'm totally comfortable playing traditional 4-string tuning.