alternately-tuned basses?

atsonicpark · 06.27.2009, 10:11 PM

I was thinking about sonic youth and how none of their songs (that I can think of at the moment) have bass that isn't tuned to standard. Then I started thinking about it some more and realized that I couldn't even think of a band (besides, like, Lightning Bolt) with bass that wasn't tuned to standard... anyone know why this is? Do basses not in standard just usually sound like shit?

pbradley · 06.27.2009, 10:16 PM

Weird. I alt tune my bass all the time.

Dead-Air · 06.27.2009, 10:19 PM

I watched Wendy Atkinson of Horde of Two (with David Lester of Mecca Normal on guitar) play a beautifully alternately tuned bass today at 1 PM on KPSU. It can be done if the bassist is into more than rhythm cliches. Hell, Chris Sqire did it in Yes at times...

atsonicpark · 06.27.2009, 10:25 PM

Now that I'm thinking about it, there are definitely some alt-tuned basses in prog rock. Is the bassist in RUINS tuned to standard? I don't think so...

It's just not very prevalent, I guess.

Death & the Maiden · 06.27.2009, 11:47 PM

Most bass players just play one note/string at a time, so I don't think there'd be much point to it, though there'll probably be exceptions. I've seen bass players tune down a tone or a semitone, though I don't consider that an alternate tuning.

joe11121 · 06.28.2009, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death & the Maiden

I've seen bass players tune down a tone or a semitone, though I don't consider that an alternate tuning.

Yep, same.

greedrex · 06.28.2009, 02:31 AM

maybe Lou Barlow. He plays bass like a gtr.

fugazifan · 06.28.2009, 03:16 AM

a bass is tuned like a guitar

demonrail666 · 06.28.2009, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death & the Maiden

Most bass players just play one note/string at a time, so I don't think there'd be much point to it, though there'll probably be exceptions. I've seen bass players tune down a tone or a semitone, though I don't consider that an alternate tuning.

This

Glice · 06.28.2009, 05:08 AM

There's also the fact that bass players aren't really musicians.

But more seriously, what often surprises me is that you don't get more people using 'cello tuning (CGDA). Bigger spread, and easier for power chords. Doesn't really fit jazz too easily, but otherwise I'd say it was easier for most rock music. Unless a bassist can tell me why not. Obviously, I'll dismiss whatever they say because BASSISTS ARE NOT REAL MUSICIANS.

Glice · 06.28.2009, 05:17 AM

Actually, I've just realised it's because the bass guitar is modelled on the double bass, and the stretch for the double bass is pretty prohibitive when it's tuned in 5ths. Still, I can't see why that's a problem these days.

nicfit · 06.28.2009, 06:08 AM

I use DADG on a few songs. not really "alternate tuning", but, hey..we have less strings than a guitar

.
Glice, that could be also coz bass strings "respond" to different tensions differently from cello strings, and frets could give some problems too.
I'm not really a musician, btw...

Glice · 06.28.2009, 06:22 AM

Yeah, obviously, you'd need different gauged strings. I suppose the main thing would be a problem with distributing weight/ tension without a support strut - I presume that contrabass have an off-set sound peg in the sounding chamber, but I'm not entirely clear. But then, I'm presuming that, like the violin family, the neck of the electric bass sustains its tension with the strings, which it doesn't necessarily have to.

[Sandbag] · 06.28.2009, 09:51 AM

I use f#f#f#f#

not true.
I don't know any to be honest..sometimes I use the CGDG.

batreleaser · 06.28.2009, 11:30 AM

Mike Watt used different tunings didn't he? He must've, some of his lines sounds downright obtuse. The dude from Eloe Omoe also used some strange tunings I believe.

fugazifan · 06.28.2009, 04:02 PM

On the first song off contemplating the engine room he uses drop d

what do you mean by obtuse?

atsonicpark · 06.28.2009, 04:05 PM

My girlfriend plays bass and she told me that the reason you don't hear much alt-tuned bass is because bass usually is used for the purpose of holding down the rhythm or holding down the melody (like Joy Division) and therefore most bands use it simply for that purpose, and it would be distracting if there was an alt-tuned bass in the middle of the other instruments.

I guess that's true, even if it's a bit obvious of an answer.

The more I thought about it... I think Girls Against Boys used alternate bass tunings (they had two bassists also).

nicfit · 06.28.2009, 04:28 PM

black eyes?

atsonicpark · 06.28.2009, 04:38 PM

Were those basses alt-tuned?

