Going from 4 to 5 (merged threads)

[AndreyR]

-reviving thread-------

I started out with a 5 string bass, and Low B is my thumb rest. When I play on the B, I rest my thumb on the pickup. A - E string. If I have to play fast passages, I can still rest my thumb on the E string, or use the "floating thumb technique"- its really a good thing to learn.
Honestly, I barely use the Low B, but when I do use it, I make it count. The B string is never in the way, always thought of it as a place I can go to get "sweet 'n low" .

 

[martyonbass]

If you're really having a hard time with the 5, try puting a capo on the bass at the fifth fret. Yes it will look a little goofy but it will let your brain go back to something it's comfortable with, an E string close to you. Force yourself to do this for a week, playing your songlist and taking sime chances, do it for as long as you need. Then take it off and your fingers will remember where to go. You'll be halfway there. Then play any song in D.

 

[TunnelPig]

I made the switch from 4 to 6 strings this past summer as part of my ongoing effort to challenge myself. I now find myself sharing Anthony Jackson's belief that the original bass guitar should have been a six string; there's something special about being able to play full melodies from my omnibook, or 2+ octave scales for instance, without changing position.

 

[sayman]

The bass guitar was modeled from the double bass, so adding new strings might have confused db players and slowed acceptance - (although this is just a guess. But reality is, bass guitar is a new instrument, not the electrification of double bass, so adding new strings makes sense to me.

 

[Marko 1]

I knew a bit of guitar before going to bass (to accommodate buddy musicians), and had a four-string.

Then we did some songs that required a D, so I detuned, then got a HipShot D-tuner thingie, but ended up finding a deal on a fiver, and not being so used to playing a four-string, it was pretty natural for me, and man, so much easier playing things in the box that the B string afforded me.

Afaic, it takes more skill to play a four-string, having to know your neck better and move around more. I couldn’t imagine playing a four-string now, I’d just get lost.

I use that B string on most songs and play higher up the neck, and even songs I don’t need to, it allows me to vary what notes I play and add drama to a song, going deeper on certain parts and adding variety, especially since we’re just one guitar, bass, drums, and whatever toys the front guy incorporates.

Also, the guitar player, good at filling in the sonic range of a song to keep it sounding full, often gets into my space, so it’s nice to be able to stay lower instead of transposing up.

And also, I can learn a song using no open strings, so if/when the key is dropped to accommodate a singer, I can just slide my hand down a fret or two and I’m there.

Just sooo many advantages to having the B there.

As far a my plucking hand, I find that I rest my thumb on the B string and just float off of it when I use it. I didn’t plan it that way, but actually noticed one day that that’s how I was doing it.

My thoughts on a four-string player playing a fiver, my mind tells me you should just use the B as a thumb rest, then ignore the fretboard, just use the edge markers (all I see anyways), and keep your mind on the top four strings (E-G) instead of the bottom, and the B should be kinda invisible. Maybe easier said than done, but that’s how I would imagine a good way to do it when first making the switch.

 

[johny martin]

The band im in has ,a Yamiha 4 string , a wshburn 4 string, and a squire p 4 string.
So when I bought my bass I thought why get another 4 string, bought a 5 string Ibanez, and its all I play now.
Works like a 4 ,plays like a 5 lol

 

[stingraysvt]

My first five was like a fish out of water. I wound up playing it for several months and just playing the 4 strings and just getting used to the B string being there then I started working in a D here and a B there, then it all just made sense one day and now all I play are my five's. Still love to pick up my fours when I can...

 

[Katfish Krow]

This is a *TonyTheTiger*GGGGGGRRRRREEEAATTTT!!*/TonyTheTiger* thread!

I have been wondering about this myself. I just started playing bass about 4 months ago, and still in the very early stages of learning notes, chords, patterns, ect. A LOT of the music I enjoy (Jazz, Metal) as well as the music I play (Gospel, Praise & Worship) seem to use lower than E notes quite a bit. I remember the first time I tried to play "Black Hole Sun" and went from to because I didn't understand why I couldn't play some of the notes. After a quick web search, I discovered about the fabled (or infamous) "Drop D" tuning people use to play those sort of songs..however, I had been advised against doing that because it would confuse me/mess up my finger patters/chords.

