How To Tune A Bass Guitar - BY EAR [3 Dependable Methods]

►► Join my 28-Day 'Ear-Opening' Challenge to "unblock” your ears and learn 20+ bass lines completely by ear - in just 28 days, and practicing just 15 minutes a day → becomeabassist.com/ear-openin...
►► Want to go further and start to play bass by ear completely? You can learn the first steps to do that here → • How To Get STARTED Pla...
Before we jump into how to tune a bass guitar by ear, I want you to imagine this:
In between songs, a buddy leans over to you and says, “Hey - can you tune your bass up? I think one of your strings might be a little out.”
OF COURSE!
That’s probably why things haven’t sounded the way you know they should have the last few songs.
Something had felt a little ‘off’ over the last couple of tunes, even though you were playing all the right notes, but somehow it sounded ever so frustratingly wrong.
Thanks to your buddy diagnosing the problem, you turn to your trusty headstock tuner, and click the ‘On’ button, or give your stompbox tuner a very satisfying *stomp*, only to find…
*Your Tuner Isn’t Working*
Maybe it’s the battery, maybe there’s some kind of other fault, but now, you’re up a creek without a paddle.
Not only do you not know which strings are out of tune, but without knowing how to tune your bass by ear you have no way of fixing this problem on the fly without stopping everything and asking someone to help you tune up, or just twiddling your headstock tuners and hoping for the best.
Of course, if you can tune a bass by ear, this isn’t an issue for you at all. You simply use one of three tuning methods that makes the most sense for you and the jam session/rehearsal/gig/worship service goes on without a hitch.
In today’s video, that’s exactly what I want to show you how to do. You’ll learn 3 distinct ways of tuning your bass without relying on any tuners or apps (or needing a guitar tech tuning it for you like some bona fide rock god).
And the best part is what you DON’T need in order to tune by ear:
→ You DON’T need perfect pitch
→ You DON’T need a ‘good’ ear
→ You DON’T need years of experience
All you need to do is listen for the one key ‘signal’ that you’re in tune - although it’s more of a lack of it being there that really shows whether you’re in tune or not.
Once it’s pointed out to you, you’ll be able to notice it pretty quickly and get on the path to tuning your bass 100% by ear.
One of the cool things about learning how to tune by ear is that it almost ‘primes’ you to open up your ear and even start thinking about playing by ear, so you don’t have to be chained to tabs or KZbin covers to learn songs, and when that happens, a whole world of possibilities opens up to you.
If playing bass entirely by ear sounds like something you want to do, but don’t know where to start, check out my other video: How To Get Started Playing Bass By Ear → • How To Get STARTED Pla...
Even if you can tune by ear, it’s usually a good idea to have a (functional) tuner handy - especially if you’re playing a high-ish stakes gig or a recording session. You want to make sure that your bass is in tune with itself, but ALSO with all the other instruments you’re playing with. Even bassists with great ears will still use tuners for precisely this reason.
By the way, here’s the first of the harmonics lessons that I mention in the video: • Bass Harmonics - Left ...
Good luck with the lesson and happy tuning!
Cheers,
Luke
P.S. Here’s the direct link to the playing by ear lesson I mention in the video:
• How To Get STARTED Pla...
[Chapters]
0:00 Intro
1:21 Method #1: The Reference Pitch
6:40 Method #2: The ‘5th Fret’ Trick
10:06 Method #3: The Harmonics Trick
#basslesson #tunebyear #howtotuneabass

[@admacdo]

The number of experienced stringed instrument musicians that don't understand that they need to tighten up to the tuned note amazes me. The concept that the friction of the nut can cause a slow equalisation of tension across it isn't that hard to recognise. Graphite lubrication of the nut slots helps to speed up the tension transfer and assists keeping things in tune. Get your pencils out and colour those slots in...

[@BecomeABassist]

Interesting @admacdo2009. I never understood the specifics or physics of *_how_* this works, but I did notice that tuning 'up' rather than tuning down always seemed to work better and somehow 'felt' better. Thanks for sharing your perspective!

[@carpediemarts705]

@@BecomeABassist the string also needs to unwrap from the compressed coil on the tuning post. I had less issue tuning up or down on bass than my 6 string friends had.

[@freezo244]

Your explanations are very clear. Thank you!

[@SoapyHB]

Didn't know about the 5th/7th fret harmonic. Thanks for that. Also the oscillation was an ear opener for me. Thanks also for that. LOL at 14:11 with the change of hair, extra growth on the beard and the dog addition. 🤣🤣🤣

[@arianahess7362]

this was soooooooo! easy for me thank you alot luke.

[@thomasfioriglio]

Very cool lesson Luke. I like these "how to" tips. Nicely explained. Thanks.

[@BecomeABassist]

Glad you liked it @Thomas Fioriglio!

