# What to play on a 5-string bass with a drop-C guitar?



## R0ADK1LL

Been playing a 4-string for ages, but recently the guitarist I jam with & I have been playing alot of drop C stuff (CGCF). I got sick of changing my tuning all the time & having floppy strings, so I decided to get a 5-string.

So here's the questions: if my guitarist is playing in drop C, what should I tune to? Do I try to match my notes to the chords or just find a cool riff on my lower notes & blow some ear drums?

We play alot of metal/hard rock kind of stuff, but I like to throw a bit of funky slap in where I can as well.

Any comments would be appreciated. Cheers.


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## Customisbetter

Depends on your songwriting skills. If you suck and just follow the guitar to a T, buy a slinky 5 string set and tune up to Drop C. You won't be hurting the guitar at all.

If you have a decent songwriting skills and weave around the guitar rather than sit under it, you have the range you need in standard tuning.


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## ittoa666

Our old bass player would tune to GCGCF.


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## JunkMan13013

Tune to Drop C, Follow root notes with riffs to fill space.


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## Encephalon5

I agree with custom. Stay in B standard. Write your own bass lines. You could tune GCGCF, thats what the guy from the faceless does. It's also what I do on occasion. But I'm not a fan of the G. Too low for mytastes. While you're at it listen to Obscura. Jeroen Paul Thesseling is an amazing bassist. Plays a 6 string fretless warwick and spends more time playing counter melodies than playing the guitar part.


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## Rook

Stick to standard, for sure.

No reason, just do.


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## TemjinStrife

If there's a lot of low C chugging and pedal tones, C G C F A would be my choice. If it's more standard stuff, you can stay in standard and play it that way pretty easily. Whatever you feel would help you the most.


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## JPhoenix19

TemjinStrife said:


> If there's a lot of low C chugging and pedal tones, C G C F A would be my choice.



I did this back in my bass-playing days. I liked having the high notes for chords and such.


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## Bobo

My old band played drop C for guitars, so I did GCGCF. Felt natural to play this way with them, and the ability to go lower than them at times was huge. Requires a pretty big string down low (maybe like a 158 or 166 from Circle K), and the amp/cab may not really reproduce the low end that well. I'd just recommend trying it out to see if you like it and how it sounds.


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## josh pelican

The low G or the high A are both awesome choices, but it just depends on your taste. I would go for the low G like Dan Briggs, but that's because I like to go low.


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## R0ADK1LL

Thanks for the comments. I tried playing GCGCF the other night but it sounded a bit muddy with the factory strings & wreaked havoc with the tensioning as well (all I got was buzz on the first few frets on the highest string).

Think I'll stick to standard tuning for now & keep hinting that he should get a 7-string.


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## Lon

Tune up a half step to C-Standard tuning, very easy to do, tension is manageable even with standard gauge strings.

i also like the idea with the low G underneath but then you need a serious re-setup and some heavy heavy (at least .145 on a 35") gauge strings to keep everything stable


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## josh pelican

Lon said:


> i also like the idea with the low G underneath but then you need a serious re-setup



It wouldn't be a "re-setup". If he is changing it from B to G it would be one simple setup.


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## TemjinStrife

josh pelican said:


> It wouldn't be a "re-setup". If he is changing it from B to G it would be one simple setup.





Heavier strings definitely, re-intonation and probably a truss rod tweak.

However, filing out a nut is not something that's easily done, so that might qualify as "serious." Especially if he doesn't like it and needs to get a new nut put on down the line.


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## josh pelican

TemjinStrife said:


> However, filing out a nut is not something that's easily done, so that might qualify as "serious." Especially if he doesn't like it and needs to get a new nut put on down the line.



That depends on the type of nut. Some are easy to do, but harder/denser materials (i.e. brass) aren't that simple.




R0ADK1LL said:


> We play alot of metal/hard rock kind of stuff, but I like to throw a bit of funky slap in where I can as well.



I just noticed this. Hard rock and funky slap? I'd go with the higher string.


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## Lon

josh pelican said:


> It wouldn't be a "re-setup". If he is changing it from B to G it would be one simple setup.


as mentioned, filing out the nut, tussrod adjustion (to adjust to the lower[!] tension if hes not using a huge gauge) and intonation are a serious setup considering changing these variables usually results in the need to re-setup the other strings as well 

but if done right this could result in some extremely nice low end


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## Origin

Lon said:


> Tune up a half step to C-Standard tuning, very easy to do, tension is manageable even with standard gauge strings.


