Do you need the 5th string?

[LeftyBiskit]

[quote name='3below' post='1125336' date='Feb 12 2011, 07:41 PM']I keep wondering about stringing one of my basses up B E A D. Just like the power off the E and A strings, so it might be interesting to see if my kit will deliver same on B. Some gigs that use walking bass lines / root + 5th etc would lend themselves to this tuning. Any one done this, any thoughts?[/quote]

I tried it,
and it was great but it took some serious hours of practise just to get into a different train of thought-and the alternate fingering of the lower registers-but it didnt last-the band i was in at the time and the songs we played didnt warrant it,also i didnt have the luxury of surplus basses that i do now.
Now that you have raised the question ,i may resurrect the format again.

[BB3000S]

For one of my bands, I definitely absolutely need a fivestring. Never been too keen on this business with D-tuners and alternate tunings, for me it's either EADG or BEADG.

[deepbass5]

Played a four for years always put off going to a five, used an Octave pedal instead. But eventually gave in because I play Pop covers, dance music, everyone recording them was using 5's so you can't ignore it. That was ten years ago and now would not go back. It’s about economy of movement and it opens up two octaves under your fingers.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Steve Amadeo' post='1125362' date='Feb 12 2011, 08:07 PM']Why is that crap?[/quote]
I have already been in your camp there are threads on here where I contradict everything I now say about fives, I have made a public apology weeks ago after realising all the , use a hip shot, none of my favourite players ever needed one, use an octave pedal, 34" thumb rest etc is nonsense and once mastered opens up new ways of playing. I'm not a busy player and already have thrown in some nice double octave lines that practicing your positioning wouldn't help with. Im not going to fight the five strings corner alone but I'm not having "all this positional stuff is bollocks too" comments pass by without being pulled up on, As I said that's crap.

[Soliloquy]

[quote name='munkonthehill' post='1125367' date='Feb 12 2011, 08:09 PM']until such times i would see a 5'er being needed then im happy sticking with my 4's. If you cant do it with 4 strings,,,,then just try harder! or get your guitarist to do it hahahaha.[/quote]

I really, really hate these stupid threads. I just don't see the point in them.

Excuse me, but a guitar is tuned higher than a bass. How could a guitarist cover what you'd play on a standard 5 string bass ?

I generally play low E at the 5th fret on the B string. I don't like moving down the neck to play F, F#,G,G# etc, so I play them at the 6th fret and upwards, it saves moving about.
A 5 string bass is brilliant if you're reading a chart on a gig, you haven't got to move about so much, so you can play pretty much in one position and follow the chart.
In other words I play across the neck, rather than up and down it.

One band that I dep for plays a lot of songs where the bass line was originally played on keys, Chaka Khan's 'Aint nobody' for example, try playing that on a 4 string bass without a lot of messing about. It wouldn't work played up an octave either !

[Dood]

[quote name='Phil-osopher10' post='1124740' date='Feb 12 2011, 10:39 AM'], 6's, 7's and and aboves are not considered real instruments (jealous) and thus don't count! oj[/quote]

A playful laugh from Doodworld here!

[danny-79]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1125598' date='Feb 13 2011, 12:49 AM']I really, really hate these stupid threads. I just don't see the point in them.[/quote]

yup !

[stingrayPete1977]

It's nearly up to it's 5 page quota anyway although I think it might be a sixer this time

[thumperbob 2002]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1125500' date='Feb 12 2011, 10:21 PM']I (and many others more competent than me) have played in soul bands, even played in Eb, with an EADG four-string. It's what happened in almost all soul bands for thirty odd years. Jamerson did have a Fender Bass V but it would have been tuned EADGC and one story has it that he hated it so much that he threw it across the studio saying 'Never let me play that again'. I have no idea if this story is true. The massive majority of Motown, Stax, Atlantic etc output would have been done on an EADG bass.

Of course five-strings are used a lot more today and if people want to use them or the musical director requires them to be used then fair enough.[/quote]
Yeah it's just that getting that low Eb you have no choice either use a five or drop tuning a half step. Try playing superstition on a four string Something always seems as though it's missing. Those great guys like jamerson. Jaco etc fooled you into thinking they were playing lower than they were. You can do amazing things with a 4 but essentially it's horses for courses

[Bloc Riff Nut]

Yes, I need it for anything lower than the E.
Yes,I want it for the easy positioning. I like not having to move too far, it means I don't have to look at the fretboard.
I really only use my 4 for slapping.

[munkonthehill]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1125598' date='Feb 13 2011, 12:49 AM']I really, really hate these stupid threads. I just don't see the point in them.

Excuse me, but a guitar is tuned higher than a bass. How could a guitarist cover what you'd play on a standard 5 string bass ?

I generally play low E at the 5th fret on the B string. I don't like moving down the neck to play F, F#,G,G# etc, so I play them at the 6th fret and upwards, it saves moving about.
A 5 string bass is brilliant if you're reading a chart on a gig, you haven't got to move about so much, so you can play pretty much in one position and follow the chart.
In other words I play across the neck, rather than up and down it.

One band that I dep for plays a lot of songs where the bass line was originally played on keys, Chaka Khan's 'Aint nobody' for example, try playing that on a 4 string bass without a lot of messing about. It wouldn't work played up an octave either ![/quote]

your shittin me sherlock,,,,the guitar is tuned higher than the bass, thats where ive been going wrong!!!

I was only having a laugh matey and if these threads are so stupid says you,,,,,then why reply!

Thats all im saying on the matter and hopefully you too.

