Going from 4 to 5 (merged threads)

[Engine207]

My switchover method of choice was to treat the 5th fret as the nut and not worry about the low B-E♭. Once I got used to using that position, it made me less likely to brain fart the B onto an E.

That, and like tZer says, plenty of woodshed time.

 

[ThumpPlunkJunk]

Started out on a five string, actually.

Meh.

I can't say I enjoy it any more than a four string. The extra string is nice for doodling around but few pieces of music actually use the B string for anything, and throwing it into the mix sometimes just makes it sound too metal-ish.

I can't play as fast on my five string as I can on a four string though. The neck is wider, it's harder to hit notes on the B and E strings sometimes (especially higher up on the neck) and it sucks when I hit the B on accident.

Hopefully I'll be in the market for a four string soon though. Trying to do it custom or at least get a blank that I can add some of my own style to.

 

[sayman]

I actually got comfortable with it pretty fast (granted, playing rock covers is not very challenging). Now I love having more options. It's also nice to be able to play more from one position.

Curiously, I haven't lost my 4 string chops or comprehension either - can play a 4 or 5 with the same facility.

I suppose it's like learning any other new instrument.

 

[zaubertuba]

I played 4 all through high school and college...had to give it up for 20-some years...

.....and then went to twelve.

No kidding. It was a Megatar my friend loaned me. Wayyyy too many strings. Funny thing was though, the Megatar's a tapper, so you *don't* play open strings on it. This forced me to stop using first position as a crutch and got me way deeper into the neck than I would've gone otherwise.

After several months of this, going back to eight strings (when I finally got my NS, because 12 really was *too* much for me) wasn't nearly as traumatic, because I'd given myself a crash-course in deeper hand positions and note relationships.

 

[sayman]

I played 4 all through high school and college...had to give it up for 20-some years...

.....and then went to twelve.

No kidding. It was a Megatar my friend loaned me. Wayyyy too many strings. Funny thing was though, the Megatar's a tapper, so you *don't* play open strings on it. This forced me to stop using first position as a crutch and got me way deeper into the neck than I would've gone otherwise.

After several months of this, going back to eight strings (when I finally got my NS, because 12 really was *too* much for me) wasn't nearly as traumatic, because I'd given myself a crash-course in deeper hand positions and note relationships.

Dear Lord. I'd hate to have to change those strings all the time.

 

[kindofblue10]

I've always wanted to try playing a five-string, but none of my local guitar stores carry them (they're actually very drum-oriented ) and I don't want to make an investment in one. Plus, I'd like to keep some consistency with my upright and electric basses, and I can imagine that the 5-string upright would take a lot longer to get used to, or to even buy, than a 5-string electric.

 

[FunkQueen]

I got 4 and 5. I want 6 to tune EADGBE in order to play chords and tapping while singin cause I wanna perform solo. (check Nathan Hughes and Seth Horan)
Do u think its possible to tune a 6er that way? So I can combine my guitar harmony knwledge with my slap and tap chops.

 

[Ric5]

The original 6 string basses were EADGBE so yes of course you can tune a 6er that way.

I was a long time 4 only guy. Then I got in a band that I needed the low D for some songs. So I had a Rickenbacker 4001 tuned EADG, and a p-bass tuned to E flat and a jazz bass tuned DGCF. Then I needed a low D flat so I got a 5 tuned BEADG. Now I can play anything I wan on one bass. To make the switch I put away all of my 4 string basses and only played 5. I retrained my brain and my fingers. Now a 4 string bass seems unatural to me. They are missing a string.

 

[Metal Bassist]

I would love to have a 5 string bass, I don't think I'd have it in BEADG tuning though I'd probably have it in EADGC tuning, I like my high end solos.

 

[isthimus]

I hear ya.

Geezer Butler is another guy who comes to mind. It's hard to sound heavier than him, even with an 18-string bass...

the thing that a lot of people miss is that 'heaviness' comes from compression, fx and the riff itself before the pitch of the note. obviously pitch has an effect but not as much as you might expect

 

[onesickone]

I have a fender jazz 4 and an epi thunderbird 4, bought a mtd 5 string shortly after starting to play bass full-time. I find that i can switch basses witout too much trouble but if i learn a song on a particular bass whether it is 5 or 4 that is the bass i play it best on.

 

[Corey Y]

I've been considering picking up a 5 string version of the new bass I'm planning on purchasing (Carvin SB4000/5000). Not for heaviness, I get that covered with tone just fine, but the rhythm guitarist in my main band uses a lot of inverted power chords ("smoke on the water" style) so it would be nice to lay into the B string instead of being stuck up on the A string when I get to a big held out root note moment. It's been about 10 years since I owned a 5 string though, so I'm not sure.

