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why do you play only a six string or higher?

Fire-Starter

Fire-Starter

Aug 11, 2002
2,221
150
MINNESOTA
#1
I am curious about this, I play 4,5,6, and hav only played with a seven, never touched a nine, I think we have some TBers who only play 7 string:cool: I like the idea of playing straight up and down (horizontal) on the six strings:D but I find if I dont pick up a four from time to time, it throws me off a bit.:eek:
 
#4
Originally posted by john turner
i don't need a 4 string, i have it all and then some on my 7's and 8's. and i don't play a 7 so that i don't have to move my hand but rather for the myriad technical and range options that it opens up to me.
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John, you know I forgot about 8 string basses! do the 8 string basses have eight seperate strings or are they four double strings? Could you please expand on the technical part for me as you said, maybe it would give me a few ideas, BTW, I thought you were one of the ones I was refering to but was not sure. The pics of your basses are SWEET:cool:
 
#5
Originally posted by Fire-Starter
John, you know I forgot about 8 string basses! do the 8 string basses have eight seperate strings or are they four double strings?
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they have 8 seperate strings, tuned on mine f#-b-e-a-d-g-b-e. some folks start on b and go up to Bb or a.

Could you please expand on the technical part for me as you said, maybe it would give me a few ideas, BTW, I thought you were one of the ones I was refering to but was not sure. The pics of your basses are SWEET:cool:
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thanks :).

a few of the technical options that opened to me with the extended range instruments have much in common with classical guitar-styled playing. to of the more common things that i do are comping out a sort of "bass" line with the higher strings playing a melody or higher range rhythm part, and also just arpeggiating chord shapes that would not be possible on a 4 string. i build my basslines around ostinatos, repeating figures that give structural and harmonic support to a song through their reptition and motion.

many of the folks who play extended range instruments also tap on them, similar to stick-style playing, but tapping doesn't really have much of a use in my playing situation, with two guitar/guitar-synth players.
 
#7
Originally posted by Stewmc5222
like JT, I use the extended range to create different textures and to keep my options open. I like that my instruments will always challenge me and that there will always be something for me to work on from a purely technical level.

from the low end,


Stew
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Me too. Haven't seriously touched a 4 (besides upright) since I sold my last one almost two years ago, after I got the ole sayvohn.
 
#9
I dunno, I always see people talk about the amount of notes in first position but I'm not sure that I've ever seen an extended range bassist really play that way a lot(with a group). Know of anyone? I'm interested in if their tone is strong enough in the low positions to support the other instruments fully, that's always been my problem. It sure comes in handy having all those notes in one position when it comes time to solo though. Horizontal shifting gets scary when the tempo starts to creep up :D
 

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