I'm really interested in bands with two basses. Ned's Atomic Dustbin had one great album, though you can barely tell they had two bassists. Then again, Black Eyes had only one good album (I thought Cough was TERRIBLE).

fugazifan · 06.28.2009, 04:38 PM

dos
and spinal tap had a song with three basses

06.27.2009, 10:11 PM	#1
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	I was thinking about sonic youth and how none of their songs (that I can think of at the moment) have bass that isn't tuned to standard. Then I started thinking about it some more and realized that I couldn't even think of a band (besides, like, Lightning Bolt) with bass that wasn't tuned to standard... anyone know why this is? Do basses not in standard just usually sound like shit? __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

06.27.2009, 10:16 PM	#2
pbradley invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SoKo Posts: 10,621	Weird. I alt tune my bass all the time.
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06.27.2009, 10:19 PM	#3
Dead-Air invito al cielo Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Portland OR Posts: 4,300	I watched Wendy Atkinson of Horde of Two (with David Lester of Mecca Normal on guitar) play a beautifully alternately tuned bass today at 1 PM on KPSU. It can be done if the bassist is into more than rhythm cliches. Hell, Chris Sqire did it in Yes at times... __________________ FuckBook; My Band; My Radio Show; My Flickr Page; Science Fiction Message Board
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06.27.2009, 10:25 PM	#4
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Now that I'm thinking about it, there are definitely some alt-tuned basses in prog rock. Is the bassist in RUINS tuned to standard? I don't think so... It's just not very prevalent, I guess. __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

06.27.2009, 11:47 PM	#5
Death & the Maiden expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,036	Most bass players just play one note/string at a time, so I don't think there'd be much point to it, though there'll probably be exceptions. I've seen bass players tune down a tone or a semitone, though I don't consider that an alternate tuning. __________________ www.myspace.com/ghostofanidealwife
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06.28.2009, 02:31 AM	#7
greedrex invito al cielo Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: in yr fotobukit Posts: 6,588	maybe Lou Barlow. He plays bass like a gtr. __________________ Greed Recordings bandcamp ~The Rex~, stalkin' yr shit since 2008.
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06.28.2009, 03:16 AM	#8
fugazifan invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,816	a bass is tuned like a guitar __________________ If there's been a way to build it, There'll be a way to destroy it, Things are not that out of control www.myspace.com/dellilahtheband www.myspace.com/lecirquedesvampiresmusic
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06.28.2009, 06:08 AM	#12
nicfit invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: banana boat Posts: 15,570	I use DADG on a few songs. not really "alternate tuning", but, hey..we have less strings than a guitar . Glice, that could be also coz bass strings "respond" to different tensions differently from cello strings, and frets could give some problems too. I'm not really a musician, btw... __________________ 11:11 11-11-11 I Ascended.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

06.28.2009, 09:51 AM	#14
[Sandbag] 100% Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 820	I use f#f#f#f# not true. I don't know any to be honest..sometimes I use the CGDG. __________________ My new facebook page for my new mainstream noise band
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06.28.2009, 11:30 AM	#15
batreleaser invito al cielo Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New York, NY Posts: 5,155	Mike Watt used different tunings didn't he? He must've, some of his lines sounds downright obtuse. The dude from Eloe Omoe also used some strange tunings I believe. __________________ listen to pink reason
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

06.28.2009, 04:02 PM	#16
fugazifan invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,816	On the first song off contemplating the engine room he uses drop d what do you mean by obtuse? __________________ If there's been a way to build it, There'll be a way to destroy it, Things are not that out of control www.myspace.com/dellilahtheband www.myspace.com/lecirquedesvampiresmusic
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06.28.2009, 04:05 PM	#17
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	My girlfriend plays bass and she told me that the reason you don't hear much alt-tuned bass is because bass usually is used for the purpose of holding down the rhythm or holding down the melody (like Joy Division) and therefore most bands use it simply for that purpose, and it would be distracting if there was an alt-tuned bass in the middle of the other instruments. I guess that's true, even if it's a bit obvious of an answer. The more I thought about it... I think Girls Against Boys used alternate bass tunings (they had two bassists also). __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

06.28.2009, 04:28 PM	#18
nicfit invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: banana boat Posts: 15,570	black eyes? __________________ 11:11 11-11-11 I Ascended.
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06.28.2009, 04:38 PM	#19
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Were those basses alt-tuned? I'm really interested in bands with two basses. Ned's Atomic Dustbin had one great album, though you can barely tell they had two bassists. Then again, Black Eyes had only one good album (I thought Cough was TERRIBLE). __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|