Using a electronic tuner to drop D?

[Rich44]

I've always struggled getting my bass to drop D and back again, but most the songs I want to learn seem to be in it. I have tried tuning by ear but I'm pretty tone deaf and I can never get it to sound right.

I think my problem is I don't really understand fully the concept of drop D. I'm "guessing" its a D thats an octave lower than the regular D string (i'm wrong aren't I ), but how would this be represented on a guitar tuner? My tuner has opetion for flat tuning and sharp tuning, are these relevant? And also, how do you get back from drop D to a normal E?

Cheers.

[oldmanrock]

If you're in standard tuning then just tune the E string down to D. To get back - just retune to E!

[GonzoBass]

Just take it one step at a time.

[TheDisparities]

most tuners dont tune to drop D. the way i change is to see when the E string and D string sound the same note. If you cant hear that, then get shopping around for one that does. As I said, there aren't many :S

[Eight]

Easiest way for me (electronic devices excluded, and not that I go to drop-d often coz i hate drop tunings) is to tune everything as normal. Then loosen the E until the sounded note on the 7th fret makes the A (matching the open A on the next string) instead of the usual 5th fret.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Eight

[Ajrt]

I'm guessing you can tune by harmonics. You can use the 12th fret of what is normally the e string and the 12th fret of the d. Play the harmonic on both strings. You will hear fast oscillations. Flatten the e string till the vibrations slow. When you reach the right pitch they should totally stop and you have one continuous hum. To tune back play the harmonics on the fifth of the lowest string and the seventh of the a and tune up till the oscillations stop. Hope that makes sense.

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='Rich44' post='814071' date='Apr 21 2010, 06:49 PM']I've always struggled getting my bass to drop D and back again, but most the songs I want to learn seem to be in it. I have tried tuning by ear but I'm pretty tone deaf and I can never get it to sound right.

I think my problem is I don't really understand fully the concept of drop D. I'm "guessing" its a D thats an octave lower than the regular D string (i'm wrong aren't I ), but how would this be represented on a guitar tuner? My tuner has opetion for flat tuning and sharp tuning, are these relevant? And also, how do you get back from drop D to a normal E?

Cheers.[/quote]

What sort of tuner are you using....

1) Drop D means detune your E string (make it slacker) by one tone (lower). That is it is one octave lower than the (usual) D string.

2) If you have a decent chromatic tuner then it's a non-issue (e.g. Boss, Korg etc). If you don't, then buy one. Some tuners don't like notes that low so fret at the 12th and tune to the D an octave up (assuming your intonation is in good nick). Any tuner is going to have a D on it!

Edited April 21, 2010 by thepurpleblob

[whimsy23]

Play the 5th fret on your A string, play E string and detune it to match... it's the quickest way without a tuner and you'll learn how to do it by ear this way as well.

[Doddy]

I wouldn't worry about the flat and sharp options on your tuner.
If you are using a chromatic tuner,then it is simply a matter of dropping the E string a tone so that the tuner reads
a D-it's no big deal.
If you've got one of those tuners that only tells you the note if you are in the vicinity of the standard open string,
try playing the harmonic at the octave (12th fret). Then you are basically tuning to the same pitch as the open
D string.

...And Yes,dropping the E string down to D makes it an octave lower than the open D string

[bassfunk]

Just to add my bit:

I used to have a tuner that only showed the main notes of the strings, but it had a flat button. If I pressed the flat button twice it would give me two flats so it looked like I was tuning to Ebb (double flat), which is actually D! so if your tuner has that option you might be ok.

Just as a side. I trained my ear to recognize the difference by tuning down by ear and then testing it with a tuner. Keep trying and eventually you'll get the hang of it.

[Guest leebass69]

[quote name='Rich44' post='814071' date='Apr 21 2010, 06:49 PM']I've always struggled getting my bass to drop D and back again, but most the songs I want to learn seem to be in it. I have tried tuning by ear but I'm pretty tone deaf and I can never get it to sound right.

I think my problem is I don't really understand fully the concept of drop D. I'm "guessing" its a D thats an octave lower than the regular D string (i'm wrong aren't I ), but how would this be represented on a guitar tuner? My tuner has opetion for flat tuning and sharp tuning, are these relevant? And also, how do you get back from drop D to a normal E?

Cheers.[/quote]

Or...you could fit a Hipshot D tuner-you flick a small lever where your thumb sits and ta-da..a drop D

I did spend a little bit of time adjusting the little thumb screw so you get a perfect D, once that's done you're all set.

Hope this helps fella..