David Gross and Michael Manring Release eBook on Alternate Tunings

Michael Manring is known for his otherworldly playing, and a part of that comes from his deep understanding of alternate tunings. Now he’s teamed up with David Gross to create a series of books exploring the subject.

Let’s Get Lost is broken into four volumes that focus on the possibilities of alternate tunings for each string. The project began with Gross interviewing Manring.

“Recently, Tom Semioli and I interviewed Michael Manring on our radio show and podcast ‘Notes From An Artist,’” he explains. “We touched on a number of topics, one of those was Michael’s use of alternate tunings. It was a fascinating discussion and I knew a book would be an important addition to the collection of bass instruction books that are available today. What I found intriguing was that by just changing the open tuning of any of the 4, 5, or 6 strings of a bass would create new possibilities and new fingerings that in the beginning will both excite and confuse you. This is why I have titled the book ‘Let’s Get Lost’, because that is exactly what will happen! However, after ‘getting lost’ you will navigate your way into a number of interesting places that will change how you both play and hear and you will never be the same again!”

“I’ve had a wonderful journey in the 50 years since I stepped off the beaten track of EADG for a minute,” adds Manring. “I hope you have as much fun as I have getting lost!”

Volume one focuses on returning the E string, starting all the way down to a B and working back up to an Eb. Gross provides examples for each tuning with Manring offering thoughtful insight into each one’s range, overtonal attributes, and fingering implications.

Let’s Get Lost is available now as a digital download through he Bass Guitar Channel website.