Tuning in fifths

[Johnny Layton]

I tried it for a couple of weeks...loved it, loved the sound, loved the range...gave up because I just couldn't work out the flat keys...then tried it again for a couple of months...loved it, loved the sound, loved the range...and gave up again for the same reasons.

I am still a big Silvio Dalla Torre fan with the 4 finger technique and all, and even that didn't help me much...it's just too fatiguing for me in the lowest positions and so I end up doing Simandl fingerings there most of the time. Call me a wimp.

Maybe I get a second bass someday and have it set up for 5ths tuning again.

I'd bet that Red Mitchell and Joel Quarrington would be monster players regardless of the tuning, but yeah they sure do make 5ths tuning sound sweet!