Is it "cooler" to play a 4 string bass?

[bluesblaster]

with enough strings you could play every note of a traditional bass in one position, but really, where's the fun in that

 

[Nephilymbass]

So I've played 5 strings for years and have about 6 of those basses sitting in my living room right now. But I just bought a nice Fender P bass with flats from the classifieds last night because of what I'm starting to notice.

Over the past few years I've seen a lot of "cool" young bands seem to only have bassists with 4 stringers. I know that "cool" is totally subjective, but they're usually bands that stir up a good bit of publicity in the pop and indie rock worlds.

Bands like...

Vulfpeck with Joe Dart. He always has a variety of basses, but they are only 4 strings:



Michael League of Snarky Puppy is almost always seen with one of his classic P basses:



The band Pomplamoose:



The 1975:



Greta Van Fleet:



Even the brilliant music educator Adam Neely has switched over to a 4 string P bass with flats:



Of course, these are just a handful of modern bands and players. We could make a list miles long of all the bands that have 4 string bassists.

I primarily play 5 strings and my jazz ensembles band leader constantly rags on me for having a 5 string bass. There are of course, lots of cats in Nashville who play 5 and 6 string basses, but the trend seems to be toward playing a 4 string P bass with flats.

A few months ago I even went out and got a Fender American Pro 5 string and put Chromes on it. I love the bass, but I still get strange looks from people. It's hard to believe that in the year 2018 there seems to be a bias against bassists with multiple strings. You saw them everywhere in the 80s and 90s, but nowadays you seem to only see extended range basses in the Jazz/Fusion world, Gospel, and in Metal bands. Hardly ever do you see them on a stage with a band that's considered "modern" and "cool".

So is it just me, or is anyone else noticing a trending bias against extended range basses in favor of the 4 string? Even more interestingly, do you feel that bringing more than 4 strings to an audition might cost you the gig?

I’ve got more into 4 strings again lately but I don’t know.i think in the fender world, 4 strings are far more popular, but outside of fender I see a lot more people playing 5s. From the fans perspective I’ve gotten a lot more compliments about the “weird” basses like 7 string Conklin i owned or my current main player my fanned fret Dingwall ng2 5 string. 4 string fenders are super popular here on TB which is not surprising when you’ve been around the site for a couple years and realize TB is mostly players that are 30-60 years old and most of them play older covers where a low b isn’t really necessary

 

[Rojd]

I have a 4-string..and a 7, as well a 5 & 6. I like them all. One is not better or "cooler" than the other, just different. If you like and are comfortable playing a traditional 4, great! Have at it. If you like 5, 6, 7, or more, do it! Play whatever makes you happy, and don't disparage anyone else for what they like to play.

 

[IPA]

5 strings are def nerdy

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Yes:




And when Jack was playin Spectors

 

[Herrick]

Unless there is a very large cetaceous mammal involved I think it’s wailing.

I tried looking it up online but I kept screwing up the spelling. The funny thing is, I was reading a book right after posting and the very next page had the word on it.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

All I advocate is common sense.

We should all be influenced by bass lines and not irrelevant details such as numbers of strings.

Ok, agreed, and then?
I play 4 strings basses only as for me they are more than enough ... this complies with the instrument origin from double-basses ... to say that 4 strings basses are cooler than 5 or 6 strings are cool or not doesn't make much sense IMO ... personally I believe that four stringers better stimulate creativity and fretboard mastering ... I also personally believe that Anthony Jackson is all but cool ahahah

 

[JES]

From a looks standpoint, Fender p or j is a baseline. An industry standard, as it were. A lot of band leaders—and possibly journalists and promoters—listen with their eyes.

For years I preferred 4 to 5 (I would just detune when needed). Then I discovered the C string....

 

[superdick2112]

How about a 4-string bass that looks like a pair of bass?

 

[JimmyM]

with enough strings you could play every note of a traditional bass in one position, but really, where's the fun in that

I so don't get that "I can play all these notes and never move my hand" argument. Is it really that much effort to move your hand? Come on! Personally, I think it's way more fatiguing not to move your hand now and then.

 

[fhm555]

Maybe it’s because there’s a lot of P&W and pop/bro country around here but fivers are still in demand. I turned down a job a while back because they wanted a fiver.

