5 string bass and Country music

[Rib 13]

A couple of nights back our local PBS channel was having a fundraiser(ugh) and part of that was a concert for the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton being accepted into the Grand Olde Opry. She sang several songs and had a number of guest artists. I typically try to focus on the bass players when I watch concerts on TV. There were at least 3 different bass players who performed with the different artists. Two of the bass players were playing 4 string basses rather than 5 string. One player was using a Fender Jazz, another was playing something that looked like an Ibanez, and the third player was so far from the camera that I couldn't really tell if he was using a 4 string or a 5 string.

I have a number of basses, and a few of them are 5 string, but I am primarily a 4 string player. I have no bias between the two, but I just have many more hours on the 4 strings, hence I am more comfortable there.

I have read a number of times that for new Country you really need a 5 string. That's why I found it interesting that at least two of the three players at that concert where playing 4 string basses. Some of the guest singers were what I would call "New Country" as opposed to much of what Dolly does. So am I correct in thinking that the "must have a 5er" for New Country is really just a personal choice for the player and not accepted as a hard rule. What do you think?

Thump on,

One_Dude

We live in a time where live performances can be enhanced by tracks. This is especially true with newer genres such as Nu RnB or Modern Country (in which, sometimes, the only difference between the two is a fiddle and a southern drawl).........Dont be surprised if you find out a live bass player is just miming

 

[Rib 13]

Steve Perry finally hitting puberty is probably the biggest culprit in the rise of the five string. After the 80's the falsetto screechers finally told the guitar players No! We are not playing it in E. Learn your instrument.

It doesnt matter that Jimmy Johnson had the foresight to see it in the 70s, the rise of the prolific five string is directly related to the use of synth bass on recordings (1980s)

 

[joel406]

A couple of nights back our local PBS channel was having a fundraiser(ugh) and part of that was a concert for the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton being accepted into the Grand Olde Opry. She sang several songs and had a number of guest artists. I typically try to focus on the bass players when I watch concerts on TV. There were at least 3 different bass players who performed with the different artists. Two of the bass players were playing 4 string basses rather than 5 string. One player was using a Fender Jazz, another was playing something that looked like an Ibanez, and the third player was so far from the camera that I couldn't really tell if he was using a 4 string or a 5 string.

I have a number of basses, and a few of them are 5 string, but I am primarily a 4 string player. I have no bias between the two, but I just have many more hours on the 4 strings, hence I am more comfortable there.

I have read a number of times that for new Country you really need a 5 string. That's why I found it interesting that at least two of the three players at that concert where playing 4 string basses. Some of the guest singers were what I would call "New Country" as opposed to much of what Dolly does. So am I correct in thinking that the "must have a 5er" for New Country is really just a personal choice for the player and not accepted as a hard rule. What do you think?

Thump on,

One_Dude

I started a new country cover band last year. Very quickly I found a 5 string was the only way to make it work. I sold all my 4’s and now have a stable of 4, 5 stringers. I’m always down on the low D,C and even B. Those low tones are essential and I couldn’t function properly without them. My Fenders are my favorite 5vers but my Mike Lulls are great too.

 

[buldog5151bass]

A number of popular modern country songs use the lower notes (Jason Aldean is one example). But unless the gigs require you to regurgitate the line exactly, it can be done with a 4. For the past 6 years I've been in a band that does a number of those tunes (She's Country, Crazy town, etc.). I just play up an octave when necessary. I'm the only one who has ever noticed.

 

[MtManiac]

I don't play new country, or a fiver, but I do play some old country and would love to have a fiver to get proficient on. Even if I never played anything below a low E (I totally would though), I would love to be able to play that low E at the 5th fret. It would also be pretty handy when the guitar players want to downtune to D.

However, after playing only 4's for 39 years, I think I am too old and lazy or maybe just gutless, I have had opportunities to get a nice five string Fender P or J here and there at great prices, and passed them up. I find both the feel of the neck and the string spacing is kind of gross and foreign for my fretting hand. Fortunately, nobody is asking me to play any new country, or anything else that *requires* a fiver.

 

[micguy]

If you're in a cover band playing bars, you can get away with a 4 string in any genre. If you're auditionig to play with a major artist, I'd strongly suggest you show up with a 5, regardless of genre. I play church gigs, and nobody has ever told me I need a 5, but that's what I use 90 percent of the time - it's just easier on a lot of tunes to have the notes I want rather than work around not having them.

 

[ElectricBass72]

5's are definitely handy for praise music. There's lots of odd keys (not E, A, D and G) in that genre and the 5-string opens up more options than a 4-string.

 

[keith1r]

BEAD Tuning on 4 string

 

[Lync]

I play modern country and yes, a B helps with the low notes, but you could cover those an octave up on a 4 pretty easily. The main reason I play 5er's is so I can use one bass for the flat and drop tunings.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Yeah, you need a 5. Listen to Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, (what was I thinkin), jon Pardi, (dirt on my boots), no 4 an get that sound. But if you decide to play a 4, make sure it is a active eq to get the big lows and a little highs to punch thru

 

[Jefenator]

I used to sometimes sneak a 5'er in on old-style country gigs, just because I am a bad person.

