Tuning

Tuning often confuses new Bass players, even if they have a tuner. There are many ways to tune your Bass and any of them are fine, as long as the result is your Bass being set to the desired tuning. Standard tuning for a 4-string Bass is E-A-D-G. If your Bass is sitting in your lap, the thickest string (should be the closest to you) is tuned to a low E. The next thickest string should be tuned to a higher A. The next to a higher D and the thinnest string (furthest away) to a higher G.

A 5-string is typically tuned, starting from low to high, to B-E-A-D-G.

A 6-string is typically tuned, starting from low to high, to B-E-A-D-G-C.

While these are typical tunings, they are not set in stone. You can tune your Bass in hundreds of different ways, but if you want to play covers or other people music, you’ll usually want to be in the standard tuning.

Here are three ways to tune your Bass without too much headache:

1) Use a tuner

Plug your bass into your tuner just as you would into an amp. Turn the tuner on and make sure it’s set to "Bass" and "Auto". Next, turn the volume knob on your Bass all the way up (clockwise turn). Now, starting with the lowest (lowest in tone = thickest) string, strike the string and observe the tuner. Allowing the note to ring, adjust the tuning key for that string (at the end of your Basses neck) until the tuner indicates a green light or "-0" tune on the appropriate note. For example, if you’re tuning a 4-string, the first string should be tuned to a low E. Once the tuner indicates that the string is right on the E note, move on to the next string.

2) Tune to yourself

Before self-tuning, you have to get an accurate note from somewhere. It could come from another instrument, a tuning harp, a piano (always a good bet as long as it’s not a piece of crap) or from a digitally played song that has known notes. I would save the song thing as a last resort because 1) it’s difficult and 2) it’s not always accurate.

If you can get an accurate E, tune your E-string to it. You’ll need to do this while the Bass is plugged in to the amp and the amp is on so you can hear your notes. One thing that you’ll notice when audibly tuning to other instruments is that when your note is slightly different from the note you’re tuning to, the two notes ringing together will create a wavering or pulsating, ringing tone. This wavering effect indicates that the two tones don’t match. If you’re tuning your string in the wrong direction, the wavering effect will speed up. As you adjust your string and your tone gets closer to the tone of the source note, the wavering effect will slow down. As you tune your string closer and closer to the source note, the wavering will stop. When it stops, you are "in tune" with the source note.

Now that you have one string in tune, it’s time to tune the rest. With an in tune E-string we’ll move on and tune our A-string. Luckily, holding down the E-string on the 5th fret will provide us with an accurate A note (as long as our E-string is correctly tuned). So, hold down the E-string on the 5th fret, strike the E-string letting the note ring and immediately strike the A-string letting that note ring as well. Turn the A-string tuning key until the A-string tone matches the E-string 5th fret tone. Once it does, the A-string will be tuned to A. Now, repeat this process on the A-string 5th fret to tune the D-string, then the D-string 5th fret to tune the G-string.

This process can be used the same way for both 5 and 6 string Basses in the previously stated standard tunings. Don’t forget, the fat string should be tuned to a really low B.

This method isn’t the most accurate, so it’s always good to check your string tones against each other (using octaves) or other instruments.

3) Harmonic Self-Tuning

This technique is almost identical to "Tune to yourself". The only difference is the way we tune our strings to one another once we have an accurate note. Instead of using the 5th fret of the E-string to find our A, we’re going to use two harmonic E’s to tune the A string. Here’s how it works:

Assuming the E-string is tuned, touch the E-string over the 12th fret. Don’t push the string down to the neck, just touch it directly over the fret. Then strike the E-string (while your finger is still touching the string at the 12th fret) and it should produce a ringing E note. This is a harmonic E note. Many people liken harmonic tone to bells or chimes, so keep in mind that’s how they should sound. Ok, after you strike the harmonic E, you can move your left hand to the A-string (7th fret) and the harmonic E should continue to ring. Immediately touch the A-string above the 7th fret in the same manner and strike the A-string with the right hand. This should create another harmonic E note that is identical in pitch to the one you just made on the E-string (12th fret).

Strike these notes again repeatedly and tune the A-string to the E-string while the notes ring. You’ll notice that the wavering effect is much easier to hear with harmonic notes, making it easier to accurately tune the strings. This step is repeated on the 12th fret of the A-string and the 7th fret of the D-string, then again on the 12th fret of the D-string and the 7th fret of the G-string.

Harmonics tones are a much clearer and more effective method of tuning both Basses and Guitars, but electronic tuners are hands down the most accurate. I strongly suggest becoming proficient in harmonic tuning for those times when you don’t have a working tuner, but I also recommend buying an electronic tuner if you don’t already have one.

Video Clip on How To Tune Your Bass