Evil Undead Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Disclaimer - I mean no disrespect to anyone that uses alternate tunings, just want to vent my frustration is all. Quite often I'll hear a song I like and pick up my bass to play along, then I realise it's not in standard tuning. Grrr. I only have one bass, and I can't tune down to drop C or D standard or whatever as there's no room in my ridiculously low action for downtuning. It's so frustrating. I really wish I had a second bass, but even if I did, I wouldn't know what to tune it to or what string gauges to use as there are so many tunings in common use these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I won't have anything to do with non-standard tunings. Many of the numbers we play are recorded -1 semitone, but it's such a massive PITA live that we keep to standard tuning, play the correct fingering, but at +1 semitone. Thus avoiding the time-wasting and inconvenience of re-tuning between numbers at gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I cheat... We play "Another Brick in the Wall" in the band.... I'm not tuning down to D for ONE note! Sod it, I just play the higher D, and I do have a spare bass I could use. You could always buy a 5 string as a second bass, you'd have your low C & D then with a bonus B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Just drop the E to D, no need to retune the whole bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1344093411' post='1759733'] I won't have anything to do with non-standard tunings. Many of the numbers we play are recorded -1 semitone, but it's such a massive PITA live that we keep to standard tuning, play the correct fingering, but at +1 semitone. Thus avoiding the time-wasting and inconvenience of re-tuning between numbers at gigs. [/quote] I won't normally either. I'm a big fan of standard. But the drop tunings are so common in rock and metal these days that I feel like I'm really missing out on not playing some awesome songs because I don't tune down. [quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1344093496' post='1759734'] I cheat... We play "Another Brick in the Wall" in the band.... I'm not tuning down to D for ONE note! Sod it, I just play the higher D, and I do have a spare bass I could use. You could always buy a 5 string as a second bass, you'd have your low C & D then with a bonus B [/quote] I play that song the same way thinking about a D-tuner but I wouldn't use it often enough. I tried the 5 string thing, and whilst I liked it, I prefer 4 string Fenders and don't have the patience or skill to swap between 4 and 5 all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1344093604' post='1759736'] Just drop the E to D, no need to retune the whole bass. [/quote] A lot of the stuff I want to play is in drop C or C standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I agree. I love drop tunings but due to owning only one bass, changing tunings is really not a possibility (except drop D or D Standard, I can just get away with them). It's really annoying because a band that I'm wishing to play in (just need to all find time to get together) plays in Drop A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 I'm saving for a second Precision but it's gonna take a long time before I have enough money to buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1344093706' post='1759739'] A lot of the stuff I want to play is in drop C or C standard. [/quote] The hassle/enjoyment ratio is skewed far too much toward the hassle end for me to even think about bothering with drop tunings - I personally think they sound bloody awful anyway. If I can't do it with a standard tuned four or five string then I don't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1344094124' post='1759748'] The hassle/enjoyment ratio is skewed far too much toward the hassle end for me to even think about bothering with drop tunings - I personally think they sound bloody awful anyway. If I can't do it with a standard tuned four or five string then I don't bother.[/quote] This - and the fact that my Lakland flats don't like it anyway, they flop around like washing lines. I tried some Chromes to see if the higher tension would allow it (it does), but they feel and sound far too much like rounds for my liking. They're hard work compared to the Laklands. IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Low B on a 5 is a low as would go anything less just sounds terrible to me I can just about remember where the notes are now once you start throwing DADGAD and all that stuff at me I would be in a right mess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 this is the main reason I stopped playing metal, I can't be dealing with anything lower than drop D. I still enjoying playing some metal that isn't in silly tunings, and am currently learning Hangar 18 by Megadeth, (and damn the bassline under the solos is hard, lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Used to frustrate me when I only used expensive guitars. I have recently found a bass that I bought purely because I love the sound which coincidentally was only £130. It sounded so good that at the first available oportunity I bought a 2nd as a spare (well at just £130 why not?) and now have that a semitone down