christhammer666 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 ill keep this as short as possible.......... so joined a band few months ago just as singer left,all songs are in drop c so C.G.C.F had a few rehearsals everything is really tight,then singers start asking about joining the band. the one singer who the guitarist and drummer love at her audition starts saying the songs are to high can we lower the key/tuning ect so since then ive now been told by the guitard that were tuning to Bf,F,Bf,Ef (is this even a recognised tuning) i only have a 4 string so now i gotta re-set up my bass tross rod saddles ,the works even though it might not work out with her what a frigging pain in the backside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 The singer is the star, you have to do what's right for the singer. Who told you music was a nice, easy hassle-free occupation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Nice cheap 5 string in the For Sale section at the moment...cough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Bb! Love the key and if you have ever played with a horn section you will know it well Just to clear my own ignorance, why do you have to de-tune? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushers Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1358441071' post='1939253'] Bb! Love the key and if you have ever played with a horn section you will know it well Just to clear my own ignorance, why do you have to de-tune? [/quote] because the guitarist said so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='mushers' timestamp='1358441448' post='1939265'] because the guitarist said so [/quote] hehe i asked for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 [size=4][quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1358441071' post='1939253'][/size] Bb! Love the key and if you have ever played with a horn section you will know it well Just to clear my own ignorance, why do you have to de-tune? [/quote] I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that with a name like Christhammer666 it's because it's very heavy, and uses a lot of open strings, that are currently downtuned to C. Thus the downtuning thing. Might be wrong, is there a Motown horn Section as well CH666? are you doing showtunes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christhammer666 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 nah no horns in sight lol. a lot of the songs are in c#,d so i suppose they think to satisfy her we have to detune. only thing is some of the songs are quite fast and downtuned to Bf it will just sound like a load of mush as mr vader said theres loads of open strings so will sound like a wall of sh*t. anyway what do i know im still the new guy myopinion if a singer says the songs are still to high when we are tuned down to drop c then their not right for the band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Forget the tuning nonsense for the audition.... only go to that hassle if the singer is going to stay...and it is\working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Does the drummer have to lower the bass drum tuning, too (...and if not, why not..?)..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Drop C is too high for her? Is her name Brian Blessed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christhammer666 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1358445193' post='1939374'] Drop C is too high for her? Is her name Brian Blessed? [/quote] i actually laughed out loud when i read that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1358445193' post='1939374'] Drop C is too high for her? Is her name Brian Blessed? [/quote] That's what I was thinking? A girls voice is 'tuned' higher than a dudes anyway so I find it hard to believe that DROP C is to high for her, unless that is she can't sing. (her head voice, which is the high bit) is a few notes higher than what a guys is so should find it easy to get in range of C#, D) I feel like she should adjust for you guys since she is joining you. Although there is no need to detune further. If all the songs never go lower than C# then just play everything fret lower. It'll be the same as detuning every string down a half step. So no need to do a re-string or a setup. Edited January 17, 2013 by Prime_BASS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='christhammer666' timestamp='1358440328' post='1939227'] .... since then ive now been told by the guitard that were tuning to Bf,F,Bf,Ef ... [/quote] Why are you letting the guitarist tell you how to tune your instrument? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 maybe you could try suggesting reworking the vocals a bit (changing the key) and try tuning up to drop d or drop c sharp. I have only worked with one female vocalist who needed a tuning lower than drop d, and she scared the crap outta me (think angela gossow). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christhammer666 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 @essential tension...its his band so he sorts of calls the shots. but as prime bass says ive argued the toss and said why dont we just drop a fret problem sorted what do i know im only a bass player and apparently we know sod all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christhammer666 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='jackers' timestamp='1358451147' post='1939527'] maybe you could try suggesting reworking the vocals a bit (changing the key) and try tuning up to drop d or drop c sharp. I have only worked with one female vocalist who needed a tuning lower than drop d, and she scared the crap outta me (think angela gossow). [/quote] have suggested all this....ill turn up watch it turn to sh*t and when they admit i was right ill just stand there like a smug twat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 It looks like it is the drop D equivalent of playing in C standard. Plenty of bands have use it without sounding like a complete inaudible mess (though that is open to subjective interpretation). I'm pretty sure that the Red Album by Baroness is in that kind of tuning. Kylesa play or played a lot of stuff in Drop A, as do Mastodon (though its basically D standard with a low A instead of a D). In terms of set up, I'd imagine that for drop C you are using fairly hefty strings (115/120 on the low C) anyway, which would probably 'do' for trying a few songs in drop B flat in order to tell if the singer can sing at all. If the singer works out, then permanently change your set up. Or just transpose a couple of your songs into different keys in the drop C sharp tuning, in order to work out if the singer can sing at all. Or get some light strings and tune up to F standard, so you can play an open A string as the root B flat that I would imagine the guitarist will probably play off a lot of the time. There is nothing inherently wrong with low tunings, though they also don't necessarily make the music any 'heavier' just by being lower. Don't assume that you always have to copy the guitar tuning. Think about how you personally want to approach the music and proceed accordingly. If the other band members aren't giving you that freedom, consider whether it is the right band for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='christhammer666' timestamp='1358451269' post='1939534'] @essential tension...its his band so he sorts of calls the shots. but as prime bass says ive argued the toss and said why dont we just drop a fret problem sorted what do i know im only a bass player and apparently we know sod all [/quote] Precisely, no need for you to droptune even further. IF you drop everything down a fret you'll be playing the same notes as if it were detuned to Bb, only you'll retain tension and definition in notes. if this is whats going to happen, don't detune just play everything a fret down, I doubt they'll notice a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='christhammer666' timestamp='1358451588' post='1939548'] have suggested all this....ill turn up watch it turn to sh*t and when they admit i was right ill just stand there like a smug twat [/quote] I like. Bass players Bible quote Number one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358440543' post='1939233'] The singer is the star, you have to do what's right for the singer. Who told you music was a nice, easy hassle-free occupation? [/quote] This haha I bought two basses for my cover band. One for Eb / Drop C#... The other one's a 5 string in standard, for when the guitarists play in Drop B Edited January 17, 2013 by chrismuzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 If we did everything geetarists tell us we would end as daft as them. 4 strings and get out the low down slush. Go for melodic lines and get out of the chuggin zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358440543' post='1939233'] The singer is the star, you have to do what's right for the singer. ................ [/quote] But they can take a hike if they come across like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1358516505' post='1940633'] But they can take a hike if they come across like that... [/quote] It all depends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Why not just transpose all the songs into different keys and re learn them, the old fashioned way. It may be unpopular but isn't that part of what musicianship is about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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