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

[peteb]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:29, Len_derby said:

Yes, I agree with you and @peteb on this one. When my covers band play Slither I drop my E string to a D. However, last summer I watched a local cover band play it and the bassist played It on a five string with no attempt to put the low D drone in the verse. The crowd loved it, and I doubt the rest of the band noticed or cared. Moral, we make things unnecessarily difficult for ourselves. 
But, I’m going to carry on trying to do it properly as I’m sure you guys are too.

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Really? To be frank, that must have sounded bloody awful! The crowd might have enjoyed it, but they will notice the difference the next time they hear a band play it properly! 

 

If you're going to be a musician, you have to be careful about trying to get away with the bare minimum a crowd will accept. That's a sure way of never getting beyond the lowest pub gigs. To be fair, you can go too far the other way and get OCD about doing everything note perfect. But it's still better to be able to play things right than trying to get away with doing it wrong.  

 

[lozkerr]

  On 20/03/2025 at 22:37, tauzero said:

Why on earth would you do that and not 4th on B to 6th on A?

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Beat me to it. Fourth on B to 6th on A is exactly what I'd do.

[Downunderwonder]

  On 20/03/2025 at 09:00, Machines said:

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

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Neat trick for some perhaps. Personally not up for those mental gymnastics and it only helps open strings.

 

Option 1. Two basses and if they aren't otherwise shagging around themselves one little bit EVER then three basses with the extra backup in the regular Eb tuning.

 

3 tunes in standard pitch is shagging around PLENTY for that to be the single backup bass.

[TimR]

  On 20/03/2025 at 22:37, tauzero said:

 

Why on earth would you do that and not 4th on B to 6th on A?

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  On 20/03/2025 at 22:57, peteb said:

 

 

The example I was going to use was Slither, which would be near impossible to play authentically on a bass in standard tuning or a 5 string! A lot of riffs utilise open strings, especially on guitar, but also on bass. 

 

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  On 20/03/2025 at 23:23, Terry M. said:

Okay but the 6th fret on the A string is nearer? 

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  On 21/03/2025 at 01:15, lozkerr said:

Beat me to it. Fourth on B to 6th on A is exactly what I'd do.

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As @peteb points out. Some riffs are impossible to play without the open string. Open E pedal, jumping up to E on the 12th and playing the octave above with pedal notes on the open. You run out of fingers very quickly. 

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 05:40, TimR said:

 

 

 

 

As @peteb points out. Some riffs are impossible to play without the open string. Open E pedal, jumping up to E on the 12th and playing the octave above with pedal notes on the open. You run out of fingers very quickly. 

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I genuinely don't understand what this means. If every note in the bassline features on the fretboard (of a 5 string in standard tuning) how is it impossible? I'm not being deliberately obtuse here,in fact I might learn something. 

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 00:09, peteb said:

 

Really? To be frank, that must have sounded bloody awful! The crowd might have enjoyed it, but they will notice the difference the next time they hear a band play it properly! 

 

If you're going to be a musician, you have to be careful about trying to get away with the bare minimum a crowd will accept. That's a sure way of never getting beyond the lowest pub gigs. To be fair, you can go too far the other way and get OCD about doing everything note perfect. But it's still better to be able to play things right than trying to get away with doing it wrong.  

 

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Awful or just different? It seemingly still pleased the crowd?

[BigRedX]

  On 21/03/2025 at 06:39, Terry M. said:

I genuinely don't understand what this means. If every note in the bassline features on the fretboard (of a 5 string in standard tuning) how is it impossible? I'm not being deliberately obtuse here,in fact I might learn something. 

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Lots of riffs are essentially played on one string with alternating fretted and open notes with many of the fretted notes at the 12th fret and higher.

 

I'm sure they could be played without using any open strings but you'll need to work twice as hard at plucking over multiple strings and muting the pedal note string and it will be much harder to maintain the rhythmic feel especially if the riff uses hammer-ons and pull-offs.

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:07, BigRedX said:

 

Lots of riffs are essentially played on one string with alternating fretted and open notes with many of the fretted notes at the 12th fret and higher.

 

I'm sure they could be played without using any open strings but you'll need to work twice as hard at plucking over multiple strings and muting the pedal note string and it will be much harder to maintain the rhythmic feel especially if the riff uses hammer-ons and pull-offs.

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Appreciate the explanation. Does this apply to certain genres more commonly? I've never heard the song Slither before so I YouTubed it. Admittedly it's a genre that I don't listen to or play so it was all new to me.

