Play BASS with Drop D Tuning

In the modern rock era, Drop D is fast becoming one of the most common tunings for the electric bass. The only difference between Drop D and standard tuning is that you are going to lower (drop) the 4th string from an E down to a D. Everything else will stay the same.

This lesson will assume that you already know how to read tablature, understand basic tuning, understand harmonics, and tuning with harmonics.

Getting into Drop D from standard tuning

Since the only note that is different from standard tuning is the 4th string, here is an easy way to get into Drop D tuning. Play your 2nd string open, which is a D. Then play the 12 fret harmonic on the 4th string (touch the string lightly right above the 12th fret bar). Tune that harmonic note down a whole step so that it sounds like the open 2nd string. When both notes are ringing at the same time, you will then hear them "crash" against each other when they are out of tune. The further those crashes are from each other, the closer you are to being in tune. (121K) get realplayer

 

notes are an octave apart

Sometimes bass players will tune the 4th string open to the 2nd string open, understanding that the 4th string will sound an octave lower. Try playing both notes at the same time and listen for the same "crashing" sound that you heard when using the 12th fret harmonic on the 4th string. (144K) Tuning the rest of the strings to the 4th string D First tune the 4th string to a D using the MIDI note below. 4th string D tuning note When using the basic tuning method for standard tuning, you would play the 5th fret on the 4th string and tune the 3rd string open to that. In Drop D tuning, you are going to play the 7th fret on the 4th string, then tune the 3rd string open to that. From there, you will tune everything the same as standard tuning. You could also tune the rest of the strings using harmonics. Basic relative tuning for Drop D source : http://www.cyberfretbass.com