Bass drop tuning pedal, which one you’ll recommend?

[BasistaFunky]

Hello there guys, does anyone of you had any experience with the TC Electronic Brainwaves Pitch Shifter pedal using for drop bass tunings like - Eb, D, Db, C and B, does all the low notes sound clear without muddyness? If this pedal doesn’t work for the solution, wich other one you’ll recommend me to buy for drop tunings to solve the problem? Thank you.

[prowla]

I reckon a 5-string bass is what's needed.

(Not being a smartass - just tracking low notes seems to be difficult and regenerating them sounds artificial, plus there's the point where the sound of a fading note breaks up.)

[Lozz196]

I had one, think was the Digitech Drop, didn’t like it. I agree with the above, if those low notes are needed get a fiver (or another four but detune it).

[adamg67]

One thing I sometimes do now I'm writing with a guitarist who plays exclusively in drop D is use an octaver and play higher up. The one I'm trying (Kemper) has a "low cut" which I set so the octave below only comes in from about A upwards. It works pretty well I think, even compared to my 5er.

[prowla]

23 minutes ago, adamg67 said:

One thing I sometimes do now I'm writing with a guitarist who plays exclusively in drop D is use an octaver and play higher up. The one I'm trying (Kemper) has a "low cut" which I set so the octave below only comes in from about A upwards. It works pretty well I think, even compared to my 5er.

I have Hipshot drop-D tuners (eXtenders) on some basses.

Years ago I used to have some Dewtron bass pedals which I would use to go down to a C if I'd reached the end of the neck and wanted to go lower.

[garyt]

If all your songs are in drop tuning, why not just detune your bass.

5 string solves all , but not everyone likes playing them. 

[prowla]

Some folks (eg. Ian Hill) string their basses BEAD. 

[Supernaut]

11 hours ago, adamg67 said:

One thing I sometimes do now I'm writing with a guitarist who plays exclusively in drop D is use an octaver and play higher up. The one I'm trying (Kemper) has a "low cut" which I set so the octave below only comes in from about A upwards. It works pretty well I think, even compared to my 5er.

Er... just tune to drop D?!

[fretmeister]

I liked the Digitech Drop but I got a 5 string instead in the end. I found the drop to be accurate and stable but I do play quite gently. I have read reports from other players who are more aggressive that they didn't get on with it as well.

 

If you have tunes that need a low B then I'd either string a 4 to BEAD or get a 5.

On the 4 you'd have to relearn any tune in different tunings but once you've got the hang of it it's a lot easier having all the notes in the same place no matter what song you are doing.

 

 

[adamg67]

On 05/01/2022 at 09:22, Supernaut said:

Er... just tune to drop D?!

 

I'm going for delayed reply of the year here.

 

I'm writing with a guitarist who plays exclusively in drop D, but I'm not exclusively writing or playing with him and do a lot of other stuff, and switching between tunings would do my head in.

[paul_5]

Octave pedal and play everything on the skinnier strings - Love that sound.

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, adamg67 said:

 

I'm going for delayed reply of the year here.

 

I'm writing with a guitarist who plays exclusively in drop D, but I'm not exclusively writing or playing with him and do a lot of other stuff, and switching between tunings would do my head in.

that’s what a hipshot extender is for. 1 lever to move for accurate changes from E to D and back again.

 

It’s a marvellous invention.

[Mudpup]

See above ⬆️

[prowla]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

that’s what a hipshot extender is for. 1 lever to move for accurate changes from E to D and back again.

 

It’s a marvellous invention.

(I think I've got a couple more on things too...)

[adamg67]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

that’s what a hipshot extender is for. 1 lever to move for accurate changes from E to D and back again.

 

It’s a marvellous invention.

 

So, to elaborate on   "switching between tunings would do my head in" (which TBH is pretty clear to start with, and it's clear that an extender would do my head in, since what it does is switch between tunings). I don't want to (and don't have to) deal with 2 different tunings where the patterns and relationship between the strings is different. I don't want low E to move to a different place, especially when I'm making stuff up. One of the best things about bass for me is that everything is in 4ths and the patterns don't change, adn the relationhips between each string is the same. I have a couple of ways of getting down to lower notes if I want them, one is my 5 string, which I'm using in a band at the mo and it works a treat. I can switch between 5 and 4 no problems these days, and often do. The other is an octaver as above, which I like, it's different and has a really nice werid effect where you can go up the fretboard and end up at the same pitch. Both of them keep all the 4 string notes in the same place, and all the strings tuned in 4ths. Tuning to drop D, however it's achieved, doesn't do that.

 

Hopefully that makes it clear why I reallly wouldn't like a d-tuner, extender etc. But then, I kind of think you knew that already

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, adamg67 said:

 

So, to elaborate on   "switching between tunings would do my head in" (which TBH is pretty clear to start with, and it's clear that an extender would do my head in, since what it does is switch between tunings). I don't want to (and don't have to) deal with 2 different tunings where the patterns and relationship between the strings is different. I don't want low E to move to a different place, especially when I'm making stuff up. One of the best things about bass for me is that everything is in 4ths and the patterns don't change, adn the relationhips between each string is the same. I have a couple of ways of getting down to lower notes if I want them, one is my 5 string, which I'm using in a band at the mo and it works a treat. I can switch between 5 and 4 no problems these days, and often do. The other is an octaver as above, which I like, it's different and has a really nice werid effect where you can go up the fretboard and end up at the same pitch. Both of them keep all the 4 string notes in the same place, and all the strings tuned in 4ths. Tuning to drop D, however it's achieved, doesn't do that.