 

[JimmyM]

Maybe it’s because there’s a lot of P&W and pop/bro country around here but fivers are still in demand. I turned down a job a while back because they wanted a fiver.

Wow, and I thought I was hardcore with the 4! I'll bust my 5 out if someone requests it at least.

 

[bluesblaster]

Me too, ( no hashtag) if someone offers me a good paying gig that requires a 5 I will play that 5, otherwise I'm fine with a 4.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

TB ... obsessing over irrelevant shallow poopie

 

[fhm555]

Wow, and I thought I was hardcore with the 4! I'll bust my 5 out if someone requests it at least.

I had a fiver back in the late 80’s, it was my only bass for a while and i really liked it. One night i was invited to sit in and the guy had a four string and something clicked. I traded my fiver for a four, and except for a brief time a few years ago i haven’t owned another fiver. I thought i’d get another one because i was getting offers to play but they wanted five string basses so i got me a nice used US Peavey Cirrus, but after playing it for a while i decided i’d rather just pass on the work than mess with another fiver. It’s all due to my lazyness and lack of disiclipline, i don’t have to think to play a four and if i don’t work on the fiver i might as well just be playing a four, so...
Between that and the age related fatigue that comes from anything much wider whan a modern C profile J neck, fivers are just one more thing i must accept as something i used to do. I could lug one around to use for a few songs now and again but my little Mexi J is so solid and reliable i’ve just about quit hauling extra basses unless i’m going out of town.

 

[Iofflight]

Well for me it isn't about what is cool necessarily but noticing trends, I always find that interesting. My friend and I were having a laugh last night about all the bands from the 70s early 80s with cities, state, or country names; Asia, Kansas, Alabama, Boston, America etc vs the slew of animal names that hit in the 2000s Bonobo, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, Arctic Monkeys, Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear, Gold Panda, Bear in Heaven etc. but I digress. Does it matter no but it's interesting to notice these things. I'm a 4 string player, I haven't found a 5 I like yet though I was considering it for a fretless. It makes sense to me people playing complicated jazz or chord progressions would move up to a 5 or even a 6.

 

[bucephylus]

So is it just me, or is anyone else noticing a trending bias against extended range basses in favor of the 4 string? Even more interestingly, do you feel that bringing more than 4 strings to an audition might cost you the gig?

The range and tuning of the instrument should fit the gig.

There are a lot of different gigs out there; so, the wise approach is to have and be fluent on a selection of different instruments. That is why a player may have a few instruments vs a collector having a lot of the same thing. Nothing wrong with collecting. But, if you are a player, it is wise to have your variety of instruments targeted at the different gigs you want to play.

As to being cool; your playing skill and knowledge will make you cool. Leave the designer garbage at home. Know how to read well. Know the various genres. Be easy to work with. Play great lines that bring something fresh. That makes you cool.

Regarding the P bass, all of your references are players working in original artist bands. That is one kind of gig. ATM there quite certainly is a preference for the P bass in that scene. The P is a great instrument with timeless tone; and we are seeing that. Check.

Regarding auditions, you can quite definitely be passed in favor of another player for any of a whole list of reasons, which you will likely never hear about if you don’t get the gig. For that reason, you do want to do your homework and ask intelligent questions before the audition. Knowing the parts cold and knowing preferences including instrumentation is important. The purposes of the audition for you is to first of all win the audition and second to evaluate the gig from your perspective.

And, then move on to the next audition/gig. How it goes.

 

[waynobass]

4 is cool.
5 is uncool.

 

[Iofflight]

4 is cool.
5 is uncool.

Haha Lock the thread, our work here is done!

 

[MordBass]

I own/have owned many 4's, a few 5's, and a few 6's. I'd love an 8 (F#-F) but lack the funds currently.
To me, its all about how you use it. No different from drummers with huge kits that dont have very interesting lines because they rely on the multitude of drums..... but not all of them do. Look at carter from dave mathews... AMAZING drummer with a monster of a kit. At the same time, I saw a black metal band where the drummer was using a 4 piece kit with hihat,ride,crash,splash. He was unreal... so many unique fills because he lacked the extra drums that sometimes kill the creativity.
To me, bass is the same. I love my 4's but there are plenty of times that i really do need the extra strings to play the best for the song.