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

#141
Just an observation: The highest paying gigs I've ever had over an almost 50-year career as a professional musician were always theater pit bands, general business/society orchestras, and subbing gigs for a band that had a "book"

In other words, they were all situations where the bass player had to read music. And I am 100% positive that every single reading gig I've ever done in my career had a bunch of notes above the 5th fret. In fact, I would wager that 99% of the reading gigs I've ever done in my career had a handful of notes above the 12th fret.

So, I realize I'm only a sample size of one, but if my career is any indication, there's only money above the 5th fret!
 
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#142
The saying stems from a guy who once commissioned a custom 5 fret bass, thinking his custom order was in safe hands he let the luthier finish his work without bothering him further.

But when the man went to pick up his custom order it turned out that the luthier had used a 24 fret neck for the bass anyway.

The guy who ordered the bass got furious and demanded 19/24 to be cut off the initially agreed on price.

The luthier had no way around admitting to his mistake and give the man
his demanded discount.

And such the saying "There is no money above the 5th fret" was born.
 
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#144
Bob_Ross said:
Just an observation: The highest paying gigs I've ever had over an almost 50-year career as a professional musician were always theater pit bands, general business/society orchestras, and subbing gigs for a band that had a "book"

In other words, they were all situations where the bass player had to read music. And I am 100% positive that every single reading gig I've ever done in my career had a bunch of notes above the 5th fret. In fact, I would wager that 99% of the reading gigs I've ever done in my career had a handful of notes above the 12th fret.

So, I realize I'm only a sample size of one, but if my career is any indication, there's only money above the 5th fret!
Click to expand...


This part. Echoes my experience - playing theater, GB gigs, 25 years of military bands, etc
 
#145
This saying goes for regular guitar as well. Therefore it's got nothing to do with the role of the bass or anything like that.

My guess is that it's a combination of factors that spawned this ridiculous saying. All the notes (and more) are within those first 5 frets. Generally speaking, that's where most people would be playing a rhythm instrument most of the time. Imho this is more true for hired musicians and small venue bands. Certainly cover bands who don't go into the depth of the song, but just do a recognizable basic version of it. For them just doing the basics brings in their money.

The reason this is a ridiculous saying is of course because when you look at the big bands, the ones raking in the real money, they do play beyond, and for good reason. I would even say that, certainly for lead guitar, the most money is to be made around the 12th fret. Because that's where you play the stuff that makes people lose their minds, the reason they're paying insane amounts of money to see them do it. And one doesn't have to be Marcus Miller either, and can still be "backbone" (even though bass is a lot more than that, the person who said this must listen to some pretty crappy music) and play there even on bass. The first person who comes to mind is Chris Wolstenholme. Here's him being the "backbone" just short of the 12th fret:

So yeah, there's more money to be made beyond the 5th fret. The thing is just that most musicians don't ever get to be in that position (both playing and making big bucks).
 
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#146
Mushroo said:
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.
Click to expand...
I agree.If I try to play the Beatles song Rain below the 5th fret it dosnt sound the same.Its beauty and depth comes from playing it closer to the middle of the strings 7th fret and octave on the 9th fret.
 
#149
Other opinions say no money above the 7th fret. In this category you have Motley Crue and Lemmy. I'm not sure there is any right answer, but I mostly play up to the seventh but it's not gospel. Around the 12th fret the max, but only for McCartney, Judy in Disguise, Ramblin' On (above the 12th) type riffs.
 

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