Do you use your B?

[GreyBeard]

I've been playing 5 for the last 20 some years so the B string is as important as any of the other strings. I prefer a B string that sounds no different than the other 4 strings, other than pitch, because I use it as part of what I play and not as an effect. I had a bass with a 35" scale with a "huge" B string that I ended up selling because the B string sounded different from the other strings. I have also played a few that I thought the B string felt floppier or weaker than the other 4 and so I shied away from them. I like the B string on my EBMM SR5's, ATK305, Sire V7, and my recently purchased Fender Am Pro P-Bass V. The B string on these basses sounds like an intrical part of the bass and not a weak or overblown addition. (jmho)

 

[RickyWoo]

I couldn't get into the lowness of the B on my 5'er. Loved the easy access to High C on my 6'er though!

Alas, I sold them both. I'm a 4 stringer at heart. At least I tried!

 

[SMG]

I often use the 5th position E rather then an open E, and use the D and C quite a bit, too. The open B, hardly ever.

 

[Anders Barfod]

I play a six string and find the low B is essential for popular music. Often vocalist cannot sing all songs in the original keys. If the necessary transposition drops a bass line below E,with a 4 string you have to play some notes up an octave.

Most rock and pop male vocalist have problems when they get past 40.. They end up transposing guitar and bass a half key down.. A lot of these male vocalist are thinner lyrical baritones. They get away by singing songs in C-major like "gimme all your lovin" ZZ top when they are young but after a certain age it feels too high. One of the culprits is A4=440Hz.. I looked into this the last couple of years and A4=440Hz (12-TET) is a sharp vocal pitch that requires a lot of early register shift at the passaggios for most singers.
The Verdian suggested 432Hz or -31 cents (no I am not a new age guy or a conspiracy nut), is much more natural to sing at as it divides the notes at the passaggio in a more logical and easy to balance way.. The highest pitch before the "shift" at the second passaggio gets to severe is A4=435Hz.. This is the real pitch for A4 in my book. The former European standard which was the advice of Halevy, Meyerbeer, Auber, Ambroise, and Rossini in France in 1859 and the pitch that Verdi advised Italy to adopt.
People never look into pitch for A4. There is a huge span of 100 cents between A4 and G#4 and another musical "dimension" to work with (if your instruments allow you to do so). "highway to hell" sounds "wrong" at 440Hz because the recorded version is around a quarter flat (A4=428Hz).. Beatles "ticket to hell" is also "wrong" in standard 440Hz tuning. Beatles played most of their first two albums in A4=435Hz.
I really recommend bands to explore other tunings as your leadsingers voice might "work" better in 430Hz than either 440Hz or 415.3Hz (G#3) due to the placement of the vocal breaks (passaggios)

 

[FrenchBassQC]

To B or not to B... I have used it when I was playing material that required a B string, I am not anymore since I have switched back to 4 string basses (J and P) and the projects that I'm working for are more Jazz/Folk types of musical influences. I just ordered a couple of months ago a new 5 string that will be strung E-C. But if I need to go below E, I still have a 5 string that is strung B-G.

 

[Bunnoodle]

Hope this helps .... I purchased a 5 string (TRBX 305) last friday, and played it on sunday at church. (Although I had to look at the bass while playing to avoid mistakes). The low B makes a HUGE difference. Never played one before.

 

[74hc]

A lot less than I would have thought, other than for a thumb rest which is often. I basically only use the low B for 5th and 6th intervals where it fits the style of the song. That's usually some country and a few worship songs for me.

 

[david barnes]

What up TB!
Been considering a 5 or 6 string for a while. Just to experiment with, i’m not a working musician, just play by myself mostly. Have an opportunity to purchase an mim Jazz 5 for $250. But I only have 4 strings, and I don’t really know how to use the low B. I’m considering buying it to string it to EADGC, just for fun, I like to play above the 12th fret a lot. So i’m sure this question is beating a dead horse, but do you really use your low b string, and how often? If not, do you roll with a 5 string like I’m considering (eadgc).
And........ go

don't tune the b to a e... keep it beadg .... use the b for like a low more defined note. instead of a open e hit the b on the what 2nd fret? for the same note ... but more full

 

[InhumanResource]

I didn't use it much when I had it. The music I play doesn't really call for it, but in top of that I didn't like the tone other than the open B itself and the first couple of fretted notes. Up higher on the neck it just gets too mushy/floppy for me.

I have been thinking of gunning for gigs that require it more, like a wedding band or something more modern than what I currently do and that might change things out of necessity. Given a choice I stick with the 4 though.

