Using a B string “correctly”

[theduke1]

As stated above
There is no incorrect way to use a “B” string.
For me I find it most useful as an accent note
As in a turnaround or last note
But that is what I like it for
The only exception to my rule is when I play Birthday by the Beatles
I find it easier for me to play the bass line that way.
Rock on oh keeper of the low
Duke

 

[TonyP-]

I don't care what Jaco used and I'm wondering if these issues come up at the Satanic Church?

 

[Doug Parent]

Apparently there is a correct way to use the B string if the band leader/keyboard player (who also plays a four string bass) says "don't use the B string unless it's on the original recording" because if you do, you will be replaced by a four string player. True story.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

*background info here to start, you can skip* I’ve had a bit of change of heart lately. I recently moved to a new church where I am probably the most knowledgeable bassist. As such I don’t have anyone telling me how to play (as happened in my last church). In my last church I was told to use my B string heavily. I was asked to use low C, D, and E, etc. as the root of many songs and to use the B strings notes as much as possible. Since that is how I learned to play, I thought that was just the way it should be. However, the sound was usually very muddy in the PA, and we always thought it must be a high pass filter/crossover/low frequency problem. I’m now suspecting it was the heavy B string use. I was told to use it often so that the low end would be very present in the church and because playing higher would make me lost in the mix.

*The question: was I using the B string the “wrong” way? I’m starting to think that it should only be used for accents and not as a starting point for songs (at least not a starting point for anything below E). If I play in regular 4 string territory, will the overall low end of the band be lost? I’m the sound tech at my church as well so any mixing advice is appreciated as well (I’m still learning). Thanks for any help in advance!

A competent sound engineer should be able to deal with the EQ and levels in the mix, and would be a good person to look to for advice. One thing you could do and I’ve done this at my church, is with one of those portable digital recorder ( cheap) make an ambient recording and come to your own conclusion. If you don’t like how it sounds, you now have a point of reference to explain to the sound tech, and or worship leader.

As for how you play the B string, you let the music drive that. If you are just doing covers, listen to the original version. For most songs, if the song is in the key of B, C or Db, odds are you are not doing to be playing 8th notes on them for the entire song. D or Eb, yep there are song we cover that you are down there a bit. JMO

 

[dbsfgyd1]

The proper way to use a B string is as a thumb rest

Jaco only needed four

LOL!!!

 

[Brad Johnson]

That’s how I would normally play as well especially in the past. How would you set it up to match tonally when using G and F# on the B string? Depending on the song I like to use those notes as well.

Funny thing... I don't. I like the fact that I have a deeper sounding F on the B string than the E string.

There are so many things that could be causing problems it's best to start with the very fundamentals of live sound, for you, for your bass, your rig, how you play and how the PA is setup.

I use my low B like any other string on my bass... whenever I feel like it. Learning to control a B is as important as learning to control the others.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

String guage and pickup height adjustment, mostly. I run Medium Lights on it and tilt the bass side away from the strings. I also don't play it as hard. I also don't jack my amp around to accommodate the 5. I use the same settings as with my P-Bass. Here's a picture of my 5-string (most people, myself included, on forums love pictures).

View attachment 2917511

Nice bass. BTW, it that head a Mark VI? I had one of those in the 90s with the built in crossover back in the days of bi-amping. I sent the high side in to a 20 watt Dean Markly Guitar amp at about 400-500hz and cranked it. It was awesome.

 

[ToneMonkey]

It sounds like you may have been (still are?) using a very bass heavy tone.

One of the best worship leaders I ever served was himself a bassist. I didn't play a 5-string (still don't) but he was always after me to play the lowest note possible. But here's the thing: he insisted that I use a very mid-heavy tone, ala Jimmy Johnson. This was the mid-90s. I wasn't always keen on that. But since then I've grown to appreciate how judicious use of low rumbling bass in the tone itself can head off a lot of problems. These days too many FOH systems want to knock people over with low bass.

 

[saabfender]

Nice bass. BTW, it that head a Mark VI? I had one of those in the 90s with the built in crossover back in the days of bi-amping. I sent the high side in to a 20 watt Dean Markly Guitar amp at about 400-500hz and cranked it. It was awesome.

Thank you! This is a Mark IV. Great head from Sam Ash for $99. Recapped the power supply with Nichicons so now idles quiet and hits hard. This has the bi-amp outputs as well. Next time I do power trio thing I'll probably put it to use. I appreciate the idea.

Always preaching the gospel of recapping old amps. Dielectrics are so much better now than in the past. I'd say the old Peavey works better than new.

 

[Watchootognbout]

The proper way to use a B string is as a thumb rest

Jaco only needed four

Jaco on a fiver.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I understand there isn’t a correct way persay and that’s why I put it in quotation marks in my OP. What I mean is, is it really essential to the overall sound of the band to play so low or am I just adding to the muddiness? Do any of you all play on the B string as much as the E string for example?

