4 string bass players

[avvie]

Yes. You alone, in a world of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of bassplayers, are the only one who would just rather play four string basses. You, out of so many, are unique. Congratulations.

 

[jbalou02]

ok but if i can do everything on my 4 that you can do on your 5 does it really make it cooler?

You cant. If you drop D, you cant, If you use BEAD you cant.

If you could, why would they make 5ers? They wouldn't.

Now with that said, playing ANY string bass makes you cool - its just a matter of how ugly you are and how bad you play that seals the deal.

 

[Spaldo]

I like 3, 2, and one string basses.

I've done a whole gig on two

Broke the G, panicked then realised i could move up the neck. Easy.

Then I broke the D and realised I didn't pack spares....

 

[BassNoob1]

The only bass I've ever owned is a 4-string and I'm quite happy with it. The only other amount of strings I've ever tried is 5. I can't say I really liked it. The B string was way too loud and it was just too low to sound good to my ears. I don't play anything that goes down in that range anyways, so I have no use to buy a 5-string. Maybe I'll try some later on in life, as I'm still inexperienced and do play a lot of jazz, so I could use extra room for improvisation. But we'll see.

 

[ebonalley]

I started playing bass in 1970 and never gave any thought to owning a 5 string bass until I joined my churches music team in September of 2009. No one asked me to buy one at all, but upon realizing how many worship songs did use a 5 string bass.....I felt like I was missing out on something. So I got one in December of 2009 and I love it. There's something about hitting those low notes at the right time, especially if a song ends on a low D, C or B. So I use my 5 string when I play at church.

But I still love my 4 string basses as well. Always will.

Kind of ironic that worship music and death metal both use the low B. Guess you can't have one without the other

 

[T40Chump]

There are a couple of things I just don't "get" about the usual 4 string-5 string debate. The above is one of them.

How can someone say "I just don't see a need for 5" or "This is just my preference"? It doesn't make sense. What I mean is a person could easily say (and I do all the time) this MUSIC I'm playing doesn't need 5 or is more "authentic" with 4 but how can one say that modern gospel or something written for a synth-bass (the original motivation behind 5ers) does not "need" the extra range? Clearly it DOES need that range. To "prefer" a 4 and ignore the original bassline and constantly jump up an octave is to "prefer" that your playing doesn't fit the music! Wha?

Now if someone says, hey, none of the music I play fits a 5 or 6 string better. THAT I can dig. Hey, currently I"m playing 5 strings instead of 6 strings for that very reason. Why carry along a string you don't use? Why have a B string for a "thumb rest" if 4 strings do the job better? But to say you "prefer" 4 strings?!! You all remind me of some potters I used to know who would say "I WANTED the bottom of that pot to be heavy"! yeah sure.

And that leads to my next mystery. Why are there so many 4 string players who need reinforcement that it's OK to only play 4 strings? To me, if your vision of bass only encompasses 4 strings, then go for it. But why do you need a bunch of yes-men to tell you that you are doing the right thing? Don't you have any musical backbone? Your vision is YOUR vision, it doesn't need a bunch of clowns telling you how "right" you are! Your audience will tell you how "right" it all is soon enough!

I don't play gospel or synth to begin with. I did play the five off and on for about 10 years in a church band and used the B for the Eb and D. Now I don't play anything that needs it so it's on the shelf because I like four strings. When the time comes again, I'll dust the thing of and get it back in the rotation.

Please understand that I don't have a thing in this world against anyone who chooses 5, 6, or X amount of strings on a bass. If that's what they need or even if it's for some weird reason like looking cool or something like that (they're out there I'm sure). I'm okay with that. I'll repeat myself--I played five for 10 years out of the 30 that I've been an active player. For most of those 10 years I was playing in church, so yeah, I needed it then. I just don't need it now.

Sorry if my comment got under your skin, it was only intended to add to the conversation. Apparently I probably need to stay out of the debate. If I ever need my five again, I'll use it--no problem.

Just for the record, my audience has never questioned my use of the four instead of the five. I'm sure they spend time thinking about it while they're on the dance floor though.

