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NOTE: Michael's complete Discography, Basses, and
Transcriptions pages will be
up soon, each of which this tunings list refers to. If you would like to
be notified when these and other pages are added to this site, as well
as get access to the Manthing Stash, please join
Michael's e-mail list…
Tuning Key
Tunings are indicated from low to high pitch, i.e., standard tuning
reads “E A D G”. Sequential tunings, presented once each in order of
appearance, are for basses equipped with extender keys, and, in the case
of the Hyperbass, both extender keys and a detuneable bridge. For those
unfamiliar with Michael’s technique, he makes extensive use of the
retuning capabilities of these basses on the fly. For example, “The
Enormous Room” involves over 100 tuning changes during performance.
Tildes (“~”) indicate pitch changes via the extender keys for
compositions with minimal tuning changes. For compositions involving
more than one bass, tunings are given for each bass. An asterisk “*”
indicates multiple tunings which will be added to this page later.
Please note that Michael uses very light gauge strings (D'Addario XL280)
on both the MusicMan Stingray and the Hyperbass which allow him to tune
higher than on his other instruments. Please don't try these tunings on
regular bass strings!
Bass Key
Bub = Zon Legacy Elite Special fretless, a.k.a. “Bub”
HJB = Homemade Jazz Bass-style fretless
Hyperbass = Zon Michael Manring Hyperbass
Jr = Zon Custom Fretless, a.k.a. “Junior’’, a.k.a. Son of Bub
LA5 = Larrivee 5-string fretless acoustic bass guitar
MMSR = MusicMan Stingray fretless with extra light strings
PML = Paroutaud Music Laboratories 5-string fretless Infinite Sustain
prototype
PRS = PRS fretless
RUFL = Riverhead Unicorn fretless
RUFT = Riverhead Unicorn fretted bass
Vinny = Zon prototype headless fretted bass, a.k.a. “Vinny”
ZL6 = Zon Legacy Elite 6-string fretless
ZL10 = Zon prototype Legacy 10-string bass (5 x 2).
Tunings
|
Title |
|
Tunings |
|
Bass |
|
Album |
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500 Miles High |
|
E A D G |
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RUFT |
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DM |
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A Brief History of the Wind |
|
Ab Gb Ab Ab |
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MMSR |
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TCN |
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A Way With Birds |
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F F C Eb |
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MMSR |
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TCN |
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The Adamski Photographs |
|
* (solo)
* (melodies)
* (melodies) |
|
Bub
Vinny
Hyperbass |
|
BoF |
|
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|
Adhan ¹ |
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Bb~Ab - - F |
|
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Adult Content, Brief Nudity |
|
*
*
*
C F Bb Eb
G C F Bb
* |
|
Bub
ZL6
Jr
Hyperbass
Vinny
PML |
|
BoF |
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Almost April |
|
C G D A |
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RUFL |
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UW |
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Astronomics |
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Ab Gb Ab Eb |
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MMSR |
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LTS |
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Bad Hair Day |
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E A D G
C F Bb Eb |
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Vinny
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Big Feelings |
|
G D G E |
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MMSR |
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UW |
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Big Fungus |
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D A D A
C F Bb Eb |
|
Vinny
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Blue Orleans |
|
B F# B C# |
|
MMSR |
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TCN |
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The Book of Lies |
|
C# B C# D# (main part)
* (melodies and solos)
*
C# B C# B C# C#
* (with slide) |
|
Bub
Hyperbass
Jr
ZL6
RUFL |
|
BoF |
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The Book of Living and Dying |
|
G B D A |
|
Jr |
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BoF |
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Cats Go Forward |
|
Ab Db Ab Eb |
|
MMSR |
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TCN |
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Circular Birds |
|
E E B E |
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MMSR |
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SL |
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Cruel & Unusual |
|
Db~F F C F~G |
|
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Déja Voodoo |
|
E A D G
C F Bb Eb |
|
RUFT & PRS
Hyperbass |
|
DM |
|
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Disturbed |
|
C G D G
C F Bb Eb |
|
Vinny
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Dromedary |
|
C G F G
*
*
*
* |
|
Jr
ZL6
Hyperbass
Vinny
RUFT |
|
BoF |
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The Enormous Room |
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Bb F Bb F
Bb G Bb Eb
F G Ab Eb
F F Ab Eb
Bb F Bb Eb
Ab Eb Bb F
Eb Eb Bb F
F F Bb F
Bb G Bb F
Ab F Bb F
F G Bb F
Ab Eb Bb Eb
F F Bb Eb
Ab Eb Ab Eb |
|
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Ephemeris |
|
E A D G |
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Vinny x 2
(overdubbed) |
|
BoF |
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Far |
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F C G C D |
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LA5 |
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TCN |
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The Fire Sermon |
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BB F#B BC# C#F#
F#C# |
|
ZL10 |
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BoF |
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Funk & Disorderly |
