How to Play Metal With a Bass in Drop B Tuning

You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered what Drop B tuning sounds like. A large number of YouTube artists play in this tuning. It has an epic intro and incredible tones throughout. Fingerpicking in Drop B is particularly beautiful. Deftones’ “The Truth” is a classic example.

Metal is not just a genre of music; it’s a feeling. That feeling is one of the most potent, raw, and extreme emotions you can experience. Listening to heavy metal amps up your adrenaline to levels that can make you feel like an invincible being; it gives you the strength and courage to take on any challenge in life.

But if you’re new to this style of music or don’t have any instruments yet, the prospect of playing heavy metal may seem daunting. That’s why we created this guide on the basics of how to play metal with bass in drop-B tuning. If you’ve never heard of drop-B tuning, it’s a guitar tuning that gives you an excellent heavy metal sound without being so extreme on top, like standard drop-C tuning.

It also makes it easier to get a friendly heavy tone while maintaining good rhythm (aka taking down the tempo of your solos) and making it not so impossible to play with a bass guitar. The main thing to remember about playing metal is your motivation and mentality to listen to this music genre. The old saying goes, “It’s not about how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

The key to playing metal on your guitar is first to get a good rhythm down, then work on increasing the speed. We will cover the basics of what you need to know to play this excellent style of music in this article. The information covered will be helpful when looking at the entire process of learning a new instrument. First, we’ll go over some practical terms that need to be in your vocabulary when playing metal. Then we’ll show you a few basic techniques that help get that good metal sound. From there, we’ll work on some exercises to build up your overall speed and then look at some tips for improving your accuracy. Now that you have a basic understanding of playing metal with a guitar, you can put this information to use in a practice routine that will get you shredding faster than Kirk Hammett (metal guitars rule!).

Metal Terminology for Bass Players

Metal is an intense music genre that can overwhelm the novice. That’s because there are so many different styles and terms used when discussing heavy metal and unfortunately, it can take years to master all the intricacies that play this style.

Deftones

Deftones bassist Joel Vega joined the band in 2009 from the post-hardcore band Quicksand. He wrote heavily in the years leading up to the band’s debut album, Ohms, and often takes center stage on songs. During the recording process, he tracked demos in New York and sent them to the rest of the band in California. He used Jaguar basses tuned in various tunings and Bass VI for the demos. As a result, he has a cutting tone and can balance Carpenter and Moreno’s guitar playing.

Drop B is the most popular tuning for bassists in rock and metal bands. It is common in metalcore, hard rock, and nu-metal, among other genres. Its modern sound is excellent for mixing heavy backgrounds with clean vocals. It has also helped many bands find major commercial success.

Deftones use a variation of this tuning, too. While Drop B tuning is usually used for bass, some guitarists also use a nine-string bass. In addition, this tuning adds a lower D string in place of the standard G tuning. Deftones bassist Sergio Vega uses a guitar tuned in this tuning on their Gore album.

Deftones’ “The Truth”

If you’re looking for new music to enjoy, check out Deftones’ “The Truth.” The band has a long list of hits and has released some era-defining singles. The band has also enjoyed a loyal fan base and has released two compilation albums.

Their debut album is sonically dense and instrumentally heavy. Lyricism was still developing, and Chino Moreno’s lyricism was mainly in its infancy. However, the band’s debut record is still one of their best. It features tracks like “7 Words” and “Minus Blindfold.”

Deftones released two singles, “Minerva” and “Hexagram,” both featured videos. While the former was initially meant to be a single, the video was only available on the band’s website for a day before being released as a B-Side. “Minerva” is a soaring rock song with an underlying melody that is both mellow and heavy.

The opening of Deftones’ “The Truth” is a climax that doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Initially, the song’s riffs are scratchy, and the vocal acrobatics and riffs make the track a standout among Deftones songs. Its sound is reminiscent of Eros and Saturday Night Wrist, but despite the climax, the band’s sound isn’t cohesive and suffers from inconsistencies.

Attack Attack!

