I don't see any reason to own a 4 string bass anymore. My 5 string basses already have a 4 string right there in them
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Anyone else struggle to play 4-strings after playing fivers (or more)?
- Thread starter Naigewron
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No, I switch between a four and a six with monotonous regularity.
"if you spent some time practicing on your five-string, but without ever using the B string."
This would cause profuse sweating and uncontrollable shaking.
Yep. Can't play a regular 4 stringer anymore worth a hill of beans. What I can and did do is tune my 4 string P with flats, tuned BEAD. My brain simply needs the B string and can live without the G string.
I remember having an odd moment when I played 5s (and one 6) when I had a distorted perception of 4 strings - they seemed like toothpicks; it was hard to imagine I could coax that much useful sound our of such a limited instrument.
But you know, in the 90s I remember talking to & reading about bass players who abandoned the 5-6 string for the 4 string for the tonal qualities, particularly in funk music. Think of this what you will.
In the mid aughts I read an interview with Carol Kaye where she dismissed the low notes on a B string as being irrelevant for a bassist as they conflicted with the frequencies of the bass drum. In my experience the D is immensely useful, the B and C not so much, which resonated with Carol's observation.
Add to this a regular focus on upright studies, and the 4 just made more sense for me. I let go of many wonderful 5 string basses over the years because I did not connect with them. I have learned to play with a detuned D when needed; this is not a big deal - it is only an issue if I start to play a new song and forget that I had detuned!
If I was playing in a more diversified cover band I think I would want a 5 string for versatility - there are some songs that are better with it. Also, the playing 2 octaves in 1 position thing is cool, but I'm not trying to be yngwie malmsteen of the bass. I have studied my positions! 4 works just fine for me these days; although I have been considering picking up a 5 or 6 for fun right now...
But you know, in the 90s I remember talking to & reading about bass players who abandoned the 5-6 string for the 4 string for the tonal qualities, particularly in funk music. Think of this what you will.
In the mid aughts I read an interview with Carol Kaye where she dismissed the low notes on a B string as being irrelevant for a bassist as they conflicted with the frequencies of the bass drum. In my experience the D is immensely useful, the B and C not so much, which resonated with Carol's observation.
Add to this a regular focus on upright studies, and the 4 just made more sense for me. I let go of many wonderful 5 string basses over the years because I did not connect with them. I have learned to play with a detuned D when needed; this is not a big deal - it is only an issue if I start to play a new song and forget that I had detuned!
If I was playing in a more diversified cover band I think I would want a 5 string for versatility - there are some songs that are better with it. Also, the playing 2 octaves in 1 position thing is cool, but I'm not trying to be yngwie malmsteen of the bass. I have studied my positions! 4 works just fine for me these days; although I have been considering picking up a 5 or 6 for fun right now...
Nope.
I've been playing 6-string BEADGC bass since 1988, 5-string BEADG bass since 1996, and 5-string EADGC bass since 2014, and yet every time I pick up a bog standard 4-string EADG bass it feels completely comfortable. It feels like home. Every. Single. Time.
Maybe because I've been playing 4-string EADG bass since 1974, and never completely abandoned it when I added the 6- and 5-string instruments to my palette.
Yes, I have played 6-string almost exclusively since about 1995. It took at least 10 years, but at this point, 6-string feels like home to me.
Over time, you tend to adopt a different way of navigating the fretboard. With a 4-string, you have to shift a lot more. With a 6-string you tend to play across the strings more. Now if I pick up a 4-string or 5-string, I have to stop more to figure out how to finger fast technical lines. It's also more difficult to improvise a walking bass line that is above the money notes.
Furthermore, if I play a 4-string or 5-string for too long, it starts to degrade my fluency on the 6-string. So, for the most part I default to the 6-string regardless of whether I need the low B or high C. I do try to play through my collection of basses approximately twice each year, but I usually spend no more than an hour or two on each instrument.
There are very few circumstances where I feel having the extra strings is a limiting factor. IMHO, the positives of having the extra string far out weighs the negatives. However, if I had a valid reason to play a 4- or 5-string it would not be a problem. A valid reason might be I wanted the specific tone and feel of a specific bass.
Over time, you tend to adopt a different way of navigating the fretboard. With a 4-string, you have to shift a lot more. With a 6-string you tend to play across the strings more. Now if I pick up a 4-string or 5-string, I have to stop more to figure out how to finger fast technical lines. It's also more difficult to improvise a walking bass line that is above the money notes.
Furthermore, if I play a 4-string or 5-string for too long, it starts to degrade my fluency on the 6-string. So, for the most part I default to the 6-string regardless of whether I need the low B or high C. I do try to play through my collection of basses approximately twice each year, but I usually spend no more than an hour or two on each instrument.
