Thursday, March 19, 2026
BassBass Guitar

Why Gospel Bassist Tune Down???


In this video we discuss the meaning behind why Gospel bass players tune down a half step or even a whole step while referencing some of the great gospel bassist, such as Andrew Gouche and the late Joel Smith! Enjoy

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#Gospel #Bassist #Tune

Originally posted by UCvUGrdDxtUBlxSi4Zl-HkqQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZsUv5zxxQo

49 thoughts on “Why Gospel Bassist Tune Down???

  • hi, do you have a video explaining how you mix/tune your bass knob?
    -do you use compressor to balance your volume when you switch to slap?

    Reply
  • I have been daydreaming about tuning down to d. I don’t like how there isn’t a low d to be had on my four string. I may go this route now that I know it can work. Thanks

    Reply
  • Can you break down to me on how to tune my 5 string in flats
    Trynna do B flat , E flat, A flat, C sharp, F sharp but just need help and guidance on how to tune my bass that way

    Reply
  • Daric's Bass Lessons
    Did you know that Heavy Metal Bassists tune down too? Well it allows them to sing the high notes w/o straining their voice.

    Reply
  • Great info. Back around 1987 my dad suggested to my brother to drop the E string to a B on a 4 string. Yeah you lost the top G, but cats were amazed that my brother had the 5 string sound on a 4 string.

    Reply
  • Hello Daric, greetings from Italy! I am one of your affectionate!! I need help from you: basically I have a gospel support band and I am going crazy with the sound. I have two basses : one is a 6 string , neck through with large BARTOLINI PU. Eden historical head and speakers. This bass sounds very well (very close sound ) but sometimes I would like to use the other bass : MTD SARATOGA KINGSTON. So a JB5. It sounds great but it looks a bit of “fat sound” is missed or the B string is OK but other strings have much less volume. Please help me! Do I need a compressor ?

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  • Maestro Bennett…I appreciate your views as to why those of us who play Gospel Bass, as a part of our acumen, drop tune down…and your explanation is quite plausible…and has a GREAT DEAL of accuracy. Is it ok if I (one who has been playing bass near as long, if not longer than AG, offer a simpler and more practical reason as to why the "Church Cats" (which I have become for the past 23years) began to drop tune?? ( and this includes Maestro AG). It's because the church music shifted and began to use synth bass or more prevalently the foot key pedals on the Hammond organ to play basslines. Traditionally the "Church Musician"/MD..would be the organist and he/she fancied themselves the Center of the musical attention and were accustomed to having the LOW bass rumbling underneath them as they played…they in fact actually CRAVE it…and when a bassist playing a 4 string bass was introduced to the music ministry…the organist who by this time wasn't feeling the Bass Guitar underneath him/her, would start playing bass with their feet and their attack of the bass line (their bass feel) would clash with and step on the lines that the bassist was playing or simply overwhelm and overtake the bassist all together…and the musical fight began..???? When the bassists started trying out 5 and 6 string basses and were able to hit that low B…well it helped a GREAT deal but it wasn't enough because the organist STILL had access to 2 additional half steps…down to A…so the fight continued…but when AG went down to A and tuned everything in 4ths (ADGCF+Ab..if he was playing a 6 str) it IMMEDIATELY settled the argument and forced the (pain in the arse) organists to take their left foot off of the pedal keys..because they could feel the rumble
    they wanted without having to put forth the effort…it also teaches the organist to play more as a team of players rather than everything musical being about them. Everyone could get back to staying in their own lane and playing the songs and do more ACCOMPANYING of the choir…as it should be…so.. the short version? ????????????…we all did it to eliminate having to compete with the Low A of the key pedals on the church organ…(call AG and verify this…he'll tell you)????????????????????❤️????????????????????????????????????

    Reply
  • Love these videos, very informitive! I learn so much here. Its the same i guess as the old Blues Guitar tunings in an open D tuning. Greetings from England

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  • Loads of musos tune down, going back to Hendrix via SRV.
    Many local pub players do it.
    It's a thing in gospel simply because it's generally a thing among players. Some do some don't.

