Played the bass, upright and electric, for 40+years. Just bought my first Stick (a 10 string), got it from another bass player and he had it in Dual Bass Reciprocal tuning, which just looking at it seems like it would be the right thing for what I'd want to use it for.

Are there any learning resources/books/charts/videos directly relevant to learning in this tuning? I can already kinda find my way through on the 4ths side from experience on bass, and can think my way through on the inverted 5ths side, but some pointers wouldn't hurt. Chord/arpeggio shapes, fingerings, any gotchas I should look out for.

Also, my stick seems to have a 36" scale, so it's centred around a Bb.
Is this right?
DGCF Bb EbAbC#F#B

I'm basing everything of this atm along with trial & error
http://www.stick.com/instruments/tunings/howard_dbr/

Hello, on the Stick you should not refer to the open strings to describe your tuning.
To avoid confusion (especially with 34" and 36") you should use the marker positions (every 5 frets).
On a 34" scale instrument, they are on fret 2, 7, 12 and 17.
On a 36" scale instrument, actually there is 1 more fret on the low side (headstock side). It's called the X-fret and it correspond to the nut on a 34".
That's why the first marker is on fret "2 + 1".

Once that's said, you can check your tuning on the 3rd marker, who is on fret 12 (or 12 + 1 for you ; even if, in fact, it's the 13th from the nut of your 36", keep in mind it's the 12th fret of your Stick) and you get the one on your link:
1 - C
2 - G
3 - D
4 - A
5 - E (standard bass low E)
6 - B (5-string bass low B)
7 - F# (going back up in pitch)
8 - C#
9 - G#
10 - D#

"I", and it seems like only me, play a 12-string DBR, and after getting confused with everything (to me) being "off" on the melody as far as higher references - dot markers - I have come up with (for me) a resolution. I drop my bass side a half-step lower - on the lowest bass string the first dot marker is "C". This creates Havoc to Greg Howard who sees it as spoiling the perfect 4ths/5ths relationship. (He also moves his fret markers on his DBR). If you wish to get into this deeper (haha, pun) please PM me I'll talk about it all day. But it's actually the exact RELATIONSHIP of notes as the Classic Tuning - just with the Melody an octave down
Again, this works for me, is not what Emmett intended, and I'm just busting on Greg, but I'M THE ONE THAT PLAYS THIS TUNING ALL THE TIME.

Welcome. The tuning is not referenced on open strings like other stringed instruments but on the first tappable fret, which we call the X fret, and the 3rd inlay, which is an octave higher.

Most DBR instruments have a low B, which means if you have a 10-string, everything on the Melody 4ths strings (1-5) is an octave lower than the Matched Reciprocal tuning. The "5ths strings (6-10) are a half step lower than the Matched Reciprocal tuning. So you can use MR resources for things like chord shapes, etc., you just have to play anything on the bass side a half step higher in pitch than indicated in the instruction.

Here is a chord recourse that can get you going:

http://stick.com/method/resources/chord ... endium.pdf

And here is a free basic technique video series that will also help get you moving:



This tuning is a ball, especially when you get your right hand flowing.

I hope that helps. Also available for lessons if you are interested.

I still can't figure out how to post a file. Check out Greg's GreatUnifiedBassStrategy. It's basicaly how an upright player plays, with the left hand adapted to the 5ths tuning. Since you play upright, you'll "get" this right away.

Actually, Marty, an upright is tuned in fourths. A cello is tuned in fifths though.

I was talking about hand movement with 3 fingers irrelevant to the tuning.