# 6 String bass tuning - High C or B?



## SnowfaLL

I feel like I made this thread before.. sorry if I did, im absent minded today.

Anyways, Think im moving up to a 6 string again, I found a deal that is way too good to pass up, so I'm gonna try it out. My last 6 string I didnt get along with, but I was newb at bass then and just wasnt comfortable overall, now I feel pretty comfortable with everything on bass so Im gonna try again (I normally play 5 strings)

I know common bass tuning for 6 string is BEADGC, which makes perfect sense, and makes it easier to play octave jumps (funk style) because the D octave is the same as all the other strings. I always wonder why guitars have that 3rd from G to B thrown in there anyways; although the only reason I can think of is because tuning an E to a high F would be too high tension wise and possibly mess up chord shapes..

Since I will be playing 7 string guitars very often also, Probably 50/50 with bass.. Should I tune it exactly like a 7 string guitar? basically BEADGB? That way, all my scales and crap will be set already.. Or should I keep it BEADGC and somehow learn to function with guitar/bass being different tunings? (I plan on doing some soloing on bass, Tetsuo Sakurai trio style)

Or.. tune my guitars with a high C and F?


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## BrutalExorcist

I play both, 7 string guitar and 6 string bass, and I am a total metalhead on guitar and more of a jazz / funk / fusion guy on bass. I personally go with BEADGC on bass and BEADGBE on guitar, as that's how my styles developed. On bass, you'll more typically see 4ths across the neck in tunings, sans drop tunings, but there's nothing wrong with tuning your 6 string bass BEADGB, and heck, check out some Michael Manring, he'll change bass tunings multiple times in the same measure!

Obviously, only you can determine what's best for you, but it sounds like you're most comfortable with BEADGB, so I'd go with that for functionality, but it wouldn't hurt to practice with BEADGC tuning down the road, even if you never use it. FWIW, BEADGBE tuning on a guitar when I first took it up was a PITA, having been used to bass, but I'm happy I learned it that way, as the different tunings help differentiate the instruments in my mind and how I'm approaching them. I've seen quite a few bassists on Talkbass though using a B string when they're tuning the tenor route, and it hasn't made any of them less of a bass player, so if that's what you're concerned about, don't 

Also, in the past, I was mostly a bassist, but since seriously pursuing guitar this year, I'll probably consider myself primarily a metal guitarist by next year, but I won't let my bass chops degrade one bit and hope to keep growing my bass playing alongside guitar. If you ever checked out Andreas Holma (http://www.myspace.com/holmaunchartedwaters), Hypocrisy's old guitarist, he's a phenomenal bass player too. That's what gave me the inspiration to be equally competent on both

Hope this helps!


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## Winspear

I play 7 string guitar and 6 string bass too and have though about this. I tune to drop A. For me there were three options:

1) A EADGBE, A EADG C - Standard

2) A EADGBE, A EADG B - Bass to the guitar

3) A EADGCE, A EADG C - Guitar to the bass

I've ended up staying with standard. Although I thought it would be really nice to learn the fretboard in just one tuning and be able to know all crazy chords and intervals etc on both instruments, I ran into some problems.
With my bass tuned down to B instead of C, I found a lot of the harmonic based stuff I do on the bass guitar would be out of tune. 
With my guitar tuned up to C, almost all chord shapes became an issue. Some of them a very big issue. 
If it wasn't for the harmonics I play on bass, I'd tune it to the guitar, but I guess I'm going to have to stick like this. So I guess it's just all about thinking about how you play and what works for you.


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## thraxil

Guitars do the major 3rd between G and B because it makes a lot of basic chord fingerings easier than they would be with straight 4ths. If you're not going to play cowboy chords on your 6-string bass, I'd say go with BEADGC.


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## TemjinStrife

I've found that with the sort of intervals (octaves, etc) you do on bass, BEADGC works best for me.


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## SnowfaLL

hm yea. I spent an hour messing around with BEADGCF on my guitar.. and its odd. Kinda cool, but does make lots of chords difficult. Main one that was annoying, is the "hendrix" chord, that is significantly more difficult with that tuning, along with standard funk 9th chords, not too hard but messes up the ease of just barring the whole neck with like one finger.

So hmm, I guess ill stick to each instrument having different tunings.. and hope it doesnt fuck me up too much when soloing on bass. We'll see. 

Also, I figured out that 6 strings should work for me this time around, as long as I find the right tensions.. I tried a cheap GR ibanez 6 string at a store today and it played pretty good, strings were quite loose.. then I tuned my 5 string carvin with EADGC just to test and the tension being tighter then made it significantly more annoying to play.. so as long as I find the right string gauges to match my Carvin 6er with how my 5 string plays, I should enjoy it. Can't wait.


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## eyebanez333

NickCormier said:


> Also, I figured out that 6 strings should work for me this time around, as long as I find the right tensions.. I tried a cheap GR ibanez 6 string at a store today and it played pretty good, strings were quite loose.. then I tuned my 5 string carvin with EADGC just to test and the tension being tighter then made it significantly more annoying to play.. so as long as I find the right string gauges to match my Carvin 6er with how my 5 string plays, I should enjoy it. Can't wait.



Tension will definitely be a factor you'll have to consider. I've played 6-string bass with both tunings. I prefer the standard BEADGC myself...but that's just the way I learned.


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## SnowfaLL

hmm.. I got another idea for a tuning, that might actually work well.

Since im comfortable with 5 string, and honestly I would of got a 5 string but this deal was just SOOOO good, I had to get a 6 string. I also love the option that if I someday want a 6 string, Ill have it. Its basically gonna be my bass for now until I can afford getting a custom Carvin 5 string, with all the options I want, decked out.

Anyways.. My new tuning idea... Something LOWER than B for the lowest string, then BEADG. It may sound stupid, but the way I am looking at it, it will basically just be a 5 string with an extra low string for specific root/low notes. That way, the tension of the top 5 strings will be super nice, and my issue with fingerpicking on the lowest string being odd, will be resolved temporarily. I could do like a low F# or something, meshugga style, and just use it for fun at times, but mainly just use the top 5 strings.

Least, for the time being, then once I actually get better and need a real 6 string, I can tune it to normal 6 string style. When I start doing more like fusion/jazz stuff, rather than metal like my current band im in.


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