 

[Ggaa]

I had a fiver built in '85 because I was playing with a great keyboard player with a strong left hand. Then I could walk down almost as low as he could, and generally not be covered up by piano bass. Also, Ronnie Millsap's 'Stranger In My House,' '83, had a low D(don't know if Hipshot, fiver, detuned). I was in a country band for all the above...

 

[Altitude]

I know a few guys who have found success as touring players out of the Nashville scene. As a group, the guys in that scene seem to play 5-strings more than working bass players do in general at this moment.

John Howard, for example, was a friend of mine in Austin in the 80s when he played for the great funk band Extreme Heat there. He migrated to Nashville in about 1989. Here's a good rig rundown video:

 

[Smooth_bass88]

A couple of nights back our local PBS channel was having a fundraiser(ugh) and part of that was a concert for the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton being accepted into the Grand Olde Opry. She sang several songs and had a number of guest artists. I typically try to focus on the bass players when I watch concerts on TV. There were at least 3 different bass players who performed with the different artists. Two of the bass players were playing 4 string basses rather than 5 string. One player was using a Fender Jazz, another was playing something that looked like an Ibanez, and the third player was so far from the camera that I couldn't really tell if he was using a 4 string or a 5 string.

I have a number of basses, and a few of them are 5 string, but I am primarily a 4 string player. I have no bias between the two, but I just have many more hours on the 4 strings, hence I am more comfortable there.

I have read a number of times that for new Country you really need a 5 string. That's why I found it interesting that at least two of the three players at that concert where playing 4 string basses. Some of the guest singers were what I would call "New Country" as opposed to much of what Dolly does. So am I correct in thinking that the "must have a 5er" for New Country is really just a personal choice for the player and not accepted as a hard rule. What do you think?

Thump on,

One_Dude

Saw that too. One guy was playing a Lakland 494 (or 4402)

 

[MikeBass]

Read an interview with a bass player in a major touring group- akin to the level of Urban, Lady A etc......

He spoke of his audition when he got there. He took a 4 and just tuned down to the songs to get the low notes as needed.
Said out of all the guys who auditioned, all had 5 strings, it was that “look” that made the biggest difference to the artist, as all the players were top shelf.
It looked more traditional and fit the overall vibe better.

Again, play what the charts require.

 

[P. Aaron]

I work with 2 New Country acts. If you want to
play like the record for Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan etc...
a 5 string is required.

Yep. I played my Precision V and my Dimension Deluxe V for the Country band I was in. Was A LOT of fun.

Jimmy Lee Sloas , the Nashville bassist uses a standard tuned Precision and a BEAD model. His recording history is loaded with the stars of Country music.

 

[bucephylus]

Sigh. It seems slightly unfortunate to me that the “4 vs 5” discussion tends to descend into tribalism.

The main thing is to play the parts correctly, and as intended by the songwriter / band director. The look thing may come into play; but, the objective is to get the part right.

I have HipShot Detuners on all of my 4’s, which give me access to the low D on the 4 string. That covers a lot of ground. But, there are Modern Country tunes already mentioned, which require lines below the Low D; and the 5 is the correct instrument for those parts.

Personally, I keep both a 4 w/detuner and a 5 at the ready for the majority of my opportunities. I suppose if I had to choose....I don’t really know...maybe the 5; but, there certainly are situations where the 5 will put off the person auditioning you. So, there is that.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Jimmy Lee Sloas , the Nashville bassist uses a standard tuned Precision and a BEAD model. His recording history is loaded with the stars of Country music.

Jimmy Lee Sloas was one of my early favorites in the 90's, before he became a Country music A-lister. Dogs of Peace is still one of my favorites from that era. Pretty sure he was down-tuning then, but he also played a Modulus Quantum 5. Another (non-Country) Nashville guy that really turned me on to down-tuning was Tommy Sims. He mostly used a 70's Jazz bass for a lot of years, and just like Anthony Jackson did in the 70's before his Contra-bass conversion, he tuned down as low as he needed to get the job done on that bass.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I'm surprised that @BassCliff isn't in on this one. He's playing a 6-string I think for most of his country work.

Bah! You don't need me here. I played my 6 string in country bands for twenty years and played 4 strings (with flats) when necessary. Now I mostly play a 5 string and take the others as backups. Whatever it takes, whatever is convenient, whatever is handy, just make it sound good.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Sam Dingle]

warning, long ranting post


I’ve looked into this as I am moving up to Nashville in June. Talking to bassists up there there seems to be a lot of opinions on basses and tuning. Lots of low notes are clearly needed for modern country and the 3 views are: figure it out on a 4 string in standard, play a down tuned bass or play a 5.

I know there’s a difference between a 5 and a down tuned 4. Personally live I’m fine playing 5 string. Whatever works for the song.

Studio is a different vibe. Talking to some mostly studio people they have basses tuned many ways. I hear of basses in standard, down a half step, whole step, or down a minor 3rd.

I’ve been taking lessons with Tim Marks who’s a great bassist out there and he says he brings to a session

2 p basses in standard (rounds and flats)

a p bass a half step down

a hollow body short scale (a Jerry Jones I think)

and a 5 string.

I’ve been messing around with down a whole step lately and it’s fun. My Jack Cassidy sounds great with flats a whole step down and because I have too many basses I setup my fender jazz a whole step down and it sounds great.