When to go low?

[Wasnex]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

So I'm practicing some songs for church tomorrow and a current song I am working on is in the key of G.

I play a 5 string and I am wondering when should we, when we have the option, play notes like C D E on the low B instead of an octave up on the A string.

Typically I play with 2 guitarist,a drummer and a keyboard player.

The bass player in me wants to say ALWAYS play the low notes, MOAR BASS!, but I'm wondering if it can be too much playing down there all the time?

IMHO, you should play what is most characteristic of the style. Some styles of gospel music feature a lot of notes on the low B string. Some gospel styles do not feature low bass, and playing excessively low in a setting where it is inappropriate will likely be perceived as distasteful by some of the congregation...I am assuming you are there to serve, right?...do the right thing.

Another factor is the acoustics of the worship hall. Many have poor acoustics and have problems especially with low frequencies. Avoid playing low if it sounds bad.

 

[Afc70]

Try to use the low B tastefully & sparingly.. at the climactic ending of a song, or maybe during a bridge. Sometimes I won’t use the low B at all on a song- and using it sparingly will make it have more sonic impact imo.

 

[craigie]

I occasionally run across a song where they don’t even play a note on the E string let alone a low B. The bassist for bad finger rarely does. He even prefers A on the D string to an open A except at the end of the song.



American pie by don Maclean. A million verses all played differently and creatively. Not one note below an A.

With so much emphasis on play low and full, I need a B, I think a better question bassist should ask themselves is how do I make effective use of the middle register and get a nice fat tone so that it doesn’t disappear in the mix. Boost up too much bass and guess what happens? May as well not play much on the D string or above.

 

[Ric5]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

So I'm practicing some songs for church tomorrow and a current song I am working on is in the key of G.

I play a 5 string and I am wondering when should we, when we have the option, play notes like C D E on the low B instead of an octave up on the A string.

Typically I play with 2 guitarist,a drummer and a keyboard player.

The bass player in me wants to say ALWAYS play the low notes, MOAR BASS!, but I'm wondering if it can be too much playing down there all the time?

It depends on the song ...

 

[Wfrance3]

5 year church bass vet. I play a 5. It’s a good bet to pretend it’s a 4, except when there is a buildup, like when a song ends strong on a final chorus after the final verse. Especially if it was a chill verse. Next to use your ears. You can emphasized using low notes, but do it in a stay in your own lane kinda way.

 

[40Hz]

One good application for the “extra” string is using it for pedal point. (If you’re unfamiliar with the term there’s a good explanation with examples you can find here.) But beyond that, any single low note that needs to sustain for an extended time is a good candidate for being played on the B string.

 

[Jeff Elkins]

Lots of great advice so far! When I was playing CCM (not gospel, note) I found that a number of artists—Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Hillsong United—arranged the bass low. A lot of low D and even C# and C on occasion. I always had to bring the 5 string for at least one contemporary song. I tried to learn it from the album, as the whole worship band did also.

If you can’t make it out from the recordings, i also recommend taking the arranger approach. Start by thinking about where the other instruments are—my classical training says not to create a large gap between the bass line and the melody instruments, unless you are intentionally adding tension into the song. The listener hears and feels the low notes distinctly apart from the high notes, which creates a need for resolution. Hence the recommendations to pull it down at a bridge or late in the song before resolving back to the closing chorus.

But yes: your ears will tell you.

 

[Thumpin6string]

I always go low. My B string gets used a lot. If I'm going to play bass, I'm going to play BASS.

 

[mrcbass]

Don't think there are any rules per se. As has been said the best bet is to use your ears. Try things couple of ways and figure out what works best. A guideline I follow has to do with the band I'm playing with: the more members in the band, the more likely I am to use the lower notes - the middle spectrum is probably pretty busy with a couple guitar players or guitar + KB (or more) which makes it easier to get low. Also if yo're doing fast lines, the lower notes can get muddy pretty fast.

But again, your ear is your friend for this decision.

 

[5string5fingers]

Thank ya'll for all the advice!

 

[Groove Master]

So better to use the low B to add weight to certain areas of the song like a build up/bridge type section?

The bass player can arrange his/her own part especially with the register. This is part of being a good bass player.

 

[Pops OB]

Contemplate the pipe organ lows, then reconsider the question.

 

[jamro217]

Much of this depends on the keyboard player's left hand. How much space do you have to work with? I'd use the lowest notes for emphasis on certain passages and the lower mid register for most parts. Due to the nature of Gospel and praise music's topic and role in worship, these things should be considered carefully. People don't attend church services to be wowed by the band. It's not a gig, it's enhancing people's relationship with God. I was in a praise and worship team for a couple of years and found playing the older hymns more of a challenge than the more contemporary pop styled songs. Most of the time it was a case of letting the organist lay down the foundation and furnishing either an octave or a fifth to complement it.

 

[39-Bassist]

I as a rule of thumb, I will do two things...1) use my ear to let the music feel right and 2) If it will help to drive the music and has the clarity to make the song drive better if needed, then I say go low...
If not, oh well.
I play at church all the time also.
Have fun and enjoy trying different things out.
Some work and some don't.

 

[saabfender]

Sounds like you're saying there is no sheet music, no written bass line? Is that correct?

Can you get a hold of recordings to hear what the bassist played on the original tracks?

You have to understand many of us don’t approach the instrument this way at all.

I would use the sub-four-string notes sparingly. Especially if there is a pianist. Those notes don’t connect well with a piano and tend to not integrate well with what else you are doing. Going low is a different texture.

You’ll figure it out. To start with, play just on EADG and experiment with what lower notes work and which lose their tonality in context, sounding like rumbley noise.

 

[Silthis89]

After playing my 5 string in church for over 10 years I never used the C, only occasionally used the B but would use the low D more often.

The way I approached it was to practice along on say the D string and see whether going the lower octave helps the momentum of the chord changes or stifles the momentum. Especially hillsong i found was written in a way that when out worship leader changed to the key of A i needed the low D on the B string to maintain the momentum of the chord changes.

But as always listen to what the other instruments are doing and fit in, you'll get it wrong sometimes and that's ok listen learn and try again.

 

[seilerbird]

There are only two people in the whole church that will notice which note you play. You and the bass player.

 

[madbass6]

This may sound like a cliché but the best thing to do is : Use your ears !! Especially in a church, you want to keep it clear and clean as far as sound definition. The low register brings some energy and it is essential sometimes in the ride out of a song. The best thing is to experiment and ajust it. I love the low register myself. Made my entire career with it ;-)

Good luck

I agree 100% I just want to add to feel what the song calls for !

 

[zZippy]

I tend to go a bit higher at church, just to keep it clean. Remember that the main reason for playing is often to accompany congregational singing. So your choices should reflect making their singing natural and better.

That said, the G on the B-string is the equivalent to the G on the third fret of the E-string, and you wouldn’t second guess yourself on that.

Similarly the D on the B-string is only a tone lower than the open E. So that’s nothing radical.

I’d say to keep in mind that it’s not a performance, it’s leading. And make your choices that way. That also means that if the team is doing their job well, people will be so into singing that they likely won’t notice octave differences, they’ll just be carried along.

 

[zZippy]

People don't attend church services to be wowed by the band. It's not a gig, it's enhancing people's relationship with God.

^^^^^
This.