Who uses a capo on bass...

Adey

.... other than me?

I ended up buying a 5-string bass so I could get the low D without having to retune. I then realised that by sticking a capo on say the 3rd fret, I could have the same as the whole bass detuned a whole tone if I just played one string thicker.

To play QSA's No-one Knows it goes on the second fret.

I now just need the one bass and don't have to faff with tuning up and down

Maybe a D-tuner might have been cheaper and do for most songs though.

ICBM

I tried it, but then decided that since you don’t play open chord shapes on a bass - or not normally anyway! - then you may as well just fret the notes where the capo would be.

EricTheWeary

There are some famous photos of Paul McCartney using a capo on bass. Apparently for the original demos of Michelle he had one at the 5th fret although not on the record. At times apparently he also tuned his Hofner to Eb and then had a capo on the first fret. I guess that's an instant set up(!)rather than a note thing (this may also be Internet twaddle). 

stickyfiddle

ICBM said:

I tried it, but then decided that since you don’t play open chord shapes on a bass - or not normally anyway! - then you may as well just fret the notes where the capo would be.

Yeah this. It's almost the opposite of guitar really. Guitarists will often use a capo to allow them to use open strings against fretted ones as part of what they're playing, while bassists will often go out of their way to avoid open strings because they sound different to fretted ones

Funkfingers

Adey said:

Maybe a D-tuner might have been cheaper and do for most songs though.

You just answered your own question. 

Either down tune for the relevant song(s) or install an extender device.

Open_G

I did it years ago when depping. A band played the same song in a different key and it seemed too much of a head scratcher to transpose on the fly. 

fretmeister

If you’ve got a 5 string already just learn where the notes are and play it.

Or a Hipshot extender to drop the E quickly.

Secret_Sam

fretmeister said:

If you’ve got a 5 string already just learn where the notes are and play it.

+1 

And then plus another 1.

monquixote

fretmeister said:

If you’ve got a 5 string already just learn where the notes are and play it.

Or a Hipshot extender to drop the E quickly.

That's what I've always done.

For something like "No one knows" it is a bit tricky as it does have the sound of a very slack detuned open C and so a tight fretted B string doesn't have the same flappy rumble. That said the crowd always enjoyed it.

fretmeister

monquixote said:

fretmeister said:

If you’ve got a 5 string already just learn where the notes are and play it.

Or a Hipshot extender to drop the E quickly.

That's what I've always done.

For something like "No one knows" it is a bit tricky as it does have the sound of a very slack detuned open C and so a tight fretted B string doesn't have the same flappy rumble. That said the crowd always enjoyed it.

The crowd doesn't notice such things even when the players do.

ICBM

fretmeister said:

The crowd doesn't notice such things even when the players do.

I just used to play it an octave higher on a 4-string bass and no-one seemed to notice.

Creed_Clicks

I have seen a few bands use capos on basses. Mogwai for example.

fretmeister

ICBM said:

fretmeister said:

The crowd doesn't notice such things even when the players do.

I just used to play it an octave higher on a 4-string bass and no-one seemed to notice.

Every pedal board I've got has a compressor and an Octave on it. I'm quite happy playing a line an octave up and letting the pedal do the job if needed.

OC-5 is still the best one I've used. Even in vintage mode the tracking is a lot better than an OC-2.

Adey

Yes

fretmeister said:

If you’ve got a 5 string already just learn where the notes are and play it.

Or a Hipshot extender to drop the E quickly.

Yes. I suppose that's sort of obvious now. I know where the notes are, it's just you get used to playing open strings sometimes and the capo provides for that.

I'll reprogramme my brain I think and just fret the "open" notes I guess. Obvious when you think about it!

prowla

I think McCartney used a capo on some songs. 

johnthuss

I don't recommend using a capo. For bass a capo is just very lazy since you're likely just playing individual notes and not chords. On a guitar a capo enables continuously ringing strings for chords, which is a real benefit. But it doesn't make sense on a bass, unless you're playing lots of chords.

Adey

I have found that it is still handy to avoid a whole down tune of the bass when you want to bounce of the open string. Maybe others are much better players than me though.

victorludorum

ICBM said:

fretmeister said:

The crowd doesn't notice such things even when the players do.

I just used to play it an octave higher on a 4-string bass and no-one seemed to notice.

Surely you mean, "No-one Knew"?