 

[thmsjordan]

Kind of ironic that worship music and death metal both use the low B. Guess you can't have one without the other

Yin and Yang baby - inseparable to the last !! LOL

I don't know if I would own a fiver, but if I did I would be tempted to string it with a high C like many Jazz players do. I could think of more uses for that than for those five lower notes...but that is just my take on it.

 

[IngerAlb]

There are a couple of things I just don't "get" about the usual 4 string-5 string debate. The above is one of them.

How can someone say "I just don't see a need for 5" or "This is just my preference"? It doesn't make sense. What I mean is a person could easily say (and I do all the time) this MUSIC I'm playing doesn't need 5 or is more "authentic" with 4 but how can one say that modern gospel or something written for a synth-bass (the original motivation behind 5ers) does not "need" the extra range? Clearly it DOES need that range. To "prefer" a 4 and ignore the original bassline and constantly jump up an octave is to "prefer" that your playing doesn't fit the music! Wha?

Now if someone says, hey, none of the music I play fits a 5 or 6 string better. THAT I can dig. Hey, currently I"m playing 5 strings instead of 6 strings for that very reason. Why carry along a string you don't use? Why have a B string for a "thumb rest" if 4 strings do the job better? But to say you "prefer" 4 strings?!! You all remind me of some potters I used to know who would say "I WANTED the bottom of that pot to be heavy"! yeah sure.

And that leads to my next mystery. Why are there so many 4 string players who need reinforcement that it's OK to only play 4 strings? To me, if your vision of bass only encompasses 4 strings, then go for it. But why do you need a bunch of yes-men to tell you that you are doing the right thing? Don't you have any musical backbone? Your vision is YOUR vision, it doesn't need a bunch of clowns telling you how "right" you are! Your audience will tell you how "right" it all is soon enough!

A 5er neck might not feel comfortable to some folks that played 4 string basses for years - the wider & chunkier neck, the narrower string spacing, and so on. Yes, some ppl (like me) prefer a slim neck, with a certain profile, string spacing, and so on. I played 5ers, but they simply didn't feel right to me.

This is how things work for me: I needed the B string so I switched to BEAD. All the notes on the G string are also scattered on the other strings, so if you really need to go lower, why would you also need the G? To me that G string always sounded too "guitarish" anyway So to you it may sound logical to play a 5er, to me it's the opposite. There's no need to comment on why ppl make certain choices - if it works for them it's ok.

Topics like this start because many ppl act like the 4 strings basses are a thing of the past and the way to go is a 5er (or more). I say different tools for different things - whatever works for you. There's no good or bad way of doing it.

Certain genres "demand" a certain number of strings? I don't think so. You can play whatever music on a 4 string bass as well as on a 5er. Some folks love to have 2 octaves at their disposal and keep their hand in the same position all the time, others love to play all over the neck.

 

[spade2you]

Yeah, well maybe it didn't suit your agenda to notice that I said I have a few fives, of which none are Douglas basses. One is a Heartfield DR5, which has one of the tightest, best sounding B strings I've heard on a bass. I don't like the necks, don't like the muting. I've already had carpal tunnel surgery, and wide necks hurt my hands.

5 strings don't cause carpal tunnel unless played with poor technique. I'm not youth or arrogant by any stretch, but I've been around long enough that when someone says they've been playing 20-30 years and beyond does not mean that they've been doing so correctly.

 

[bassgod76]

String spacing on 5'ers goes from 16.5mm (on Ibanez and others) to 17mm on Zon (and others) to 18mm on Roscoe (and others) to 19mm on Lakland/Sadowsky (and others) to 20mm on custom orders I've seen.

You can easily find a 5-string with whatever spacing you want. I frankly prefer a little narrower than typical 4-string (I've settled on 18mm) as I am not a slaptastic kinda guy and the slightly narrower spacing makes me a little quicker across the board. For 10 years I played 17mm on Zons. Just depends on what you prefer.

Have you ever messed with Yamaha? They seem to have some wide spacing.

