How important it is to have 24 frets?

[dougjwray]

I've only had to go above high E flat on the G string once in decades. I was in the studio in November 2020, and one song had a composed solo which had a dramatic leap up to E. Playing that note down an octave would *not* have worked. I was using a garden variety P-Bass. So, I tuned the whole bass up a half step, which also brightened the timbre.

 

[Altitude]

1. No song absolutely requires 24 frets. Every song ever written can be played on a 20-fret, 4-string bass tuned EADG. You can always transpose a passage down an octave if you run out of frets.
2. A 5 string won't help unless you tune it EADGC (or you buy a 5 string with 24 frets).
3. Lots of players switch between 4 and 5, no problem.

There is a 21st fret E note in a bass fill near the beginning of "Aeroplane." Which I know only because I actually learned it recently for a sub gig.

But, to your point - I played it on one gig using my [20 fret] P-bass and exactly nobody noticed that I had to restate that one little fill.

Also, Sir Duke?