Tip of the day - drop D!

[SpaceChick]

I sold my 5 string as I didn't get on with it with my small girl hands. Drop tuning to D on the other hand is a quick joy!

[julietgreen]

I had a look at detuners, but decided it probably wasn't worth it, since we have to drop to D and Eb and C for different numbers. Meanwhile I'll be waiting for the guitarist.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1406573555' post='2512631']
I sold my 5 string as I didn't get on with it with my small girl hands. Drop tuning to D on the other hand is a quick joy!
[/quote]
Prepare for a lesbian crush and an example of small hands on a chunkier neck than the chunkiest five string then
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xbHWp1KfSE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xbHWp1KfSE[/url]

[BigRedX]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1406565958' post='2512511']
I will play devils advocate and go against my own earlier post and say that in some cases, mainly the ones discussed in this thread part of the point is the timbre of the flappy E string, your idea of the bass playing as it should when tuned to D by the use of a different gauge string would defeat the object of the whole sound some people are going for, these songs were and are still being written on a detuned E string rather than a state of the art bass strung specially for two numbers at a gig requiring multiple basses to be taken too, would you 4 string pioneers agree with that?
[/quote]

Maybe it's my playing style or the fact that I came to the 5-string bass after years of playing synth where the lower notes can have some serious heft to them while maintaining their definition that I find the whole notion of wanting a flappy strings pretty alien.

In my synth playing days I would spend a lot of time programming my bass sounds so that there was still plenty of note clarity whatever the pitch and when I came back to playing the bass I wanted to achieve the same, so I'm very particular about the construction of both my basses and the strings I use with them so that I can get a decent sound from all the notes.

Added to that the fact that when I started playing bass, my first bass was (with the standard short scale strings available in the late 70s) incapable of producing a decent sound from the E string so I simply didn't use it, and none on my bass parts went lower than A. Maybe now you can see where I'm coming from regarding string gauges?

[stingrayPete1977]

Yep I totally get you and like I said im contradicting myself too as a five string player rather than drop tuning, but I can also see/hear when the flappy E sounds killer, queens of the stone age as mentioned earlier for example.

[thebassman]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1406580844' post='2512784']
Yep I totally get you and like I said im contradicting myself too as a five string player rather than drop tuning, but I can also see/hear when the flappy E sounds killer, queens of the stone age as mentioned earlier for example.
[/quote]
Must admit Pete I've never tried to play it on a drop C 4 string. I will give it a go. I play qotsa, no one knows on the B string 1st fret and octave on the A string. It sounds pretty epic. It's the only song I ever get a cheer for playing :-).
Cheers
Thebassman

Edited July 28, 2014 by thebassman

[FlatEric]

Wow! Only been gone a day - lots of content.

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1406536024' post='2512122']
I've got a five string too. Try playing Velvet Revolver's Slither on a five string
[/quote]

Ironically, that was the number!!!!

Then a random number was picked and once started it took me 3 or 4 bars to
twig what the matter was.

I can see from the posts that I'm not the only one!!!



[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1406538430' post='2512162']
I've never understood the need to retune to match what the guitarist is doing. I use a 5-string tuned as normal and even when we had a guitarist who played exclusively in drop D I kept my standard tuning. It makes the interplay between what the guitar and bass are doing far more interesting is they aren't simply aping each other.



With my guitarist's hat on I only ever use drop D to make playing chord patterns with 6ths and 7ths in them easier - less finger stretching for smaller hands.
[/quote]

Hi.

I can play anything with even numbers. . . . . . 6 and 12 guitar, 4, 8 and twelve bass
but a five string confuses the **** out of me.

Maybe I'm just too old school or I'm not clever/patient enough.
I had one 5 string . . . . . . . I don't have it any more.

Curious - does anyone play slither on a 5, with ease?

Cheers.

Edited July 29, 2014 by FlatEric

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1406613372' post='2512924']
Wow! Only been gone a day - lots of content.



Ironically, that was the number!!!!

Then a random number was picked and once started it took me 3 or 4 bars to
twig what the matter was.

I can see from the posts that I'm not the only one!!!





Hi.

I can play anything with even numbers. . . . . . 6 and 12 guitar, 4, 8 and twelve bass
but a five string confuses the **** out of me.

Maybe I'm just too old school or I'm not clever/patient enough.
I had one 5 string . . . . . . . I don't have it any more.

Curious - does anyone play slither on a 5, with ease?

Cheers.
[/quote]

never tried it (either on a 5 or a 4 tuned to D.) But I may try later on...

[stingrayPete1977]

I'm not certain how accurate the tab on the net is but my version on the five would be passable I reckon, I tried it an octave up on double bass now too, tricky but just doable, just....I wouldn't be able to keep it up for the songs duration but then again it wouldn't be easy on DB with dropped D either!

[Doddy]

That song is dead easy in drop D because you can just bounce off one string,but even on a five string I don't think that
it's particulary difficult to play-it's basically just an arpeggio. It's the kind of tune that I'd prefer to play on a drop tuned
four but if I was playing a five string I'd just play it in standard tuning.

[BigRedX]

I went and had a listen to "Slither" as I'd not heard it before...

If I was going to play something like that in drop D I'd want a nice taught low D string to do it, not some down-tuned E string flopping about.

If I was writing a song like that either I'd play the part on the higher D and use an octave/pitch shifter to add some heft or I'd come up with something completely different on the bass to go under the guitar parts. A riff like that needs definition IMO and if all the definition is coming from the guitars then the bass can get away with playing a different line.

