PDF 
Meet Darren Frate –
Hi, welcome to my new column. In the upcoming months I will be exploring the use of altered tunings for the electric bass. Many musicians fear breaking out of the confines of standard tuning, however, by incorporating altered tunings into your playing you will discover that there are many new chord voicings and approaches to scales. By altering your tuning you can also break out of creative ruts in your playing because of the initial unfamiliarity that comes with learning things in a new way. Artists, for instance, are advised to try drawing with their opposite hand to provide new perspectives and enhance creativity; playing your instrument with an unfamiliar tuning can provide the same serendipitous effect on your music. Many musicians have come up with their greatest material when they have gone outside of their comfort zone into unfamiliar territory.
On a practical note, when trying any new tuning always be careful to allow time for the neck to adjust to the different tension being applied on it. I also find that a lighter gauge set of strings – or even piccolo strings – eases the stress on the neck (I have a graveyard of broken strings that have given out as I tried to stretch them beyond their limits!). If you have a second bass, it’s often a good idea to use that one for the new tuning and let it sit for a while before playing. Also, depending on which tuning you decide to experiment with you may have to alter the bridge. I will be covering all of these nuances in subsequent columns.
The video is an original composition entitled “Hummingbird”, which uses a tuning of C-G-D-A (low to high). In my next lesson we will begin to look at some of the chord voicings for this tuning. Until next time, check out Michael Manring, the “master” of altered tunings, to see what’s possible when you go beyond standard tuning.
Darren Frate has written 5 articles in BMM.
Darren Frate has been playing bass for more than 35 years, including 15 as a teacher.
Frate, who majored in film scoring at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, specializes in electric bass, music theory and ensembles.
He has toured and played with a variety of national acts, including Herman’s Hermits (“I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am”), Dickey Betts from the Allman Brothers (“Ramblin’ Man”), Gary Lewis and the Playboys (“This Diamond Ring”), Mitch Ryder (“Devil With a Blue Dress On”), Ian Hunter (“Cleveland Rocks”), Gerald Levert (“Casanova”), and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
Frate has also recorded several CDs with his own folk and jazz groups. The latest release by his current group, Velvet Voyage, features legendary jazz guitarist Mike Stern, known for his work with Miles Davis.Related posts:
Awesome piece. Thanks for share.
Great to see some solo bass on here! Kudos on a great piece. It has a bit too much reverb for my taste, but killer tune nonetheless.
nice video, n nice sound.. just wanna ask, is it a normal gauge and u just tune it into alter bridge tuning or u using a 6 string gauge on 4 string basses??
Thanks…I do use a bit of a lighter gauge in general .40-.95 but standard gauge is fine as well. I never tried using a 6- string pack? Again be careful when you tune…that “G” string could snap when you tune it up to “A”.