 

Hopefully that makes it clear why I reallly wouldn't like a d-tuner, extender etc. But then, I kind of think you knew that already

 

So presumably as you have a 5-string, you don't have a problem with needing drop tuning? Just sell the 4-strings and go to 5-string for everything.

[prowla]

8 hours ago, adamg67 said:

 

So, to elaborate on   "switching between tunings would do my head in" (which TBH is pretty clear to start with, and it's clear that an extender would do my head in, since what it does is switch between tunings). I don't want to (and don't have to) deal with 2 different tunings where the patterns and relationship between the strings is different. I don't want low E to move to a different place, especially when I'm making stuff up. One of the best things about bass for me is that everything is in 4ths and the patterns don't change, adn the relationhips between each string is the same. I have a couple of ways of getting down to lower notes if I want them, one is my 5 string, which I'm using in a band at the mo and it works a treat. I can switch between 5 and 4 no problems these days, and often do. The other is an octaver as above, which I like, it's different and has a really nice werid effect where you can go up the fretboard and end up at the same pitch. Both of them keep all the 4 string notes in the same place, and all the strings tuned in 4ths. Tuning to drop D, however it's achieved, doesn't do that.

 

Hopefully that makes it clear why I reallly wouldn't like a d-tuner, extender etc. But then, I kind of think you knew that already

Cool.

Personally I'd find everything artificially being out by 2 frets more confusing than either using a 5-er or an eXtender.

But heck; that's me, not everybody else!

[adamg67]

10 hours ago, prowla said:

Cool.

Personally I'd find everything artificially being out by 2 frets more confusing than either using a 5-er or an eXtender.

But heck; that's me, not everybody else!

Do you mean, because you would be playing higher up but getting lower notes? I suppose I don’t notice too much because they’re parts I’ve written from scratch, and I’m getting the note I expect, sort of.

[prowla]

17 minutes ago, adamg67 said:

Do you mean, because you would be playing higher up but getting lower notes? I suppose I don’t notice too much because they’re parts I’ve written from scratch, and I’m getting the note I expect, sort of.

I can oftentimes tune a bass by ear, so if I played a G I'd get an F and it would do my head in.

I suppose it'd work out if I was on one of my Steinbergers, as the strap position pushes the neck two frets away from me, though!

[adamg67]

15 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

So presumably as you have a 5-string, you don't have a problem with needing drop tuning? Just sell the 4-strings and go to 5-string for everything.

Well yeah, that does make sense, and I was all 5 string at one point, but I had quite a bad wrist problem and starting switching to 4 string for everything, but still kept one 5er I didn’t want to part with, which also has narrow string spacing so is better for my wrist. now it seems to have improved (I adapted my left hand position) and I can’t decide whether to switch back. One of the 4s is an AVRI 63 P as well.

 

It’s only one project that needs a 5 really, the current active band I could use a 4, as it happens I use my 5 but only because of the pickups and because the AVRI has rounds on it.

[adamg67]

1 hour ago, prowla said:

I can oftentimes tune a bass by ear, so if I played a G I'd get an F and it would do my head in.

I suppose it'd work out if I was on one of my Steinbergers, as the strap position pushes the neck two frets away from me, though!

Now I’m lost… this is exactly what doesn’t work for me, I want the same note at the same place, which is what I get with a 5er or an octaver. Same notes in the same place. What I don’t get on with (but other people obviously do fine with) is drop tuning, including with extenders etc.

[Gwilym]

Maybe something like a fingerboard extension down to the low D would work, like done on Kubicki basses, all the notes remaining in the same position but you get 2 extra frets beyond the "nut" when you need them.

Seems to me that the least ballache solution is to use a tuner pedal to tune DGCF and then all your patterns are the same. Or use your 5 string.

Or how about asking the guitarist in question to tune to E? Maybe do it yourself when he's not looking, he probably won't notice.

[adamg67]

14 hours ago, prowla said:

I can oftentimes tune a bass by ear, so if I played a G I'd get an F and it would do my head in.

I suppose it'd work out if I was on one of my Steinbergers, as the strap position pushes the neck two frets away from me, though!

Okay, I get it now. I’m bit slow sometimes. The OP was talking about using a drop pedal to shift everything down. I was suggesting just using an octaver to shift everything down a whole octave and then you can eg go up to a “normal” D, in its normal place, and get something that sounds a bit like the low D from drop D tuning. I’ve done that and it sounds pretty good, and all the notes are still the same notes.

 

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by adamg67

[prowla]

21 minutes ago, adamg67 said:

Okay, I get it now. I’m bit slow sometimes. The OP was talking about using a drop pedal to shift everything down. I was suggesting just using an octaver to shift everything down a whole octave and then you can eg go up to a “normal” D, in its normal place, and get something that sounds a bit like the low D from drop D tuning. I’ve done that and it sounds pretty good, and all the notes are still the same notes.

 

 

🙂

Actually, the down octave on the higher notes with my Aguilar Octamizer sounds really good; I think it'll track down to a C. However, the break-up as notes decay would be a show-stopper for me.

[Japhet]

I tried a few as a solution when our singer couldn't reach a few high notes and key changes weren't viable. Digitech Drop was probably the best but didn't really work the way I'd hoped. Latency was pretty bad on some digital pedals. Tried a Behringer which tracked really well and sounded good but latency was horrible.