So I've been haggling back and forth with myself about if I want a five string or not. The info given here has been great. I guess my best bet is to go to a music store and try a 5 string out first...but I don't know...if a 4 String is good enough for the goddess us mortals know as Esperenza Spalding, it should be good enough for me too

 

[Lithius]

ever since i started on a 4-string i noticed alot of the music i wanted to learn required the Eb, alot of these songs were so obscure that they had alot of open notes(including the E)
this made down tuning less plausible,
so i a five string the first few weeks were won by referencing the A string, because that seemed to point out that the E string was just above it
however i actually that even though i have the lower notes available it's sometimes just easier to play in drop D
as a rule i generally only play any stringed intrument in 5ths or 4ths i play by notes never by fret numbers

 

[Mayers]

The bass guitar was modeled from the double bass, so adding new strings might have confused db players and slowed acceptance - (although this is just a guess. But reality is, bass guitar is a new instrument, not the electrification of double bass, so adding new strings makes sense to me.

Wrong ... it was for guitar players that couldn't handle the mighty DB. So guitar players had a guitar size DB with fret so no more intonation issues.

Also many classical music require a 5 strings DB or a 4 strings DB with an extension on the E strings. This isn't new to have extended range to have the same range as a Cello an octave lower.

 

[sayman]

Wrong ... it was for guitar players that couldn't handle the mighty DB. So guitar players had a guitar size DB with fret so no more intonation issues.

Also many classical music require a 5 strings DB or a 4 strings DB with an extension on the E strings. This isn't new to have extended range to have the same range as a Cello an octave lower.

Wrong guess then.

 

[LemmyLicious]

I'm thinking of getting a fiver for the epic rumble of the 1st string and the way it changes the playing dynamics. I'm just starting to practice fingerstyle on 3 fingers and trying out a fiver today I notived even my small fingers have trouble with the new style on the smaller string pacing but I can just let the fingers "go through" to stop at the next string up better than on the unwieldy distance of the 4-string.

 

[sayman]

I'm thinking of getting a fiver for the epic rumble of the 1st string and the way it changes the playing dynamics. I'm just starting to practice fingerstyle on 3 fingers and trying out a fiver today I notived even my small fingers have trouble with the new style on the smaller string pacing but I can just let the fingers "go through" to stop at the next string up better than on the unwieldy distance of the 4-string.

If you try a 5 with 19mm spacing, should be closer to 4 spacing. Feels like it anyway.

 

[Engine207]

Yup...for me 19mm spacing was critical. I didnt try 5-string until I'd been playing awhile. Sure, it makes the fretboard a good bit wider, but it feels more like a 4-banger that way.

 

[LemmyLicious]

Hmm, gotta search for such basses, most 5ers I've been able to try have been those ESP metal basses with non-existant spacing that led me believe it was nigh impossible to go for the 3-finger method.

 

[Engine207]

Hmm, gotta search for such basses, most 5ers I've been able to try have been those ESP metal basses with non-existant spacing that led me believe it was nigh impossible to go for the 3-finger method.

I'm not sure if you were ironically referring to the LTD in my sig that I'm selling, but that's a perfect example of why string spacing matters to me. I'm not nearly as fast or clean with that F-105 as I am with my Jazz V. Maybe it's all in my head, but I notice it right away when I play that bass. Too bad, because it sounds way better than its price.

 

[vonsparks]

The first bass I personally bought was a shine 6 string, and to be honest I didnt find it difficult to make the transition from 4 to 6 strings, it was quite natural.

 

[LemmyLicious]

Also, has anybody ever just re-stringed a 4 string so it can be tuned BEAD?

 

[sayman]

Also, has anybody ever just re-stringed a 4 string so it can be tuned BEAD?

No, but if you try it I'd love to hear how it worked out.

 

[EatADeadGoat]

Also, has anybody ever just re-stringed a 4 string so it can be tuned BEAD?

It works, but I don't really like it. I think that low C is the furthest down a 4 string feels good to play.

So, new to 5 strings myself, but I didn't have any issues picking it up! I was afraid I'd be tempted to carpet bomb everyone with my B string, but I mainly just use it for the E (sounds better fretted IMO, I almost never play an open e2 anymore) Eb, and D. Almost never needed to go down to C, or even use the open B1.