question about 1/5 groove on a 4 string bass.

[nboyer941]

Hello,

Lets say you are playing a song with a country groove and you are playing a 1/5 country rhythm and The root is F#, so the 5 is C# and you are playing a 4 string bass.

The way I am doing it, is by playing on the 9th fret. My guitar player is telling me that I need to play the low F# on the 2nd fret because it "is lower and fills out the bottom."

If I do this, then I don't have a lower note for the 5, I would have to play the octave and it doesn't sound as good imo.

What do you guys say?

[Toronto Bassist]

Play the 5 on the fourth fret of the A string.

[Marton]

^What he said, or get a 5 strings, or tune BEAD!

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by nboyer941

If I do this, then I don't have a lower note for the 5, I would have to play the octave and it doesn't sound as good imo. What do you guys say?

Your buddy is right F# at the 2nd fret does fill out the bottom end better than F# at the 9th. That out of the way.......

The 5th does not have to be a lower note. I see what you are doing -- placing your root on the 3rd string your 5th is lower. Guess it's what you get used to. I don't like the lower 5th sound myself so do not use the pattern you are using, i.e. root, 4th and 5th on the same fret.

Like the others have said my 5th is up a string and over two frets. Using the WWHWWWH formula the 5th is up a whole step from the 4th, i.e. up scale not down.

Now I have a bass friend and he does like your placement, and he plays a pretty good bass. When he plays his 5th on the same fret it does not bother me - but when I do the lower sound just does not sit right with me. As the higher sound does not sit right with you - because I bet you've been going down for the 5th for a long time. Now my friend does use the F's in the 1st or second fret keeping with that lower end thing.

Tom and I switch rhythm guitar and bass, one band I play rhythm and he plays bass. In the other band he plays rhythm and I play bass. One day he did as your friend did -- wanted me to play C at the 3rd string 3rd fret - instead of 4th string 8th fret and that was fine, however I would not use the G on the 4th string - as I want my 5th to be a whole step higher than the 4th -- not lower.

I do use root on the 3rd and root on the 4th patterns. However, my 5th in both patterns -- is up a string and over two frets, i.e. a whole step above the 4th.

Have fun.