"There's no money above the 5th fret"

[TexasThunder]

Can someone explain this to me? I'm a drummer turned bassist and completely self taught thus far. I've heard this phrase or seen it written multiple times now, and I really don't understand it. I get that people are most likely referring to the lowest 'pitched' notes on the fret board, but it doesn't make complete sense to me.

If, in fact, this statement is referring to the lowest pitched notes, then I'm really confused. For example...As I understand it, the 'D' located at the 10th fret of the 'E' string, is the same pitch as the 'D' located at the 5th fret of the 'A' string. Same pitch, but one is 'above' the 5th fret.

It seems the saying should be more like...'there's no money above the 10th fret on the lowest 3 strings, and above the 5th fret on the highest string'.?

If you are detecting sarcasm in my thread, it's unintentional. If it seems remedial to you, I apologize.

Thanks in advance for any clarification.

Randy

 

[BassAdder27]

I think it’s a tongue in cheek joke that some bass parts don’t require you to shift around the neck much past the fifth fret !! Also I guess from a working mans bass perspective
Some also call it the dusty end of the neck !
If you can get the tone then play wherever seems right and fitting to the song

 

[el murdoque]

Do you know the money-beat ?

 

[equill]

I can see how this wouldn't be obvious at first, so not a silly question at all.

It refers to the bottom five frets of all (presumably four) strings, and the range of notes covered by them. What that expression means is that most paying audiences aren't interested in bassists who play "all that fancy stuff" further up the neck; they respond best to the effect of a player who keeps it simple, and stays down in that range.

The truth of this expression is not something we have consensus on


It's similar to the one about the difference between a jazz guitarist and a rock guitarist: one plays four chords to twenty thousand people...

 

[krfoss]

I've taken this statement as "keep it simple" and refrain from getting crazy with high parts. Keep the groove and lowend on lockdown, which usually takes place below the 5th fret.

 

[bassdude51]

On my bass, most of my playing is open strings to fret #9. Almost never go any higher than fret #14.

I love sarcasm!

I think the 5th fret and lower applies to guitar players not bass. On guitar, Bill Kirchen calls above 5th fret "nose bleed" territory.

 

[flojob]

It's a perspective from folks that have a more traditional meat and potatoes view of the bass role.
Usually from guitarists that think all the money comes from above their 12th fret, in my experience.
Now there is no money anywhere on a fretboard

 

[Mushroo]

It's snarky old-timer advice like "don't put all your eggs in one basket" and "don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

I got a couple more for you: "advice is worth what you pay for it" and "those who can, do and those who can't, teach."

You should feel free to ignore this grumpy old-timer advice and learn the actual bass lines to your favorite songs, which I almost guarantee you, go above the 5th fret.

Go on YouTube right now and see for yourself, all of your favorite bass players go above the 5th fret.

 

[baileyboy]

Yogi Berra: "A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore".

I dunno, it just felt right.

 

[kevindahl]

One older musician told me when I was just starting out that is was also referred to as the "cash register".

It's where the meat and potatoes are.

 

[equill]

One older musician told me when I was just starting out that is was also referred to as the "cash register".

It's where the meat and potatoes are.

Makes perfect sense; the cash register is exactly where I keep my meat and my potatoes.

(Yes, I know what you meant, but that was irresistable.)

 

[Lagado]

It's straight out of the 1930s.

 

[OldNARDGuy]

Do you know the money-beat ?

E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E ?

I joke, but I am also a half-century drummer becoming a self-taught bassist, thoroughly enjoying the exposure to new stuff.

 

[TexasThunder]

Ha! Great responses. Thanks everyone.

 

[Killing Floor]

As a drummer you could play a double kick with 6 toms and a gong and a smaller gong and chimes and bolt a tambourine in your hat and your ride just because you need more than 1 tambourine if you’re really trying.

Or you could play the drum part to the songs the rest of your band is playing.

Not saying you shouldn’t fill. But drum solos are like bass solos. Leading cause of depression.

For me the saying is “there’s no cash above the hash”. As in noodling above the 12th fret is your second set of chimes on your drum kit.

 

[kesslari]

Early builders of electric basses used readily available coins as fret markers for the 3rd and 5th frets. They used linoleum dots for the others.
Hence the phrase "there's no money above the 5th fret".
True. It's all true.

 

[dalkowski]

I use the phrase to justify my mediocrity and failure to progress.

But no matter which fret you're on, don't give up the one. Ever.

 

[sonojono]

I seem to make money notes above the 7th fret from the years I’ve done paid gigs. Could be the band you’re working with that’s limiting your tonal expression and taking 60% of your profits. YMMV

 

[sawzalot]

All this really means is that in the studio scene, the players that work the most are the ones that focus on the fundamentals of playing, groove, locking in, being solid, delivering the part that the song needs. Rarely does that mean showing off, attracting attention to yourself, zooming all over the neck doing two-handed tapping, major 7th chords at the 20th fret, etc. Basically, if you want to work as a bass player, play a solid bass part. That often means going above the 5th fret, but always deliver a solid part that does what the overall song demands.

 

[mattj1stc]

In general, there's usually not too many times that you need to go above the 7th or 10th fret. In my experience, this is mostly related to the sonic space being covered by other instruments. I spent many years in 2-3 guitar rock bands, so I tended to stay within the lower notes. Over time, it got worse as guitarists picked up 7+ string guitars that infringed even further into my space, which caused me (in part) to go to a 5 string (it was also the declining vocal ranges of the singers I work with as they aged). At present, I play with just 1 guitarist and a vocalist (no other people), which has allowed me to do more musically as well as explore the higher regions of my neck. It's nice to go there sometimes but not too often (kind of like using the notes below low D on the B string).