How do you reference strings when not using notes?

[S-Bigbottom]

Books and videos have 1 the thinnest string and count up to the thickest.

 

[Wasnex]

The relative pitch and spatial relationships tend to remain constant since I always tune in 4ths. Even if I decided to tune in a different interval, I would not change the order of the strings. So it would be a matter of thinking in whatever interval the strings are tuned in. Sorta like the G and B string on guitar. If you bar across these two strings you get a maj 3rd.

 

[Vinny_G]

Banjos
On the 5-string Banjo the 5th string is the thinnest.

Yes that's why I said in classical music. The banjo is not an instrument of the classical orchestra, it is a popular musical instrument. And it turns out that in popular music we do not necessarily take into account academic conventions. You can also add ukulele, dulcimer, etc.

 

[lowplaces]

Books and videos have 1 the thinnest string and count up to the thickest.

Except banjo books

 

[vvvmmm]

Then there's multi-course - said because I just posted about my 8-string bass yesterday, and because I try to be difficult.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

Reminds me of a story....

I briefly joined a band where the two guitarists played 7-strings. When going over their riffs they kept referring to the low B as “E”, the low E as “A” and so on. At first I was completely baffled. Turns out it was deliberate, and this method was just easier for them. When I finally figured out the what and why, I said something like “guys... I’m no stickler for proper musical terms, but... seriously... no, just no”. And they somehow thought I was just being pretentious for not going with the flow.

They were actually a pretty good band somehow, but it didn’t last long for me.

 

[Koshchei]

With as many alternate tunings as there are out there, you can't really always use B-string for a 5-string, because it might be the center string, depending on their tuning.

So, how do you reference a string w/o using a note reference?

I don't. They get note names or "*exasperated look* THIS ONE", because, at the very VERY least, I expect them to know what they've tuned their open strings to.

If they ever reach "Never mind...", that's the greatest insult I can give and it means that this will be the last time we play together.

 

[lowplaces]

Oh well

Thanks KBD

I have been gassing for a banjo all summer. I had forgot about it for about a week.

Tomorrow I'll guess I'll go buy a banjo

Watch for my NBD thread

 

[LBS-bass]

Top string is at the top, therefore the E or B, depending. Bottom string is at the bottom, so the G. Those terms don't have anything to do with pitch for me. Highest and lowest are different stories.

 

[Jon Moody]

And I go UP the neck (towards the bridge), to ascend in pitch... *I will actually cringe when someone says they are going 'down the fretboard' to play higher...

I'm guessing that's a hold over from from the classical world, since you play a string bass vertically, you go DOWN the fingerboard to play higher notes.

 

[Brad Johnson]

right or lefty, the strings will be in the same spatial relationship to your face or feet

Some lefties play strung for a lefty, some play strung for a righty so... no.

 

[Brad Johnson]

And maybe I'm wrong, but don't upside down lefties turn their sheet music upside down and read from right to left, bottom to top?

No, some flip it over and backlight it.

 

[Koshchei]

I'm guessing that's a hold over from from the classical world, since you play a string bass vertically, you go DOWN the fingerboard to play higher notes.

Truthy!

I try to avoid expressions like this because it's usually more trouble than it's worth trying to orient somebody on their instrument with a sense other than the one they should be using to make music. If they aren't using their ears, they probably haven't practiced their part enough.

 

[Paulabass]

4 string- Skinny string, medium string, other medium string, fat string.
5 string- Skinny string, medium string, other medium string, fat string, really fat string.
6 string- Doesn't matter cause you're playing alone anyway.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I reference up down or bottom top by pitch.

 

[lz4005]

Highest and lowest, always meaning pitch. Never numbers, never top/bottom.

 

[Jon Moody]

Truthy!

I try to avoid expressions like this because it's usually more trouble than it's worth trying to orient somebody on their instrument with a sense other than the one they should be using to make music. If they aren't using their ears, they probably haven't practiced their part enough.

I’m classically trained, so I end up explaining it a lot when someone attempts to correct me on it, as it’s not wrong. They're just not familiar with the history/lineage of the instrument.

 

[Vinny_G]

I’m classically trained, so I end up explaining it a lot when someone attempts to correct me on it, as it’s not wrong. They're just not familiar with the history/lineage of the instrument.

That's why the classical method is handy, because the cello is vertical but the violin is horizontal. If we take into account how the instrument is held, it is as if we were saying that the west is on the left and the east on the right ^^

 

[devnulljp]

You could always just use scordatura

 

[Jon Moody]

That's why the classical method is handy, because the cello is vertical but the violin is horizontal. If we take into account how the instrument is held, it is as if we were saying that the west is on the left and the east on the right ^^

I use the headstock and bridge as the markers when teaching. As you play higher, you’re moving toward the bridge, and as you play lower, you’re going toward the headstock. It’s a bit more universal.