1rst 5er

[jordan_frerichs]

so, my 2 main basses need some work. decided to get a cheap 5 string to see if i could get the hang of it, or if it wasn't for me. a lot of the music i like and want to play (ska, funk, + more). my 5er is a dean edge 1 or 5. don't remember. the neck is more flat than round, whitch is new for me, but no problems. just curious on somer of the 5er only trickz. thanx

[onlyclave]

Well, the only 5-string only tricks I am aware of are an additional 5 notes, usually below the open E string.

[kingbee]

No real tricks. Just knowing that you can go down to the B is enough for most players. Having that low D for rock or country or Eb for jazz and gospel is a huge advantage in terms of preserving the direction of your lines.

One trick you might want to consider is using position play for things that you would normally play open. So instead of outlining a descending Dm9 arpeggio (D-C-A-G-F) using the open A and D strings, you can play it in fifth position. Because the strings are thicker and you're giving them less room to vibrate, it changes the sound around a bit.

[iceshaft07]

Most people say that the 5th string is a great thumb rest, but you can get some really interesting tones by playing higher on the neck on the B string-- A is the 10th fret, and has a completely different tone then A on the 0th fret.