Tuning a bass

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Jones
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lpdeluxe said:
We haven't settled that, yet.
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In fact we haven't even really got started yet.

Before we do, I think we should address the philosophical question of WHY should we tune our basses?

(That's a hundred pages' worth right there)
 
lpdeluxe said:
We haven't settled that, yet.
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Based on my experience as a bass player for 25+ years, I say it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, and even somewhat dangerous, to tune a bass guitar UNLESS of course you know EXACTLY what you're doing. Only the best and brightest, the upper crust of the IQ bell curve, can do it correctly without hurting anyone.

So next time you see a bass guitar being tuned correctly, or even hear one tuned properly, get on your knees and show some humility and respect, and be sure to throw at least a $20 bill in that guy's tip jar.
 
I remember, back in the day we didnt even tune basses. god would see my bass was out of tune and he would be like "Let this bass be tuned"; and it was tuned. And God saw the bass, that it was good; and God divided the bass from the guitars...
 
EddieRay said:
Only the best and brightest, the upper crust of the IQ bell curve, can do it correctly without hurting anyone.
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Yeah, that's your average bass player right there. ;)
 
Garry Sharp said:
Before we do, I think we should address the philosophical question of WHY should we tune our basses?
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Reason #-

1. So we can stick our tongue out like we're Michael Jordan, which says to everyone, "man, that guy is really focused, he MUST know what he's doing"!

2. So we can be just out of tune enough to piss the guitarist/singer off, who is an egotistical asshole and who's always late to rehearsal because of his trampy girlfriend!
 
ez - I always stick my tongue out when I'm playing, my bandmates laugh at me ;)

Your point #2 - how many guitarists have the faintest idea if the bass is in tune? :)
 
Garry Sharp said:
ez - I always stick my tongue out when I'm playing, my bandmates laugh at me ;)
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Man, you must really know what you're doing! :D

Garry Sharp said:
Your point #2 - how many guitarists have the faintest idea if the bass is in tune? :)
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I was in a band with 2 of 'em. 1 guitar only but the singer played guitar too and would throw me the stinkeye if I wasn't right on, or if I missed a vocal harmony! After the initial shock of stinkeye on stage, I found it to be entertaining to phish for it.
 
ez_willis said:
Man, you must really know what you're doing! :D



I was in a band with 2 of 'em. 1 guitar only but the singer played guitar too and would throw me the stinkeye if I wasn't right on, or if I missed a vocal harmony! After the initial shock of stinkeye on stage, I found it to be entertaining to phish for it.
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If you really want to mess with them, start playing a different song all together and see how long it takes them to notice. I did that once as a gag, and my EGO bigger than all of us lead guitarist turns to me and says "Dude. Your bass isn't in tune." It was hard not to laugh at him...
 
Garry Sharp said:
Seriously, in the days before digital tuners (I am very old) we would tune a six string to pitch pipes and then the bass to the 6 string.
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That is why I keep holding on to those six-string ones, so I can tune my bass properly, in the meantime I have also managed to work out what the other 2 strings are for :D ..............Of course, I know some folks just use these as spare ones :o

Just goes to show how hard it is to play and tune a bass. Perhaps it may be time for another bass hero, just to raise the provile of the instrument a little bit........................

Eddie
 
That dude that plays bass for the White Stripes is pretty good....
oh wait...
 
ez_willis said:
Man, you must really know what you're doing! :D
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Nope, never been accused of that ;) (You can hear my monstrous bass playing on the link below if you are of the masochistic persuasion :))
 
photoresistor said:
I find it easiest to tune using harmonics.
(one post closer to 100!)
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Me too!
I was just not brave enough to say it first.
I don't know why I do it that way especially when only harmonica I've got is
"G"-harmonica.
The biggest irony is that I can't play harmonica.
Anyway I never use those tuning machines.
 
Reggie said:
That dude that plays bass for the White Stripes is pretty good....
oh wait...
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LOL Reggie! You do know they actually did use a bass player, on their album 'Elephant', right? If in the future 'Elephant' turns out to be one of Jack White's least favorite efforts, I can imagine him, of his choice to have a bass player, musing to himself "WHAT was I thinking?"

Matt
 
gasal69 gets the prize for the most brilliant posts so far on this thread ;)

(If you lightly touch the string over the 12th fret, and then tap it near the pick ups with a harmonica, you get a harmonic. Actually I don't have a harmonica but I just tried it with a house brick and it worked fine :D)

(PS I was lying about the house brick)
 
Garry Sharp said:
gasal69 gets the prize for the most brilliant posts so far on this thread ;)

(If you lightly touch the string over the 12th fret, and then tap it near the pick ups with a harmonica, you get a harmonic. Actually I don't have a harmonica but I just tried it with a house brick and it worked fine :D)

(PS I was lying about the house brick)
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I would hope that your house brick is on top of your amplifier, damping spurious harmonicas.
 
Whoa, look at the interesting turns this thread has taken...

I've got new strings on my bass! :D

I forgot how bright the tone is when the strings are new! Wow, what a difference. Now I just need to get that Tech21 Bass DI, and I'll be a happy camper...

But no bricks or paving stones....
 
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