Sounds to me like your instructor doesn't know the 5 or 6 string fretboard. There's nothing about a 5 that is harder to learn than a 4 if you're starting from scratch, it's 20-24 more notes on top of the 80-96 you're already learning.
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Should I begin playing five string?
- Thread starter krimo
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- five five string playing string
I got a fiver when they were very much a novelty and not seen too often. It was a few week old Peavey five string DynaBass. The original owner ordered it hated it and put it up for sale within days of taking it home. The price was killer and i was the first guy to call about it. I played it a couple years but wound up going back to a four. I tried another one a few years back because i was getting offers of work but they wanted a fiver. It was a really nice US Peavey Cirrus and i worked out on it for a couple months but in the end i decided i'd stick with fours and sold it. No regrets so far.
An alternative, but maybe not best for the OP yet:
I've got a Hipshot DoubleShot Xtender on my main bass, a 4 string. So a low D or even a C are just a flip of the lever away. I use it all the time. My 5 string has been gathering dust ever since, I don't see using it for anything but fun any more. No low B, but so what, how often do you need that? And it can always be tuned to the B instead of C.
BUT, if you still don't have a handle on where all the notes are all one of those might do is confuse you, because it changes the notes on the E string. I'd really work on that before anything else. But it isn't that hard to learn to play in DADG or CADG once you have a clue; get a clue first.
I've got a single Xtender on my fretless and a few other basses, too. Just a happy customer.
And no, they don't cause your strings to break. I've gone years on an E string using the drop function a dozen times a gig plus numerous more practices. I'll tune the E every set, but tune the dropped notes only when needed, they hold tune pretty darned well.
I've got a Hipshot DoubleShot Xtender on my main bass, a 4 string. So a low D or even a C are just a flip of the lever away. I use it all the time. My 5 string has been gathering dust ever since, I don't see using it for anything but fun any more. No low B, but so what, how often do you need that? And it can always be tuned to the B instead of C.
BUT, if you still don't have a handle on where all the notes are all one of those might do is confuse you, because it changes the notes on the E string. I'd really work on that before anything else. But it isn't that hard to learn to play in DADG or CADG once you have a clue; get a clue first.
I've got a single Xtender on my fretless and a few other basses, too. Just a happy customer.
And no, they don't cause your strings to break. I've gone years on an E string using the drop function a dozen times a gig plus numerous more practices. I'll tune the E every set, but tune the dropped notes only when needed, they hold tune pretty darned well.
I started on 5 and played that exclusively for 15-ish years. Now I play 4 and 5 and love and use them both.
However starting on a 5 made me develope good technique in muting the strings not being played (which is a bit more tricky on 5 than 4 IMHO) and it also made me think 5 instead of 4. So I kinda view a 4 string as a 5 with one string less.
However starting on a 5 made me develope good technique in muting the strings not being played (which is a bit more tricky on 5 than 4 IMHO) and it also made me think 5 instead of 4. So I kinda view a 4 string as a 5 with one string less.
YES you should get a fiver, because that is where your interests lie. You will learn the fretboard faster on a bass you will play more.
And keep the 4-string for flats or other stringing.
And keep the 4-string for flats or other stringing.
Too late now, but...no. I think that teacher gave you poor advice, especially when you clearly wanted to play a fiver. Five strings is already fewer than what every beginner guitarist has to deal with, but guitar teachers don't advise students to sell their six-string guitar and use a ukulele until they learn the fretboard...
If you want to play a five-string bass and can afford to buy one then go for it.
I played for about 10 years on 4 strings, then flirted with 5'ers for a few years. Went back to 4 exclusively for for a few years then flirted with a couple of fives again before deciding that fives were my jam.
My main basses are now 5's (though I still have some pretty nice 4's) from here on out.
Don't know why it took me so long to "get it", but I'm glad I did.
If you know the fretboard on the 4, you'll pick up the 5 in no time.
Or one could view it as only 12 more notes, given that from the 12th fret and up the notes repeat. Part of learning the fretboard is learning where that sort of pattern applies.
And how often does one play above the 12th fret on the low B string anyway? I don't go out of my way to avoid it, but in practice none of the songs I play require it.
It can't hurt anything. Even slapping. my best friend plays a ton of slap and plays a 5 string and 6. I personally wouldn't have a 4 string. Only reason I have 4s Is my parents bought me my jazz bass and my p Bass is the same color as my first squire so it's cool
Yes you should try 5 strings. Ive been playing 4 for 55 years. Really no advantage to go 5 for me at this point. For you ln your early game. there are probably advantages.
