Which bass to begin lessons with 4 or 5 string?

You should revise your comment and
"I am starting up bass lessons with the DOUG WIMBISH this Thursday."

I would go with the more comfortable - the 4-string bass.
Follow the path of least resistance/least "insecure".

P.S. I liked the picture of your basses with your beautiful cat.

 

Here are my "babies"/listeners.
(I'll remove it shortly - no need to pollute your thread.)

 

music doesn't care what instrument you use.
bring the bass you intend to gig with.

 

IMO - chord tone bass lines - 4 string.
Melodic and playing from standard notation - for the low ledger notes - the 5 string.

Your choice, if it was me I already know the 4 string and if I was taking lessons I'd do it on the 5 string, so the instructor could get me started correctly.

BTW nice set of basses.

 

If this is your first time with an instructor I would think you should go with the 4 string. Why? Most of the instruction books, videos, visual aids, etc. will be using a 4 string.

Understand I do not own a 5 string. Gave it some thought and could see that playing from standard notation the low B string comes in handy, however, I am never handed standard notation sheet music from any band director I play for. It's all fake chord and what I use for a bass line is left up to me.

Brings up a good question. Why did you buy the five string? And takes us back to my original post. If you would like to learn how to play the 5 string, now is a good time to start.

Ask you new instructor this same question.

 

I'd go the 5. I bought a 5er and flipped it to stick with 4s. Now I love my 5 and wish I had stuck to it and had lessons with it years ago.

I feel that it's a lot easier to develop on a 5 and go to a 4, than it is to develop on a 4 and go to a 5.

 

Rhubarb.


I'd start out with whatever feels comfortable to you at the moment. Always time to apply lessons learned to the other bass.



Gray cats are cool.

 

I would go with the four for two reasons. First, because it seems that the four is more familiar territory for you and that means you'll be able to focus more on the lesson than on your bass. Secondly, if your teacher is more likely to be using a four then it might be easier for both him and you when watching/analyzing what the other is doing if you are also using a four.