How to Play Bass Guitar: Beginner Lessons : Stretching Bass Strings Before Tuning

[stumpymckeever]

Wow! What a CLOWN.

[buslady]

I'm a rookie and even I know you don't yank strings like that!

[Konig011]

@buslady what would you know? you're a rookie! :P

[mcblahflooper94]

Actually, you can strech a little to ensure it stays in tune. But not like this. I cringe every time I watch this video.

[faithnoman]

You can't stretch strings! What you are doing is taking the slack off the tuning machines.

You can ruin your neck this way, though. Very effective!

[ExertionMusic]

@NKUSigEp11 metal doesn't stretch? Rats, I have to look up my physics teachers now and let them now. Thanks!

[NKUSigEp11]

@ExertionMusic I retract that statement - metal does stretch. BUT...Here's a little experiment for you: go get a bass string and then go get a bass neck and apply the same force to them and see which one "stretches" first. Good luck! ;)

[Krafterr4]

If I did that to my bass, my bass would slap me!

[JaicobMcCarreyMusic]

@NKUSigEp11 Experts say to stretch your strings out on any instrument, otherwise it does go out tune quicker, and gives a lot clangy sound

[NKUSigEp11]

@JaicobMcCarreyMusic "Experts" aren't always experts. I've played a bass for 14 years and have never needed to "stretch" my strings in such a way. They have always stayed in tune just fine. And what some people think of as "clangy" others think of as "bright" or "clear". That's a very subjective thing anyways.

[artifactingreality]

hi i decided to come up with a quicker way to do this so i slid a spanner under the strings then stood on the bass to hold it down and pulled all the strings up really hard using the spanner as a handlebar. now my bass doesnt work please advise.

[ZappaFan101]

Do you know how tempted I am to flag this video? Not because Im an asshole. It is because there are going to be a lot of angry bassists out there if they do take this lesson to heart.

[DensamG]

Good stretching....makes good bass...

[Thatfatguyfrommars]

I understand stretching the strings a bit, but that seems a little overboard.

[atepswork4me]

I've been doing this for 20 years with no problems. The strings will stretch no matter what. If it's done with the tuners it only mechanizes the process. This way just speeds things up some. There is no such thing as "naturally" stretching stings. They stretch no matter the process.

[runafes]

once a string broke while i was playing claasical and i so scared now cant do this to my bass:):)

[SRNF]

this isnt a good idea. I understand the logic but the bass isnt designed to be handled like that. So yes this can easily damage any bass. With repeated use of this techique of course!

[DominicanBoi]

i fail at bass, so im taking all the advice i could get. thanks man

[Jose04811]

which bass is that...kinda looks like the and Ibanez

[13thStreetGuitars]

Please don't do this to any instrument.

[Steve128967]

Wouldn't it be WAY better to grab the strings and just gently pull them horizontally?

[menshealthreader]

stretch it , yes , but not like that :D

[V19torrent]

cool. Hey i have a question, do strings affect the sound of your bass to a noticeable extent? Its just that recently ive really been wanting to get a better sound out of my bass. I tried looking at pickups, but i didnt really wanna spend THAT much. So now im looking to change my strings instead.

[bladesaint21]

I feel strings reallly do affect the sound of the bass, New straings soud brighter than old ones and thicknees or gauge is important and the type such as Roundwounds or flatwounds. Ive tried flatwounds for the first time and I like how they feel and theyve deepened the tone a bit but I find it harder to slap with them. They say the roundwounds are better for longer "sustain"

[bladesaint21]

Wow, I didn't know about stretching the strings before tuning. though this looks a bit extreme.

[V19torrent]

haha thats exactly what i was thinking

[RAHMYULIS]

pulling the strings not only stretches them, but makes the winding around the tuning peg tighter. When you first change the strings, the winding is still a little looser than it should be, so the string will try to get looser as well and tune flat. Pull the string to stretch and tighten it, but you don't have to pick it up like this numnut!! They let just anyone give advice nowadays lol...

[ckyman354]

i got new ones for Christmas. they don't sound bad. they are the dean markley misfits 8801

[ckyman354]

what are not bad strings but good cheap one's? i wanna get new ones.

[thehectorshowfeat]

DR strings are the greatest strings ever, i play a peavey 5 string and i have DR lo riders, their stainless steel so their pretty pricy but they last, and their amazing sound and quality

[armenianzombie]

it's personal choice, I prefer ernie ball slinky strings.

[V19torrent]

Yeah... im for the rotosound swing

[jimrox9000]

that looks professional at :29 very professional...accually i feel very professional now....

[4chrissy]

A better way,rather than "over stretching" your strings by lifting the bass by the strings. Is to buy pre stretched strings. Like DR Low Riders.

:>)

[Gredran]

you are right and if u do have to know u gotta make sure u don't hit anything. maybe he should play it and tune it as it goes outta tune

[tzenatos]

it is if you dont want your bass to untune itself every 2 days or so

[txtrcr]

not defending this guy but here is the theory behind it. The strings require tuning after the first tune because they stretch as you play, so by stretching them as far as they can go they will be less likely to get out of tune due to stretching as they cannot stretch anymore. I did a nice stretch on my strings nothing like this guy, just pulled them up alittle workin my way from the excuse my lack of terminology the tuning end down to the pick up end just lightly tugging the string as i went.

[Termiduggler]

id stretch my strings, but my bass never detunes unless i do it myself or if it gets cold from bringing around with myself to places ... and new strings will not break unless its the g(+) string with a small gauge

[otusqueeky1]

This is what you need to do on a guitar and a bass. Nothing bad will happen. It's normal. I do it all the time on my guitar.

[DJGmak]

what hes doing is correct, but definitly leaving the strings in a low tension for a few minutes like said above is a better idea.

[JasonHUN]

anaeloation!

You are right!

[gnarkillbill]

ya I'd definately rather have a professional do that than me.

[AfroEli]

Can ya do that on a gutair?!?!?!?

[gorbitronalpha]

I've been playing bass for 12 years now, and I've always done this. NO it will not hurt the bass. NO it will not ruin the strings. Also, I don't do this myself, but some people boil the strings in a pot of water before using them. There's a lot of techniques out there, just find the one that fits you.

[AfroEli]

Can ya do that with guitar strings?

[seanyseansean]

wat bass is he using there. it's pretty fly

[killslay]

surely you're seriously reducing the lifespan of your strings by doing this?

[kingurth]

Well now that I think of it, they do usually go just a tad flat. And by "a tad" I mean barely readable by the electronic tuner. But that was just my factory pair of strings. I recently replaced my strings and they don't stay in tune as well as the other pair did...

[hotpansy]

this IS how you stretch strings. and sometimes when you slap and pop, it will go out of tune easier than finger plying and picking

[faithnoman]

No, it isn't.

Most string companies recommend NOT stretching your strings - the reason more people believe that stretching their strings does anything at all is because there is slack around tuning machines, bridges..etc..(this is especially why slapping and popping detunes ANY string that is freshly put on a bass, you are pulling the windings on the tuner really tight with each slap and pop)

Ever heard of "metal fatigue"?

[hotpansy]

i just went to guitarists.net's forums. turns out, this IS how you stretch strings for bass. bass strings need more abuse because they are thicker and requires alot of stretching

[hotpansy]

hey. give credit to this guy for the time to do all these videos. but what are the correct ways?