Standard E and Standard Eb in the Same Set? - How Would You Do It?

[Sean]

After searching for ages, a decent band has approached me and I'm going to a rehearsal with them to see how we gel.

 

Most of their songs are down a semitone (half-step) from the originals and there are 2 or 3 that are in the original key.

 

It seems a bit unusual to me. All songs are typical rock songs

 

Although, the first meeting will be all songs played on an Eb Standard tuned bass, how would you approach this for a gig situation?

 

I see my options as:

 

1. One Eb standard, one E standard tuned bass. If one is needed as backup there's a tuning delay involved.

 

2. A B standard 5-string. Loses all the open string "opportunities" of many of the songs. Backup bass is same config. No real low-B requirements in the set.

 

3. An Eb Standard bass but learn the original pitch songs up a semi-tone and get used to it. Backup bass is same config.

 

What would you do?

 

 

 

 

[Machines]

Option 4 - Bass tuned to Eb, and chuck a capo on the 1st fret for the E standard songs.

[jazzyvee]

2. If it was me i would just use a 5 string.

[Sean]

8 minutes ago, Machines said:

Option 4 - Bass tuned to Eb, and chuck a capo on the 1st fret for the E standard songs.

I've done this before with BEAD/CFA#D# tuning. It works but I honestly feel like a compete Bell-ender from Bremen using a capo. Especially on a Spector

 

I'm going to experiment with it, though. Thanks for reminding me. 🙂

[BigRedX]

It would depend on what I needed to play and how many of the songs were challenging to play in E or Eb without being able to use open strings.

[paul_5]

Personally I’d either go for a four string with an octave pedal or a pitch shift pedal to drop everything a semitone - unless it was a studio gig.

[spencer.b]

I'd play it all tuned down a semitone, being a rock band I wouldn't use a 5 cos there's something about that low open string for riffing with the guitar and I play alot of jazz so I like playing in  F , annoying though that the band do that , out of interest what are the tunes they play in E with the guitar tuned to Eb? 

[spencer.b]

Sorry I assumed they were in E , what key are the original key ones in?

[Sean]

8 minutes ago, spencer.b said:

Sorry I assumed they were in E , what key are the original key ones in?

 

I love using open strings in this sense too, especially for pull-offs and duplicating the main guitar riff.

I shan't reveal the songs in case that blows my cover. It's early stages.

I think that it's really do-able on an Eb Standard as the songs in their original keys are very root note straight eighth type lines.

 

 

[Killerfridge]

I think I would just go with the two bass option. I take a spare anyway, so just have one tuned to Eb and one to E standard

[Wombat]

I have patches on my stomp semitone up and down and a tone up and down. I've used that in situations and no one notices...

Of course it's a complete pain in the arse if you learn them in standard tuning and rely on the stomp and it doesn't work for some reason. But I guess that's the same as having a spare bass and having a problem with that..

On the plus side I've loved watching people in the audience wonder what I'm playing 🤣

Edited Thursday at 10:34 by Wombat
Spello correction!

[Marky L]

Ask if it's possible to group the Eb flat songs together maybe. Then you can possibly cog down quickly and just crack on.

[Lozz196]

31 minutes ago, Marky L said:

Ask if it's possible to group the Eb flat songs together maybe. Then you can possibly cog down quickly and just crack on.

Would be my choice too

[Urban Bassman]

My band (recently joined) have the same set up.  The songs are all played in original keys so the songs that are in Eb (6 in total) are grouped together and we all have a second instrument tuned to Eb so it's just a quick instrument swap and it works well.  

 

I have also used a digitech drop pedal when I depped for another band with similar requirements but I much prefer having a bass tuned to each tuning.  

[TimR]

Drop D for the Eb songs. 

Edited Thursday at 10:37 by TimR

[neepheid]

I use electronic trickery - specifically a cheapo Hotone Harmony pitch shifter.  It's a little warbly (especially if you go further down than -1 semitone), but it tracks well and I find it perfectly acceptable for live work.  Wouldn't record with it.

[spencer.b]

1 hour ago, Sean said:

 

I love using open strings in this sense too, especially for pull-offs and duplicating the main guitar riff.

I shan't reveal the songs in case that blows my cover. It's early stages.

I think that it's really do-able on an Eb Standard as the songs in their original keys are very root note straight eighth type lines.

 

 

Yeah you'll be fine , personally I'd find swapping basses or using tech more off putting than learning a few tunes a semitone up , odds on playing it a semitone up on the detuned bass will end up as a horn key like F, Bb, Ab , Eb and that's great practice for us bass players!

[warwickhunt]

How does the guitarist manage this?  

 

Personally if 90% of songs are played as per recorded but the guitar/bass tuned down a 1/2 step (i.e. bass player in the original band plays in the key of G, you play your G but it will sound F#), I'd go with that and then play the 2 or 3 other songs up a semitone (original is G but you are hearing F# when fingering G and they actually want G... play G# and associated notes).  That sounds harder to explain than it is to do!  LOL

[Lozz196]

In my classic rock band we play songs that were originally in EB or D, so what we do is learn them in those keys at home, then at rehearsal just play them in E in the correct places. We haven`t got a singer so not an issue with pitching and given no singer no need for us to de-tune or bring along extra instruments.

[Rosie C]

2 hours ago, Machines said:

Option 4 - Bass tuned to Eb, and chuck a capo on the 1st fret for the E standard songs.

 

I was thinking capo, but didn't like to share that idea   

But actually I'd probably take two basses, maybe with a Boss LS-2 pedal to make the change-over easy.

 

[Bassassin]

Two basses. I'm way too lazy to want to re-learn songs either a semitone up or for 5 string. Being me & having more basses than sense, I'd take a little headless Steinbergery-type thing for the handful of songs in E standard - easy to lug around & easy to prop on the side of your amp for a quick swap.

[police squad]

I'm doing this in U2 Tribe (U2 tribute)

I have a bass in standard tuning and a bass in Eb

The songs are grouped together, so I'm not constantly changing basses

It works very well for me

[Sean]

I’ve spoken to the guitarist and he has his guitars tuned Eb Standard and just plays up a semitone for those songs that need it.

 

Using pitch-shifter tech seems too risky for me. 

 

I’m now looking forward to playing 4s again and with a pick for at least half of them 😀. 

[ead]

As has been said above two basses or, if there are likely to be variations something like the Digitec drop pedal that allows you to change pitch in multiple semitone intervals and has an octaver function.

[fretmeister]

Key signature of the individual songs is an important factor here.

 

If you never need to play a low Eb then I'd play it all on a normally tuned bass and learn them that way. *

I'd also do this if I did need a low Eb but the song sounded fine if I played just that note up an octave. After playing a 4 string in a jazz band where flat keys are very common - that's what I'm comfortable with.

 

Failing that - a 5 string or install a D-Tuner on the E string for more range (or tune in Drop D for the entire thing and learn them that way).

 

* of course this might mean having to deal with guitarists who lower the tuning on their instrument but still call 4th String, 3rd fret a G when it isn't anymore. You'll need to gang up on them with any keys players you have to force our thin stringed cousins to do it properly!