How to Tune a Five-String Bass Guitar
The bass guitar is a key part of any band's rhythm section. Another equally important function of the bass is to imply chord changes, and for this reason it is essential that the instrument is in tune. At first, learning to tune the five-string bass might seem like a daunting task. With some practice, however, it will become a quick part of your playing sessions.
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Instructions
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Prepare for Tuning
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1
Place your five-string bass on your leg in playing position and plug the instrument cable into the input jack of your instrument.
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2
Plug the other end of the instrument cable into the 1/4 inch jack of your tuner.
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3
Turn the volume knob on your five-string bass to its highest setting.
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4
Turn the tuner on by pressing its "on" or "power" button.
Tuning Your Five-String Bass
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5
Pluck the top (lowest pitch) string with your thumb or a pick and look at the tuner to see which note has been sounded. The tuning for a five-string bass (from lowest to highest) is: BEADG; therefore, the top string should read B on the tuner and the tuner's needle should be centered on the screen. If the tuner shows a note below B, then you need to turn the tuning peg for that string so that the pitch is raised. If the note is above B, you will need to turn the tuning peg so that the pitch is lowered.
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6
Turn the tuning key for the top string and pluck it until the note reads B on the tuner.
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7
Repeat steps 1 to 2 for the remaining four strings--tuning each of them to their respective pitches.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Check the tuning of each string again after the initial tuning. Often strings will stretch out a little when tuned and have to be fine tuned a second time to stay in the correct pitch.
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Comments
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musicaljoe
Dec 04, 2009
But always remember this simple rule: Always tune upwards. If you tune downwards to the right pitch, the string will go flat when you start to play, so if you're above the correct pitch, tune below the correct pitch, then tune back up to the correct pitch. This will ensure that the strings stay in tune for longer periods of play.
