Why haven't I seen a 6-string in person?

[lowregister]

I'm wondering how I see so many 6-strings on TB but I've never see anyone play one live?

More importantly, what kinds of things do you play with them. With my little experience, meaning youtube, I expect see some guy come on stage with a 6-string and play Mario or Zelda music.

Show me your ways!

 

[MNAirHead]

It's one of my dirtiest tricks.. IF playing a festival gig.. I'll set up an upright and 7 string. In bass poker this trumps a 62 pbass

I find them most useful to fill in chording behind a guitar player.

The challenge is to not over use them.

 

[bassteban]

For awhile I rarely pulled out my mighty 6 as it frightened horses & small dogs. I've been using it lately for the couple of low-volume church gigs I play semi-regularly. Most musically-knowledgeable folks would say I'm not using the whole bass or I don't need nearly so many strings or some such silliness. Whatever.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

You don't see them that often because a lot less people use them than fives and fours- pretty simple explanation but true I play mine exactly like I would play a four-string bass, except that I don't have to jump all over the fingerboard to do so, and I don't miss out on the higher/lower note tones I want. The number of strings someone has should have no determination over what you expect to hear someone play- I've heard WAAAAAAY more wanking on a four-string in my years than I have heard on a six-string.

Oh, and I have a ton of vids on YouTube using a six that are all original music with no tapping or video game music

 

[lowregister]

That really makes sense, you can get true high notes without it sounding 'errrdy.'

 

[Mayers]

I play with 6 strings. for me it is just normal ... I learned bass on a 5 strings because when I realise that a 4 strings bass doesn,t go lower on a music sheet ... I felt like ... man there is something wrong and I miss some notes. So a got a 5 strings. then many years latter ( 5 years later and a college degree in classical music ) I got my first 6 strings.

For me it was natural like I said. All my bass heros play with 6 strings bass ... Check out John Patitucci, John Myung, Les Claypool, Alain Caron.

You have more notes, more positions, more possibilities. and well I think it is darn sexy to see 6 keys and that wide neck ( even if I have small hands )

 

[bassteban]

There's one! Don't have it no more, though...

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

It really depends on the music you listen to... If you listen to straight rock, then you'll see more 4 strings than anything else. Electric Jazz? Lotsa 6 strings.

It all depends, ya know?

 

[abstractart06]

I frequent jazz venues a lot, so I often see guys playing six strings. There are also a few seven strings players out there. I am still trying to become competent on four.

 

[MNAirHead]

I frequent jazz venues a lot, so I often see guys playing six strings. There are also a few seven strings players out there. I am still trying to become competent on four.

Actually easier to play 5,6 or 7.. less jumping around

 

[lousybassplayer]

Actually easier to play 5,6 or 7.. less jumping around

Well I can't play two whole octaves in one hand posistion on a 4 string like I can on a 6, so I agree with this. I am playinga lot differently than I used to now that I am getting comfortable with a six, and I play entire Maiden songs without really moving my left hand, just moving between strings. Its not just for crazy jazz stuff either.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

Why haven't you? Because you've been living under a rock.

I just feel more comfortable on a 6-string, even though (given the situation, of course), I wont use more than the main 4 strings.

 

[Pilgrim]

Simple.

Not that many people play them. Why? Not that many people need them.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Simple.

Not that many people play them. Why? Not that many people need them.

Touché!

 

[lousybassplayer]

I don't need a lot of things that I have all the time, but the times when I do its nice to not be without.

 

[Selta]

Because they don't exist. All the pictures you see of "6 string basses" are just photoshopped guitars.

Seriously.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

.....I play mine exactly like I would play a four-string bass, except that I don't have to jump all over the fingerboard to do so, and I don't miss out on the higher/lower note tones I want. The number of strings you have has no determination over what you should expect to hear someone play- I've heard WAAAAAAY more wanking on a four-string in my years than I have heard on a six-string.

+1.

 

[kb9wyz]

I frequent jazz venues a lot, so I often see guys playing six strings. There are also a few seven strings players out there. I am still trying to become competent on four.

Ditto.