Getting used to a 5

[chris_b]

I got my first 5 string today after years of p and jazz basses along with upright.
I keep getting lost so my question is how is the best way to get used to the extra string? Also once you get used to it, will there be a problem switching back and forth?

Put the 4's away. Don't be tempted to play them until you've achieved your aim of being fluent on the 5.

Many run into trouble because they don't like changing what they already know. Have an open mind and work through the frustrations and you'll find that 5 string basses are very flexible instruments. They bring a lot to the table.

Muting is raised as an issue. It's a change to a technique you already know, but it's less of an issue than we all had when we were starting gout and learning to mute a 4 sting.

Learn floating thumb if you want, but it's not a prerequisite and IMO no better than a moveable anchor technique.

Everything I can play on a 4 can be played equally well on a 5, so with fewer options in the 4, I see no point switching back and forth. I just play 5's. There are no downsides to that decision.

 

[Leigh Semmens]

I've been playing Bass on and off for 50 years, In the beginning there were only 4 strings. A mate turned me on to BEAD tuning, but then, I was a guitarist, I only got back into Bass about 20 years back and started with a BEAD machine. It got written off in a flood and I went to a fiver, Old habits die hard as I still get mixed up on which string I am playing. Even now (12 years after buying a fiver) I occasionally start playing a 5th higher than I should! It's crazy as I haven't played an EADG bass in over 40 years!

 

[XLunacy]

I mostly use the B as an extension to the other strings, but rarely as its own thing (meaning my point of reference is usually still the E string). I think it makes sense for most songs.
A few ideas : start with the easy intervals, add the occasional 5th down from the E string, and the octave down from the D string. Then start adding other intervals as you see fit.
After a little while it will feel completely natural

 

[Five or Six]

Well, like an ol' master told me a "long" time ago. "If" all you are going to do after thinking you need a 5 is use the "B" string for a thumb rest, and seldom use the "B", sell the five and go back to a 4 string, you don't need it"! Once I started on 5 and 6 strings my 4s have set in the cases.

 

[KaizerRainMan]

Recently I sold my trusted 5'er I bought in 2003. (Didn't use it that much anymore.)
And just like that, an upcoming gig where it would have been perfect. Got a jazz with a bass extender, for modulations, but alas, A 5'er would have been perfect. Typical. I should have kept to my hoarding ways.

 

[BassDad1964]

Walking bass just becomes a whole new world when you realize you dont have to stretch all over the finger board anymore.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Of course you're gonna feel like a duck on ice skates at first, but then we all did.

I just started playing a 5 last week, and this is an accurate description! Thanks for all the advice. I like the notion that the 4 string bass is still there....

 

[David McIntire]

Folk in general make switching sound like learning a whole new instrument. It's not like that at all. But, even if it were, we already learned a whole new instrument. At one time each of us had to learn 4 all new strings! Now, ya just gotta learn one new string. Just 4 new notes. I found it helpful to find a tune or several that had been recorded using a low B. A tune or two that inspired me to want to play the low B. For me, it was Dream Theatre's the Mirror/Lie off their 3rd disc. I went thru the transition from 4 to 6 because I saw John Myung's Tung Wing 6 in the video for Lie. I couldn't tune down low enuff on my 4 to play that tune. So I had to make the switch. Working out a few tunes off that disc gave me inspiration to continue to develop. And now, my low B is just a part of my style. Find a tune you wanna know that uses the B. Just like you were inspired to pick up the bass by a 4 string in the first place. And remember, they are your hands and will do what you tell them.

 

[logdrum]

I never put the 4's away. I do not think this will speed your adaption. Yes it will give you 5 more notes or 3 if you have an extender, but think of it as adding color as well.

 

[TheMartianBassist]

I remember it took me just about a week to get used to it. Confusing the A and D string was really the only issue, for both right and left hands. I’d be fretting the A string and plucking the D or vice versa.

You’ll really benefit from taking the index and pinky finger octave shape and playing around with it on the B string. Locks you into your familiar “octave” range, regardless of where you are.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Medicine Man]

Don't do what I did, which is switch back and forth depending on the song. My life became so much easier when I just switched to 5 full time.

 

[DrBnz]

I always take reference of the fretboard by knowing where the B/C/E/F clusters are. Note it doesn't cluster at the B string, but is lined up linear along that one string. Then note the E/F in relation to the A/B/C of the E string. What does all "this" tell you? The big things to take away from all this is that adding that one string didn't change a thing. That B string is just a continuation of the fretboard you already know. Initially I ignored it and just played the 4 strings and used it for the great thumb rest that it is. Eventually you'll find that it creates shortcuts or opportunities for you to play things differently. Maybe its easier, maybe it sounds better. The only issues I worked at to overcome is 1) I try to use finesse when playing the B to get the best sound out of it 2) play around with your settings to find the best that'll capture the increased range and the B.

