Why do so many 5 & 6 string players NEVER use their low B?

[Phil Humphrey]

I started playing five string a year ago. I always use the B. I pretty much use the B E A D. No need for the G.

 

[thabassmon]

Regarding the OP
I know what you mean when I switched to 5 I wasn't really playing my low B except for the occasional cover. Every chart that I was given to read only went as low as E, so I thought I'd try a high c instead, stuck with that tuning for a rough 15 years. Then bought a six kept the low B for a little bit just in case my taste had changed, it hadn't now my six has a high f instead of a low B.
I just simply find more musical options are there with the higher tuning. It's the same when I play piano I rarely use those extra low notes even though they are there.

 

[Les Fret]

I've been playing with the low B for hours today. One thing that is tripping me up is that I have been anchoring my thumb on pickups since I was a kid, and I find you can't do that with the low B. You have to use the low B as a thumb anchor when playing on the other strings, or else you get a constant low resonance rumble out of the B string (only noticeable at higher volumes). This kinda sucks when your spent 30+ years using pickups as thumb anchors.

I find myself constantly thumb jumping from: pickup-to B string-back to pickup-back to B string-etc.etc.

Is this normal? I don't find this at all necessary when playing a 5 string tuned E-A-D-G-C

The same applies for a 4 string and the E string. But maybe it is more noticeable for you on the B string. But on a 4 string it's also better to place your thumb on the E string instead of the pickup because the string can start ringing along when you play on the other strings.

 

[zontar]

I didn't read all the pages--btu did anybody ask why some 4 string players only use 2 or 3 strings?
I've joked when tuning up before playing that I don't need to tune my G

(& with a 5 or 6 string that lowest string is a thumb rest)

 

[Les Fret]

I didn't read all the pages--btu did anybody ask why some 4 string players only use 2 or 3 strings?
I've joked when tuning up before playing that I don't need to tune my G

Can be several thing:
-the music they play don't calls for it
-they don't know what to do with higher notes
-their technique is insufficient

I find it very limiting not to use my G string. I also play about the 12th fret a lot. Mostly bass players who only play 2 or 3 strings aren't the most adventurous soloist ones. Besides Mark Sandman who had a 2 stringed bass.

 

[Mark Ambler]

Crazy! I might have to check those out. How is the neck balance? Does it weigh a million pounds, like many Warwicks?

It's not a light bass at over 10lbs, my Sadowsky MV5 (also 20 or 19mm spacing) is 9lbs, but the Warwick has an exceptional tone and is a wonderful instrument. My LX6 is heavier but I play both basses sitting down, so there's no issue, anyway.

My 5ers are tuned E-C and my recent purchase of a 6 string was prompted by a latin gig I did, the low B was very useful.

 

[Chad Michael]

How many people buy a Jeep Rubicon, yet never take it off - road?

 

[Blankandson]

Mark Ambler: Not very many Warwick users around Gallatin Tennessee, so when I mentioned having my pups upgraded last week a Nashville bassist who plays mainly in the studios said "Don't do it!" He said my Warwick with the MEC pickups that came with it sounded fantastic and he couldn't think of any other pups that would improve on it. We all need some good advice occasionally.
A few post above was the term 'floating thumb.' That's what I use with the five strings. I have the back of my (Ovangkol) neck very slick and my thumb just slides all over the place - like my fingers are doing on the flip side. My neck is almost flat and the strings are about 1 - 1.5 mm on all 24 frets. So I don't need to push with my thumb. YMMV

 

[Mark Ambler]

Mark Ambler: Not very many Warwick users around Gallatin Tennessee, so when I mentioned having my pups upgraded last week a Nashville bassist who plays mainly in the studios said "Don't do it!" He said my Warwick with the MEC pickups that came with it sounded fantastic and he couldn't think of any other pups that would improve on it. We all need some good advice occasionally.
A few post above was the term 'floating thumb.' That's what I use with the five strings. I have the back of my (Ovangkol) neck very slick and my thumb just slides all over the place - like my fingers are doing on the flip side. My neck is almost flat and the strings are about 1 - 1.5 mm on all 24 frets. So I don't need to push with my thumb. YMMV

Perhaps you’re actually replying to the person I was replying to rather than me, but anyway, yes, the Mec pickups and preamp in my LX5 sound great. I have read postings from people not happy with them and changing them, but I see no need whatsoever. I prefer to buy a bass that doesn’t need upgrades, as that can be a costly route to take, and there’s no guarantee that the bass’s sound will be improved anyway.

