8 string bass tuning

[peabuddy]

guys i've found a cheap 8 string and am wondering about the tuning.i know the big strings are tuned to standard but what about the companion strings?are they suposed to be tuned to standard also?

[toejam]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

I'm not totally sure, but I think they're supposed to be octave strings and go up an octave higher.

[Hetfield]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

I agree toe jam.....my friend plays an 8 string and thats what he does,,,,it sounds right [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[peabuddy]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

thanks, this may be a dumb question, but would that mean they're tuned the same as a guitar's lower 4?

[toejam]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

Yeah, the regular strings would be (high to low)G, D, A, E like a guitar, but the extra strings would be up an octave. It's been a long time since I've dabbled in bass. Maybe a should pick one up again soon!

[peabuddy]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

i guess what i'm asking is are the little string the same octave as a guitar

[toejam]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

Oh, okay. I would say so, since a regular guitar is an octave higher than bass.

[Ace]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

I played a 12 string bass once. It was pretty hard to fret, but I suppose with practice, it would be a really cool avenue to explore.

[Black Mariah]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

Yes, that would be the same octave as a guitar.

[toejam]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

Cool! [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]
I remember reading about the Hamer 12-string bass, and the normal 4 strings had two extra strings each tuned an octave higher, so I assumed it would most likely be the same for the 8-string. I guess you could always tune it differently, but the octave up seems the most logical.

[Suck my kiss]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

what would be the point of that, in a band situation?

[peabuddy]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

thanks for the help. the 8 string basses i've heard(king's x, pearl jam, )have a nice full sound.not good for metal but might be cool in a slower tempo song.

[toejam]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

I read that Cheap Trick's bassist used to use the 12-string when the singer wasn't playing his guitar on stage. He said it helped fill up the sound and make it thicker, like there actually was another guitarist playing.

[Black Mariah]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

Exactly. The point is to have a different sound. Same as playing a fretless bass or a 12 string guitar.

[Ace]

Re: 8 string bass tuning

The biggest issue I had with the 12 string bass is the sheer width of the fretboard. It's like a friggin' harp. And the strings were set up so that the smaller strings were "above"(towards my chin) the base string. It seemed almost impossible to play chords on the bass, but if you already have three strings ringing for one note, that is probabyl enough. I was just getting greedy and wanted to see how many strings I could get vibrating in unison. I thought it was pretty cool for metal, I managed to play a little Cryptopsy on it, but it sure took all of my concentration to get it to sound right.