 

[MtManiac]

I switched December 2022, and did several things already mentioned here - committing to 5-string only, avoiding open E-string (and A-string) for a while, and an extension from that tip is re-learn songs you know from 4-string land but moved up to the 5th fret position. If you have an A7 groove using the A, G, and E, play it at the 5th fret, but use the G on the B string instead of the 3rd fret E string. 4th fret is lava! Just for a while, then free yourself and go anywhere.

I have several very nice 4-strings that haven’t been played in the past twelve months.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I got my first 5 string today after years of p and jazz basses along with upright.

I keep getting lost so my question is how is the best way to get used to the extra string? Also once you get used to it, will there be a problem switching back and forth?

For me it was not playing the same songs on both basses. Muscle memory is tough to overcome.

Try learning something different, like I Wish by Stevie Wonder. Repetitive, simple scales and moving from string to string using all strings and gets you up the finger board a bit. After about ten times through playing this song, you should be good to go.

In my case having only played a 4 string from the mid 1960’s until I had to to get a 5 string to land a job with a corporate-wedding band around 2015. The good news it was 45 songs I never played before and we gigged and rehearsed a fair bit. It was a horn band so not many songs were in the keys of E, A, and D where you could use a lot of open strings. I had the 5er down enough to gig in a couple of weeks, but still had a bobble or two for a month or so afterwards.

( side bar: You will need learn to mute open strings on a 5 string. That can be tricky. Best to record and review. You don’t want unexplained rumbling coming from your cab)

Now that I’m not gigging much, 3-4 a year, and when I do it’s mostly Motown material where a 4 string Fender does nicely, I haven’t used my 5er much. Maybe a recording session or two, and once at a band jam in the last year.

That said, I was starting out today, I would never even think of owning a 4 string. Hope you find this helpful. Best wishes.

 

[brianrost]

As others have posted, stop using the 4s.

I had a left hand injury a few years ago and as I started to work on getting back up to speed, I just played scales, scales and more scales, then arpeggios all over the neck. The first thing you have to get comfortable is to see the relationship between the B and E strings as the A to D, D to G. Played five frets up on the lower string the notes are the same. The fifth fret notes across the 5 strings are E (on the B), A (on the E), D (on the A), and G (on the D). I found that helpful when orienting myself.

One thing I started to do later was work on simple funk riffs that get repeated endlessly…think of “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”, “Doing It To Death”, “Use Me”, etc.

Example:

The Pointer Sisters version of "Yes We Can Can" only uses three notes, C (root), G and Bb in the typical two fret box pattern. So I would first play using the C on the 8th fret of the E string, the G right below it on the B srtring. Then I'd play it using the C at the 3rd fret of the A and the G below it on the E. Then I would bounce back and forth between the two patterns. I’d start with playing four bars in one position then shifting. Once I was comfortable with that I’d shift every two bars, finally every bar. This helped me a lot with position shifts.

I seldom use the notes below D and even then I only use the D and Eb on the B strings when it’s the root note. Anyway, work on running scales while staying in position as much as possible. Using the B string instead of the E means you can now play two octave scales with almost no position shift.

Consider the E major scale, the two final notes in red are the only required shift.

Start on the B string
E (fret 5) F# (fret 7)

Then to the E string
G# (4) A (5) B (7)

A string
C# (4) D# (6) E (7)

D string
F# (4) G# (6) A (7)

G string
B (4) C# (6) D# (8) E (10)

Then you can go through all the keys running the usual scale exercises. By the time you are done with scales and arps you will have the B string well under your fingers.

 

[BassDad1964]

I play my 5 now all the time. A while back someone asked me to come up and play a few tunes with them and of course the bass guy had a 4 string. I thought it would not be a problem but as soon as I took my eyes off of the fretboard and just started to play it became a big problem. Yes, the 4 string is still there but if your muscle memory of where the notes are is what you are relying on good luck. At least that was my experience.

 

[gmarcus]

5th fret on the B is E. Try playing some lines that you know well up 5 frets and down one string.

 

[Baker69]

Pretty much as has been said.

I made the mistake initially of still playing my 4 stringers, once I had decided to play just the 5 string I progressed a lot better.

The only issue I have now is that I now much prefer 5 string basses and am now debating whether to sell my 4 string basses.

 

[SteveC]

Number one is a non starter and not sure why anyone would do that but YMMV of course

To the OP, put all your 4 strings away and play only the 5. For me it took a couple months. Some people it takes a lot less than that.

What happened to me is that ultimately I realized that all 5 strings have 4 string basses in them so I didn’t need the 4s anymore

This is true, but sometimes a slimmer neck feels good. And I feel like I play differently on a 4 and 5. Different position options, note choices, etc.

 

[Lesfunk]

I got my first 5 string today after years of p and jazz basses along with upright.

I keep getting lost so my question is how is the best way to get used to the extra string? Also once you get used to it, will there be a problem switching back and forth?

in my experience, the only way to get used to a five string bass is to simply play it and play it. Don’t take your four strings out of the gig bag for a couple months, at least. Just play your five strings and make mistakes, because you will, and eventually your mistakes will be fewer and fewer, and you will feel more comfortable.