so I can easily play along to bands that are -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 (edited) [quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1344097504' post='1759801'] ...I can easily play along to bands that are -1[/quote] So can I - by loading mp3s into my DAW and time stretching them +1 semitone. Edited August 4, 2012 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1344098196' post='1759812'] So can I - by loading mp3s into my DAW and time stretching them +1 semitone. [/quote] Yeah I'm more neanderthal in my approach - tech scares me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 What, people still play in standard tuning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 (edited) I know where you're coming from Mel. I hate it! (ironic I know!) My basses are set up so precisely, with a very low action, that even dropping a semi tone ruins the set up. Worst was at a point when I played in three bands weekly. One regular tuned, one a semi tone flat, one right down to D. With some songs in each requiring the low 'E' tuned a further tone lower via hip shot. This Totally did my head in. And set up's. And probably necks! I hate the way it affects the tone too. Since moving to Cheltenham and playing with a range of folks and open mics etc I've found the majority of people out and about seem to tune down a semitone, mainly for vocals/acoustic guitar action. So I now factor in a bit of wiggle room for semi tone detuning in my set ups, and on one bass enough wiggle room for a whole tone. This makes it a sod to play at standard pitch tho :-/ I play almost entirely back over the bridge pickup with fingers and a lighter touch. 'Jaco style' i guess. This allows for a low action with less string excursion and rattle than playing further toward the neck and/or with a pick where the strings will move about more. If you have a crack at it (tough on a p bass as no pickup to rest the thumb on) you'll find the extra tension back there makes it punchier and less affected by the lower tension of being drop tuned. Helps the tone a touch too. Might not suit everyone's playing style though. The irony? As Mel knows, last year for the first time in my life I ended up playing guitar and vocals in a band. Turns out my voice, while sounding all squeaky like Brian Molko, is best suited to a band tuned to D. Boy, was I sheepish when after slagging it off for years I had to ask the bassist to detune to accommodate my vocal range. Gutted! :-) In conversation about notes though I still refer to the note 'position' rather than the actual note if you get me, so third fret on the E would still be called 'G'. Just for speed and simplicity in rehearsals. Can't wait to get back on the bass tbh. Hate being the guitard/singist Edited August 4, 2012 by gafbass02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I have two main Basses. One is a 4 string tuned half a step down and the second is a 5 string tuned to standard. This set-up currently covers most of what I need and is fairly versatile. I think if it were to be something I would use a lot I could fit a detuner to the 5 string on the E string for drop D tunings and maybe one on the B string to drop to C. I'd get masses of versatility out of just the two Basses then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Either get a 5 string or play the octave higher. If you play with brass & Woodwind then expect lots of songs to be in Eb and Bb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='Thurbs' timestamp='1344107027' post='1759972'] Either get a 5 string or play the octave higher. If you play with brass & Woodwind then expect lots of songs to be in Eb and Bb. [/quote] Don't want to do either and I don't play with brass or woodwind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 [quote name='Thurbs' timestamp='1344107027' post='1759972'] If you play with brass & Woodwind then expect lots of songs to be in Eb and Bb. [/quote] Not really a problem with most Death Metal to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 My band used to play in E Standard, Drop D, D Standard and Drop C. Our guitarist just used all of those tunings, our singer was permanently in D standard or Drop C and used a capo to take it up to E and Drop D, and i just went out and got a 5 string. I was sick of the hassle of re-tuning all the time. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Funny thing is I just used to detune a six string half the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I have a bass in standard, a bass one semitone down, and a bass two semitones down! That about covers everything except C standard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 - "Dammit, now I gotta buy yet another bass!" - ... - "No, love, there's no time inbetween songs, see?" - ... - "Yeah, I know! Real pain in the ass, but I need the gig, so I need the bass." - ... - "Honey, we've gone that road before. It's different strings and different set ups for different styles, and now these assholes absolutely want us to play these metal songs that none of my other basses will do for." - ... - "This is work. Your shoes are hobby. ... Hon? ... Hon? ... Honey! Come back!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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