Getting my first 5 string, give me your advice!

[SLO Surfer]

I had a nice 4 string bass but I had not played in a long time so like an idiot I got rid of it (i still have an acoustic/electric bass so I thought that would be good enough). As soon as I got rid of my bass I started missing it and actually started playing more just because I missed it. So when I saw a killer deal on a bass I said the hell with it and ordered it, but it only came as a 5 string. I do not have a real goal. I just enjoy playing bass on rocksmith, I do not have any plans to be in a band or anything like that.

With all of the info you've given, my suggestion is that you don't need a 5-string and you would be better off/happier sticking to a 4-string. There are very few tabs written out for 4-strings, so you won't be able to continue your path of Rocksmithing. (I should say I've never looked at Rocksmith, so maybe they do have 5-string tabs?)

 

[Wfrance3]

I am going to have to learn the different notes on the fretboard to get any use out of the 5th string

Yea, that's kinda how it works. You learned how to play bass, this is just a little more bass to learn, but totally worth it. Look at it this way, you just have to think 3 frets different than open D. If your concern is losing the highest 3 frets, you don't. They're just continued on the next string...
And you get the benefit of the traditional open B on that lowest string for the bargain.

 

[Passive Jay]

So... you’re cool with playing along with music, that’s played by musicians, but don’t want to play with living breathing people?

its not that i do not want to, I am just not good enough to play with other people.

 

[Passive Jay]

You might have actually found out already that there is an overlap on a bass guitar. The fifth fret on any string is the same note as the next string played open.
Doing quick maths should tell you that the thicker string goes five steps lower. So instead of playing the 10th fret on the A string, you could play the 15th fret on the E string or the 5th fret on the D string or the G string open.
When you get your 5 string bass, there is one more option: The 20th fret on the B string.
How the notes are called exactly is not so important if you're only playing at home. The understanding of how the fretboard works and how certain notes will repeat, however, is.
The five string bass goes lower.
Lower even than a guitar in drop D. And all that without messing up the scales and chord shapes.
It will be a lot easier to learn the five strings without messing with the tuning.

good to know! thank you!

 

[klokker]

I agree with knowing the notes. If you want a 5 tune it to B and learn to use it that way.

But there are a couple of things about 5's to consider. One is string spacing. Some are narrower, wider than others so try a few on for size to see what you like. Another is to make sure that your low B string doesn't sound dull or too much different compared to the rest of your strings. There are quite a few bad B strings out there. Check for "floppiness" as well.

Oh wait, you already ordered it...................well you can check that stuff anyway before you keep it if you want.

 

[Passive Jay]

With all of the info you've given, my suggestion is that you don't need a 5-string and you would be better off/happier sticking to a 4-string. There are very few tabs written out for 4-strings, so you won't be able to continue your path of Rocksmithing. (I should say I've never looked at Rocksmith, so maybe they do have 5-string tabs?)

rocksmith does not have any 5 string tab but I would assume the 4 string tab will work as long as I am not messing with the 5th string. The only reason I got a 5 string is because it was what was on sale for super cheap.

 

[Passive Jay]

clearance showroom model for 139 bucks!

 

[BassUrges]

Jay,

It’s never too late to learn. Pick up the Hal Leonard Bass Method, hit studybass.com, and you’ll know the notes and enough theory to be dangerous in 6 months.

 

[BassUrges]

BTW, my 40th birthday present to my self was a double bass. Never too old to try!

My goal is to play in a community orchestra in 2 years.

 

[Double Agent]

I would just ignore the 5th string completely until you come across a song that calls for it on Rocksmith. Even on a drop-D song, I would just drop the E to D and play on.

As for the other suggestions re: theory and playing with musicians, if you’re happy with what you’re doing, just have fun and play on.

 

[Spidey2112]

I am sure it would be better for me to know more about reading music, note positions on the fretboard and things like that but I am 44 years old and it took me 3 years to just get ok playing tab along with rocksmith so I do not have high hopes for picking any of that up at this point.

Man, as long as you're having fun with it, keep on keepin' on...

 

[Wfrance3]

The way I learned my 5th string, and I don't see going back to 4 at this point, is to just make key use of a few notes on the B. - I use these pretty strategically, because they have different mojo than their closest related lower note. Like for example, the E you get from the 5th fret is more dark and beefy sounding, than an open E. Same for the 7th fret F#, same for that 3rd Fret D.

So, just do those 3 for a while. Use them strategically when the extra beef makes the musical statement you want to make. You can always treat your bass like a 4 string until you get those goto spots in the neck under control. Also, something that helped me is knowing what notes are right across. Like, take B for example. 7th Fret on the E, also second fret on the A. Whats to one string lower on both? F#. Same thing for one string higher, that would be your E. Also, if you are playing a root note on your E string, the 5th below is right next door on the B string.

