Gear for downpitching in order to simulate downtuning ?

[Caerwen]

Hello there. 

 

After a long break from the bass (and music as a whole) I've picked up the bass again recently.

 

However I've been having a hard time getting motivated to play and re-learn the bass. I am finding myself limited by the whole tuning aspect of it. 

 

I am mostly into the harder stuff, namely metal, and most (if not all) of the tunes I want to learn how to play require downtuning. But they don't all use the same tunings, so it gets tricky. Even very often the same band will use different tunings for different albums and even songs. 

 

I've looked into the Digitech Drop, which to my understanding would allow me to downpitch from, let's say, a standard EADG to anything from a whole step down to a full octave. 

 

Would that be my only alternative to having to potentially get a 5 string bass, or just change to a thicker gage in my current 4 string one, filing the nut, etc ? 

Also, does the Zoom B1 four offer a similar function via one of its simulated pedals ?

[tauzero]

There are many multifx units which allow downshifting - I would assume the Zoom B1 does as the B2, B3, B3n, and B6 all do, as well as the MS-60B. You'd need to see if the sound is OK for you. A bass tuned to a lower pitch (either a 5-string or a BEAD 4-string) might meet your needs but it would depend on whether there's much use of open strings, and if so, whether you'd want to use a capo if the open strings aren't the right ones.

[Muzz]

I've just got (another) new band on the go, and a dozen or more songs in the set are played in different keys to the original (mostly different keys from each other, too). Because I play many of the same songs in the original (or even differently-shifted) key (e.g. one band tunes to Eb for everything, another in concert), I use my Stomp as a pitch shifter, and it works brilliantly - I have all my main tones (half a dozen or so) in every combination, so I use the presets in Eb for one band, and I've also got specific songs in the different keys for this new band.

 

Sounds complicated, but it's not, really - HX Edit means you can do it on a PC (drag and drop, etc) and it updates the pedal.

 

The pitch shifting on the Stomp is very good, I haven't caught it warbling or hunting yet, even with big shifts...

[greentext]

What tuning are you starting in and wanting to get to? 

[fretmeister]

The drop is a good guitar pedal but after dropping a tone or so on bass it can get muddy with aggressive playing styles like metal. It’s more accurate with gentle playing styles. 

 

There is no really good alternative to actually tuning your bass lower. Don’t forget you can still use a 4 but tune it BEAD if you find that easier.

 

Don’t bother retuning for different songs, just set the bass up properly for the lowest tuning you need and then learn the songs from that position. It’s much easier to have a spare bass that way too. Taking 3 differently tuned basses to a gig is  a hassle for playing the Dog n Duck! 

[greentext]

7 hours ago, fretmeister said:

The drop is a good guitar pedal but after dropping a tone or so on bass

This was the point I was going to make, you can get away with it more on guitar but on bass it really does muddy up fast, a tone down is the LIMIT id say from experience. 

 

I also used it in a metal context and its just a bittttt saggy (cant think of a better word then that right now) for me. Guitar players defo have the edge on that tech at the moment but just my two cents, hope it works out!