Downtuning and drop tuning are two distinct techniques used for altering the pitch and sound of a bass guitar. While they share some similarities, they serve different purposes and create different effects.
Let’s explore the differences between downtuning and drop tuning for the bass guitar.
DOWNTUNING
Downtuning involves lowering the pitch of all the strings on a bass guitar uniformly. Each string is tuned down by the same interval, typically a whole step, half-step, or more. Downtuning is a common practice in various music genres and serves several purposes:
Lowering the pitch: Allows bassists to play in lower registers, achieving a deeper and more resonant sound. It’s often used in heavy metal, doom metal, and other genres that require a dark and heavy sound.
Extended range: Overall bass range increases because the tones are much lower and darker sounding. This can be useful for creating more intricate bass lines or achieving specific tonal qualities.
Tonal variation: Downtuning can introduce new harmonic relationships between notes, leading to a unique tonal palette that suits certain musical styles.
Common downtunings include dropping all strings by one whole step (e.g., from E-A-D-G to D-G-C-F) or dropping down to C standard (C-F-Bb-Eb).
SONGS THAT ARE DOWNTUNED
Round And Round by Ratt – All strings are tuned down a half-step from standard.
Freak On A Leash by Korn – All strings are tuned down a whole step from standard. This song is also played on a 5-string bass.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath – All strings are tuned down 1 1/2 steps from Standard. (C# – F# – B – E)
Guns N’ Roses by Sweet Child O’ Mine – All strings are tuned down a half step from standard. (D# – G# – C# – F#)
DROPTUNING
Droptuning, on the other hand, is the practice of lowering the pitch of one string while leaving the others at their standard tuning. The most common form of droptuning involves taking the lowest string (usually E) and lowering it to a different note, creating a distinctive sound. This technique is often used in genres like rock, metal, and alternative music.
Different Sound: By lowering one string, you can make your guitar sound different and open up new ways to play chords and riffs while the other strings stay the same.
Power chords: Drop-tuning makes it easy to play power chords on the bass, creating a heavier and more powerful sound. You can still play power chords without the droptuning this just makes it a bit easier to do it with open strings.
Common droptunings include:
- Drop D (D-A-D-G)
- Drop C (C-G-C-F)
SONGS THAT IN DROPTUNING
As with downtuning, there are many songs that are in droptuning. Here are just a few:
Schism by TOOL – This song is played in Drop D.
Leave a Reply