There are very few circumstances where I feel having the extra strings is a limiting factor. IMHO, the positives of having the extra string far out weighs the negatives. However, if I had a valid reason to play a 4- or 5-string it would not be a problem. A valid reason might be I wanted the specific tone and feel of a specific bass.
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What's this 4 string you speak of? Honestly, I can't even play a 4 string anymore. I've been playing 5s and 6s so long a 4 is foreign to me. I've been asked to set in before at a gig and the bass player is playing a 4. I politely turn down the invitation.
I didn't read all the replies and like the OP I've been mainly a 5 string player for the last 5 years or so. I still have on 4 string jazz bass in my collection. I don't have the same issue going back to 4 string after 5 minutes or so. It takes a little more cerebral attention at first. But as a former orchestral trumpet player who had to switch between multiple trumpets (C, Bb, Eb, piccolo trumpet) sometimes almost instantly I can convey the "trick" that a lot of trumpet players use to overcome the difference in how they play.
The trick is to line up the instruments for each practice session and cycle through them. After a few session doing this (which we of course continue regularly) it is amazing how the brain will automatically adapt without hesistation, even though the pitch is different, the buzz is different, the pressure is different and the resistance is different. And when you compare trumpet to bass where it's your body that makes the sound and the trumpet is just the amplifier, I can tell you that once you're acclimated to both and continue with both you won't even notice; as long as you continue to practice both in succession regularly.
Having said that, it did take some time for me to acclimate to a 5er; Six months to become comfortable and a year for it to be natural and effortless. Going back to 4 string when I wanted to wasn't that big of a deal. However to address the OP's question from my point of view, I would have gotten the 5 string rather than the 4.
The trick is to line up the instruments for each practice session and cycle through them. After a few session doing this (which we of course continue regularly) it is amazing how the brain will automatically adapt without hesistation, even though the pitch is different, the buzz is different, the pressure is different and the resistance is different. And when you compare trumpet to bass where it's your body that makes the sound and the trumpet is just the amplifier, I can tell you that once you're acclimated to both and continue with both you won't even notice; as long as you continue to practice both in succession regularly.
Having said that, it did take some time for me to acclimate to a 5er; Six months to become comfortable and a year for it to be natural and effortless. Going back to 4 string when I wanted to wasn't that big of a deal. However to address the OP's question from my point of view, I would have gotten the 5 string rather than the 4.
This is true. HOWEVER I think it is a matter of "mental orientation" which is why so many 4 string players (initially) have trouble moving to 5 string. I plead guilty to that charge, but now 98% playing 5 string. IMO it is because, contrary to the way strings are numbered, 1=G, 2=D, 3=A, 4=E many of us tend to think in reverse. While rationally (?) the strings go GDAE, but in our minds we orient EADG. Why? Because as guitar players crossing into bass-land we have trained ourselves to orient to the root notes of chords that happen primarily on the E and A strings. After becoming comfortable with 5 string I got a six string. And honestly it was far easier to add the high C rather than previously going to a low B on the 5er. Again, it's a matter of how one is oriented to approach the string setup.
It's definitely harder to find that four string bass in all that mess though. I'm not sure what relevance this has to switching between instruments? Seems like you're just saying a 7 string bass is better than a 4 string bass.
No.Not really.One or two more strings is not a "mess"
Anymore than 88 keys is a mess.
My piano teacher has Bosendorfer that has more than 88 keys. A mess? Hardly... an incredible piece of art that I think probably costs more than a Lambo.
It's a mess if you don't need any of it. It's like stuff laying around in a room that isn't being used. In the way and not useful. You're trying to say your bass would be better for me, and that's not true. You play what's best for you, and I'll do the same. But the point of the thread is alternating between instruments, not who plays the best bass, so at best it's off topic.
Absolutely right! When going back to a 4 I have to rethink my strategy. Instead of finding. The E using the B string, you have to open on the E.
I haven't found it really difficult but I do need to make some adjustments to technique
Oh my gosh! 96 instead of 88
My sister played her doctorate recital on one
Yep...this makes sense for someone who is most at home on a 4-string.
Off the top of my head, I think my collection of basses numbers eight: One 6-string, two 5-string, and five 4-string.
My #1 since about 1995 has been a 6-string. When I play a 4-string or 5-string, its like
...where's is rest of my junk? I use and value that junk.The truth is I can easily switch between instruments, but I find that different fretboard logic is required. My priority is to maintain the highest possible skill on the 6-string, and if I play a 4- or 5-string for any extended time, it's starts changing some of the automated processes I use to navigate the fret board. In other words it slightly degrades my proficiency on 6-string.
I concede there are some things that are easier with less strings, but I have always felt the many benefits of the extra strings far outweigh the negatives. After playing the 6-string almost exclusively for almost 30 years, the advantages of having less strings have become fewer and less insignificant.
Totally cool if you feel 4-string is the best choice for you. IMHO, vive la difference!
