I play 4s and 6s (but no 5s, the odd numbers throw me). Anymore, I mostly play 4s. The music I'm doing at the moment doesn't call for the extra range, and I don't have big hands, so the 4 is always going to be more comfortable for me
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Why do YOU "only" play a 4 ?
- Thread starter NS2A
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I can barely play with four strings.
But also, I've heard plenty of bass thunder played on four string basses.
B strings sound soft and floppy to me, lower maybe but soft and undefined.
I tend to think if a player needs to go lower, a 35" scale bass tuned BEAD will get it done.
But also, I've heard plenty of bass thunder played on four string basses.
B strings sound soft and floppy to me, lower maybe but soft and undefined.
I tend to think if a player needs to go lower, a 35" scale bass tuned BEAD will get it done.
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No, this is an electric bass
http://media.guitarcenter.com/is/im...ht-Bass-Nutmeg/514336000203000-00-500x500.jpg
It is the bass variant of the violin (or arguably viol) family.
This is an electric bass guitar
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It is part of the guitar family.
You're welcome.
Feel free to hold on to your misconceptions though.
So why play a clarinet if you can barely play saxophone? I've heard plenty of great sax solos. Clarinets are hard to play
and all they do is squeak a lot. That extra fingering on a clarinet brings nothing to the party. I think if a sax player wants
a different tone, they should just get a different size sax. Unless, of course, they want to be able to play two different
but similar instruments and be able to use each where appropriate.
I must say that you have too a misconception. Despite the similarity of with a violin, origin of the upright bass is the viola da gamba which is a completely different thing. Tuning of the Violas and basses, like the one of guitars (violas have 6 strings too) is in fifths from the lower to the higher string, though it is in fourth for the violin family.
Can't you make a difference between the sound of a clarinet and the one of a soprano saxophone? (I know that here in France, everybody thinks Sydney Bechet plays the clarinet, but we are on a supposed to be musicians site)
Because I have no need or desire to play anything else, and I'm quite used to it. No other reasons needed.
I mean, I may at some point decide to try a Fiver, I can see that as perhaps being something interesting, but I'm not in any particular rush to do so.
I mean, I may at some point decide to try a Fiver, I can see that as perhaps being something interesting, but I'm not in any particular rush to do so.
Four string basses sound best to me. The "B" string makes a handy "all over" thumb rest, but that mass of metal wiggling in the magnetic field of the "E" string ruins the sound of the "E" string, IMO.
Detuned "E" string sounds better to me than any "B" string.
Detuned "E" string sounds better to me than any "B" string.
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This is a very interesting read, being a player that goes between the four and five string basses quite often, and when I play live I grab either.
I started on four, played for the majority of years on one, but was very excited to try and play a five string about ten years ago. I played them exclusively for years, and about a year ago added the four string back in, which I absolutely love. I flip back and forth without thinking about it, my fingers taking just a few seconds to adjust to the string spacing. My fretting hand doesn't even seem to notice the change.
Interesting that I've never had any desire to play a six string, and a four string bead really messes with me and I don't like it. I have a hipshot on my four, and will flip it on and off through the night, and it doesn't seem to bother me. It's just weird the bead bass throws me off. I don't even know why it does. I suppose with a little practice I'd get used to it, but I'd miss the g string if it wasn't there. I pull double stops and accents in the upper registers, and that would throw my playing off.
Going through the posts, there is a wide and vastly different reasoning on why you all prefer the four string better, from small hands, to hardcore stubborn tradition, to those that have tried and found they just don't like them because of size or string spacing. There is no right or wrong answer or idea. For the life of me, I don't understand why this polarizes so many players.
So thanks for a look into the mindset of the four only player. I don't look at a player as any less or more based on the amount of strings played, and every instrument and style had its place.
I started on four, played for the majority of years on one, but was very excited to try and play a five string about ten years ago. I played them exclusively for years, and about a year ago added the four string back in, which I absolutely love. I flip back and forth without thinking about it, my fingers taking just a few seconds to adjust to the string spacing. My fretting hand doesn't even seem to notice the change.