If you have to ask how to use the B string.....
And you don't know how it will fit the music you play.....
And ask"...is it really essential to the overall sound of the band to play so low or am I just adding to the muddiness"
Then you really don't need a bass with a low B.

Those who want one will use it.And don't need someone to tell them what to do with it.

 

[TheMaynorD]

I use my low B to emphasize big crescendo parts. Start higher and when those big choruses hits drop to the low B. Also depends on your keyboard player. Ive played in church situations where i was competing with 2 keyboards so the low B was my only real way to be heard through that mix.

 

[bertthebassist]

If the PA sounds muddy with your bass, Maybe you simply need to add crossovers and subwoofers to your PA. Many speakers and amps do not do justice to the low notes. They sound bad because they cannot handle the low frequencies properly. You may be playing fine, but the equipment cannot handle the low frequencies. I went through a bunch of amps and cabs to find something that let my bass's low end sound as good as my home audio subwoofer.

 

[madbass6]

*background info here to start, you can skip* I’ve had a bit of change of heart lately. I recently moved to a new church where I am probably the most knowledgeable bassist. As such I don’t have anyone telling me how to play (as happened in my last church). In my last church I was told to use my B string heavily. I was asked to use low C, D, and E, etc. as the root of many songs and to use the B strings notes as much as possible. Since that is how I learned to play, I thought that was just the way it should be. However, the sound was usually very muddy in the PA, and we always thought it must be a high pass filter/crossover/low frequency problem. I’m now suspecting it was the heavy B string use. I was told to use it often so that the low end would be very present in the church and because playing higher would make me lost in the mix.

*The question: was I using the B string the “wrong” way? I’m starting to think that it should only be used for accents and not as a starting point for songs (at least not a starting point for anything below E). If I play in regular 4 string territory, will the overall low end of the band be lost? I’m the sound tech at my church as well so any mixing advice is appreciated as well (I’m still learning). Thanks for any help in advance!

How to use it?
last I remember plucking it Ussualy does the job !

 

[Hambone70]

On a tangent... (mod - feel free to move to a more appropriate thread).

I'm transitioning to a 5, and a tight low B-D# is a must. PA will be solid. I'm intrigued by the fanned-fret basses because of the 35.5-37" B-string, but realize this isn't necessarily a requirement, as many factors are relevent. Recommended instruments?

 

[DiMarco]

On a tangent... (mod feel free to move to a more appropriate thread).

I'm transitioning to a 5, and a tight low B-D# is a must. PA will be solid. I'm intrigued by the fanned-fret basses because of the 35.5-37" B-string, but realize this isn't necessarily a requirement, as many factors are relevent. Recommended instruments?

I don't believe that scale length is the most important factor. I have been getting excellent clarity and growl without ever being muddy with the low B on my Warwicks, which have their pickups placed closer to the bridge then, say, my Fender and Zon fivers. On the Warwick the B has the same timbre as the E and A strings. I do believe this is caused by pickup placement and tonewood (ovangkol) choices that Warwick made. These basses have a standard 34" scale.

 

[garciawork]

For the most part I don't play below the D. I mainly use my fiver to transpose easily.

If you like playing low, you should be able to clear up some of the mud with a HPF.

This. I play in church as well, and I prefer being able to get down to D, and if the mood calls, I'll use C and B, but really, being able to fret a low E rather than play it open, is awesome, and the handshapes associated is fantastic. I feel like I am a better player for having the 5th string.

 

[cloudermilk]

String guage and pickup height adjustment, mostly. I run Medium Lights on it and tilt the bass side away from the strings. I also don't play it as hard. I also don't jack my amp around to accommodate the 5. I use the same settings as with my P-Bass. Here's a picture of my 5-string (most people, myself included, on forums love pictures).

View attachment 2917511

Oooooooh...Black Widow

 

[Deleted member 165050]

The correct way to use the B-string is how one uses it.

The correct way to use the B string is the way I use it. However the way everyone else uses it is also correct. It is useful to get more depth of sound by playing off the B string from the 5th fret rather than from the open E which also means you can limit position changes by playing across the neck. But then if you are finding the result muddy then maybe some EQ or an LPF would be idea. It is not correct to use the B string as a bow string to shoot arrows at other band members.

 

[AlexBassMP]

Good question.

When I joined the band my intention was to play with my 4 strings...but before the audition they told me that they played a cover which I knew that it has low C's and D's ... so I grabbed my 5 string and I went to the audition.

The former bass player was a 4 string guy and he played the cover with the "natural" notes .. when I played the song and I played the low notes they freaked out because played this way it sounded more like the original...and way heavier ..

I started to play 5 strings since then...Our guitar player is very "old fashioned metal " (6 string guitar/standard tunining..) and he never had a 5 string bass player in the band...For our last album he wrote som songs to be played using some low D's and C's to add some deep low end to the songs.. and some songs with open B's too. One of the "open B" songs was a last minute request from the producer...he asked me to play the verse line one octave lower...

I guess that the key is to use it wihtout abusing...