[CHRISDABASS]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1125598' date='Feb 13 2011, 12:49 AM']I really, really hate these stupid threads. I just don't see the point in them.

Excuse me, but a guitar is tuned higher than a bass. How could a guitarist cover what you'd play on a standard 5 string bass ?

I generally play low E at the 5th fret on the B string. I don't like moving down the neck to play F, F#,G,G# etc, so I play them at the 6th fret and upwards, it saves moving about.
A 5 string bass is brilliant if you're reading a chart on a gig, you haven't got to move about so much, so you can play pretty much in one position and follow the chart.
In other words I play across the neck, rather than up and down it.

One band that I dep for plays a lot of songs where the bass line was originally played on keys, Chaka Khan's 'Aint nobody' for example, try playing that on a 4 string bass without a lot of messing about. It wouldn't work played up an octave either ![/quote]

Im glad you mentioned 'Aint nobody' ive tried to it learn on a 4 and it just aint working!! Hence the search for a decent 5 string for the new function band! A lot of the songs ive been asked to learn go lower than a 4, if i want the job i need the right tools, can anyone recommend good 5's below £1000???

[AttitudeCastle]

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1126981' date='Feb 14 2011, 01:12 PM']Im glad you mentioned 'Aint nobody' ive tried to it learn on a 4 and it just aint working!! Hence the search for a decent 5 string for the new function band! A lot of the songs ive been asked to learn go lower than a 4, if i want the job i need the right tools, can anyone recommend good 5's below £1000???

[/quote]

Yamaha Or Ibanez, both have everything from £300 too £1000 and both will be well made sound great and have a slick easy too play neck, great if you play a 4 normally and only use the 5 on the odd occasion!

[ZMech]

only time i ever want one is when playing jazz stuff in Eb. Other than that, not a real concern of mine

[Bilbo]

My double bass is a five stringer and I like the fact that my intonation is better for a wider range than it was on teh 4 string i.e two octaves within third position).

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1124753' date='Feb 12 2011, 10:49 AM'][b]Well I blinking well do![/b] Would be a lot less "at home" without it, I've been playing fivers for the best part of 20 years now and have totally adapted the logistic of my playing around that low B, so much so, that when I play a 4 strings bass I find myself working harder than I do with the 5th in place. It's a clever evolution of the instrument and not a fancy "must have" gizmo that purists might think of. It works and that's a fact. So move with the times and accept it.[/quote]

You said all the right words GW, +1000 to this (exept i've only been playing 5'ers for 10 years)

[pete.young]

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1126981' date='Feb 14 2011, 01:12 PM']Im glad you mentioned 'Aint nobody' ive tried to it learn on a 4 and it just aint working!! Hence the search for a decent 5 string for the new function band! A lot of the songs ive been asked to learn go lower than a 4, if i want the job i need the right tools, can anyone recommend good 5's below £1000???

[/quote]

Oddly enough it was Aint Nobody which finally convinced me that I needed to go to 5 strings.

It really depends on what kind of string spacing you're looking for. I had a G&L2500 tribute, which was a brilliant sounding bass but I didn't like the narrow string spacing. I'm much happier with a wide spacing and the corresponding flat fingerboard: if that's what you like, try to find a Yamaha TRB5P

[TommyK]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1125598' date='Feb 13 2011, 12:49 AM']I really, really hate these stupid threads. I just don't see the point in them.[/quote]

+1. I agree with this.

Why can't we discuss more important bass type stuff like:

Which B string sounds better...34" or 35"? Are people who can read music boring musicians? What does good tone sound like? How long is a piece of string? etc..etc....

or maybe more importantly,

Who's best....Mark King or Flea??!!




I'll get me coat...


+ p.s... yes, sometimes i do need 5 strings.....

Edited February 14, 2011 by TommyK

[waynepunkdude]

Best metal for bass? I'm going to say iron.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1127313' date='Feb 14 2011, 05:11 PM']Best metal for bass? I'm going to say iron.[/quote]
Iron is only any good for heavy metal. So I say aluminium.

[Doddy]

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1126981' date='Feb 14 2011, 01:12 PM']Im glad you mentioned 'Aint nobody' ive tried to it learn on a 4 and it just aint working!! Hence the search for a decent 5 string for the new function band! A lot of the songs ive been asked to learn go lower than a 4, if i want the job i need the right tools, can anyone recommend good 5's below £1000???

[/quote]

Even though I use a five most of the time,I still play 'Aint Nobody' up the octave and use an OC2 to get a more synth like octave sound.

Good 5's for under a grand? Go secondhand. I got my Roscoe LG,Tobias 6 and Shuker Singlecut for under a grand. I also manages to get
my Fender Jazz 5 Deluxe for £350.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1127332' date='Feb 14 2011, 05:35 PM']Iron is only any good for heavy metal. So I say aluminium.[/quote]


Lightweight

[danny-79]

Just thought it was a trick question as there is no wrong answer ????


Both !!!!

[Mlucas]

Personally, when I'm playing at home, I would kill for a 5 string, as I'm a total metal-head... It's an absolute pain tuning up and down frequently on my 4 string, and I sometimes end up with a problem of the flaccid nature (the bass string!!). However, this could be achieved a lot easier with an octave pedal, plus it saves you money on splashing out on a 5 string which you may find you are not suited to playing!

[PURPOLARIS]

Playing in a covers band I find I need a 5 string. I tried to get on with 2 differently tuned 4's but gave up in the end.

5 strings for me, it's so much less complicated.