How do you reference strings when not using notes?

[Killed_by_Death]

Didn't vote cuz this is not up for interpretation. There's only one right way,

That's a strange reason for not voting.
If there were an obvious correct answer wouldn't the majority have voted for it already?
As it stands, there's no clear majority.
The poll will eventually speak for itself.

 

[Ric5]

Bill, Ed, Al, Dave, George

 

[Gyver]

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

Banjo? My God man, do you think we bass players have talent?

 

[pbass74]

First string is the highest string in pitch and is the lowest string in elevation. This is also the bottom string. The top string is the highest in elevation and lowest in pitch.
Kind of how the top of an acoustic guitar is really on the front.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

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?

#1 by my feet-#4 by my head

 

[nnnnnn]

Basses don't normally use reentrant tunings, so I think we can ignore ukuleles and banjos and so forth. Of course, bass ukuleles do exist, but they're normally tuned the same as the bass guitar.

A bass's top string is the one highest in pitch, so the one closest to the floor in a normal playing position. I know some people call that the bottom string because they're talking about physical location not pitch, but those people are wrong.

A bass's strings are numbered from highest pitch to lowest starting at 1.

The top of the bass or guitar neck is the end that joins the body, i.e., where the highest pitched notes are found, and the bottom of the neck is the nut end. Obviously this is opposite to how a person or animal's neck would be described: deal with it.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I didn't see broccoli as a selection

 

[Seashore]

That's a strange reason for not voting.
If there were an obvious correct answer wouldn't the majority have voted for it already?
As it stands, there's no clear majority.
The poll will eventually speak for itself.

The correct option isn't available. It has nothing to do with the orientation of the instrument to our body or to the floor. First string = "top" string = highest pitch. The sixth string on my six string bass is tuned the same as the fifth string on my five string; those are both the "bottom". Being in different tunings, on instruments with different amounts of strings, and knowing people who play all variations of lefty/righty/right side up/upside down, it's the only standard that makes sense. Anyone that wants to get pedantic about banjos and ukeleles can still use that as a starting point.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I guess I should regret not conforming the poll for the handful of people that string their instruments upside down.

 

[dr doofie]

I should have left out top & bottom, because then how do you refer to the 2nd & 3rd strings?
Same goes for high & low.

There’s (from your face) big fatty, lil’ fatty, about average, lil’ skinny, and too skinny.
Five string add (at your face) a “super fatty”
Six string (way too skinny)
And that’s the way it was...

 

[dr doofie]

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?

Only when we’re reading Aramaic...

 

[dr doofie]

I guess I should regret not conforming the poll for the handful of people that string their instruments upside down.

Upside down in reference to... the player? The observer?

 

[dr doofie]

That's a strange reason for not voting.
If there were an obvious correct answer wouldn't the majority have voted for it already?
As it stands, there's no clear majority.
The poll will eventually speak for itself.

Numbers don’t lie, Snaggle.

 

[dr doofie]

The correct option isn't available. It has nothing to do with the orientation of the instrument to our body or to the floor. First string = "top" string = highest pitch. The sixth string on my six string bass is tuned the same as the fifth string on my five string; those are both the "bottom". Being in different tunings, on instruments with different amounts of strings, and knowing people who play all variations of lefty/righty/right side up/upside down, it's the only standard that makes sense. Anyone that wants to get pedantic about banjos and ukeleles can still use that as a starting point.

Anyone getting pedantic about banjos for any reason needs to chiiiillll...

 

[dr doofie]

Basses don't normally use reentrant tunings, so I think we can ignore ukuleles and banjos and so forth. Of course, bass ukuleles do exist, but they're normally tuned the same as the bass guitar.

A bass's top string is the one highest in pitch, so the one closest to the floor in a normal playing position. I know some people call that the bottom string because they're talking about physical location not pitch, but those people are wrong.

A bass's strings are numbered from highest pitch to lowest starting at 1.

The top of the bass or guitar neck is the end that joins the body, i.e., where the highest pitched notes are found, and the bottom of the neck is the nut end. Obviously this is opposite to how a person or animal's neck would be described: deal with it.

Well there’s the Bassjo, that has a high C# string above the Low E, or as I call it, Big Fatty...

 

[dr doofie]

The skinniest string is always Howard. The rest I name depending on my mood.

Treat Howard nice... be gentle, he’s always there...

 

[dr doofie]

I love Snagglepolls...

 

[Seashore]

I guess I should regret not conforming the poll for the handful of people that string their instruments upside down.

Anything involving regret is an instant winner for me

Anyone getting pedantic about banjos for any reason needs to chiiiillll...

My new grindcore band! Banjo Pedant. Drums, vocals, two five string basses in banjo tuning. No chill anywhere.

 

[Koshchei]

We’ll agree to disagree on this. The lineage of your instrument isn’t necessarily “trivia,” and it’s pretty easy to explain.

Keep in mind the topic here. The person we're ostensibly talking to doesn't know what notes he's tuned his instrument to and needs the physical landmark of his feet to navigate it. In this context, it's trivia.

 

[dr doofie]

Anything involving regret is an instant winner for me

My new grindcore band! Banjo Pedant. Drums, vocals, two five string basses in banjo tuning. No chill anywhere.

The angst is palpable...