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Five string bass (BEADG): how do you guys play it?

#22
It really depends on what I am playing. Lots of stuff I do at church goes to low D often sometimes I go all the way down to low B. I don't play in one position from song to song. It depends on the chord progression, what the keys are doing, my mood, the feel of the song, etc, etc. I am all over the neck at times, but rairly use the high G string. I could probably go back to a 4 banger and restring it BEAD and be just as happy.
 
#24
manbass said:
Playing in the key of E or F sucks on a 4.
Those keys played in 2nd position on the low B string are a demonstration of 4 banger potential obsolescence (just kidding) but really...look at it...you have 2 octaves of those scales to run and never move your hand on a 5vr.

-D
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That is true especially in blues patterns. I hated playing E and F in the first position, and then changing to the IV or V in those positions. It is so much more convenient with a 5er, not having to leave (unless you want to) 2nd position ever in those keys.

EDIT: 5ers are also a lot more comfortable in my bigger hands than most 4 bangers. (Except 4s with a P bass style neck)
 
#28
I too started on a 4 in the 70s and converted to 5 in the early 90s. Then I figured why do I need 4s when I have a 5? So I started collecting 5s. Then, because gettin old makes you lazy :rolleyes:, I dislike "modern" basses :), and seeing Dred Zepplin's Bassist (knarleybass) with a supersmall bass with HUGE tone :cool:, I decided to get a short scale and mod it!

So now I bring 2 basses to all of my gigs, a 5 & a short scale 4. I play in 2 cover bands and 1 blues band and I use the 4 alot more than the 5, but, the 5 really supports some songs and is required on some others...The good thing is that all my bandmates know and enjoy the difference! :cool:

Russ
 
#30
lexxmexx said:
Do you guys utilize the B-string often or just occasionally? I have heard many people mentioning that the B-string is a nice welcome but seldomly used. Yet, another school of people will say that it allows one to play higher up on the neck for many reasons.

I mean, many of the songs out there were played on 4-string basses but when you guys play them on a fiver, do you play them low down on the neck like a 4er and just using the B-string as a convenient thumb rest? Or you will play it higher up on the neck and using the B-string for low notes like E, F G etc?

I am really curious about the common practice out there?
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I recommend playing a 5 string like a 4 with a few extra low notes. My rationale is that to some degree, and at a certain level of ability, you have some muscle memory for what you play. If there is some times where you may need to play a 4 string for one reason or another, and going back to a 4 will not throw you for as much of a loop if you're "missing a string". I tend to play my 6 string like a 4 string for 90% of most gigs I play.

Then again, there are some that would day that you should take advantage of the 5 string possibilities up the neck. Insofar as it broadens your facility, options, and development as a player. I'm fine with that too.

I tend to look at an extended range bass as a 4 string with extra strings. Of course, I love the extra range and can do interesting things with it, with chords, bossa nova patterns and all.
 
#31
I started on a 4 string bass, and picked up a 5 string because it was a hot deal. I used it occasionally for a low note or a finger rest. I started practicing on the 5 string exclusively, doing position studies, scales, and fingering exercises on all strings. I also really like the sound of my basses between the 5th & 12th frets as well as the fret spacing.

Now, after having spent a couple of years on 5 stringed basses, I cannot imagine not using a 5th string. All strings get used evenly (for the most part). I have a full 2 octaves underneath my left hand, and rarely have to move positions. 4 Strings are now frustrating because of all the shifting (shifty?) behavior.

imp
 
#32
lexxmexx said:
Thanks for the replies so far :)

To those 5 string players who still play the 4 bangers occasionally, on what occasions do you use the 4er?
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Theres a tune I am called on to lead in = "Trading my Sorrows" which begins with double stop 10ths melody line on the bass only and in the bridge section turnaround...solo...I use a jazz 4 exclusively for that and any slapping work. 4 string Jazz basses I put to use on anything heavy/rock, where I prefer to dig in and get some sonic grunt going, typically.
 
#33
When I play my 5er I often play 5 frets up on the neck from where I'd play on the 4 string. I usually do this to get a rounder tone than I'd get lower down the neck or with open strings. Sometimes I move up to make the fingerings easier (frets closer together or avoiding open strings).

I also use the low D on the 5er pretty often. I have a d-tuner on the 4 string and I play it pretty often in drop D, but sometimes I want to play the song in standard tuning and still have the low D. The notes below D get played once in a while but not all that often.
 
#35
lexxmexx said:
Thanks for the replies so far :)

To those 5 string players who still play the 4 bangers occasionally, on what occasions do you use the 4er?
Click to expand...

Just change for change's sake- keeping it fresh. Also, I occasionally I detune the 4 to low D for things that are in the key of D to have that root note, especially if a guitarist detunes his/her E string to a D- nice to have that octave differentiation that a detuning (or 5 string) provides.

Also play a 4 because I don't have, can't get, or can't afford a 5 string version of certain 4 string basses- sometimes pragmatism and circumstance plays a significant role between choosing 4 -vs- 5.
 
#37
lexxmexx said:
Do you guys utilize the B-string often or just occasionally? I have heard many people mentioning that the B-string is a nice welcome but seldomly used. Yet, another school of people will say that it allows one to play higher up on the neck for many reasons.

I mean, many of the songs out there were played on 4-string basses but when you guys play them on a fiver, do you play them low down on the neck like a 4er and just using the B-string as a convenient thumb rest? Or you will play it higher up on the neck and using the B-string for low notes like E, F G etc?

I am really curious about the common practice out there?
Click to expand...

I use it all the time. I dislike playing open strings when I can help it, because you have less control over the note (as far as vibrato, muting, glissandi, etc). I also use the extended range of it for certain types of music, e.g. when I'm playing church sessions, when you really want those low Ds and Cs. It also gives you a fatter tone with less clarity to play an F on the 6th fret, for example, instead of the 1st fret. Plus, there's a lot less position shifting, which makes for a cleaner & more effortless performance, especially important in the studio.

Just more options, really.
 
#40
I have found that the use of the B-string depends on what type of music you're playing. For instance, I play a lot of Rush songs, which certainly don't use the B-string. Unless of course you count the Dropped-D song Driven, in which I can just play standard tuning using the low D on my B-string, but otherwise Rush songs do not necessarily use those lower notes. However, if you're playing something like Dream Theater, where the low notes are frequent, it's much more useful.

Not only that, but when I've been tested on double-octave scales in music class, the low B string is really a beneficial thing, as I don't even have to go far across the neck to play the major and minor scales in both octaves. It really allows for much smoother flowing playing. I think it all depends on what you're playing and what notes you need to access at what speed.

Personally, I've found that the low notes have a very powerful feel to them, especially when playing heavier styles of music. I've experimented with playing an octave above those low notes in Dream Theater songs, like Root of All Evil or Dark Eternal Night, while playing with the recordings, and it feels so much more powerful with the lower notes.
 

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