set up questions

[mynan]

B E A D
_ E A D G

Going to B E A D just means you are losing your G-string and adding a B-string. Because the B string is tuned lower than the E-string, you would move your E, A, and D strings one space so that your E-string is the second string instead of the first.

Here is a link to a fretboard chart.
Guitar Fret Board: 5-string bass | web.forret.com
Your bass tuned to standard E A D G looks just like this, but without the B-string. If you bought a 5-string set of strings and set it up for B E A D tuning, it would look just like this, but without the G-string.

 

[IvanHardy]

B E A D
_ E A D G

Going to B E A D just means you are losing your G-string and adding a B-string. Because the B string is tuned lower than the E-string, you would move your E, A, and D strings one space so that your E-string is the second string instead of the first.

Here is a link to a fretboard chart.
Guitar Fret Board: 5-string bass | web.forret.com
Your bass tuned to standard E A D G looks just like this, but without the B-string. If you bought a 5-string set of strings and set it up for B E A D tuning, it would look just like this, but without the G-string.

yeah so meaning i would never be able to use a G string on that bass then right?tough decision here for me.

 

[Aussie Mark]

yeah so meaning i would never be able to use a G string on that bass then right?tough decision here for me.

I don't play 5 stringers, but it seems that for these drop-stuff metal tunes it's the best way forward for you.

 

[maddog]

i put Power Slinkys on them for when my damn guitards write in Drop C.

I'm sensing you might not be in the right band for you.

 

[cellkirk74]

yeah so meaning i would never be able to use a G string on that bass then right?tough decision here for me.

I do believe there will be no need for a G-string in most of your songs. Most of the notes are still there in the higher frets of your d-string.

I know a lot of people who changed to BEAD exactly for your reason and are perfectly happy with it. Best thing is you do not mess up your technique with that downtuning stuff. It may be helpful for the guitar guys that play chords, but is more or less useless for bassplayers(IMHO).

 

[cheezewiz]

wow it comes down to that? i don't know my frets like that unfortunately. hell at least it looks better than playing opens. C people are so lazy. if i had that set it wouldn't be a good idea to tune to standard or Drop D ever right?

This makes my gonads ache.

 

[IvanHardy]

well i'm still considering it. Yesterday i tried out Drop C# tuning and i liked it. funny how i like C# but i not C because i find it too heavy sounding. we're not a metal band though, we're sorta like post-hardcore with alternative and such. everyone in the band brings their own style into the band. i' very heavily influenced by punk and was taught how to play bass in a punk style. one of the guitarrists learned in drop C playing to his favorite band ADTR. etc...anyways i'm considering C# as i like the sound. japanese rock can be very influential.

I'm concerned on BEAD because every video i've seen of that tuning sounds very heavy and it's not the sound im in too. guess i can blame my love for punk and pop punk.

 

[mynan]

I'm concerned on BEAD because every video i've seen of that tuning sounds very heavy and it's not the sound im in too. guess i can blame my love for punk and pop punk.

IMO, on a bass it's the notes you play and not the tuning that affects your sound...unless you do a lot of chording, maybe. The tuning just allows you to play the notes that you choose and affects where they are on the fretboard.

Also, if you used the 4 lowest strings from a 5-string set (BEAD), you could tune to C (only one half-step up). You would have better string tension than trying to tune a 4-string set (EADG) down to C.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I do believe there will be no need for a G-string in most of your songs.

The cookie monster vocalist is going to drown out that weak G-string anyway.

 

[five7]

I think C# E A G would be a good tuning for your band's style.

 

[IvanHardy]

Lol to the cookie monster. so far we have stayed in the Drop D range. i already made it clear to him lowest i'd go is C#. Will keep update though of any changes. and some treble could always cut through his cookie monster vocals right lol

 

[Rick Auricchio]

You know, you don't HAVE to play an octave down. Get the damn guitarist to cut his bottom end, and you can play your C where it always is on a 4-string. It's already an octave below the guitar.

If you end up doubling the guitarist's part on the same note, then fix your musical arrangements so you aren't doing that any more.

It's supposed to be an ensemble. Otherwise, just tell the guitarist to get an octave pedal and you can join a real band.

 

[IvanHardy]

You know, you don't HAVE to play an octave down. Get the damn guitarist to cut his bottom end, and you can play your C where it always is on a 4-string. It's already an octave below the guitar.

If you end up doubling the guitarist's part on the same note, then fix your musical arrangements so you aren't doing that any more.

It's supposed to be an ensemble. Otherwise, just tell the guitarist to get an octave pedal and you can join a real band.

sadly i don't know about octaves or anything like that. but what i think you're saying is just stay tuned how i normally would and play the fret that would be C. is this correct?

 

[kevins]

pretty much, first fret is gonna be c in BEAD tuning. in a musical theory sense though, technically you can play in EADG with someone playing in drop c. you may for a lot of times sound like one of thems bassists that play high up on the fretboard but hey, if everyones bringing their own sound why the heck not do it?

