Bass guitar tuning
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Each bass guitar tuning assigns
- By ear to the sounded reference pitch of a piano, since a piano typically remains tuned much longer than a guitar, and electronic pianos are perpetually in tune.
- By ear to the sound of a tuning fork or pitch pipe, which lets you get one pitch on one string correct. Then, use relative tuning (below) to adjust the other strings.
- By ear to the sound of a guitar. On a four string bass guitar, its strings are pitched one octave lower than the four lowest pitched strings of a guitar. Tune them identically, without the octave interval, by pressing the 12th fret of each string on the bass.
- By electric tuner, tuner app program on a smartphone,[2] or tuning tools on a website, which pick up the audible sound through a microphone, or physical vibrations when attached to the instrument, or the electromagnetic waves through the pickup and instrument patch cable. These indicate when strings are tuned by visual and audio cues.
- By ear using relative tuning, using known pitch intervals or chromatic tones played between an already tuned string and one that needs tuning. This is colloquially known as "tuning the bass to itself". The instrument tuned in this manner can be played alone, but it may not be in tune with other instruments, such as a piano, if no reference pitch was used. This technique may also be used for slightly obscure "visual" or "haptic" tuning - by pressing appropriate frets that should make the strings unison the vibrations from one string will be picked up by the other string which will start vibrating (when tuned correctly). This may be observed visually or felt by gently touching the unplayed string.
While tuning is mainly done prior to performances, musicians may tune again during a show, typically between songs, either to correct the tuning of the instrument (heat, humidity, string bending, and heavy playing all affect tuning), or to change to a new tuning, such as dropping the pitch of the E string to D for a song in D major. Amateur musicians tune their own bass, but touring professionals in bands may have a
Overview
Most bass guitars have four strings, which are tuned one octave lower than the lowest pitched four strings of an electric
Thus, on a score the notes of each string would be written as shown in the following image.
| 4 string | 4 string
(tenor) |
5 string | 5 string
(tenor) |
6 string | Note | Frequency | Alternative 4 string notes | Alternative 4 string tunings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | C3 | 130.813 Hz | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | G2 | 97.999 Hz | G | G♭, F, E, E♭ |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | D2 | 73.416 Hz | D | D♭, C, B, B♭ |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | A1 | 55 Hz | A | A♭, G, G♭, F |
| 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | E1 | 41.203 Hz | E | E♭, D, D♭, C | |
| 5 | 6 | B0 | 30.868 Hz |
Strings and tuning
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2024) |
The standard design for the electric bass guitar has four
There is a range of different string types, which are available in many various metals, windings, and finishes. Each combination has specific tonal characteristics, interaction with pickups, and "feel" to the player's hands.
Variables include wrap finish (
A variety of tuning options and number of string courses (courses are when strings are put together in groups of two, often at the unison or octave) have been used to extend the range of the instrument, or facilitate different modes of playing, or allow for different playing sounds.
- Four strings can obtain an extended lower range through thicker strings or "down-tuning." Tunings such as B–E–A–D (this requires a low "B" string in addition to the other three "standard" strings, and omits the G string), violoncellobut an octave lower) gives an extended upper and lower range. Further, some players prefer to tune their basses with a "Low G" (G0). Often, this requires a large-gauge string which replaces the E-string, and the other strings are often lowered as well in this sort of tuning.
- Five strings usually tuned B0–E1–A1–D2–G2, providing extended lower range. The earliest commercial five-string bass was created by Fender in 1965. The Fender Bass V used the E–A–D–G–C tuning, but was unpopular and discontinued in 1970. This tenor tuning is still used by some jazz and soloing bassists. The low-B five-string was created by Jimmy Johnson in 1975, modifying an E–A–D–G–C five-string Alembic bass, with a different nut and a low-B string from GHS. Carl Thompson finished a purpose-built five-string bass with a low-B in May 1976, one year after completing the first six-string for Anthony Jackson (see below). Steinberger made a 5-string headless instrument called the L-2/5 in 1982, and later Yamahaoffered its first production model as the BB5000 in 1984.
- Six strings are usually tuned B0–E1–A1–D2–G2–C3—like a four-string bass with an additional low B string and a high C string. Some players prefer B0–E1–A1–D2–F♯2–B2, which preserves the intervals of standard six-string guitar tuning (an octave and a fourth lower) and makes the highest and lowest string the same note two octaves apart. While less common than four or five-string basses, they appear in Latin, jazz, and other genres, as well as in studio work where a sightreading in the recording studio. In 1974, Anthony Jackson worked with Carl Thompson to create the first Contrabass guitar (BEADGC). Later, Jackson brought his ideas to Foderaand worked with Ken Smith to create a wider-spaced Contrabass guitar, which evolved to the modern six-string bass.
- extended-range basses" or ERBs with non-coursed string counts rivaling those of coursed-string basses.
- Detuners are mechanical devices the player operates with the thumb on the fretting hand to quickly retune one or more strings to a pre-set lower pitch. On standard four-string basses, detuners are most often used to drop the E-string down to D. On basses with five or more strings, they typically drop the B-string down to a B♭. Some bassists (e.g., Michael Manring) add detuners to more than one string, or even more than one detuner to each string, so they can quickly access alternate tunings, especially during live performances.
Alternative range approaches
Some bassists use unusual tunings to extend the range or get other benefits, such as providing multiple octaves of notes at any given position, or a larger tonal range. Instrument types or tunings used for this purpose include basses with fewer than four strings: one-string bass guitars, two-string bass guitars, three-string bass guitars (session bassist
Extended-range basses (ERBs) are basses with six to twelve strings—with the additional strings used for range rather than unison or octave pairs. A seven-string bass (B0–E1–A1–D2–G2–C3–F3) was built by luthier Michael Tobias in 1987 for bassist Garry Goodman. Also German bass luthier Warwick built several custom fretless seven-string Thumb NT basses (F#0–B0–E1–A1–D2–G2–C3) for Jeroen Paul Thesseling.[5][6]
A
See also
References
- ^ HalLeonard.com. "Hal Leonard Bass Method – Complete Edition - Books 1, 2 and 3 Bound Together in One Easy-to-Use Volume!". Hal Leonard Online. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Fender Tune App for Guitar & Uke + Chords, Scales, Metronome". www.fender.com. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Transposing Instruments – Music Theory Academy". 18 January 2013. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ISBN 0-87930-368-9.
- ^ Amador, Valery (2011-07-01). "Warwick releases Jeroen Paul Thesseling's 7-string fretless bass". Bassmusicianmagazine.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin (2011-11-17). "Ultra Low: An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling". Notreble.com. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
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