Tuning the Bass

Like I said in the previous blog post, the bass guitar makes a different sound compared to the guitar and also only has 4 strings rather than 6. However, the way to tune the bass is the same as the guitar and other stringed instruments. At the end of the neck of the bass and all stringed instruments, there are small pegs that can be twisted. The number of pegs is always the same as the number of strings on the instrument. The bass, with only 4 strings, only has 4 pegs.

 

In the book How to Play the Electric Bass, Kaye writes a section about tuning the bass. The section says, "Usually tuning once a week is adequate except when keys are accidentally bumped." (Kaye 30) This excerpt shows that I don't play my bass that often and need to practice more. I don't even remember the last time I tuned it. Personally, I think it still sounds okay. But if I do plan to start playing regularly again, I'll need to get into the habit of practicing often and tuning often. Kaye also says that the musician should always tune harmonically on the 5th and 7th fret along with relative note tuning (30). These instructions are similar to the lessons that my original teacher taught me when I was starting out. He taught me how to figure out if a string was tuned or not by playing another string on the neck. This is valuable information and makes tuning even quicker. As of right now, I've taught myself a couple of songs that were all in the same key. These include some songs from Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. I haven't learned a song that requires me to tune to that specific key yet. To prevent another string from snapping, I think I'll start tuning my bass more often.

For those who play instruments, how often do you tune them?

Kaye, Carol. How to Play the Electric Bass. Sherman Oaks, CA: Gwyn, 1969. Print.