Lowest of the low?

[Mark_Bass]

Hi everyone!
I've been contacted by a couple of bands recently enquiring about recording some tracks for them. Both bands are playing in some really low timings for instance : F A♯ D♯ G♯ C♯ F A♯ D♯ on a 8-string guitar.
I play a 5-string and the lowest I've gone before is dropping by B-string to drop A.
So how's the best way to approach this to ensure my bass is playable?
It's all really heavy stuff that Is aptly named "sludge metal"
If this becomes a regular thing should consider looking for some form of extended range bass or something?

[chriswareham]

Circle K strings (http://www.circlekstrings.com/) are probably your best bet to get that low. I play a four string in drop A♯, for which I use the heaviest four strings from a five string set. That works OK, but I could do with a bit more tension in the detuned B string, which is exactly what the Circle K strings are intended for as they provide an even tension across all the strings.

[gjones]

You should get an octaver.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1387149746' post='2308859']
You should get an octaver.
[/quote]

That goes 2 octaves up so you can play what the wannabe bassists are leaving out.

[CamdenRob]

Played in a few bands that tuned this low back when I was about 14. I ended up tuning normally and just playing in the same octave as the guitars, as they were an indistinguishable mess anyway tuned this low, the bass was the only audible part of the music... still sounded sh*t though.

[charic]

Or a roland midi system

Seriously though I would tune to A# and play from there

[BigRedX]

Tune normally and play some melodies.

[Dave_the_bass]

In all fairness; a standard E is 31(ish)hz. An octave down is 15.5(ish)hz. Human hearing starts at 20hz. All you would be hearing are overtones so you may as well leave the bass tuned standard.

[geoffbyrne]

How many rigs can deliver that anyway?

G.

[dannybuoy]

Warwick do a set down to .175 aptly named 'Dark Lord'. They're not cheap though!

[Skol303]

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1387201731' post='2309235']
In all fairness; a standard E is 31(ish)hz. An octave down is 15.5(ish)hz. Human hearing starts at 20hz. All you would be hearing are overtones so you may as well leave the bass tuned standard.
[/quote]

Actually E is about 41Hz and B is around 30Hz... but aside from me being pedantic you're absolutely right! In this situation it'd be best to stick with standard tuning, otherwise it's going to sound like total sludge

[BigRedX]

If you are really going to go with super-low tunings then you need a Knuckle Quake 39½" scale bass. Designed to be tuned down 1 octave from a standard 4-string bass.

[Dave_the_bass]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1387203253' post='2309257']


Actually E is about 41Hz and B is around 30Hz... but aside from me being pedantic you're absolutely right! In this situation it'd be best to stick with standard tuning, otherwise it's going to sound like total sludge
[/quote]

I too am a pedant; and this is the best kind of pedantry, technically accurate. I doth my cap to you good sir

We both agree that trying to play bass in the vicinity of sub sonic frequencies is going to sound(?) awful!

I have seen specialist speaker cabs that are designed to operate down 1hz, but, apart from having fun with an audience/brown note experiment, they very expensive with no point!

[Salt on your Bass?]

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1387213436' post='2309476']

We both agree that trying to play bass in the vicinity of sub sonic frequencies is going to sound(?) awful!
[/quote]

I guess that's because you'll go out of time with the rest of the band - what with the note moving faster than sound.....

[HowieBass]

Get one of those plate compactors they use for road repairs for all the really low notes?

[Bolo]

I drop B to A on my SR5 using DR's DDT strings .135
The 4x12 hardly drops dbs until 20hz, and gives me plenty fundamental to work with

Edited December 16, 2013 by Bolo

[Dread Bass]

I tune my seven string bass EBEAGGC. and my fretless GCGCFA#. Lots of people who have never tried it will tell you it won't work. I disagree, but there you go.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Dread Bass

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1387213436' post='2309476']
I too am a pedant; and this is the best kind of pedantry, technically accurate. I doth my cap to you good sir
[/quote]
That would be [b]doff[/b] your cap... [/pedantry]

[Mark_Bass]

Thanks guys, especially for the string suggestions.

Id forgotten about the DR DDT line, as this is (as far as i can tell) a temporary thing I'm gonna try some roughish recording and see how it goes, i don't think theres any intention at this point to play live.
Ive dropped to A before on my B string and thats as floppy as i've ever intended to go which was far more successful on my ibanez than my warwick.

I'll have a tinker and see what results i get :-)