 

[Turock]

5 strings don't cause carpal tunnel unless played with poor technique. I'm not youth or arrogant by any stretch, but I've been around long enough that when someone says they've been playing 20-30 years and beyond does not mean that they've been doing so correctly.

I didn't say it caused it. I feel pretty confident that I know more about carpal tunnel than you do.

 

[spade2you]

I didn't say it caused it. I feel pretty confident that I know more about carpal tunnel than you do.

I wouldn't bet the farm on that. It's not my field of practice, but working with PT, OT, and orthopaedic physicians combined with some training in classical guitar, a slight obsession with form and efficiency, and the desire to be able to play forever has given me just a little info and perspective on the subject.

 

[Turock]

I wouldn't bet the farm on that. It's not my field of practice, but working with PT, OT, and orthopaedic physicians combined with some training in classical guitar, a slight obsession with form and efficiency, and the desire to be able to play forever has given me just a little info and perspective on the subject.

Yeah, well, that's great; however, when they go cutting on your hand, and you're a musician, one tends to get educated also.

 

[musicpbass]

Passive 4's.... J & P's are all you need!!

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

Not only 4 string, but only 1 bass!

 

[spade2you]

Yeah, well, that's great; however, when they go cutting on your hand, and you're a musician, one tends to get educated also.

Fortunately, my classical instructor made me relearn my technique before making surgery necessary. I have little doubt that my bad technique could have eventuall caused problems down the road.

 

[can_v]

Just for the record, my audience has never questioned my use of the four instead of the five. I'm sure they spend time thinking about it while they're on the dance floor though.

love this!

Personally, I think that at the end of the day, the only people who care about the number of strings that musicians play are other musicians. And, IMO, I think it's stupid. The audience that you play for doesn't give a rat ass whether you play 4 or 5 or 6 or more strings, as long as you can play it well. They just want to see a good gig and hear a good tune. That's all that matters for them.

I'm not particularly love Jaco, or wooten or etc. But when you hear them play, you really question them why they didn't use 5 or more strings? or when you hear people like Patitucci or Bailey, you question them why didn't they use 4 strings?

I don't, because they nailed whatever they were playing. And that's enough.

And I doubt that Bailey would come up to Wooten and say "Hey, why don't you play 6 strings like me?", and like wise, when they play together.

Really, a good bassist with 4, 5, or more strings, is always a good bassist, regardless of number of strings he/ she uses.

Peace,

Can

 

[thmsjordan]

Really, a good bassist with 4, 5, or more strings, is always a good bassist, regardless of number of strings he/ she uses.

Peace,

Can

Best comment in thread.

 

[Muddslide]

the only people who care about the number of strings that musicians play are other musicians. And, IMO, I think it's stupid. The audience that you play for doesn't give a rat ass whether you play 4 or 5 or 6 or more strings, as long as you can play it well. They just want to see a good gig and hear a good tune. That's all that matters for them.

Truth. I always try to keep this perspective. We lose sight of it, but the fact of the matter is that your audience doesn't know or care what brand of bass you are playing, what type of wood it's made of, how many strings it has, etc.

They don't know or care.

They aren't there to take in and absorb your crazy bass tone or be impressed that you are playing a boutique bass or a pre-CBS Fender.

They don't know or care if you are playing a Ric, a Jazz, a Precision, a 5 string, etc.

A bass is some wood and some metal components. If you have one that is playable and holds tune, as long as you have a decent amp or EQ, nobody in a live audience is going to know or care if you are playing something top-of-the-line or some plywood frankenstein.

You are playing in a mix with other instruments, for one thing. Also, as can v states, they are there to have a good time. Live audiences are often rowdy. Any perceived negligible differences in "tone" or whatever is lost in a gig situation.

Now, if you are doing clean studio recordings or just personally dig a certain wood or whatever for the tone you hear in your ears when you play it, that's another thing.

One of my favorite bass players, David Wm. Sims, did 90% of his live shows and recordings with a number of different bands on an old ratty 1970s Memphis Jazz copy, unmodded for most of its life and his career.

 

[cdahill]

I love my four, I have no need for a five when I can do everything on my four.