If you want to learn how to play metal with bass in Drop B tuning, this article is for you. The first step in learning how to play metal with Drop B is learning the song. There are several songs that you can listen to with this tuning. Below are a few examples.

Sleeping With Sirens

Sleeping With Sirens is making its mark in the post-hardcore scene from Orlando, Florida. Their sound combines elements of metal and emo to create a unique sound. In 2010, they released their debut album, With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear. The album quickly made them a popular choice for post-hardcore fans and reached number seven on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart.

Sleeping With Sirens is gold-certified and continues to make waves with its sound; on their latest album, How It Feels To Be Lost, the band re-centers on the idea of how it feels to be lost. They use their vocals, electronic echoes, and alternative transmissions to amplify the emotional impact of their sound. Sleeping With Sirens take the post-hardcore genre in a new direction, making it more accessible to mainstream audiences. Singer Kellin Quinn has a distinctive tenor leggiero range and can jump to high registers. The band also utilizes heavy guitar riffs, fast-sweeping guitar leads, and thunderous drums to create their signature sound.

Pantera

Pantera bassists often use alternate tuning for their guitars. For example, their album opener, “Imperium,” is played in drop B tuning. The track features fiery vocals and thrash riffs. It’s easy to learn the basic techniques, but the song’s tricky sections require more advanced techniques.

This tuning is commonly used in heavy metal bands. Dream Theater is another band that uses this tuning. It’s a common practice in metal bands and can be found on the Distance Over Time album. However, some bands have taken the tuning one step further. In 2014, Asking Alexandria released an acoustic version of the song. The band also uses a downturned tuning in their live performances.

Drop B is a deep alternative tuning commonly used by metal and rock bands. It’s trendy in metalcore and hard rock. It is easier to play and can be used by bassists who feel that C and D don’t provide enough punch for their style of music. A Drop B tuning is ideal for bassists who want to sound more sonic and aggressive than a standard C or D.

One of the most popular metal bands to use the drop B tuning is Slipknot. Their song “Duality” is one of the many epic songs written in drop B. It opens with a soft piano melody, then transitions into a fast-paced riff played by Jim Root and Thomson.

In Flames

The In Flames bass drop b tuning is one of the more common tunings in metal, but many other music styles use this technique. This low tuning lends a heavier sound to a song than a higher tuning, such as Drop D. When playing a song in Drop B, it’s essential to remember which notes to emphasize and play staccato to make the song sound more metal.

Drop B tuning is similar to the B standard tuning and is used by most metal, rock, and hard rock bands. It’s less common than E tuning, but it’s still a common choice for musicians wanting a deep bass tone. While the bass is much heavier in Drop B than in C, it’s still not as deep as a standard B tuning. The main advantage of this tuning is that it preserves muscle memory from the bass’ standard tuning.

Another variation of Drop B is Drop E. This tuning has six strings and allows for fingering on E. It also provides three high strings spaced a fourth apart. This tuning was used by In Flames in “Transparent” from Reroute to Remain.

Machine Head

If you are a metalhead and play bass, you know the importance of playing in the Drop B tuning. This tuning is one of the most critical aspects of Metalcore music. This style of playing is unique and challenging and requires patience and skill to master. Listed below are some examples of bands that use this tuning.

Drop B is similar to the C# standard but differs in several ways. The Drop B tuning commonly shares the B, F#, and E strings. It also features a deep B string. This tuning is much deeper than most other alternate tunings. As a result, the drop B tuning can sound heavy and powerful when used correctly.

The bass in Metal bands usually uses a lower tuning than in other styles. Machine Head is one of the many metal bands that use it. The band uses it for their EP “Sons of Kyuss” and live performances. Other Metal bands that use this tuning include Dimmu Borgir, Nightwish, and Inquisition. Metallica also used the tuning on “Bad Seed” and during live performances. Additionally, Blink-182 and Gorguts also use it.

Another popular band to use this tuning is Slipknot. This band is one of the first to use it in the metal genre. Their album “Duality” opens with Corey Taylor’s soft vocals and melodic piano before jumping into the fast guitar work of Thomson and Jim Root.