How to Tune a Bass (NOT like a Guitarist)
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- Опубликовано: 5 авг 2024
- In this free bass lesson, I share three ways to tune your bass. We go over the different types of tuners you can use, how to tune without using a tuner, how to play harmonics, and a way to tune your bass not like a guitarist. Tuning your bass is so important, and this video will show you everything you need to know.
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This will never be seen because I'm so late but here goes anyway. The reason you "find" better tuning stability when you tune from being flat is because of the physics of the gears involved in the tuning machine. When you loosen the string the gears also loosen, when you tighten the string the gears become tighter against each other. This is why you will always eventually go flat if you tune "down" to a note instead of tuning "up" to it.
Thanks for sharing! ⚡️
Tuning up is definitely needed to stay in tune.
And I like the idea of tuning to notes you're going to play - especially when recording and you have the luxury of tuning before all songs.
Absolutely. And it's physics (like many things in music). If you're tuning up, you're pulling into the string, which helps it hold. If you're tuning down, it's pulling loose, and inertia is a cruel mistress.
This is well done. I really enjoy the format and your delivery is very pleasant. Great fundamental knowledge and good tips. Cheers! 😎
Speaking as a guitar player: Valid point on the bonus tip. The TC Electronic UniTune is an excellent clip on tuner and I use that when practicing, etc. Works great on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass. But the PolyTune 3 pedal is what I use for gigs and recording. Excellent tuner!
I do enjoy your videos. I have been playing bass for a local cover band for 10 years and I am entirely self taught. Watching videos on RUclips has gotten me this far. I like these type of videos because it confirms what I have learned up to now. Seeing a pro like yourself doing it the same way I do is reassuring.
Glad to have you here Jesse! Thanks for sharing ⚡️
Nice vid....good advice on mentioning intonation, thank you.....I remember as a young player not understanding why I could not stay in tune, no matter how well I tuned it....being young and the only musician in the family, I had to slowly find out over time that wood changes with temperature/humidity and hardware loosens over time with vibration. A good intonation and a good and proper bass setup a few times a year is important.
I agree with the bonus tip, in principle. Especially if the root/tonality is say F or G. As you'll know well, the tension greated by fretting the F is even more than in the Bb example you gave. So what you said applies, just even more. Cheers
Gonna try the bonus tip Thx Philip
I love using open A and D, but alternating with the same note fretted
It adds a different layer & can create a bigger or fuller sound
Same thing with the open E and the octave fretted E on 3rd string
After I started doing that I noticed a number of known bassists who do that as well
John Paul gets great results with the E doubled on Whole Lotta Love & Communication Breakdown
Love the trick at the end. Never thought of that....
Hope it’s helpful to you! ⚡️
Bonus Tip for the win. I tried teaching the other band mates about tuning to the song
YES - seeing as you asked - tuning for fretted notes is definitely better - to my ear it's not a fine thing - is a very significant thing - i found that one out myself as a guitarist and have carried it over into bass as i'm playing that more these days -
Well said ⚡️
An excellent video. Tuning is so important. Each method you demonstrated should be learned as each has it's advantages. I agree, always tune up to the note. Have a good setup and proper intonation, but tune to the notes you will be playing. I always tune to fretted notes so it takes the nut height out of the tuning equation. I find it much more accurate. I tune to D standard instead of E standard. Give it a try, you might like the extra low notes without the fatter 5 string neck.
Thanks Mark! Will have to try that…
Great tip on tuning to the notes you are going to be landing on the most when recording!
Did that during our last recording sessions for our new record, and it definitely made myself and our engineer feel good about all the bass tracks!
(Listen to Safeword)!
Tuning to the song note makes perfect sense. Just like tuning with the capo on when playing guitar if the song requires capo.
You're a very good teacher. A video about how to change the strings would be nice as well :)
Great idea! And thank you
@@philipconradmusic Wait... we're supposed to change bass strings?! ;-)
My main instrument is cello, being 'fretless' you often have to move away from equal temperament tuning to get something properly in tune. Frets, like a keyboard, force you to ET which is a compromise and it's why tuning as you describe to say a Bb will be more precise in that case.
Thanks for sharing Ron! Cool hearing it from a cellist’s point of view. Glad to have you here!
Old old school is tuning with a pitch fork. I still carry my original one in my bag. A-440. Thanks
Nice!
Nice tips here!
On an unrelated topic, have you had any time to play with the Strymon Nightsky? Some sort of a "first attempt at this"-typed video ?
I occasionally tuned root notes from chords in song. On guitar as well as bass. One bass I had was so badly intimated that I tuned bass to notes on fifth feet - years later I took it apart to paint it and found out it had long scale neck and share scale body!
Ah that explains it. Thanks for sharing!
Tuning to the key of the song you're about to play is an interesting idea. I don't see that being practical in a live performance because you usually don't have the time or capacity to retune before every song, but it would be worth trying in a studio recording environment.
Good point. For live, I usually do the notes I am most likely to play throughout a set. For example, an artist I play bass for has many songs in E. So instead of tuning my A string open, I tune to the 7th fret of the A string because I’ll play that note/fret a lot in the set. Much more likely to play that than an open A. In the studio I do it to the song ⚡️
If you tune to a note, you would have to tune to that note on all strings, right? Then, since that note would be on different relative positions in different strings, you might get good results for those specific notes and string/positions but wouldn’t you mess up the relative intonation (since you would still be in the open string intonation)? Even at just one string the intonation might need to be adjusted since you would be fretting at a different string lenght, right?