 

[bbh]

I've been playing with the low B for hours today. One thing that is tripping me up is that I have been anchoring my thumb on pickups since I was a kid, and I find you can't do that with the low B. You have to use the low B as a thumb anchor when playing on the other strings, or else you get a constant low resonance rumble out of the B string (only noticeable at higher volumes). This kinda sucks when your spent 30+ years using pickups as thumb anchors.

I find myself constantly thumb jumping from: pickup-to B string-back to pickup-back to B string-etc.etc.

Is this normal? I don't find this at all necessary when playing a 5 string tuned E-A-D-G-C

I find I anchor to the b most often via thumb, but move my anchor to higher strings as necessary. it’s a bit uncomfortable for me but necessary to get the higher strings to sound right and something to be aware of improving. I like to be aware of the angle that I’m hitting.
I used to wonder why sometimes my g was thin. Well this approach fixed that issue.
Some of my fav anchor points are actually close to the end of the neck or near the bridge. I’ll anchor to the pickup if need be. Sometimes I’ll just float.
When I make my choice, it’s more about the tone I want for a particular sound in my head. I don’t know the best way but I suspect there is no wrong way if it sounds good.

 

[foothilla]

Muting problems.

Now you're ready for floating thumb. Basically...

Anchor your thumb on the pickup to pluck the low B.

Anchor your thumb on the B to pluck the E string.

Anchor your thumb on the E to pluck the A string.

And so on. Once you get in the habit of this you won't even think about it. And you'll find that when you go to the higher strings you can mute multiple strings with your thumb.

If you're plucking the D string you can mute the A string with the tip of your thumb and the E with the side of your thumb at or near the joint). It gets easier the more you do it.

I also use a relatively flat fretting hand so I can do a lot of muting with my left hand. Combined with my right hand muting I have a ton of string control available.

Bonus: I wear my bass at the same height seated or standing. Because of that I can use my final muting technique... my forearm. It allows me to get a palm mute vibe while not tying up the side of my hand, allowing me to pluck normally. It also allows me to vary how much I can choke the B string so I can go anywhere between wide open and a percussive ghost thump.

Good description, thanks. I am already finding that I am having to do a generic version of what you described. I find an E string easy to control with a combination of left hand and side-of-right-hand muting. But, that B string resonance/rumble is much easier to set off, and requires much greater control, for sure.

 

[foothilla]

The same applies for a 4 string and the E string. But maybe it is more noticeable for you on the B string. But on a 4 string it's also better to place your thumb on the E string instead of the pickup because the string can start ringing along when you play on the other strings.

It's way more noticeable (for me) on the B string. When the E string is my lowest string I just control with my left hand, or the side of my right hand (when my left hand is occupied on high strings). I can't get away with that on my B string.

I think my pickups need lowered a bit, and I think I need to significantly lighten up on my right hand touch when there is a low B string along for the ride.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

I've personally never witnessed this in the past 20 years and I've seen scores of bands with 5 string players. I use mine on almost every song.

 

[KoRnKloWn420]

There's several reasons bassists do this. I can tell you from experience, I grew up playing a 5 string bass, and it is what I have literally always played. And I can also tell you that I have always used it plenty, assuming I was playing a song written on a 5 string (and plenty were, KoRn and Mudvayne just to name a couple). Now a lot of songs I'll learn were written on 4 string basses, even though I'm not always using the low B string, I still feel more comfortable with my 5 string, because it is what I'm use to it is actually easier for me to bypass the low string than get use to a 4 string. On a 4 string I'll sometimes accidentally skip the low E string and hit the A string instead.

Now with this in mind, all these examples you are finding are just of bassists playing songs written on 4 string basses. I can pretty much guarantee you that majority of all bassists that use a 5 string use their low B string frequently. Any rock/metal band you find where the bassist has a 5 string, they are using that low B frequently.