[@garethevans2650]

I like the harmonics method. Worth knowing you can press your ear against body and hear enough eg if you're waiting to go on at a jam where you're expected to be in tune when you walk up

[@laymanengineer7502]

This also works in a really loud environment when you cant actually hear the instrument. Like backstage at a metal concert.

[@jeorgeramirezgonzolezsanti3178]

Thanks for this. Love the dog just strolling through

[@franshallar]

Hi I'm always happy when I can learn a new thing and yes now I learned how to tune my bass by ear. The 2nd method is the one I know from guitar. Oja that's also a lifetime ago. Thanks Luc.

[@BecomeABassist]

Awesome to hear @Geen Nog minder! Thanks for watching.

[@tommymassey1275]

Very cool thank you

[@BecomeABassist]

You're welcome @Tommy Massey!

[@MsRouder]

I figured it out, set the automatic translation! Everything is fine! Жду следующие уроки🎸

[@joannalewis5279]

I've been scared of this as I used to obsess over the precision but I need to practice this again

[@carpediemarts705]

Steel tuning fork vibrating half an inch from a pickup will sound through the amp. Using a harmonic on the string would be easier to compare the 2 tones than a fundamental.

[@gaz312]

Living in Scotland this drone can be heard everywhere. 😂

[@rosscoe3728]

Another great helpful video thanks Luke, but what happened to your hair near the end of the video :-)

[@BecomeABassist]

What do you mean? Does your hair *_NOT_* spontaneously erupt occasionally? Haha!

[@spacescan3d220]

Hey @BecomeABassist (Luke)-Curious noob here. I got a little obsessed with your gorgeous bass and after several twists and turns, I wonder if you could clear up the following: is it a Kramer era Spector NS-2, between 1987 and 1990, or is it a more modern USA Custom build? Or am I completely mistaken/off? Subscribed, btw.

[@slq3263]

Luke. I'd love to join your online course but times are hard at the moment. Is there any chance you'll ever make a pay monthly course? I know many people would be happy with that

[@BecomeABassist]

That's interesting @Sarah Q. If I were to create some kind of monthly subscription, what would you want me to put in it?

[@carpediemarts705]

When Using harmonics to tune, must pick or pluck the strings NOT on a harmonic node. Plucking closer to the bridge will give good harmonics, but you might need to move your right hand some right or left to get the strongest harmonics.

[@elmarluetge]

The drone part is strange somehow. Do you always have a drone handy that is in tune with the d-string? I tend to doubt that. Method 3 sounds good though.

[@BecomeABassist]

Normally, you'd just ask someone (who you know is in tune) to play whatever note you wanted to start with and use that as your 'drone'.

[@freezo244]

That was my thought as well. But he did say initially that you’d ask someone you know is in tune to play a D for you.

[@maakatipa4613]

You can find free guitar tuners on KZbin. So as long as you have your phone with you, your sorted.

[@BecomeABassist]

Right, but this isn't a video about how to use a bass tuner. But also, what if your phone runs out of battery? Or it's too noisy on stage for the tuner to pick up your notes? What if you just want to learn how to do it with your ears?

[@freezo244]

Yeah but how cool is it to be able to tune by ear? Thanks Luke!

[@MacWool]

Okay. Luke does the first 14 minutes or so sporting his regular look ... and then suddenly morphs into (Habs legend) Patrick Roy for the final 40 seconds! Now that is a good party trick.

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! I'm more of a Red Wings guy, but I appreciate the compliment - I worked hard on that party trick. lol

[@MsRouder]

Спасибо Люк! Всегда смотрю твои уроки! Можешь сделать титры на русском?

[@BecomeABassist]

Хотел бы я @MrRouder, но все мои знания русского языка взяты из Google Translate

[@MsRouder]

@@BecomeABassist Отлично! Хорошо что ТАБЫ можно читать на любом языке! С уважением! Виталий.

[@bryanleigh6497]

Just put a tuner on the stock. You need to tune between songs silently and quickly in a gig. Reference drone lol.

[@BecomeABassist]

I think you may have missed the part of the title @bryanleigh6497 where it says 'by EAR'. Yes - having a headstock tuner or a pedalboard tuner can be handy, but like I say in the video, if you lose battery or have some kind of technical issue with any kind of electronic tuner, being able to tune by ear is a pretty fundamental skill for any musician.

[@beansrgd]

Agree

[@beansrgd]

Learning piano for 20 years has really given me a head start to be pretty close to telling its in tune- especially if you play daily .

[@user-wm7ct4is4l]

Expliquer en français

[@ForrestThump]

Is no one going to comment that the E string harmonics caused his hair to grow?

[@BecomeABassist]

You’ve really gotta be careful with those harmonics, right? lol

[@rule.of.3rds]

Did someone say never ending super long D 😏😏