Hope this helps...

 

[dxb]

I don't think tuning the B string up to D on a 5-string bass would be easier than just occasionally drop-tuning the E. The B string is a bigger stretch to play because you have to reach past the E string to play it each time. Besides, if you ever want to play 5-string song from a tab you'll have to drop the D back to B anyway.

 

[Passive Jay]

I don't think tuning the B string up to D on a 5-string bass would be easier than just occasionally drop-tuning the E. The B string is a bigger stretch to play because you have to reach past the E string to play it each time. Besides, if you ever want to play 5-string song from a tab you'll have to drop the D back to B anyway.

yeah it sounds like my original plan was a bad idea.

 

[Herrick]

I am sure it would be better for me to know more about reading music, note positions on the fretboard and things like that but I am 44 years old and it took me 3 years to just get ok playing tab along with rocksmith so I do not have high hopes for picking any of that up at this point.

Hi Passive Jay. There are a lot of free lessons on YouTube. It's a great option if you don't have the funds for face-to-face lessons. Check out Scott's Bass Lessons.

 

[dxb]

yeah it sounds like my original plan was a bad idea.

Its not really a bad idea, it just might end up being more cumbersome for you than the alternative. But I'd say try it anyway and decide for yourself. The great thing about playing music is you can experiment.

 

[Wfrance3]

You're doing fine. I don't read tab. I use tab to jumpstart knowing what I need to know about a bass line, and then i play it, maybe 90% of the way it was originally written. I don't get any gigs that involve sight reading, either, but it's functionally dysfunctional...

 

[40Hz]

as I mentioned I only play tab and have no experience with any of this. So the third fret on the B would be the same as an open drop D? but what about if it is not an open note? I am guessing I am going to have to learn the different notes on the fretboard to get any use out of the 5th string

You’re really doing yourself a disservice playing only off tab and not learning the notes or standard notation. It’s going to severely limit your development as a bassplayer, and possibly allow you to develop some seriously bad playing habits that will be difficult or impossible to correct later on.

There are all sorts of top quality free resources for learning music and electric bass technique these days. Do yourself a huge favor and take advantage of them. Tab got you playing. Now it’s time to get away from that, join the varsity team, and start genuinely knowing what you're doing. You won’t regret it.

Luck!

 

[Grumpynuts]

Take your 4 string and lock it up for at least a few months and do not touch it till you feel good about your 5 stringer.

Keep in mind your 5 just adds B, while you still have EADG. So the only thing it will help you with as far as 'easy tuning' is the ablility to transpose down to D C and B standard tunings, and this may help you learn a bit about your fretboard. For ease with droptuning some people use hipshots, although drop tuning one string by ear should be a skill you should work on.

Finally, here is the best piece of advice I can give, if you are utilizing rocksmith as your primary learning source. Buy yourself a good amp combo, and run that between your bass and the game system. I can show you how if you need help, I do when I am jamming with my girlfriend for fun as she is just learning guitar. Turn down your bass volume settings in game, and just use your amp for your bass volume.

This will help you really hear what you are actually playing, and help you self critique your sound quality. As you know, just playing the right note at the right time is not all there is. The game uses simulated amp settings that tend to get lost in the mix, and you may feel you playing better than you really are. Doing this you can hear your ghost notes, how hard you are hitting the strings, and how and when to mute notes or let them ring along with other things. Especially with bass that game will let you get away playing quarter notes for eighth notes, and an amp will bring that out so you can hear it and fix it.

Best of luck to you, and like everyone says, don't rely on that alone, eventually lessons will help, but it will get you into and excited about playing which is a good thing, and build up your motor skills which is just as important as learning theory, but is just a piece of the puzzle. But just because the game says you know 99% of the song, does not mean you do. Your bass just had the right frequency at the right time. Really challenge yourself and don't get lulled into a false feeling of accomplishment.

 

[jaymelewis]

I am getting my first 5 string in the mail next week.

I have been playing for a few years now but I am not exactly an expert. I am 100% taught by Rocksmith so basically all I can do is read tab. I dont know notes anything like that. That being the case is there stuff I should know about playing a 5 string over a 4 string?

My current plan is to just treat it like a 4 string but tune the 5th string to drop D so that I can switch back and forth from song that use standard E tuning and drop D tuning without having to mess with anything.

If that's what you wanted to do, I would have just bought a Hipshot D-Tuner tuning peg. You're gonna hate the string crossing issue that this is going to create. But then again, perhaps you're pioneering a new way to play the bass?