Transition from 4 to 6

[fender73]

Evening all,

I have purchased a 6'er from Dougal on here (see ya Monday for collection Dougal) and am looking to expand my playing from my usual 4's. Anyone got any tips, or is it just a case of practice to get used to the 2 new strings?

Thanks

Graeme

[thepurpleblob]

TBH I play 4 and 5s not 6. But... the answer to this one is to lock up your fours and go play nothing but the six until it stops being frightening. Start by playing your usual stuff in the EADG strings until you get used to the two new strings being there.

[Gareth Hughes]

Get some Anthony Jackson transcriptions and jump in. He's a great master of covering the whole fingerboard - often in seemingly inhuman ways.

[EdwardHimself]

Get yourself a decent playing bass, a bad bass is enough to put anyone off 6 strings for life. Apart from that, you've just got to give it a real chance, don't just give up at the first hurdle, you might need to train up your hand to stretch to all the strings at first.

[fender73]

Thanks all

[jhk]

just practise and practise more........................................then as you get more used to it you`ll realise the economy of movement the 6`er will give you.................................... far less swooping up and down the neck...................... also beware the rogue ringing strings..... become more aware of muting techniques on the surrounding,unplayed strings.............................................

good luck!!

[Dread Bass]

Learn arpeggios and extended them utilising the additional strings. Check out Scott Devines videos for a great explanation.

http://scottsbasslessons.com/technique/practice-bass-arpeggios.html

[tauzero]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1331417708' post='1572737']
Get yourself a decent playing bass, a bad bass is enough to put anyone off 6 strings for life.
[/quote]

He has, he's bought a Peavey Grind 6. It's difficult to find an easier-playing 6.

[fender73]

spent another hour or so playing last night, and i'm finding the less i actually think about it being a 6, the easier things are becoming. Learned some new tunes last night for a new gig at the end of the month which includes some James Taylor covers so there are plenty of changes going on. The low B string is coming in very handy. Not sure i will be a full time 6.er, but i'm loving the change. Thanks for all your advice folks.

[fender73]

well, i gigged the 6 for the first time last night - apart from me over using the newly available lower notes a bit, it was great and i feel right at home using it - just need a comfortable strap now...it's a wee bit heavier than my other basses

[chrismuzz]

Dude it took me about a year to be brave enough to gig my 6 for the first time, sounds like you're doing well! I'm actually more at home on a 6 string these days but still love playing the old 4 banger as much as I can

Strangely enough because I too went from 4 to 6... I am absolutely hopeless on a 5 string! What's with that ?

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1331733036' post='1577896']
He has, he's bought a Peavey Grind 6. It's difficult to find an easier-playing 6.
[/quote]

True dat

[Faithless]

It's all about extended range of options and more duplications of notes Joe Hubbard reccommends this exercise to everyone, it's especially cool when doing such transitions,and it's just a great start to familiarize yourself with the instrument

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0sS0hhfezQ

http://www.joehubbardbass.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/The-Random-Note-Finder-Exercise.pdf

[fender73]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1333086576' post='1597057']
Dude it took me about a year to be brave enough to gig my 6 for the first time, sounds like you're doing well! I'm actually more at home on a 6 string these days but still love playing the old 4 banger as much as I can
[/quote]

Thanks dude - i did take a 4 with me as well....just in case :-)

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1333086576' post='1597057']

Strangely enough because I too went from 4 to 6... I am absolutely hopeless on a 5 string! What's with that ?
[/quote]

Me too - i don't get on with 5's - may give it another go at some point

[fender73]

Thanks Faithless for the Joe Hubbard advice

[phil625sxc]

when i went to 6 from 4 the main thing i had to do was alter my right hand technique to dampen the B & E strings with my ring & little finger resting on them when I was playing the strings above them - other players use their thumb as a floating damper to get the same effect, so whatever works for you !

As Faithless says, learn the notes on your 2 new strings, as others say, practise lots to get used to it, apart from that just have lots of fun with chords & extra harmonics and the other possibilities it opens up - and then remember not to use most of them on a gig unless it's appropriate !! :-)

[fender73]

[quote name='phil625sxc' timestamp='1333112981' post='1597611']
have lots of fun with chords & extra harmonics and the other possibilities it opens up - and then remember not to use most of them on a gig unless it's appropriate !! :-)
[/quote]
...guilty at last nights gig of adding in low notes where they weren't really needed - i'm sure i'll sort myself out by the next gig! :-)

[Faithless]

[quote name='phil625sxc' timestamp='1333112981' post='1597611']
As Faithless says, learn the notes on your 2 new strings, as others say, practise lots to get used to it, apart from that just have lots of fun with chords & extra harmonics and the other possibilities it opens up - and then remember not to use most of them on a gig unless it's appropriate !! :-)
[/quote]

It applies for the whole instrument, not a particular number of strings. If you haven't done it before, regardless the bass (4/5/6 strings, doesn't matter), you should be having a hard time with the exercise.
There are note duplications on more than two strings - on a 6 string 24 fret bass there are 5 duplications of middle C note! That's why exercise applies to all of the strings.
Remember to be patient, and don't use metronome, until you can do it effortessly out-of-time. Metronome should only kick in after months' of work.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Faithless