Go for it. As others have stated it's really no harder to learn the fretboard. Actually, I think some things are easier in that you can play across the fretboard as opposed to up and down the board. Anything that can be played on a 4 string can be played on a 5. All the same techniques from a 4 can be applied to the five. No reason not to get one if you want one. It might be wise to hang on to your 4 string as a back up, or in case you change you mind.
After 40 years of playing, I finally bought a 5er about 6 -7 months ago, and haven't looked back. My reasons were more so I could play the lower notes of the E string higher up the neck on the B string, due to a hand issue requiring surgery, and some left shoulder problems.(all healed up now) Makes playing a long gig so much more tolerable and pain free. It's nice to have the lower register on occasion as well.
Hope you find the 5 you're looking for. And as always, keep us posted on your new purchase with lots of pics.
Yes, get and continue learning on a fiver.
In high school I thought I should play a 4 string for school jazz band, I had a 5 string for my garage band and church and whatever. Then in college, my teacher encouraged extended range basses and taught me on 5 string. He plays Ken Smith 6ers, and is a monster of many genres.
OP, I'm surprised your teacher is suggesting limiting you a 4. Five stringers just take a little more attention to muting and fingering. I don't care for the "stick to 4 til you're as good as Jaco" sentiment.
In high school I thought I should play a 4 string for school jazz band, I had a 5 string for my garage band and church and whatever. Then in college, my teacher encouraged extended range basses and taught me on 5 string. He plays Ken Smith 6ers, and is a monster of many genres.
OP, I'm surprised your teacher is suggesting limiting you a 4. Five stringers just take a little more attention to muting and fingering. I don't care for the "stick to 4 til you're as good as Jaco" sentiment.
Exactly why I didn't like that video, or his self-promotion strategy. He does have some good instruction videos, but I really don't like his overdone self-promotion.
I'm mostly a 4 string player now, but I started out on a 5 string.
I can't think of any negative impacts that it had on my learning experience.
I can't think of any negative impacts that it had on my learning experience.
If there is some kind of mental block holding you back from "learning the fretboard" then I think that is probably a separate issue from 4-string vs. 5-string. Set a good goal for yourself, what would you consider having a solid intermediate knowledge of the fretboard? Does it mean being able to play songs without getting lost? Knowing scales in every key? Memorizing the note names at every fret?
You don't have to have a perfect encyclopedic knowledge of the fretboard. You just have to be good enough to make the music that you want to make. Set some realistic fretboard knowledge goals, so you can build confidence and feel good about your progress.
I wanted to quickly touch on this point:
You should be learning songs by your favorite bass players now. Don't let anything stop you or hold you back. So what if you don't have exactly the same kind of bass as they do? It's perfectly okay to play some notes an octave higher, or downtune your strings, to adapt these songs to 4-string. Don't use "I don't own the right kind of bass" as an excuse not to learn the songs you love.
Thanks Mushroo. You post is a wake up call as to why I haven't gotten my fret board memory act together. All of your points seem like must haves if I expect to be able to play in public with a modicum of improvisational skill. I feel like I'me stuck in a region of the fret board without full note name and location recognition.
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Scott makes some really great points here! My slap playing on a 4-string is nothing to cheer about and it's been four years in the making! I haven't mastered muting yet either so I know the fiver will be a real PITA!
An alternative, but maybe not best for the OP yet:
I've got a Hipshot DoubleShot Xtender on my main bass, a 4 string. So a low D or even a C are just a flip of the lever away. I use it all the time. My 5 string has been gathering dust ever since, I don't see using it for anything but fun any more. No low B, but so what, how often do you need that? And it can always be tuned to the B instead of C.
BUT, if you still don't have a handle on where all the notes are all one of those might do is confuse you, because it changes the notes on the E string. I'd really work on that before anything else. But it isn't that hard to learn to play in DADG or CADG once you have a clue; get a clue first.
I've got a single Xtender on my fretless and a few other basses, too. Just a happy customer.
And no, they don't cause your strings to break. I've gone years on an E string using the drop function a dozen times a gig plus numerous more practices. I'll tune the E every set, but tune the dropped notes only when needed, they hold tune pretty darned well.
Thanks @OogieWaWa ! I been thinking about the drop tuner for weeks now! It definitely solves the problem. I'll get a fresh four banger and add it!
The custom painted blue Caprice @duderus sold a couple weeks ago with the drop tuner was bomb!
Do you slap your Sixer? In a good way... Is it tough to control? Thanks for the encouragement!