Interesting that I've never had any desire to play a six string, and a four string bead really messes with me and I don't like it. I have a hipshot on my four, and will flip it on and off through the night, and it doesn't seem to bother me. It's just weird the bead bass throws me off. I don't even know why it does. I suppose with a little practice I'd get used to it, but I'd miss the g string if it wasn't there. I pull double stops and accents in the upper registers, and that would throw my playing off.
Going through the posts, there is a wide and vastly different reasoning on why you all prefer the four string better, from small hands, to hardcore stubborn tradition, to those that have tried and found they just don't like them because of size or string spacing. There is no right or wrong answer or idea. For the life of me, I don't understand why this polarizes so many players.
So thanks for a look into the mindset of the four only player. I don't look at a player as any less or more based on the amount of strings played, and every instrument and style had its place.
I'm currently playing
A 4 and a 5 but I have several friends who only play 4 string. One of the main reasons is the music they play
Doesn't really call for a 5. Others prefer the smaller neck because they have smaller hands. There's really no right or wrong. I have my 4 string set up in bead even though on my 5 string I use beadg and aeadg. It works well as a backup for my 5 string and I specifically like using the 4 string on a couple songs where I didn't use the high g string at all in the studio and or are somewhat difficult to play or if I just want to jump around more onstage with a lighter bass. My 4 is sorta of my meat and potatoes bass and my 5 string is my more I don't know how to put it, musical bass maybe? Also my 5 is 35" scale and my 4 is 34" scale so I do prefer the 5 for the songs we do where I'm using aeadg tuning. The longer scale just feels a little better to me in A.
A 4 and a 5 but I have several friends who only play 4 string. One of the main reasons is the music they play
Doesn't really call for a 5. Others prefer the smaller neck because they have smaller hands. There's really no right or wrong. I have my 4 string set up in bead even though on my 5 string I use beadg and aeadg. It works well as a backup for my 5 string and I specifically like using the 4 string on a couple songs where I didn't use the high g string at all in the studio and or are somewhat difficult to play or if I just want to jump around more onstage with a lighter bass. My 4 is sorta of my meat and potatoes bass and my 5 string is my more I don't know how to put it, musical bass maybe? Also my 5 is 35" scale and my 4 is 34" scale so I do prefer the 5 for the songs we do where I'm using aeadg tuning. The longer scale just feels a little better to me in A.
I clearly said that it is arguably member of the viol family. Even experts don't agree on its exact lineage.
It's not a guitar though.
WOW!!! THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!
How could I have been so utterly STUPID, and gotten it so completely wrong?
My misconceptions are gone! I feel so cleansed!
I'm going to go out and buy a 24-string guitar and call it a bass!
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Actually it's more like 10 fingers unless you are British or from Australia or something then it's 8. In many languages finger refers to both fingers and thumbs. In some (Croatia) the word for "finger" applies to fingers, thumbs and toes giving you 20 fingers. In English the word finger is ambiguous meaning either the hand appendages without the thumb or all of the hand appendages including the thumb. The usage depends on context (One more reason why English rules drive non-native speakers nuts). In any case you have at least 8 fingers. Anyway, special thanks to the Meaningless Drivel forum for these factoids of little utility.
I've owned some killer 5-string basses over the years. I don't like having a bunch of basses
(I know, I know, I'm crazy
) to maintain and haul around. I stuck with a 4-string cause it plays smoother to me, I'm faster, and it's more comfortable on my hands. That being said, I love a 4-string bass with a Low-B on it 
, best of both worlds as long as you have the right bass and its set up correctly.
(I know, I know, I'm crazy
) to maintain and haul around. I stuck with a 4-string cause it plays smoother to me, I'm faster, and it's more comfortable on my hands. That being said, I love a 4-string bass with a Low-B on it , best of both worlds as long as you have the right bass and its set up correctly.