 

[tomilchik]

My first 5-stringer (after playing fretted 4 exclusively for number of years) was fretless, to add insult to injury A mental transition had to be made, of course - remembering that my lowest string is not E, but B.
Advantages of 5, in my mind:
- you have extra range of really deep, low notes;
- you can play in keys like Eb, D, C#, C using your old familiar shapes, but one octave lower;
- when you play in keys between E and A (roughly) you can start them on B-string, instead of E-string, and this gives you lots of range higher up, without having to shift that much;
- you can play some really wicked, earth-shattering octaves using B-string;
- and it is indeed a very good thumb rest

Then, after a couple of years, a 6-stringer followed.
This one has its own merits (talking about BEADGC):
- extended upper range for soloing;
- chordal playing! Chords sound much cleaner;
- even less shifting: practically any shape, any key can be played with a sound that's not too thin, neither too muddy;
- overall range expansion is so f...ing dramatic! Think of that stupendous 4-octave arpeggio run in key of C that you can do on a 6-stringer

And then I brought back a 4-stringer
To learn proper slapping. Because with my fat fingers I need lots of space between strings, and 5-ers and 6-ers are spaced too close, true.

 

[Tmoney865]

Dad is a DBV 5er with a High C.

I grew up on DBV 4 moved to Bass Guitar 4.

Seemed to take the E and push it of the Board and round the neck from time to time. Especially past 5th position.

Wanted an E to E 6-String Bass in College. Teacher laughed at me for 6 months and then suggested B-B,then went out and beat Patatucci to the choice in the last 2 Smiths of the year. Never let me play it.

many moons later I get a 5, close spacing and put up with it. Get another 5 with proper spacing, and then another and then another, then a 6.

For me this was no transitional challenge at all. Probably because of the DBV years I could handle the board.

The 6 was the challenge as my reference 4 were drowning in other strings.

Point of reference was the key.

I suggest making certain that you are ear training yourself to the GDAE tones of the strings (in that order, tuning hi to low) in tuning and developing the ear.

As you do this you will be placing your hand over the strings in a manner that you are always reaching for the G and building a referenece point into your muscle memory, building it into your touch.

As that develops, you will walk right down into the B as you want it, then right back up to where you started.

Practice 4 string parts in the position past the 5th where you have to hit the E with your index finger on the B String 5th.

There is your position for extending solos beyond C without having to switch position.

This is why I wanted the 6 string. I wanted to see how far I could go, but guitars have 6 strings in my book and anything beyond that is purely a Solo Instrument.

Let the tones inspire you, don't be intimidated by the looks, this is about feeling it.

later 4's will look sickly and anemic.

Peace, Blessings, and Bass

 

[RickeyC]

I found the conversion to be prety simple. It took a litle while but i love 5 string now and love them low notes. Cant play without them almost haha give it a shot! itll be worth regardless of the outcome

 

[GATTPBP]

I'm having a LOT more trouble with the transition from a 4 to 5 string (BEADG) bass than I ever thought I would, and it's beginning to get very discouraging. My old workhorse 1984 G&L SB2's neck is in a twist, and will have to be sent to G&L for repair. So I thought I would buy a 5 string and learn to play it. I got a beautiful Sting Ray 5, used. I knew narrow string spacing would be an issue (I have fat, short little "sausage" fingers), and the Sting Ray 5 seemed to have the widest string spacing at the nut of all the 5 strings that I tried. I'm 51 years old, and have been playing 4 string bass professionally since 1971. I know a good deal of theory, but have always been such an "ear" player, not really "thinking" about every actual note I play. Perhaps that is what is causing my extreme difficulty. Besides the string spacing at the nut being bothersome, I just can't seem to wrap my weak mind around the fact the the lowest string is now a B, and NOT an E. I have a house band gig on the weekends and took the new "monster" to the gig. What a near disaster! I only played on it for 3 or 4 songs and it was rough to say the least. I ended up playing my warped G&L SB2 for the rest of the night. Even practicing the 5 string has negativly affected my 4 string playing as I keep getting the B and E mixed up in my head. I REALLY would like to learn to play this "monster", and be able to switch back and forth seamlessly between the 2 basses. At the end of this selfish rant, I guess what I am seeking are tips, tricks, theory, instruction, Voodoo magic, devine intervention, or anything else on how an old 4 string dog like me can learn to play the 5 string without going insane (if I'm not already). Thanks!..................Mark

I find I have to stick with one or the other. 4 string playing seems to confuse my finger memory when I add the 5th string. My fingers want to make the B an E a lotof the time, but not all the time. It seems to get better the more I play. My 5 stringer (MM Stingray) is also much heavier than my 4 (Fender Jazz).

 

[duderasta]

Transition was pretty simple, you just have to get used to the idea that your low string is B not E (unless you add a high C instead). I just bought a playable, but not too expensive 5, told my bandmates to expect a few fumbles till I got used to it. Then I just didn't pick up a 4 string again. I did fumble about for a few minutes, but by the end of 1 night of rehearsal I was ok..

 

[sayman]

Transition was not too tough for me, but the cover songs I've been playing are so easy, I'd have lots of time to think about where I was going next. Gave me plenty of 'on the job' training at a slow pace.

I also played with a Hipshot for years - so I was used to the idea of the low string being a different tuning.

Maybe you can get a set of the color coated bass strings and swap your B string with one- visual reminder.

 

[sammyp]

i haven't had any trouble ...i love the 5 string...the day i bought it i took it to the gig and played the first 6 tunes with it...started to get a little nerved so i grabbed the 4 string ...went home and started to practice the set exclusively on the 5 ...the next gig was all 5 with only a couple bum notes ...playing low b and thinking i was on low e....

 

[passionbass]

the LOW B string is was my THUMB REST ^^

so i switch back to a traditional 4 string jazz