5 string tuning!

[TGEvans]

Hi all. Does anybody here tune their 5 string E A D G ( is it high C)?I want the traditional EADG tunings but on this bass if that makes sense! Any info would be cool. Also if you can think of any pro players that do this kind of thing so I could check it out somewhere! Thanks, T

[josh3184]

Known as tenor tuning I believe? Did it for a while with a Wal I had, it's pretty good fun. Useful for soloing or chords. Great for higher ranger arpeggios and the like as well of course. If you're not using the B stri g then you might as well give it a go, I used Elixir strings as they sell the high C separately.

[valere24]

This tuning is used as far as I know by Dominique di Piazza, Matthew Garisson, Tony Grey and Janek Gwizdala.

Strangely enough, these four players all use a four fingers right hand technique and play fodera basses.


[quote name='TGEvans' post='782365' date='Mar 22 2010, 08:36 AM']Hi all. Does anybody here tune their 5 string E A D G ( is it high C)?I want the traditional EADG tunings but on this bass if that makes sense! Any info would be cool. Also if you can think of any pro players that do this kind of thing so I could check it out somewhere! Thanks, T[/quote]

[Bankai]

Alternatively you can use the normal BEADG tuning which might be more suited to heavier applications.

[TGEvans]

Have been using BEADG for years but been playing with a pick loads lately and it would be nice to have the open e ring out on top!also to drop it to d for punk/rock/hardcore pick playing This tenor tuning thing may work out for me as it goes.maybe some big overdriven chord work to fill stuff out.pretty excited about it,will give it a go and see how i get on!thanks all,t

[Doddy]

[quote name='valere24' post='782454' date='Mar 22 2010, 11:55 AM']This tuning is used as far as I know by Dominique di Piazza, Matthew Garisson, Tony Grey and Janek Gwizdala.

Strangely enough, these four players all use a four fingers right hand technique and play fodera basses.[/quote]

There are a bunch of players who are using a 5 string with a high C. It's not a new idea
either-the first 5 string Fender was tuned like this.
Matthew Garrison and Janek Gwizdala also have an extender key on the E string to take it all the
way down to a B.

Incidentally... Janek only ever uses a four finger technique for wide arpeggios and 4 note chords.Most
of the time he uses mostly thumb and 2 fingers and just 2 fingers when soloing.

[CHRISDABASS]

after 15 years playing 4 strings i got a 5 string for the first time and I simply couldnt get on with the low B!!

Changed it round to E-C and its awesome!

such a lovely sound and much more useable (to me)

[chris_b]

Use a high C if you solo or play chords. I don't do that but find a low B is very good for shaking the foundations.

[Faithless]

All the way for high C - I am a 'convert' from B-G thing, and I'm soo happy.. E-C is great for transcription stuff (you're nearer guitars and woods..), great for arpeggios and stuff..

[cLepto-bass]

Again, I am all about the high C.

I play mostly classical, chord based bass and it suits perfectly. I have often wondered what the next step up would be like, ie maybe tune A D G C F for super high pitch playing. Is there such a string that could do this.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Buying a six-stringer would seem to be an easier solution...

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='uzzell' post='783489' date='Mar 23 2010, 02:36 PM']Again, I am all about the high C.

I play mostly classical, chord based bass and it suits perfectly. I have often wondered what the next step up would be like, ie maybe tune A D G C F for super high pitch playing. Is there such a string that could do this.[/quote]
I use a guitar string to get to the E below that- I think it would handle the extra semitone.

[cLepto-bass]

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='783654' date='Mar 23 2010, 04:44 PM']I use a guitar string to get to the E below that- I think it would handle the extra semitone.[/quote]

Hmmmm, interesting.

[Delberthot]

I remember seeing a picture in Bassist a few years back with a picture of Steve Swallow using a Parker Fly bass tuned E-C

Ii tried it once and couldn't find a use for it. It all depends on what kind of stuff you play and the sound you are trying to achieve. The reason I stopped playing 6ers was because I hardly used the C for anything.