    Reply
  • I never realized that gospel bass players tuned down that low. But now that I know this, it helps explain why whenever I'm watching television and come across the church channels where there's a live gospel performance… why the bass seems lower than your typical bass.

    The way you explain them having to battle a learning curve in order to compensate for the altered tuning of the bass… that's very interesting. I never took that into consideration. At the same time, you typical wouldn't use a capo on a bass for other tuning applications. I don't think one would even help for this gospel drop A tuning

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  • I play 5-string but still tune down a whole step. I do this so I can use heavy gauge strings to get a meatier sound while still having normal string tension.

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  • somehow i discover more and more parallels to theory of various metal styles in gospel.

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  • This lower tuning made it easier for lots of sings like Stevie Ray Vaughn to sing those high notes. In the cause of Stevie it also made it easier for him to play those insanely thick 13 gauge strings which are awesome but they require Olympic weight lifter strength to bend

    Reply
  • Would you say that this is used in Gospel a lot because it's kind of like having a pedal point you can have ring out with those low open strings? Like an organ player)

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  • I tune my 5 String Bass down a half step to make the high notes easier on the Voice. Rock peeps & Metal heads also tune this way to get a heavier sound.

    Reply
  • Daric Bennett's Bass Lessons Metal Bassists tune down a half step (or even so Whole step) to get a heavier sound. Any Metal Bassists out there? I tune my 5 String Bass Guitar a half step lower than normally because it's much easier for me to sing the higher notes.

    Reply
  • High Daric, I'm pastor Franklin from the Island of St maarten. Love your bass playing. I would like to know, what bass are you playing in this video. It's a great sounding 5 string bass. Do they come in 6 string version. Thank you

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  • Just tried F# B E A D on my 5 Strings. Anyone else tune this way?

    I'm now tuning ADGCF ????????
    Greetings from Uganda ????????????????????

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  • Changing your tuning only works if everyone else does the same. Otherwise you're gonna clash. But great experience – very cool explanation.

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  • My love for music started with nu metal when I was a teenager and every band, I mean everyone down tunes. The surprise to me was to learn that gospel players do it to, lol

    Reply
  • Daric Bennett's Bass Lessons Did you know Rock Bands like Van Halen & Guns & Roses tune down a half step too? They do it because it's much easier to sing the higher notes.

    Reply
  • Been playing bass on my worship team for a couple years – came in hot and heavy as an eager new disciple. I noticed the lower register in contemporay worship music and started tuning my 4 string to BEDG (I actually got the idea from a TOOL song I learned). I just ordered a super heavy gauge string set so I can tune BEAD.

    Until I watched your video I thought I was "cheating" by tuning down lol. Great video and background information – thanks!

    Reply
  • Why not tune the bass a whole or half step down and use that tuning for the flat keys, then put a capo on the second fret for the rest of the songs and play it like it's in standard tuning? That way it wont feel like your fret board theory has to change. I do this on guitar a lot already when I write a whole arrangement in the key of E but the singer wants to go a half step down last minute. I just tune a half step down and put a capo on the 1st fret to put it back to standard for the rest of the set.

    Reply
  • @eBass

    @UCvUGrdDxtUBlxSi4Zl-HkqQ
    Half Step Down tuning is also used by Guitarists. Another neat reason why they use it is because of their vocal range & it makes it easier to sing.

    Reply
  • @eBass

    @UCvUGrdDxtUBlxSi4Zl-HkqQ
    Half Step Down tuning is also used by Guitarists. Another neat reason why they use it is because of their vocal range & it makes it easier to sing.

    Reply
  • Interesting, I've been wondering that for a little while. Not my thing personally but definitely good to know

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  • Around 4:28 (i’m not a bassist) but shouldn’t the C be played a whole step up the fret not down (since the strings are tuned down)

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  • Great video bruh! Tuning down would drive me up the wall! LOL I would love to see some behind the scenes blogs on your channel.

    Reply

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