For another example, I recently joined a local band, and currently I'm working on learning all of their songs, which were all written on a 4 string, so for the time being I can't really use my low string, but once I get to the point where I'm writing with them I will be using it plenty. Also once I'm fully comfortable with all the existing songs I'll find ways to throw that string in live.

 

[Attilla D]

Even back when 5 string Bass was new-ish, I always saw a higher extension rather than a lower one. I wanna blame it on the "3-piece power trio" scenario, but that may be only partially the reason. I know it is kinda cool to do "twin leads" in a 3-piece, and the only way to make that work is in the upper ranges, plus when you have a need for a really ballsy rhythm chord to back up Doofus's lead, there ain't nothing like a power Bass chord to nail it down. Unless you can get a few hundred feet away from the stage, I think most dudes that tune down get lost in the mud live, anyway. YMMV.

 

[Beejay772]

Haha. Maybe.

I could find 50 examples of great players doing this, but here are two random examples.

This cat has a ton of 4 string basses, but plays this on a 5 string, and never touches the low B. Seems like this would be a hell of a lot easier without that B string in the way?




Then there is this cat, busting out a cool little looped funk groove,.....and never lays a finger on that damn low B!

Probably because he is using a v24 deluxe fender jazz that has phenomenal tone controls. Doesn't need the b string but does want the sound.

 

[fr8ghtrain]

I have a 5 string with low B and I hardly use it. Probably the only time I use it is for Contemporary Christian Worship.

 

[Ric Vice]

If you look way back at orchestra bassist, they started out in Beethoven’s time with 3 String basses, moved up to 4 Strings around the time of Berlioz, and moved to extensions or the low B string for Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler.
Kay built a 5 String Jazz DB for Chubby Jackson in the 1940’s and Leo Fender had a 5 (high C) and 6 string in the 1960’s. So, there’s really nothing new under the sun. It just depended on whether the payers at the time accepted it.

 

[Billybassbeater]

Kinda like Steve Vai when he used the 7 string guitar, having the next higher string. 7's now have the lower string.

Actually, they were tuned E to B. Not C. Kind of surprised I typed that. Must have been impaired. Sorry for the mistake.

 

[Parrotlover]

Well here's my 2 cents. When I played a narrow spaced 6 string I did frequently play low E-flats & D's, some C-sharps, fewer C's & rarely a B. When I took up slapping I stuck to 4 strings (19mm @ Bridge) & also played a 5 string fretless tuned E to C. Obviously, that C string is more useful for jazz soloing.

I've also watched many live Marcus Miller concerts on YouTube. Prior to starting his Sire Company he always had ahis signature Fender 5 string American made bass on display on a stand, but I'm hard pressed for any recollection of his using it. In a recent video he started off his concert playing a ash body, maple necked Sire 5 string with a white pearloid pick guard. I watched & listened intensely for any B string action. None or very little. It seemed advertisement. Then he picked up his 4 string Fender & used it for the remaining concert.

Both Scott Devine & Mark Smith stress that a low B's necessary for theatre work & playing pop cover tunes with prominent bass lines going below E (Personally I decided to get a drop D tuner for my 4 string, & that should cover a lot).

Lastly because I miss having a C string on a fretted bass, I purchased an Ibanez 5 string 28.6" scale bass & I love it. My strings are GHS boomer 107 (short scale) 80 60 40 30. Big surprise! As well as tuning E-C, I can tune B-G. If I pluck that 107 gauge string carefully I get a nicely defined open B. The big surprise is that the other strings are loose enough to achieve some of the seemingly impossible effects Stanley Clarke get.s (The guitar-like vibrato, the tremolo overtones pulling the strings behind the nut). When I tune those same strings E to C, the action's raised & higher, but still there's far less tension than a 34" scale bass. I can do some rudimentary slapping with its 16.5mm bridge spacing. This silly toy turned out being my most versatile bass, & if I could do it all over again the only bass I would've used for the cover band playing I did 2013-2017. It's not worth bringing more than one bass. Even if they ask you to bring a fretless for specific tunes (Heart of Saturday Night, for example) they'll just start playing it, not even call it out, let alone give you a minute to change basses