tuning pattern

**Sumanovo razor** · 01-17-2012, 09:48 AM

whats the tuning pattern for 5 string bass and 7 and 8 string electric guitar...

**wylder** · 01-17-2012, 10:31 AM

5 string bass can be tuned 2 ways -
Standard: 4 string bass with a low B
Piccolo: 4 string bass with a high C

7 string guitars are usually use
low B as standard
low A for heavy metal chugga chugga (the bottom 3 strings would be AEA like a dropped D guitar)

You can obviously drop equal tones on all strings too. But these are the usual tunings I have come across...

**Sumanovo razor** · 01-17-2012, 10:36 AM

ow...are 7 string guitars only used for shredding and playing power chords

**wylder** · 01-17-2012, 10:43 AM

Its just a guitar with an extended range man... You can make Korn's noisy music or Steve Vai kinda orgasmic soloing or Rusty Cooley's well, whatever he does...
I guess 7 strings were first used by some jazz guitarists for their extended range and the ability to play walking bass along with a chord. So its an instrument like any other guitar that your creativity can use for anything...

**alpha1** · 01-17-2012, 10:55 AM

Sumanovo - You do realize that even in case of 4 string Bass guitar - some ppl prefer keeping the tuning as DGBe instead of the more conventional EADg

**wylder** · 01-17-2012, 11:09 AM

Yeah.. That's a Tenor Bass, down a whole step. Victor Wooten uses it a lot.. Stanley Clarke used to use a Piccolo Bass with the whole bass tuned an octave up!!!

**alpha1** · 01-24-2012, 10:59 AM

But does it give any advantage?

**wylder** · 01-24-2012, 11:36 AM

Yeah, but mostly for crazy jazz bassists who like to play lead bass along side another regular bass...

**alpha1** · 01-27-2012, 10:43 AM

How does it make a difference?

I can play lead on the E A D G strings on my guitar

AS WELL AS

on the D G b e strings

?

**wylder** · 01-27-2012, 10:52 AM

It doesn't make much of a difference when playing alone. But if you play along side a rhythm guitarist, your solo on the first four strings would make the mix very narrow banded. Basically too much of action in a narrow band. This makes it tough to differentiate what you are playing from what the other guy is.

That is why low tuned guitars with scooped mids often sound muddy in a mix. Such a mix will have no midrange - where the guitars are supposed to be. Now add loud drums in and you are talking about more bass, more treble but still no mids...

**Sumanovo razor** · 01-27-2012, 11:07 AM

bgda tuning will give a higher treble response than the bass strings which will give more of bass response...you may use ebgd also...though while playing chords the shape will change...if you dont use standard tuning...