Suggestions for Songs to learn for a 5-string

[Les]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Well I took the 5-string to last night's rehearsal, having gone through all the songs on our list looking for ways to use it.

I'm on the same journey as you. Had it a couple of weeks and I'm gelling with it, easier to play than I expected a five to be.

Got it for one particular band and running through the set before next weeks rehearsal I found the only one i needed a 5 for was Elton Johns I'm still standing if I wanted to play it correctly cos' of the Eb.

I quite like it and I'm going to give it a go with one of my bands but I couldn't honestly say I needed it if you know what I mean ?

Les

[Woodinblack]

4 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

The song that befitted most is Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting, with an assortment of riffs all of which can be played an octave down from time to time and this seemed to work well.

The irony here with me saying I wouldn't do our set without a 5, we do saturday night, and I don't use the B at all on it!

[SpondonBassed]

3 hours ago, Les said:

I quite like it and I'm going to give it a go with one of my bands but I couldn't honestly say I needed it if you know what I mean ?

Having stopped playing five string in practice for a few weeks recently I understand this better than I would have before.

Having swapped a couple of times between the two I feel comfortable about both four and five strings, I really only need it to save from drop tuning or from modifying a four to take a drop tuner.  I just like the extra string but I easily can do without.  There is something almost organic about an instrument with an odd number of strings.  I was the same with my 'bikes, favouring triples over twins or fours.

As a relatively unaccomplished player I'd say swapping back and forth has made me feel less compelled to stick with just one instrument.  I find I can swap basses with no inconvenience other than a short period of adjustment.  It's helping me to learn what works across instruments and I like that because I can weed out little bad habits that I sometimes develop.  Where one bass might forgive me that habit, the next one wont.  I think it means I carry less baggage as a player so I am more about the music.

One thing I would say is that a five isn't great for double thumbing because there is less space between strings generally.

[Les]

43 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

One thing I would say is that a five isn't great for double thumbing because there is less space between strings generally.

John I don't even know what that means so I doubt I'll miss it when I'm using the five

[jacko]

1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said:

One thing I would say is that a five isn't great for double thumbing because there is less space between strings generally.

That's quite some generalisation. The spacing on all my 5's is the same as my old precision and when I was initially looking at 5s around 1996, the majority available had wide spacing (apart from a rik 5 ).  

That said, I can't double thumb anyway (nor would I want to). 

[Stub Mandrel]

27 minutes ago, jacko said:

That said, I can't double thumb anyway (nor would I want to). 

I'm sure their are whole websites dedicated to the topic...

[SpondonBassed]

3 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

double thumbing

 

2 hours ago, Les said:

John I don't even know what that means so I doubt I'll miss it when I'm using the five

 

Well it's not this:

Edited August 22, 2019 by SpondonBassed