|
E A D G |
|
RUFT |
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TCN |
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Furniture ² |
|
BE F#B BD C#F#
F#D |
|
ZL10 |
|
OV |
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Geometry |
|
G D G E |
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MMSR |
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TCN |
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Gizmo |
|
E A D G
C F Bb Eb |
|
PRS
Hyperbass |
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DM |
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Homeward |
|
C G D G |
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HJB |
|
UW |
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Hopeful |
|
C G D G |
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PRS |
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DM |
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Huge Moon |
|
A E A E |
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MMSR |
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UW |
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La Sagrada Familia |
|
F#~Eb G Bb
G (capo VII)
C# D F D (drop capo)
A# D F D
Eb G Bb G
Eb Eb Bb G |
|
Jr |
|
BoF |
|
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|
Life in the Trees |
|
Eb Bb F Bb
Eb |
|
LA5 |
|
TCN |
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|
Longhair Mobile |
|
Ab Eb Bb F |
|
MMSR |
|
UW |
|
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|
Magnets |
|
E A D G
C F Bb Eb |
|
HJB
MMSR |
|
TCN |
|
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|
Manthing |
|
E A D G |
|
HJB |
|
UW |
|
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|
Monkey Businessman |
|
C~Bb F Bb Eb |
|
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
|
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|
|
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|
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The Moving Darkness |
|
E A D G |
|
PRS |
|
TCN |
|
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|
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|
Music for Armchair Funambulists |
|
Bb F Bb D
Bb F Bb Eb
Bb F Bb Bb
Bb F Bb F
Ab Eb Bb Eb
Gb Eb Bb Eb |
|
Hyperbass |
|
BP5 |
|
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|
My Three Moons |
|
D G D G
C G D A
G~F G A D |
|
Vinny
Bub
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
|
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Near |
|
C G C C |
|
PRS |
|
TCN |
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Not Even the Summer |
|
C# F# B E |
|
MMSR |
|
UW |
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No Wontons for Elvis |
|
C G D A |
|
Vinny |
|
BoF |
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On a Day of Many Angels |
|
E A D G |
|
Bub |
|
TNK |
|
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|
Oyasumi Nasai |
|
F# G# A E |
|
Hyperbass |
|
DM |
|
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The Precise Moment of Dusk |
|
C A D G |
|
PRS |
|
TCN |
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Purple Haze |
|
E A D G |
|
RUFT |
|
DM |
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Red Right Returning |
|
E B D A |
|
PRS |
|
DM |
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Renegade Intellectuals |
|
C G C C |
|
PRS |
|
TCN |
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|
Road to Vernazza |
|
E A E B |
|
PRS |
|
LTS |
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|
Selene |
|
Bb F Bb F
Ab Eb Bb F
Gb Eb Bb Gb
Ab F Bb F
Gb Eb Bb F
Ab Eb Ab Eb
Gb Eb Ab Eb |
|
Hyperbass |
|
WHG2 |
|
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Sightings |
|
Ab Eb Bb F |
|
MMSR |
|
UW |
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Sign Language |
|
C F Bb C |
|
MMSR |
|
SL |
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Snakes Got Legs |
|
E A D G
C A D G
C F Bb Eb |
|
Vinny
Bub
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
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Spirits in Material World |
|
E A E B |
|
RUFT |
|
DM |
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Sung to Sleep |
|
Bb F C F |
|
MMSR |
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UW |
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Theseus in the Rains |
|
*
*
*
* |
|
Hyperbass
Jr
Vinny
ZL6 |
|
BoF |
|
|
|
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|
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Thunder Tactics |
|
A E A E |
|
MMSR |
|
UW |
|
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Unusual Weather |
|
C G D A |
|
HJB |
|
UW |
|
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Watson & Crick |
|
E A E B
E E B E |
|
RUFT
Hyperbass |
|
DM |
|
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Welcoming |
|
C G D G |
|
HJB |
|
UW |
|
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|
|
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|
When Last We Spoke |
|
E A D G |
|
PRS |
|
DM |
|
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Wide Asleep |
|
E A E B |
|
RUFT |
|
DM |
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|
You Offered Only Parabolas |
|
E~B A D G
C F Bb Eb |
|
Bub
Hyperbass |
|
TNK |
|
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|
Your Ad Here |
|
*
*
*
*
*
*
* |
|
ZL6
Jr
ZL10
Hyperbass
LA5
RUFT
Bub |
|
BoF |
Footnotes
¹ The middle two strings are not used for “Adhan”. Since the
Hyperbass has separate magnetic pickup outputs for each string, Michael
didn’t even bother connecting the outputs for the middle two strings to
the mixer when recording "Adhan".
² The Zon prototype Legacy 10-string is essentially a double-coursed
5-string, hence, the tuning is given as five pairs with the thicker
gauged, deeper pitched string as the first note. Michael, being a
maniac, doesn't always tune the pairs to the same note. It’s also worth
noting that since this bass has a mono output, Michael double tracked
his part on “Furniture” note-for-note for a stereo image. This effect
combined with his arrangement for the almost sinister and lurching bass
part yield a truly huge and eerie sound. And just to make things
scarier, he’s working on getting a separate output for each string via
contact pickups in the string saddles.
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