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4 String Bass Limitations

#41
Winnb said:
None. The limitations begin and end with the musician.
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+1 Best post I have read in months.

I have both 5- and 4-stringers, and I prefer to play the 5-ers (low B) simply because so much church music is written in Bb or Eb. The fifth string makes it very, very simple to keep the same fingering patterns by making a slight shift which might not be possible on a 4-string. Still, that is not a limitation - only comfort and convenience. And, seriously, I could play every song in church that I have ever played on a 4-string...no problem.
 
#43
In this day and age, four-string basses have needlessly limited range, position-playing options and chording capabilities, and while "the limitations begin and end with the musician" is a nice-sounding platitude, a resourceful player will sound a lot better with an instrument that offers a wider range of creative possibilities. Imagine the loss to the music world if innovative bassists like Anthony Jackson, Bill Dickens, Alain Caron, Al Caldwell, Les Claypool, John Myung and Steve Bailey, etc. had spent their careers saddled with a tired old P-bass. :(

Why settle for the limitations of an electric bass that was designed well over a half-century ago, back when bass playing techniques, range and creativity, amplification potential and string gauge availability were all in their infancy?
 
#44
sdunnevant said:
I prefer to be "limited" to a four string. It helps me be more creative when playing because I cannot play the notes available on a 5 or 6 string.
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Heh. So why not just rip two more strings off and REALLY be creative? Or better yet, don't even pick the bass up at all and set the world on fire with your creativity? Are you really listening to what you are saying?

It is indeed an old drummer trick to stimulate creativity when a drumber hits dry spell by just removing a large portion of the normal drum kit. But to say that one should always play that way because removing the added "notes" makes you more creative doesn't quite get what is going on.
 
#46
Debased said:
In this day and age, four-string basses have needlessly limited range, position-playing options and chording capabilities, and while "the limitations begin and end with the musician" is a nice-sounding platitude, a resourceful player will sound a lot better with an instrument that offers a wider range of creative possibilities. Imagine the loss to the music world if innovative bassists like Anthony Jackson, Bill Dickens, Alain Caron, Al Caldwell, Les Claypool, John Myung and Steve Bailey, etc. had spent their careers saddled with a tired old P-bass. :(

Why settle for the limitations of an electric bass that was designed well over a half-century ago, back when bass playing techniques, range and creativity, amplification potential and string gauge availability were all in their infancy?
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It's not just a platitude. It's the truth. The number of strings has absolutely NO bearing on the potential innovativeness of a player. Neither does the number of notes, the speed of those notes, the frequency of the notes. Numbers mean nothing.

It's all about the feel, timing, dynamics and expression.

Also, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a P bass.
 
#53
I wouldn't call them limitations, I'd call them tradeoffs. With a 5 string it's nice to have the ability to play lower notes - especially the Eb when you're playing with an ensemble that includes other instrumentation. Throw brass or sax into the mix and you're guaranteed that the key signature will include flats. Bb and beyond kill your lowest not on a four string. Additionally on a five string you have a lot more positions where you can play the same pattern instead of needing to change the pattern to accomodate the lack of a B string.

In the four string's plus column, I find it more fluid to play on a four string. Maybe it's because I started on a four string and that's how my brain is wired, but I find an almost intangible delay in playing a five string as I determine how I'm going to mute the extra string. That has an effect on my playing. Not enough to make a difference when I'm playing something written, but I find that I'm more creative on four strings than five.

So, I guess my preference is for four strings but I'll play five strings anytime it's necessary.
 
#54
I think when playing modern gospel music it's easier on a 5 string. I know you can detune and string your bass BEAD. Funny thing is when I play jazz I like playing with a four string. I guess I'm a purist (even though I'm using an electric). All that being said play what you want to play. It doesn't hurt to have a 4 and a 5.
 
#55
Classic orchestras have always included an upright bass section, with horns brass and everything and there is no problem for the basses to sit in the mix . Upright basses have 4 string..finally it's just a matter of taste . If some day I buy into the 5 strings forever I'll tune EADGC I find the high C quite interesting.
 
#56
pasco jacorius said:
Classic orchestras have always included an upright bass section, with horns brass and everything and there is no problem for the basses to sit in the mix . Upright basses have 4 string..finally it's just a matter of taste . If some day I buy into the 5 strings forever I'll tune EADGC I find the high C quite interesting.
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A lot of them have C extensions and there are more and more 5 string uprights showing up. Orchestras are a little different than an ensemble without strings. Key signatures tend to be pleasant for stringed instruments since they *are* the ensemble. But if you and the guitarist are the only stringed instrument, then key signatures tend to have more flats.
 
#59
cybersnyder said:
I find it more fluid to play on a four string. Maybe it's because I started on a four string and that's how my brain is wired, but I find an almost intangible delay in playing a five string as I determine how I'm going to mute the extra string. That has an effect on my playing..
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many people will mirror this sentiment, but for those of us that have always played a 5 (or have done so for a significant amount of time) a 4 string is actually slower. i cant make heads or tails of a 4 string bass, personally.

what it comes down to is preference. you can get the job done either way. the only REAL limitation is not being able to play more than 4 notes at a time. and who does that?
 

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