One thing I find very annoying is when I have to tune down to Eb or D 'cause the band we are covering used to tune down a half or a whole step. Thanks to the fact we usually play one fretted note per time I can just tune the fourth string to the lowest note and leave the rest untouched. It helps with neck stability and it's useful when you don't have a spare bass and you have to tune quickly.
I always tune up. I also pull the string a little and recheck. I use a Snark 100% of the time. I play one day a week 2 services so it takes a long time for it to die. Weirdest thing that happens is the piano at our church when the weather changes part of it goes out of tune. Like playing a G chord good to go then go to C or D and it is out of tune. I have suggested replacing it with an electronic piano. They sound real good now and we can plug into the board direct instead of having to use microphones. I can drieam.
Well said. Thanks for sharing Kevin 🤘
Tuning to the key of the song is something I'd not thought about it, and I can absolutely see that being of use in a studio setting. Is it something you'd consider for a live situation as well? From my more neophyte viewpoint, I would think that would be a lot of extra tuning during a gig (above and beyond drop tunings and the like for some songs/genres).
And this also reinforces I need to get back to Rick's ear training class as I tend to be fairly constrained to my tuners (usually my Korg Pitch Black on my board) compared to being able to have someone play one note and then tune completely to that. I still remembering doing a lesson with Billy Sheehan and him doing that, and me feeling like a complete noob because I'd get lost doing that (mainly in keeping the pitch in mind if I was really out of tune).
For a live show, I typically tune to the most common notes I’ll play for the set, usually G on E string, D or E on A string, G on D string, C on G string. Depends on show and set, but the rule is the same: most common notes played, I tune to those notes.
I find practicing singing scales in the car is a great way to practice your ear/sense of pitch,
What we're most likely missing out on is that we mostly tune with open strings or using harmonics, and as soon as you put your hand down and fret a note your neck is under more tension and the whole instrument goes sharp by a few cents. Taking that in mind it might be very helpful to tune to the actual tonality of the song or just tune the bass so when you apply the pressure its actually in tune instead being slightly sharp.
Nicely said! ⚡️
But be carefull with this because the amount of pressure you use and maybe slight sideway movement will influence it also. Getting your strings as low as possible for your style of playing will help too. Just my 2 cents.
I tune fretted at the 5th most of the time, that's where I spend most of my time on my 5 string.
With tuning to harmonics you’ll be tuning with just intonation instead of equal temperament, and you’ll end up 6 cents flat on every octave. You can tune with harmonics and knock a tiny bit sharp though. It’s only 2 cents.
So would the "Sweetend Tuning" for guitar also work for Bass. Rhett Shull did a video on sweetened tuning for guitar.
Not unless you play chords
Good video! Do You use that pedalboard? That rhett and you built?
Thanks! Had to wait for some of the parts to come in the mail. I will be putting it together soon ⚡️
@@philipconradmusic Nice! That bender sounded so rad!
If you are tuning your low string using Bb, how do you tune the remaining strings?
Good question. I will tune to the notes on each string I am most likely to play. So for the A string I might play the sixth fret and tune to the Eb. This example is just for a song in Bb.
How do string gauges affect intonation? Will larger gauge vs lighter have a huge impact?
Guage won't affect intonation, but typically, a heavier guage will improve tuning stability. If you do change to a much heavier guage, make sure that you're getting a proper setup (intonation, neck relief, and nut adjusted accordingly).
The intonation tuning trick was helpful because bass is hard to get perfect intonation and I've been wondering how to sound more in tune. What size strings are you using?
I tend to use medium gauge strings.
@@philipconradmusic cool, I might try that, I switched to medium on guitar and found I like it, probably would transfer to bass but when I first started bass I thought a thicker string would mean a fuller sound but now I don't think so.
Song of a pitch! :)
Sometimes I tune to the 12th fret just to see if I need to address any intonation issues
Nice!
Intonation and tuning to fretted note +++
🤘
Funtion. Function. or FunKtion?
😊
☺️
My P bass never goes out of tune 🙌🏻
Same!
@@philipconradmusic lol, but it's true isn't it?
Good tip at the end. Not a fan of harmonics. That's treating the bass or guitar as a perfect pitch instrument and we know they are not. I keep that technique as a last resort.
Classical guitarists have always tuned to the key of the piece.
A well set bass with a lowish action has minimal tuning differences between open and fretted notes. Then, also the fretless guys are always out of tune anyway.😕 Most of the best music ever recorded was pre tuner technology. Guys used their ears- believe it or not.
The idea that open d and g strings don't get used much is something that I absolutely don't understand. If you're not using them then you're not going to be able to read jazz charts or play quick up and down neck movement with a 4 string. James Jameson did it all the time.
When walking jazz bass lines or playing Motown you are right; very helpful! ⚡️
In a pinch, the dial tone on your phone is concert A.
harmonic tuning is a bad idea. the the bass and everything else in the band plays in equal temperment tuning but string harmonics are in just intonation tuning. the bass will not be properly in tune with the band or even its self.
if you dont know what im talking about with equal temperment or just intonation, you can search it here on yt and find videos that teach what they are.
long story short, they are different and tuning by harmonics takes an equal temperment instrument, like a bass in this case, and makes it a bit out of tune since harmonics are always in just intonation and not equal temp.
nothing worse than some degree of imprecision of the tuning on a precision bass!