Tuning a bass properly is one of the first and foremost skills that any bass player has to learn when starting to play the instrument. If the bass is out of tune, it’s not going to sound very good. The article will show you how to tune the bass guitar and some tips to keep your instrument in tune.
How To Tune A Bass Guitar
There are several options to tune up the bass guitar, such as using a digital tuner, tuning by ear, etc. in which tuning with a smartphone app is the most convenient, easy, and economical way. Our Guitar Tunio app supports a powerful bass tuner with a high level of precision and incredible ease. You don’t need any additional equipment because the app works directly with the microphone and the speakers in your smartphone.
It’s really easy to tune your bass guitar with the bass tuner in Guitar Tunio. The first step is to select a type of bass as your instrument and the tuning. Our bass guitar tuner has two operating modes, namely Manual and Auto. Manual mode allows you to choose which string you want to tune. Auto mode is even easier – with Auto mode, all you have to do is play a string, and our app will automatically determine what string you are trying to tune and the string deviation. You’ll see a small indicator right above the picture of the instrument headstock. As you adjust the tension on the string by turning the tuning pegs, the indicator will move on the screen, letting you know whether the note is too sharp or too flat. Once the indicator reaches the middle of the screen, the string is wholly in tune.
Most bass guitars are set up for ‘standard’ tuning. Alternate tunings can be used when you have good playing skills and an understanding of music theory, but ‘standard’ tuning is the most common way to tune.
Looking at your bass strings from low to high, you will be tuning to these bass notes:
- 4th string (thickest): E
- 3rd string: A
- 2nd string: D
- 1st string (thinnest): G
5 Tips For Better Bass Tuning
If you want to keep your bass in excellent condition, you should employ a few maintenance techniques, including:
- Tuning up your bass guitar every time you play;
- Keeping the bass clean;
- Keeping your guitar at the right temperature and humidity;
- Avoid impacts, big and small;
- Replacing your bass strings regularly.
Good luck!