[BigRedX]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:12, Terry M. said:

Does this apply to certain genres more commonly?

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It will turn up fairly frequently in any riff-based music.

 

I've used the technique in songs I have written in the post-punk, goth, pschobilly, and dance-rock/pop genres. 

[warwickhunt]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:12, Terry M. said:

Appreciate the explanation. Does this apply to certain genres more commonly? I've never heard the song Slither before so I YouTubed it. Admittedly it's a genre that I don't listen to or play so it was all new to me.

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Not forgetting any song that might include a drone note on an open string; I regularly play rock/pop songs that rely on a drone.

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:20, BigRedX said:

 

It will turn up fairly frequently in any riff-based music.

 

I've used the technique in songs I have written in the post-punk, goth, pschobilly, and dance-rock/pop genres. 

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Ah ok. Neither of those genres I play or listen to so this is genuine ignorance on my part.

Edited March 21 by Terry M.

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 08:20, BigRedX said:

 

It will turn up fairly frequently in any riff-based music.

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Would you consider funk to be riff-based out of interest? I play funk. 

[TimR]

Gimme Some Lovin'. 

Spencer Davies Group - Blues Brothers film. 

 

[BigRedX]

  On 21/03/2025 at 09:20, Terry M. said:

Would you consider funk to be riff-based out of interest? I play funk. 

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Depends...

 

My interest in "funk" begins and ends with the post-punk/industrial crossover bands of the early 80s, so artists like early ACR, The Contortions, Medium Medium and 23 Skidoo. 

 

However I could see the technique being used in slap bass lines for the thumbed part.

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 09:34, BigRedX said:

 

Depends...

 

My interest in "funk" begins and ends with the post-punk/industrial crossover bands of the early 80s, so artists like early ACR, The Contortions, Medium Medium and 23 Skidoo. 

 

However I could see the technique being used in slap bass lines for the thumbed part.

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Cool. I've heard of none of those artists you mentioned. This forum is always teaching me new things. When I do slap I thumb mainly fretted notes. Now I'm thinking about it I rarely play open strings (low B excepted). I used them more when I was a 4 string player I think. Playing 5s has really changed how I approach the instrument now.

Edited March 21 by Terry M.

[SumOne]

I think the 'drone note open string' thing is quite niche,  perhaps it is more common in genres I don't play but wouldn't an alternative be using somethign like an EHX Freeze pedal? Tune down for the (what I assume is niche and very occasional) song that Eb drone is really needed. Or normal tuning and play an Eb an octave up (or 3rd, or 5th)  and 'freeze' it.  I dunno, but the thought of potentially needing a separate bass just to play an Eb drone note seems inefficient and potentially confusing. 

[neepheid]

Just play it however you want.

[Terry M.]

  On 21/03/2025 at 09:43, SumOne said:

I dunno, but the thought of potentially needing a separate bass just to play an Eb drone note seems inefficient and potentially confusing. 

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This.

[ahpook]

  On 20/03/2025 at 09:13, Sean said:

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

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Spector ? Check.

Capo ? Check

Badass muthafocker ? Check

 

 

Edited March 21 by ahpook

[neepheid]

Exactly - who cares if a bassist uses a capo?

 

If that group of theoretical people is greater than zero, then ask how many of those people's opinions matter?

 

Are we at zero yet?  If not, then ask yourself why these opinions matter to you.

[ahpook]

  On 21/03/2025 at 10:13, neepheid said:

Exactly - who cares if a bassist uses a capo?

 

If that group of theoretical people is greater than zero, then ask how many of those people's opinions matter?

 

Are we at zero yet?  If not, then ask yourself why these opinions matter to you.

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A friend of mine told me once that when he uses a capo on guitar he looks lazy, but when I do it I look arty :)

 

I've always used them on bass when needed.

[Terry M.]

I continue to learn. I have NEVER witnessed a bassist using a capo before 😊

[MacDaddy]

  On 20/03/2025 at 23:26, Terry M. said:

The low B is there to be used. I use it in church a lot 😊

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Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.

   Ephesians 5:19

 

Paul was clearly talking about forming a Christian band, but there is no mention of the bassist using a low B!

[ahpook]

  On 21/03/2025 at 10:20, Terry M. said:

I continue to learn. I have NEVER witnessed a bassist using a capo before 😊

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[neepheid]

  On 21/03/2025 at 11:20, ahpook said:

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Well, this bloke clearly doesn't know what he's doing.  His bass is the wrong way round and everything!