[endorka]

[quote name='uzzell' post='783489' date='Mar 23 2010, 02:36 PM']I play mostly classical, chord based bass and it suits perfectly. I have often wondered what the next step up would be like, ie maybe tune A D G C F for super high pitch playing. Is there such a string that could do this.[/quote]

I had a six string bass tuned EADGCF for a while - the high F is incredible, with a 24 fret bass guitar the highest note is not that much lower than the highest note on a Fender Strat. Giggles all round when you use it on a solo and see the guitarist shaking their head in disbelief :-)

I bought the high F as part of a set from Overwater.

Jennifer

[cLepto-bass]

[quote name='endorka' post='784748' date='Mar 24 2010, 02:39 PM']I had a six string bass tuned EADGCF for a while - the high F is incredible, with a 24 fret bass guitar the highest note is not that much lower than the highest note on a Fender Strat. Giggles all round when you use it on a solo and see the guitarist shaking their head in disbelief :-)

I bought the high F as part of a set from Overwater.

Jennifer[/quote]


Wow, first hand experience. Thanks a bunch Jennifer.

Now all I need to do is keep my eyes open for a six string that I actually like the look of.

[Jazzjames]

[quote name='uzzell' post='783489' date='Mar 23 2010, 03:36 PM']Again, I am all about the high C.

I play mostly classical, chord based bass and it suits perfectly. I have often wondered what the next step up would be like, ie maybe tune A D G C F for super high pitch playing. Is there such a string that could do this.[/quote]


On John Patitucci's new album on the last track which is dedicated to the late Michael Brecker, he uses what he calls 6-string piccolo bass, which I guess is one of his Yamaha 6 string basses tunes a 4th up - E A D G C F, which sounds pretty cool.

I play a 5 string E - C, but I always remember that people like Jaco sound burning and they've only got 4 strings and 20 odd frets! It's all about what you've got going on in your head!

[hagguy]

i'm not a 5 player at all but using the high c makes a great
change to my esp, i never really found a use for the low
b, but im not the most expierianced player in the world, i really
like playing little chords on the bass sounds really sweet, is there any
specific way to play a 5 string with a high c, while i've got my 5 i want to
make the most of it, any suggestions would be appreicated

[purpleblob]

Both my 5's are tuned E-C.

Personally I find next to no use in a low B for any of the music I've ever played or currently likely to play. This said, I do have a 6 string with a low B just in case .

I must admit the low B is a good flexible thumb rest though

[throwoff]

I tune in DEADG at the moment.

I play mostly in drop D so I have a really heavy D sound and find it works for me fine.

I have played about with high C tuning but its a pain in the arse to find a set of strings for this

[Mateybass]

Has anyone experimented tuning in 5ths instead of 4ths? I've heard about some double bass players using this method and wondered if it would work for a 5 string. The obvious tuning would be C-G-D-A-E which would probably require a top F string but retaining the low B would give you B-F#-C#-G#-D#... or maybe even Bb-F-C-G-D and using a six string set, just discarding the A string.

Thoughts?

Edited March 31, 2010 by Mateybass

[endorka]

Re: tuning in fifths - on the double bass, for people with ordinary sized hands, it is not possible to play a minor third interval without shifting. On a bass guitar it may be possible, but I'd say you'd need to be using 1 finger per fret technique all over the fingerboard to make it practical - cello type fingerings, in other words.

Jennifer

[Mateybass]

[quote name='endorka' post='792834' date='Apr 1 2010, 01:37 AM']Re: tuning in fifths - on the double bass, for people with ordinary sized hands, it is not possible to play a minor third interval without shifting. On a bass guitar it may be possible, but I'd say you'd need to be using 1 finger per fret technique all over the fingerboard to make it practical - cello type fingerings, in other words.

Jennifer[/quote]

Yeah, I'd have said that too about the extra stretch, but there are quite a few players of DB using this tuning, articles [url="http://www.dennismasuzzo.com/bassinfifthsarticle.htm"]here[/url] and [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifths_tuning"]here[/url] and Thomastik make double bass strings specifically for 5ths tuning.

[endorka]

Interesting articles, especially the bit about double basses normally being tuned in fifths in France in the 19th Century. I wonder what prompted the change to the current system?

Jennifer