Stub Mandrel Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I want to improve my 5-string playing. Can anyone suggest some songs to play along to that are (1) fairly well known (2) make genuine use of a five string (not just ordinary songs with a dropped D, for example) and (3) are reasonably easy to learn. I suppose the ideal would be a nice walking line that takes you right across the fretboard and have an accurate tab available.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusee pee Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I'd suggest practising anything you play on a four but five frets up. The best thing about a fiver is not having to go down low even though you have those low notes waiting for you! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Most nickleback songs, a bucket load of R&B, try Don’t let go by En Vogue , but especially modern stuff and more and more country music these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Anything. Don’t treat it like that. Play low E at the 5 fret, F at the 6th etc. Play across the fretboard, rather than along. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Try any soul/Motown stuff in Eb. I used my 5 string more for a big soul/disco band than any other genre, purely because the band moved the keys around so much. I could really use the B string then to give the songs some oomph in the lower keys. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Reggae, reggae, reggae 😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 Is it really that rare to find songs that actually use five strings, rather than just contriving a four-string song to fit? It's not very motivating to just change things I already play, or drop them down a few tones, and scales get really boring really fast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Piano scores. Loads of low b stuff then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb90 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel Give Into Me by Michael Jackson Human by Human League 2geter by NPG Two Hearts by Phil Collins Gettin Away from It by Electronic Many Santana last 4-5 albums songs are with a lot of low notes Devil's Pie, Lady, Higher by D'Angelo Last album of Daft Punk - Random Access Memories - lot of low notes by Nathan East and James Genus. (Especially Nathan play a lot of low accents in his bass lines). Lot's of modern soul, R&B and Pop music have a lot of low notes too. It's hard to list. Maby because most of the songs don't need nothing below low E Well that's for sure. Those songs without those low rumble notes don't exist. But for me I don't like how those low notes interfere with a band. Most of the time it doesn't work and sound at all. But some songs sound good with notes below E. I know this from my personal experience that most of the songs sounds good in standard tuning. Just a couple of times maby MD's wanna low Eb or D in one or two songs but that's it. That's why I still don't have 5 sting bass. Just tune down when I need some lower notes. But that's just me And I played everything from punk, rock, blues, funk, reagge and everything between. Edited August 9, 2019 by jb90 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said: Is it really that rare to find songs that actually use five strings, rather than just contriving a four-string song to fit? It's not very motivating to just change things I already play, or drop them down a few tones, and scales get really boring really fast... May as well disregard mine and @jb90 posts then.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Uptown Funk needs a 5, Like a Prayer also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 I am struggling a bit... We Didn't Start the Fire doesn't seem to go below E and 95% of Like prayer doesn't have bass in it (although what there is is simple and fun). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: Is it really that rare to find songs that actually use five strings, rather than just contriving a four-string song to fit? It's not very motivating to just change things I already play, or drop them down a few tones, and scales get really boring really fast... Another brick in the wall Summer of 69 Or take any song that you don't already know and play it on a five-string, which is what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 47 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: I am struggling a bit... We Didn't Start the Fire doesn't seem to go below E and 95% of Like prayer doesn't have bass in it (although what there is is simple and fun). And there you go - most things don’t need a 5er and drop tuning will do 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 <Sound of 5-string bass being cut into small pieces for firewood> 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: It's not very motivating to just change things I already play, or drop them down a few tones, and scales get really boring really fast... Are you saying that without trying though? I get a lot of joy out of finding tonal subtleties from using the heavier strings further up the neck. I second the Eflat thing like @NJE said though. Go to Motown on it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: Is it really that rare to find songs that actually use five strings, rather than just contriving a four-string song to fit? Its really rare to find songs that actually use 3 strings, rather than contriving 2 string songs to fit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 I'll write my own five-string bassline and put it up for you folks to dissect :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 The songs I do in my band that I can't do on a 4 string are poker face (actually possible but not as easy), baker street (again possible if I miss out some of the accents), Brick in the wall, Moondance (yes, it can be done on a 4, but if you have got used to it on a 5 it is a real faff on a 4), black magic woman (for the same reason). There are some others that if I am paying attention I can play on a 4 string without messing up, but would seem a bit odd to limit myself. I used to play with a 4 or a 5, but because we randomly change songs at the last minute I have no idea what is going to be called out, so I don't have time to change, as a result I haven't got to play a 4 string live for a while. My other group is Motown and disco, I wouldn't try that without a 5 string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb90 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said: I am struggling a bit... We Didn't Start the Fire doesn't seem to go below E and 95% of Like prayer doesn't have bass in it (although what there is is simple and fun). Just listen carefully. Almost whole chorus is based on open E, low D and low C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Out of curiosity....why did you buy a 5 string? Si 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Surely the main point of a 5 is to change how you play, not what you play? But if you want songs that use notes below the bottom E then, from memory of doing them a long time ago, Frankies 'Two Tribes' and QOTSAs 'No One Knows' need a lower note. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted August 10, 2019 Share Posted August 10, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: ... Like prayer doesn't have bass in it (although what there is is simple and fun). Guy Pratt might disagree with you there as he wrote and recorded the original line using an octave pedal. Edited August 10, 2019 by lemmywinks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 11 hours ago, jb90 said: Just listen carefully. Almost whole chorus is based on open E, low D and low C. I'll take your word for it - I looked at six different tabs and they were all for a 4-string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 11 hours ago, Maude said: Surely the main point of a 5 is to change how you play, not what you play? I want to learn how people make use of the opportunities a 5-string offers. Seems they don't go much further than using a few extra low notes. My noodling turned up some possibilities in order of reducing practicality: Those low notes are great for creating a pulse or atmosphere, much as you might use an octaver for. Using the low B string for dropping down instead of going up. You can play a typical I IV V all at the same fret if it starts on the E string - problem is it doesn't generally sound as good so use with care... Two and a half octaves is a long way for riffs that use the whole of a position on the neck, hard to come up with something that sounds 'solid' but a call and response approach works. Lots more harmonics to play with - the low B gives some lovely strong ones right up to the second fret which have a sort of 'phased' character. One can (I won't put 'I can') use it as a sort of baby Chapman Stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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