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A bass guitarist tuning his instrument.
Each bass guitar tuning assigns pitches to the strings of an electric bass. Because pitches are associated with notes, bass-guitar tunings assign open notes to open strings. There are several techniques for accurately tuning the strings of an electric bass. Bass method or lesson books[1] introduce one or more tuning techniques, such as:
By ear to the sounded reference pitch of a piano, since a piano typically remains tuned much longer than a guitar, and electronic pianos are perpetually in tune.
By ear to the sound of a tuning fork or pitch pipe, which lets you get one pitch on one string correct. Then, use relative tuning (below) to adjust the other strings.
By ear to the sound of a guitar. On a four string bass guitar, its strings are pitched one octave lower than the four lowest pitched strings of a guitar. Tune them identically, without the octave interval, by pressing the 12th fret of each string on the bass.
By electric tuner, tuner app program on a smartphone,[2] or tuning tools on a website, which pick up the audible sound through a microphone, or physical vibrations when attached to the instrument, or the electromagnetic waves through the pickup and instrument patch cable. These indicate when strings are tuned by visual and audio cues.
By ear using relative tuning, using known pitch intervals or chromatic tones played between an already tuned string and one that needs tuning. This is colloquially known as "tuning the bass to itself". The instrument tuned in this manner can be played alone, but it may not be in tune with other instruments, such as a piano, if no reference pitch was used. This technique may also be used for slightly obscure "visual" or "haptic" tuning - by pressing appropriate frets that should make the strings unison the vibrations from one string will be picked up by the other string which will start vibrating (when tuned correctly). This may be observed visually or felt by gently touching the unplayed string.
While tuning is mainly done prior to performances, musicians may tune again during a show, typically between songs, either to correct the tuning of the instrument (heat, humidity, string bending, and heavy playing all affect tuning), or to change to a new tuning, such as dropping the pitch of the E string to D for a song in D major. Amateur musicians tune their own bass, but touring professionals in bands may have a bass tech who tunes their basses.
^HalLeonard.com. "Hal Leonard Bass Method – Complete Edition - Books 1, 2 and 3 Bound Together in One Easy-to-Use Volume!". Hal Leonard Online. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
"hybrid tunings" combining features of major alternate tuning categories – most commonly an open tuning with the lowest string dropped. Bassguitartuning List...
The bassguitar, electric bass or simply bass (/beɪs/) is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in...
electric bass as well as a 6-string guitar in D tuning. A#0 Tuning -A♯-D♯-G♯-C♯-F♯-b-e-g♯-c♯ A step and a half step from standard tuning. A0 Tuning — A-D-G-C-F-a♯-d♯-g-c...
music. A standard guitar's standard tuning (from lowest–pitched string to highest) is E2–A2–D3–G3–B3–E4. While no standard tuning has been established...
strings with a fourth, extending the conventional tuning of a bassguitar. With all-fourths tuning, playing the triads is more difficult, but improvisation...
that of standard upright bass, with thinner strings to allow a higher-pitched tuning. The acoustic piccolo bass is usually tuned in fourths, E2-A2-D3-G3...
Drop D tuning is an alternative form of guitartuning in which the lowest (sixth) string is tuned down from the usual E of standard tuning by one whole...
implementation of guitar chords depends on the guitartuning. Most guitars used in popular music have six strings with the "standard" tuning of the Spanish...
Among alternative tunings for the guitar, all-fourths tuning is a regular tuning. In contrast, the standard tuning has one irregularity—a major third between...
common set-up is C6 tuning on the near neck and E9 tuning on the far neck. On a six-string neck, for example, on lap steel guitar, C6 tuning is most usually...
guitar. Like the traditional electric bassguitar and the double bass, the acoustic bassguitar commonly has four strings, which are normally tuned E-A-D-G...
meanings for tuning: Tuning practice, the act of tuning an instrument or voice. Tuning systems, the various systems of pitches used to tune an instrument...
New standard tuning (NST) is an alternative tuning for the guitar that approximates all-fifths tuning. The guitar's strings are assigned the notes C2-G2-D3-A3-E4-G4...
the double bass is usually tuned a whole tone higher (F♯1–B1–E2–A2). This higher tuning is called "solo tuning", whereas the regular tuning is known as...
Drop tunings Open tuning New standard tuning Regular tuning Major thirds tuning All fourths tuning All fifths tuning Repetitive tuning English guitar Russian...
Steinberger is a series of distinctive electric guitars and bassguitars, designed and originally manufactured by Ned Steinberger. The name "Steinberger"...
watch-key tuning system, size, stringing with 6 strings and tuning - see description of the afinação natural (natural tuning) under Tuning below. Especially...
seven string guitars to six strings (or sometimes to bassguitars) and retuning them to the EADGBE tuning, or as a 7 string use BEADGBE tuning. Conversely...
Guitar tablature is used for acoustic and electric guitar (typically with 6 strings). A modified guitar tablature with four strings is used for bass guitar...
of a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret. Another common tuning for the soprano ukulele is the higher string-tension D6 tuning (or simply D tuning), A4–D4–F♯4–B4...
available about its tuning. A "classical contrabass guitar" (aka Acoustic Bass VI) is tuned E1–A1–D2–G2–B2–E3, like the classical guitar, but one octave lower...
Among alternative tunings for the guitar, an open G tuning is an open tuning that features the G-major chord; its open notes are selected from the notes...
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