Five- or Six-String Players: How much would you miss your low B, really?

[smperry]

Even though I have two basses without low B (a double bass 4 string, and a medium scale six tuned EADGCF), I'd miss the B string in my other four basses, which are all five stringers. I use the B string a good amount.

 

[lfmn16]

I played 5 and 6 strings on and off for several years. When I went back to 4 strings my band didn't even notice. I think we kid ourselves on how important it is to others, regardless of how important it may be to us.

 

[TheLowDown33]

I would miss the B string a lot. I use it all the time, for both the extra low range and having notes more notes in a given position up the neck. In theory I would love a 6, as I'm a chordal player on my own, but every time I tried, I cant seem to find the happy medium between string spacing and neck width. Also, to not play the B string, you just leave your thumb on it. You have to actively avoid the C string all the time. For some people it's easy, for others (like myself) it's an unnecessary hassle and not worth the extra convenience.

This all being said, I can and do happily play a 4 if the extra low notes wouldn't be appropriate for the song or session.

 

[wes stephenson]

I mainly play six string basses now, but I find myself almost never using the low B or high C strings. Since I don't really use them that much, I'm thinking about selling my sixes and replacing them with some four-strings. I know the old thing about Jaco only needing four strings, but I'm not Jaco and neither are most of you. So those of you who consider yourselves five or six (or more) string players, how often do you use your low B strings? Would you miss them if you were forced to play four string basses? What genre do you mostly play?

I use the B string a LOT. I could play a 4 though with no problem. I play most types of American music.

 

[turindev]

I think it depends on the type of music. after playing a 4 string for 15 years, I would have a hard time going back to a 4 having played a 5 for the past 10 years. I play at a church with 2 bass players, the other player having a 4 string. When we play the same song and I am playing and I hit a low C just at the right spot (end of a build, etc), the band all just say... "ohhh i've missed that". The other bass player is actually switching to a 5 for that very reason. However in other types of music I could see how it might be negligible (in some of my old bands I would have preferred a 4).

 

[Andy Daventry]

My 5-string is set up for a high-C string set. Does that answer your question?

View attachment 3902728

Me too.

 

[Cut the middle]

I would miss it. Although I don't think I ever play it above the 7th fret.

 

[obimark]

I would miss my low B a lot! If you play in G and do any root and fifth stuff you’re hosed without it. I personally think a low B is great and allows us non-Jaco guys a truck load of options to play low.

I just have to ask why you couldn't play root-fifth in G on a 4? Pretty sure G to D sounds fine on 99% of the songs I've ever played, (or even 5th fret G to 3rd fret C) but I guess it would occasionally be nice to be able to play Low G, then Low C too.

 

[eyvindwa]

I would miss the low B a lot! I use it all the time. However, I also own a 6-string and a 7-string, and I have not quite gotten used to having C and F-strings on my bass, so I would probably not miss those if that was not an option. However, they sure are fun to noodle around on!

 

[Not yet]

Something deeply satisfying about going to a low D or C just for the hell of it.....even when playing 60s classic rock like Cream where it didn't (really) exist....

Course still a new toy, just starting playing 5s about 6 or 7 years ago as a mid-life challenge

 

[MegaSwing]

After years of playing only a 4, I owned only a 5 for 12 years and didn’t miss a 4 at all. Now I’ve returned whence I came and have had 4s and nothing else for more than a decade. The extra string was nice but certainly not essential to my groove, and I enjoy the ease and flexibility in modifying 4s when you feel one needs a tweak. It’s just what I like.

 

[ElMon]

My ‘B’ is my new ‘E’.

 

[MrLenny1]

On my current gig, a lot. New Country has
a lot of low B string use.
Last gig was classic rock and a 4 was adequate.
A 5 is a 4 with a great thumb rest.

 

[stretch80]

Yes, I'd miss it. When I moved over from 4-strings to 5-strings I changed how I approach the fretboard. I play across the neck rather than down. Seldom do I play things that you have to play on a 4 down in the first or open position down there (unless it incorporates low B or C)...and utilize the 5th string to play across the neck in the 5th-to 12th fret range. I have no desire to go back to a 4 string.

Exactly this. Though now that I'm playing upright too, I'm having to get my open-strings and half-position skills going.

 

[Treblefree]

I prefer to play a 4 string and have 2 of them and do play them. Most of the music I would choose to play would be great with just 4 except the occasional worship tune where putting some swelling emphasis into a song is great to have the B string. Since praise and worship is what I actually play out each week, I use my 5 strings a lot for two reasons. One already mentioned; use the deep octave notes later in songs or during peak parts and higher octave notes for smooth melody stuff. The 2nd reason I have to play the 5 frequently is that most praise and worship leaders have different vocal capabilities than the original artists and change keys to many songs. If you go up too much on a 4 string to get into an odd key on Sunday morning when you learn what key you're actually going to play in, then the song sounds thin and you lose the emphasis ability, so I switch to the 5 pretty quick if more than a half or full step up.

 

[Aaarn]

So those of you who consider yourselves five or six (or more) string players, how often do you use your low B strings? Would you miss them if you were forced to play four string basses? What genre do you mostly play?

Would I miss the low B? Surely. It allows me to groove along in the actual bass register and descend countermelodies into bass-only oblivion. Helps a few technical bursts higher up the neck. String spacing is of a lesser strain for chords as well.

Must note, however, it depends on the tuning used, and how that relates to the guitar's (or whatever 'higher' instrument in the ensemble) lowest open string. With two 8-string-low-E guitarists in a metal band that low B is crucial.

High C? Less boomy double stops, convenient soloing. Then there's more open strings.

Now that I have access to a fiver and a VI, I can't recall the last time I played a 4-string.. But when I do, it makes me wanna bash some punk tunes or Motörhead (again, a feel provided by spacing).

Current involvements are metal, surf/easy rock and a drum-n-bass band.

 

[brianrost]

When I need something lower than E, I would miss it a lot.

+1,000,000

 

[Nedmundo]

I've used the B string often enough that if I were forced to choose between having only fours or fives, I'd pick fives. But whether I'd miss the B string totally depends on the project/band. Sometimes a five has been essential, sometimes it's been preferable but not essential, and sometimes I've preferred to just rock my old-school fours. For example, I played my fours exclusively for a Stones cover band project, and never once missed having a B string.

 

[Nuage420]

Would I miss the low B? Surely. It allows me to groove along in the actual bass register and descend countermelodies into bass-only oblivion. Helps a few technical bursts higher up the neck. String spacing is of a lesser strain for chords as well.

Must note, however, it depends on the tuning used, and how that relates to the guitar's (or whatever 'higher' instrument in the ensemble) lowest open string. With two 8-string-low-E guitarists in a metal band that low B is crucial.

High C? Less boomy double stops, convenient soloing. Then there's more open strings.

Now that I have access to a fiver and a VI, I can't recall the last time I played a 4-string.. But when I do, it makes me wanna bash some punk tunes or Motörhead (again, a feel provided by spacing).

Current involvements are metal, surf/easy rock and a drum-n-bass band.

Dude, I think if I ever were to go play live I would want to be up with a DnB dj and just goto town. you guys have anything posted up?

 

[Ewo]

Sixers are too wide for my hand. I use fivers on all my gigs.

It's all about having those notes below E, yep.