once you've played a 5 string what's the point of 4?

[Elfrasho]

I've played 4s probably 80% of the time, 10% 6s and 10% 5s. There's a time and a place for all but in all honesty I think 4s are just more fun to play! And I rarely if ever feel I'm missing out on not having the extra strings. 

 

[SumOne]

1 hour ago, OliverBlackman said:

Apart from Joe Dart most of those came to the fore 20-30 years ago. Unfortunately bass is often played on Moogs these days, so any strings are old hat.

 

 

Well, I did say 'relatively recent', the aim was listening some famous and accomplished players that play a 4 in a time since 5 have been widely available. (I said 'generally', before anyone said 'here's a picture of Flea with a 5, or so and so hasn't played for 2 years).

 

So, granted, for people to say 'this Bass player from the 70s only needed 4' is a bit unfair as 5 wasn't readily available (and all the stuff like recording and home listening didn't need anything below a low E). But artists from the 80s onwards have had access to 5 strings, the ones I listed are professional Bass players playing today that generally use 4 strings. The point being that they must see advantages to it, it's not that they don't have the skills to play 5, it's that they (often) choose not to.

 

And yeah, Bass playing is definitely old hat! 

[SumOne]

1 hour ago, Elfrasho said:

 I think 4s are just more fun to play!

 

 

This is the biggest thing for me.

 

5 (and I assume even more so for 6) just feel a bit more, I dunno - serious, technical. More of an instrument to play sat down!

[Woodinblack]

14 minutes ago, SumOne said:

5 (and I assume even more so for 6) just feel a bit more, I dunno - serious, technical. More of an instrument to play sat down!

 

Obviously just a feeling you get - I find it exactly the opposite, i find a 5 more fun, the 4 more work and I am lazy! 

[SteveXFR]

My 5 string was multi scale with an extra long neck. Amazing sound on the low B and similar tone across all 5 but not as easy to play as a standard 4 string. It was a bit of a modern metal weapon but sometimes it was just nice to play a normal P bass

[Richard R]

I play 5 because it's easier and church bands are forever chamging keys, but if I ever have the spare money for a 73 Rick 4001s or an Ovation Magnum 1 then I won't complain there's a string missing.

 

Surely you play what you like and what suits the music?

 

[obi 2 kenobi]

Switched to 5 after 20 years on 4s. 
Would never go back. The range, low notes and ease of changing key is a no-brainer. 
Have one 4 string left, a late 80s stingray where sadly the controls have become stiff through non-use. 

[Norris]

I like 5 and that's all that matters

 

I'm happy for you to like as many strings as you do

 

I won't sell or stop playing my 4-stringers occasionally though

 

Edit: Actually, to answer the original question...

 

I played 4 string basses for over 30 years because that was what was commonly available. I made the move to 5 strings a couple of years ago and played them exclusively to really become second nature. Now I can switch between 4s and 5s without too much effort. I still play a 5er most of the time though.

 

I wouldn't get rid of my 4s because they have sentimental value and/or a lot of them are not available/affordable in 5-string versions. I still like to own them even if they don't come out to play often.

Edited 5 hours ago by Norris

[neepheid]

I just use a pitch shifter if the singist says "can we do this song x semitones up/down?"

 

I'm not re-learning the positions!  We have the technology!  I don't care if anyone thinks it's "cheating".

[Woodinblack]

21 minutes ago, Norris said:

I played 4 string basses for over 30 years because that was what was commonly available. I made the move to 5 strings a couple of years ago and played them exclusively to really become second nature. Now I can switch between 4s and 5s without too much effort. I still play a 5er most of the time though.

 

Maybe that is why. I started playing a bass in the late 70s, it was a 4 string ibanez rickenbacker copy, which I loved, but it got stolen. I had guitars so I carried on just playing guitars until I just sort of stopped playing anything at all in the late 80s. Bought a bass at a local music shop which was a 5string, and it was all the bass I had until the mid 2000s

I loved the bass I got but frankly there was always something missing.

Maybe it is because I am coming from the point of view that a 5 string is a normal bass, and a 4 string is a bass with something removed, whereas a lot of people are coming from the point of a 4 string being normal and a 5 string having something added.

 

But there aer a lot of very lovely 4 string basses around, I wish I got on with them better. I guess if I was with the right group, I could.

 

 

13 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I just use a pitch shifter if the singist says "can we do this song x semitones up/down?"

 

I probably would go with that if I found a pitch shifter that didn't sound like a pitch shifter.

[Ed_S]

46 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I just use a pitch shifter if the singist says "can we do this song x semitones up/down?"

 

I'm not re-learning the positions!  We have the technology!  I don't care if anyone thinks it's "cheating".

 

Wouldn't say it's cheating at all - I thought the Digi Drop was great for up to 3 semitones down when I was gigging 4s. Admittedly anything lower and it started to sound just a bit chorussy, but in a live mix it was close enough for many genres and, indeed, good for metal.

[chris_b]

10 hours ago, Belka said:

I suppose you have a point here, but I would guess a lot of these players came up when 5s and 6s weren't really around. Also, there is a big difference between famous and successful players and talented players. While the likes of Jeff Berlin, Marcus Miller, and Pino have stuck to the 4 string, a lot of the more talented players around today play 5s and 6s; Thundercat, Felix Pastorius, Hadrien Feraud (in terms of raw talent and ability he's almost certainly the best player out there today - doesn't mean you have to like him of course), Matt Garrison, Janek, etc.

Pino and Marcus Miller both play 5 string basses.

 

Top players are always going to be flexible enough play what's required, as the recently posted Sean Hurley video shows, when he got out his 55-94 Lakland. Only the silly billy's are going to push one side or the other.

[neepheid]

17 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Pino and Marcus Miller both play 5 string basses.

 

Top players are always going to be flexible enough play what's required, as the recently posted Sean Hurley video shows, when he got out his 55-94 Lakland. Only the silly billy's are going to push one side or the other.

 

Are you calling me a silly billy?