 

[cellkirk74]

If you have a good sound you will be fine with the standard tuning in 99% of anything you play. The deep droptunings on the bass eat up headroom on your amp and will not even give your band an overall better sound, because you really can not hear anything below 60 Hz.

The human ear is limited. When you think you hear very deep tones, it is your brain making up the lowend from the overtones as a logical process in your mind. You can feel the pressure, but not really hear a drop C.

 

[MadMatt]

If you have a good sound you will be fine with the standard tuning in 99% of anything you play. The deep droptunings on the bass eat up headroom on your amp and will not even give your band an overall better sound, because you really can not hear anything below 60 Hz.

The human ear is limited. When you think you hear very deep tones, it is your brain making up the lowend from the overtones as a logical process in your mind. You can feel the pressure, but not really hear a drop C.

+1

I've noticed on songs where the cord progression moves from E to C, the low E on the bass will often sound higher than a C following it.

 

[kevins]

If you have a good sound you will be fine with the standard tuning in 99% of anything you play. The deep droptunings on the bass eat up headroom on your amp and will not even give your band an overall better sound, because you really can not hear anything below 60 Hz.

The human ear is limited. When you think you hear very deep tones, it is your brain making up the lowend from the overtones as a logical process in your mind. You can feel the pressure, but not really hear a drop C.

+1 there is a reason everyone makes fun of fieldy. everyone in Korn has tuned to drop A which ends up taking up all his sonic range, leaving all thats heard of his bassline as "clicks" and fretnoise heard from slapping. besides drop tuning just sounds wonky on a bass, its made for guitarists to play powerchords and unless you're playing chords on your bass it has no real application for a bass player.

remember this, just because the guitar is tuned to drop c doesnt mean you have to. for example in bands before guitars were main streamed the bass was always tuned to EADG. in the early jazz era the banjo was actually the lead stringed instrument in most cases. the bassist didnt tune his bass to open G which would be GDGBD he left it at EADG. a lot of people think that the bass is actually tuned to the same thing as a guitar, this actually couldnt be further from the truth. the guitar when in its six string form is EADGBE the bass when in its six string form is BEADGC. so simply tell them that you dont have to do drop tunings to go along with them or play in a band with them because simply, the bass is not there to mimic the guitar or to play the "bass notes" of the guitar line because frankly it may look similar to the guitar in its electric form but its actually built to mimic the frequencies and sounds from a six foot tall instrument that may or may not actually predate the existance of a guitar.

 

[IvanHardy]

+1 there is a reason everyone makes fun of fieldy. everyone in Korn has tuned to drop A which ends up taking up all his sonic range, leaving all thats heard of his bassline as "clicks" and fretnoise heard from slapping. besides drop tuning just sounds wonky on a bass, its made for guitarists to play powerchords and unless you're playing chords on your bass it has no real application for a bass player.

remember this, just because the guitar is tuned to drop c doesnt mean you have to. for example in bands before guitars were main streamed the bass was always tuned to EADG. in the early jazz era the banjo was actually the lead stringed instrument in most cases. the bassist didnt tune his bass to open G which would be GDGBD he left it at EADG. a lot of people think that the bass is actually tuned to the same thing as a guitar, this actually couldnt be further from the truth. the guitar when in its six string form is EADGBE the bass when in its six string form is BEADGC. so simply tell them that you dont have to do drop tunings to go along with them or play in a band with them because simply, the bass is not there to mimic the guitar or to play the "bass notes" of the guitar line because frankly it may look similar to the guitar in its electric form but its actually built to mimic the frequencies and sounds from a six foot tall instrument that may or may not actually predate the existance of a guitar.

wow thank you so much for the in-depth explanation. i'll definately show people in my band this if they ever say i have to tune to C. i'll probably never toune lower than Drop D now after reading this. i'll admit i do like how C# sounds after seeing one of my favortie bass players toshiya from the japanese band Dir En Grey. it'll take some getting used to to playing to drop C in stnadard and Drop D but i can manage. plus i'm gonna work on learning my fretoard. I think that would greatly help me. i don't have that long playing bass. i'll hit a year in july. My friend who taught me to play bass in my first month told me that bass was just there to make the band look good. He's the singer to his own band and he loves bass he says. so i always thought i was just there to mimic on the fretboard. this has rid me of that thought. again thank you.

 

[five7]

i don't have that long playing bass. i'll hit a year in july. My friend who taught me to play bass in my first month told me that bass was just there to make the band look good. He's the singer to his own band and he loves bass he says.

Looking good! Must be talkin about sitonmybass.

 

[IvanHardy]

Looking good! Must be talkin about sitonmybass.

no of course not. my friend is the singer to his band 5 Cases of a tragedy. i have a question though. why does every other band then all tune the same? like A Day To Remember and Silverstein. i saw them saturday at a concert in the nokia theater and i love silverstein. every band i've heard all tune the same.