 

[capnsandwich]

I use mine a lot, actually. I play a lot of different types of music and in several churches around town and I find the B string to be very useful. I can play those really low notes below an open E, It helps me to transpose on the fly, helps with ghost notes and passing notes, etc. There are a lot of uses for a low B string. If you ever play urban gospel, you'll find that you almost need a low B.

The biggest hurdle to learning how to use the low B string is remembering that the bottom string is not an E but a B. Took me about a week to get used to that.

 

[bwoodman]

I use the B quite a bit and when I'm not using it, it IS a good thumb rest. Many people say that you can't use a 5 for classic rock or tunes that were recorded before the 5 with a low B went into mass production - I'm thinking around 1985 is when Ibanez and Yamaha started making 5's? Anyway, take a song like More Than a Feeling by Boston - in the outro / chorus, the bass is hitting the low D, so that was tuned down a step - not sure when Hipshot introduced the D-tuner, but guys were tuning down before that. And the problem with that for me is having to rethink where you're playing on the downtuned E string! Long story short, I'm a long-time fan of Jimmy Johnson and Nathan East - who isn't, right? Those two guys are the reason I got a 5 back in '85! I got the Ibanzez - very tight spacing - soon after that, picked up a Guild Pilot 5 - very playable and a cool bass. OK - TMI......

 

[flojob]

One guys says this.
"Consider the music you’re playing. With a traditionally tuned 5-string, you have 5 extra notes: Low B, C, C#, D, and D#."

Now here comes this.


Looks lik I nede sum edumacation. What u talkin about Willis?

Haha yeah I couldn't figure that out either. I play 5 string all the time... Looks correct to me

 

[DavC]

when i need/want to go lower than 'E' ... it's there ... otherwise it's a great thumb rest . !

i've done the higher tuning E-C off and on ... it's fun and cool , especially if you have 2 5vers ... 1 hi / 1 low .
but my aging hands are sending me back towards my 4 stringers .. !

 

[MasterMonkeyMan]

Rarely below low D. But The low D and low E get lot's of love....

 

[JSBassman61]

Use it all the time, even thou it really only adds 5 extra low notes, i mostly use it for positioning, I actually don't own any 4 string Basses any more. Plan on getting at least one nice one in the near future

 

[Stevorebob]

TL;DR: I use the B as often as the G. A 5-string is about adding hand-position options more than just five more notes.

 

[JSBassman61]

TL;DR: I use the B as often as the G. A 5-string is about adding hand-position options more than just five more notes.

Exactly, A lot of folks miss that

 

[maisbass]

Do a poll on TB and ask how many people play 5 strings and bead 4s in their 60s, 70s, and 80s cover bands. Not saying there aren’t exceptions but those exceptions are pretty rare.

Well I'm definitely an exception then LOL! I use my B string for all styles of music (60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, etc) depending on the tune. For instance, I use it on "I want you back" from the Jackson 5. I start on the Ab of the B string and stay in that position for the riff. I do this on many tunes just because it translates really well through a live sound system. I like the fatness to the note, a bit more bottom, just works well for me for live applications. Also many of the lower notes are vital to dance cover music and some 80's alternative music as well.
Different strokes for different folks. Main thing is what works for you, and what you're comfortable playing on. I've been playing a 5 since the Peavey TL5 came out back in 1988 (my first 5ver, long gone now), and really haven't looked back. Sure I sprinkle in some 4's here and there, but mainly just play the 5.

 

[JSBassman61]

Well I'm definitely an exception then LOL! I use my B string for all styles of music (60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, etc) depending on the tune. For instance, I use it on "I want you back" from the Jackson 5. I start on the Ab of the B string and stay in that position for the riff. I do this on many tunes just because it translates really well through a live sound system. I like the fatness to the note, a bit more bottom, just works well for me for live applications. Also many of the lower notes are vital to dance cover music and some 80's alternative music as well.
Different strokes for different folks. Main thing is what works for you, and what you're comfortable playing on. I've been playing a 5 since the Peavey TL5 came out back in 1988 (my first 5ver, long gone now), and really haven't looked back. Sure I sprinkle in some 4's here and there, but mainly just play the 5.

I'm with you, I use that string on everything pretty much, make positioning very easy for me and I throw in some of the lower notes on occasion for flavor

 

[maisbass]

I'm with you, I use that string on everything pretty much, make positioning very easy for me and I throw in some of the lower notes on occasion for flavor

Agreed. Definitely love the dynamic factor of having those low notes. Nothing like dropping a "Low B" in Rebel Yell. Sure it's not in the song, but it will blow the snot right out of the crowd standing in front of the subs LOL!