Tuning a bass

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Jones
  • Start date Start date
82 more pages to go, looks like we could do with some fresh blood from "outside" to get some of those inside-tuning ideas going again :)

Eddie
 
We're losing momentum!

Um...what's the tuning for a bass ukulele?
 
Um...what's the tuning for a bass ukulele?

Using the analogy of a bass guitar, the ukulele is tuned G-C-E-A (although some say, A-D-F#-B; these deviants may be disregarded) near the viola range [compare C-G-D-A]; so a bass ukulele would be G-C-E-A, with the G the same pitch as the G string on a bass guitar.
http://www.largesound.com/ashboryarticle/concept/ukulele/

That is, if there is such a thing as a bass ukulele. A Google search turned up a single citation, with no information on tuning; following the principal stated above, it must have been G-C-E-A.
 
lpdeluxe said:
Using the analogy of a bass guitar, the ukulele is tuned G-C-E-A (although some say, A-D-F#-B; these deviants may be disregarded) near the viola range [compare C-G-D-A]; so a bass ukulele would be G-C-E-A, with the G the same pitch as the G string on a bass guitar.
http://www.largesound.com/ashboryarticle/concept/ukulele/

That is, if there is such a thing as a bass ukulele. A Google search turned up a single citation, with no information on tuning; following the principal stated above, it must have been G-C-E-A.
Click to expand...
So I take it that until Ashbory did that, there was no such thing.... :confused:
 
Mary Chapin Carpenter said...

"... My sister had a bass ukulele and I started playing the bass ukulele, which is the first four strings of the guitar. " Is that D-G-B-E, or E-A-D-G? I'd vote for the former.
 
I think it is the higher string to lower string. I read somewhere that they are tuned "upside down". I've never played one, so I don't know.
 
They are tuned "upside down"...

http://www.thecipher.com/ukulele-string-numbers.html gives a simple explanation which, if I understand it correctly, says that mostly the strings are numbered from the higher pitched to lower, but for the sake of clarity and consistency this guy does it exactly the opposite. Thus, there is the "standard" numbering, as opposed to the "common sense" numbering. I'm trying to find words to describe how helpful this all is.
 
Has anybody ever noticed...

that the reliance on electronic tuners has messed up your ability to tune by ear? I noticed this had happened when I started to study jazz a few years ago. Up until that time, I always tuned by just plugging into a tuner. Now, all of a sudden, I had to tune to a real acoustic piano. And, much to my surprise, I couldn't hardly do it!!! I had relied on electronic tuners for so many years, that my ability to discern fine differences in pitch (and the beats that two slightly different pitches will produce) had almost disappeared. I've since gotten this skill back (mostly), but I still like to get to the rehearsal hall earlier than everyone else so that I can tune my bass, before other people get there and start doodling around on their instruments. This extra noise seems to throw me off quite a bit, whereas I don't remember that being the case many years ago.

In a similar manner, I used to be very good at spelling, but after relying on the "spell-check" function in word processors for many years, my spelling skills have deteriorated drastically.

Has this happened to anybody else?

Brad
 
I've never been able to get an instrument in tune using a tuner. If the open strings are in tune, then something is alway wrong up the fingerboard somewhere, and vice versa. Maybe it's just that I've never had a high end bass or guitar, and the intonation is not correct. For me tuning is always a compromise, even on an upright. Sometimes I even have to tweak the tuning when I change keys.
 
How do you tune a washtub bass? I've never been able to play one in tune, and just put it down to my inexperience. But then I thought - maybe it needs to be tuned. But I have no idea what frequency it needs to be tuned to.

Should it be looser or tighter than floppy? Sagging or pendulous (oh, I'm sorry - those are breasts.) Flaccid or limp (oops, that would be penii.)
 
The plural of penis is penises

And, here we are, over 400 posts later, and STILL ON TOPIC!!!! :D

Brad
 
I still have my A=440 tuning fork in my case

Just in case.

How do you tune a washtub bass?


This must be a trick question. I played Dobro to a washtub player one afternoon, in a galaxy long ago and far away, and I don't remember that he was in tune with anything, except maybe the keg.
 
so that I can tune my bass...

THAT's the whole point! Dammit, if it was easy, we wouldn't have anything to talk about! I mentioned earlier the difficulty in tuning an electric solid body bass, back before my ear was developed, and having to bend notes to get in tune with the guitars.

If it was easy, the guitarists would be doing it.
 
lpdeluxe said:
I played Dobro to a washtub player one afternoon...
Click to expand...
That's not difficult, as those instruments are always in tune to each other. In tune with the vocalist also.
 
So, whaddya think?

So, have we finally beaten this thing to death yet?

Brad
 
Garry Sharp said:
Who knows? :D Probably, but it was fun...
Click to expand...
Oh, absolutely!

And, I must say, we did a pretty good job of it. 17 pages, 418 posts. Maybe we didn't stay entirely on topic, but I've seen posts that went a lot farther off topic than this, and we were generally able to reign it back in to some degree. And it was, indeed, a lot of fun.

Good work, guys!!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;)

Brad
 
I just wanted to know what the open string tuning of a 4 string bass was. :o
Now I know! :D
 
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