Six String Bass Discussion

Malice

I bought myself a six string bass last week.

Does anyone know what the logic behind the CGDAEB tuning is? I had it tuned to BGDAEB to match the lower six strings of a seven string guitar as I assumed that was what the tuning would be only to realise that the standard six string bass tuning appears to be CGDAEB.

Having never played one of these beasts before, I'm curious how others have gotten used to it or if there are any exercises I could/should do. I have a seven string guitar and a five string bass so I'm used to the low B string. I actually find it more awkward when the low B isn't there .

I'm doing a lot of arpeggios like this to begin with:

[PHP]C||

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4

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4

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G||

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4

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4

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D||

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6

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6

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A||

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7

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7

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E||

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4--7

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7--4--|
B||--5

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|[/PHP]Obviously I move the pattern both up and down the neck and up and down the strings.

ball

I've never played a 6 string bass before.

But what's stopping you tuning it to BGDAEB?
If it makes more sense to you and feels more comfortable...


That's what I'd do if I had a 6 string.

It's also the reason I have a 4 string.
To avoid confusion :cool:

Malice

ball wrote: »

But what's stopping you tuning it to BGDAEB?
If it makes more sense to you and feels more comfortable...

Good question! I suppose I'd rather stick with the conventional six string tuning because I don't have a good reason to alter it. Comfort doesn't really come into it and just because something makes sense to me doesn't make it right .

ball wrote:

That's what I'd do if I had a 6 string.

It's also the reason I have a 4 string.
To avoid confusion :cool:

When it comes to bass playing, I'm much more at home on the low B string so there's no confusion there. Maybe I should re-string it so I get a low G on there - something like GDAEBG .

reniwren

Well there's no wrong way to tune but in general the standard is tune in 4ths a lot of guitarists like 7 string basses because they can tune like a guitar and have te low b but its all in what you fell comfortable with i know some guys who tune in 5ths i myself tune from low fsharp up in 4ths

barret707

I use a 6 string ibanez btb 676 (great bass)

ive always tuned in 4ths on mine BEADGC just cause ive always found it feels more comfortable.

BEADGB is fine if your used to it but i feel u dont have to think as much when the C string is tuned a C

Lord Vetinari

John Myung from DT plays a six string and afaik he has some tutorials on youtube. Why not check them out I'm sure he must go through the tunings at some point.

Fatgoogle

Ive always used BEADGC as the standard tuning for a 6 string. Ive never gone lower or higher than that myself. I prefer to keep it in that range cause i find most cabs struggle to produce a fundamental low b and so cant see the point in making them struggle more.

Malice

barret707 wrote: »

I use a 6 string ibanez btb 676 (great bass)

ive always tuned in 4ths on mine BEADGC just cause ive always found it feels more comfortable.

BEADGB is fine if your used to it but i feel u dont have to think as much when the C string is tuned a C

Have you posted pictures of your Ibanez? There's a gear thread here. Just watch out for GAS .

As for my question on tuning, as a few people have said, the standard is to tune in fourths which would be (low to high) BEADGC. The reason guitars are tuned EADGBE is apparently to facilitate easier playing of chords. Since bassists aren't generally holding chords to the same extent it makes more sense to stick with the conventional tuning.