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Good songs for getting comfortable with the B string?

dirtychinchilla

dirtychinchilla

Dec 23, 2007
659
670
London, UK
#1
I bought/received a Sire Marcus Miller 5 string for my 30th not too long ago. It's wonderful, I love it. I just find that the B string is never used...so has anyone got any recommendations for good (and not too difficult) songs that might help me get more comfortable and more used to including the B string in my playing?
 
#5
A synth bass-line I think John Deacon came up with. Not easy, keeping it tight is tricky because of the softer tension of the heavier strings. Most of it is played on the BEAD strings, I use open strings quite a bit to get around it, it's been a little practise piece now and again for decades for me. All on the heavier strings.

 
#6
The Pretenders' "Brass In Pocket" (1979) was the first song I learned on a 5-string bass many moons ago. I believe that on the original recording, Pete Farndon played a 4-string and simply detuned the E string to D, but a 5-string bass makes it simple. IMHO, the song just doesn't have the same feel if the D is played in a higher octave.

 
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#7
dirtychinchilla said:
I bought/received a Sire Marcus Miller 5 string for my 30th not too long ago. It's wonderful, I love it. I just find that the B string is never used...so has anyone got any recommendations for good (and not too difficult) songs that might help me get more comfortable and more used to including the B string in my playing?
Click to expand...
You can easily incorporate the B string from your 5 string bass into all of your regular playing.
Realize that the 5 fret on the B string is your E, on the forth string. So instead of playing, E,F,F#,G,G#,A on the forth string, try playing those notes on the B string
Yes, the tonality may sound different, but you will find some lines you play will be so much easier.
I play mainly 5 string now, I don't play the open low B very often if ever, but I always play the n the b string.
Hopefully that helps a bit.
 
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#8
In addition to looking for specific songs, take what you already know and play it in different positions. Any open E becomes 5th fret B. Also transpose things you know so you have to access the first 4 frets of the B string. I've always looked at B (and C) strings as position tools, not extra notes. I now play with a cover band where guitars all tune down a whole step. I play a 5 string in standard tuning and just move my positioning so I'm in the right key.
 
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#12
You might like to delve into some modern country. There are any number of songs in that genre that were likely recorded using a five string. You might give some of Jeepin Jerry's a look over in the transcription forum. I have learned several songs from him on my 5 string Jazz.
A monster tune if you dig the blues is Learn how to love you by Tedeschi Trucks band. I believe recorded on a 5 string and a great song.
Congratulations on your new bass!
 
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#13
ruju said:
You can easily incorporate the B string from your 5 string bass into all of your regular playing.
Realize that the 5 fret on the B string is your E, on the forth string. So instead of playing, E,F,F#,G,G#,A on the forth string, try playing those notes on the B string
Yes, the tonality may sound different, but you will find some lines you play will be so much easier.
I play mainly 5 string now, I don't play the open low B very often if ever, but I always play the n the b string.
Hopefully that helps a bit.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I very rarely play open E, but instead play the E on the B. Plus songs in B, playing 4-5-6 on the B. Plus most of the Christmas/Easter songs are in Eb and Bb, so having access to a low Eb is great.
 
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#17
One of the most overlooked benefit of the B string is the ability to have more options on where to play on the neck. As @Reedt2000 mentioned, experiment with moving your E based lines up to second position (Using the B 5th fret as your root). I use the B string for alternate positioning far more than I use the additional 5 notes, but do use the low D a lot.

So - pretty much any song you play can get you acclimated to the B string. I have a terrible time using a 4 string on most songs that I play, so I get that it would be disorienting to play known songs in a new position. So maybe learn new easy songs without touching the "money" frets for awhile, just to get used to incorporating the B string. I do play some lines in first position - sometimes it makes sense. I often wonder how people play with the B string....
 
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