 
This, quick and easy and bass doesn't need to be tuned super low regardless. I do this to play a lot of Train of Thought/etc Dream Theater and it works wonders so long as you maintain visualizing the octave as a fret higher when improvising.  Much easier than going to drop C or any G-related things.


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## josh pelican

Lon said:


> a serious setup considering changing these variables usually results in the need to re-setup the other strings as well



This is still one setup, not a "re-setup". A setup is a complete setup, not a partial setup. A "re-setup" implies the bass is being setup twice. If you are setting up a bass, you would do all of the strings. Yes, you do a string at a time, but it isn't considering "re-setting up".

Mr. Strife seems to agree that it is one setup, aside from the fact I said "simple" rather than "serious".


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## R0ADK1LL

Yeah, any kind of setup is serious enough that I would probably have to pay someone else to do it (I have a knack for breaking things with these mighty bass slapping hands).

Standard tuning or tuning up to C will probably do for now & if I start playing some music that needs some real fat lows, I'll get some heavier strings & get my truss rods adjusted etc.


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## ZEBOV

Lon said:


> Tune up a half step to C-Standard tuning, very easy to do, tension is manageable even with standard gauge strings.



This really would be a lot easier.


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## Wookieslayer

I was wondering the same thing... except we tune to C# or drop B.....!


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## TemjinStrife

Wookieslayer said:


> I was wondering the same thing... except we tune to C# or drop B.....!



So tune your other four strings up a whole step and leave your low B standard for the drop songs.


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## deevit

When playing with a drop-C guitar, don't change anything on your fiver! The low C is already there and you can play all your scales and patterns without changing them for droptunings. Personally, I really don't see the point in droptuning a bass unless using it for chords or something. 
When you play in C on a standard tuned fiver, you force yourself to use the fretboard and play other positions than you often would normally do. Both are great for your playing!


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## TemjinStrife

deevit said:


> When playing with a drop-C guitar, don't change anything on your fiver! The low C is already there and you can play all your scales and patterns without changing them for droptunings. Personally, I really don't see the point in droptuning a bass unless using it for chords or something.
> When you play in C on a standard tuned fiver, you force yourself to use the fretboard and play other positions than you often would normally do. Both are great for your playing!



Unless he's following the guitar on lots of stuff involving a pedal C and higher notes alternating. If it's easier to play in Drop C, no reason not to do it that way; it makes for a better show if the bassist is free to rock out and have fun rather than concentrate on difficult stretches and shifts while the guitarist just bounces off that open low C.


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## deevit

Even then I personally like to stay in standard tuning, it's great for your technique and I like the challenge. 
But I do understand people like to have that low Con an open string, in that case I would tune C,F,A#,D#,G# (everything a half step up obviously) because this way is doesn't mess up your scales and patterns (I like to improvise a bit). That's why I don't see the point in droptunings on bass, tuning in 4ths is much more logical.


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## TemjinStrife

deevit said:


> Even then I personally like to stay in standard tuning, it's great for your technique and I like the challenge.
> But I do understand people like to have that low Con an open string, in that case I would tune C,F,A#,D#,G# (everything a half step up obviously) because this way is doesn't mess up your scales and patterns (I like to improvise a bit). That's why I don't see the point in droptunings on bass, tuning in 4ths is much more logical.



Unless all of the songs heavily involve fingering stuff on the "dropped" string and above it, like I said before.

You can save yourself a lot of annoying shifting (especially at faster tempos) by doing the C G C F A D thing. Challenge yourself all you want at home or in practice; but I think live you should make things as easy as possible so as to be able to give a tighter, cleaner, more fun show.

Also, I can improvise just fine in drop A on my 5'er. It's great for your technique and I like the challenge


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## deevit

TemjinStrife said:


> Unless all of the songs heavily involve fingering stuff on the "dropped" string and above it, like I said before.



I know, but I think you can manage if you use all the positionplaying you can.  But as I said, I understad some choices to make it easier. Only thing is that drop tunings do not make things easier on bass, IMO. I tend to play my scales and patterns fast and without thinking too much, and standard tunings really help do that.

I think we should agree to disagree on this one...


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## vampiregenocide

Ryan Martinie in Mudvayne plays GCGCF, the low G sounds sweet when he uses it.


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## nephilymbass

I've done it before with an old project. I just tuned to C standard (not drop C) with a light set of strings, A .120 or .125 5 string set will work with a proper setup


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