[chrismuzz]

I reckon I'd find it near impossible to play Lamb Of God's Redneck without being in a drop tuning. I don't really like playing in non standard tunings at all but in a cover band it's a necessary evil!

Saying that, all the Drop B stuff we play, I just use a 5 or 6 string in standard tuning. No dodgy stretching necessary, but then it is kids stuff like Slipknot mostly

[woodyratm]

New project I'm in is Drop A - one guitar with a dropped E.

I tried my 4 string and changed the parts to higher notes but something just didn't seem to click. Bought a Dingwall ABZ5, dropped the B to an A and now everything sounds how it should in my head.

Thankfully it's just AEADG so not much brain bending.

[Kevin Dean]

Because I'm the thickest person I know , I got Jon Shuker to make me a 36" tuned D G C F & I use a capo on the 2nd fret for standard tuning & it works really well for a simpleton like myself

[chriswareham]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1406580844' post='2512784']
Yep I totally get you and like I said im contradicting myself too as a five string player rather than drop tuning, but I can also see/hear when the flappy E sounds killer, queens of the stone age as mentioned earlier for example.
[/quote]

If you want to drop tune and not have the E string go flappy, then I can recommend Circle K strings. Took me a few minutes to get my head around the table of string guages on the on the Circle K website, but they make strings for all manner of tunings that maintain an even tension across the set.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1406638505' post='2513263']
If you want to drop tune and not have the E string go flappy, then I can recommend Circle K strings. Took me a few minutes to get my head around the table of string guages on the on the Circle K website, but they make strings for all manner of tunings that maintain an even tension across the set.
[/quote]

DR DDT strings are good too, they seem to magically retain a lot of their feel and compliance when you tune down and/or back up again!

[SpaceChick]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1406575571' post='2512664']

Prepare for a lesbian crush and an example of small hands on a chunkier neck than the chunkiest five string then
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xbHWp1KfSE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xbHWp1KfSE[/url]
[/quote]

Blimey Pete, you weren't lying!

I don't know whether to be besotted with her or hate her

Playing the double bass with such ease AND singing!

What a talent.

*goes and sits in a corner feeling rubbish*

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[julietgreen]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1406629402' post='2513120']
I went and had a listen to "Slither" as I'd not heard it before...

If I was going to play something like that in drop D I'd want a nice taught low D string to do it, not some down-tuned E string flopping about.

If I was writing a song like that either I'd play the part on the higher D and use an octave/pitch shifter to add some heft or I'd come up with something completely different on the bass to go under the guitar parts. A riff like that needs definition IMO and if all the definition is coming from the guitars then the bass can get away with playing a different line.
[/quote]

Well it's Duff's bassline and he should know:
[url="http://youtu.be/1AjNJV8JEYU"]http://youtu.be/1AjNJV8JEYU[/url]

Edited July 29, 2014 by julietgreen

[Snarf]

Recently I started playing in a band with drop D tuning, I'm really not used to this. I bought a d-tuner to avoid any forgetful tuning incidents. The main issue I find is whilst playing I kind of default to standard tuning in my head and add in fills a whole tone out from everyone else. If I can't hear myself in drop D, I'm screwed!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1406643897' post='2513362']


Blimey Pete, you weren't lying!

I don't know whether to be besotted with her or hate her

Playing the double bass with such ease AND singing!

What a talent.

*goes and sits in a corner feeling rubbish*
[/quote]
Crazy ain't it, it's very hard to get motivated on DB because every clip is like that, orchestral stuff I try to not even accept that it exists, lol.
Glad you enjoyed it, have you checked out her fretless electric bass playing?

[Paul S]

[quote name='Snarf' timestamp='1406646602' post='2513398']
Recently I started playing in a band with drop D tuning, I'm really not used to this. I bought a d-tuner to avoid any forgetful tuning incidents.
[/quote]


Sadly de-tuners only increase the speed at which the manoeuvre is carried out rather than increase the chances of remembering to do it... yup, done that! And more than once...

[Snarf]

Damnit, why can't there be an intelligent Hipshot d-tuner? One that can read setlists and adjust itself accordingly!

[stingrayPete1977]

OK I suppose I should put my money where my mouth is
I am not that familiar with the song and only spent 10 mins getting this version together, If it was in our band set I could get the fills and bits much better but it gives an idea of what is what, the fact the E string is still an E brings the notes back nearer the nut compared to playing it on a 4 string, some people forget this and think of trying to combine the worst aspects of moth 4 and 5 strings. Sorry for the method of recording, galaxy phone to photobucket, Lol

[url="http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/20140729_172014_zpslvaadf4v.mp4.html"]http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/20140729_172014_zpslvaadf4v.mp4.html[/url]


You can see my wrist is mashed, thats as far as it bends now since breaking my arm/wrist, you can also see my double bass fingering so for anyone with a good wrist and not spent hours trying to get a double bass to sound in tune should be able to nail it on a five easy IMO

[BigRedX]

[quote name='julietgreen' timestamp='1406644535' post='2513373']
Well it's Duff's bassline and he should know:
[media]http://youtu.be/1AjNJV8JEYU[/media]
[/quote]

Well on the evidence of that, the only time the riff has any real clarity is when the guitars do the same thing an octave higher To my ears the low D has been reduced to a rhythmic clank rather than a proper note.