Starting out with a five string...

[Chaos Daveo]

Probably belongs elsewhere, so sorry if I posted in the wrong area. I'm about to start playing a five string to see what all the fuss is about. The main band I'm in.. involves me mainly being in eb tuning with the occasional dropc eb, so my question to you experienced lovely lot. Would you tune the b string up to to a c. Play the lines in the same way not utilising the b as much, or change the bass lines you have to play the same tunes in a different way with everything half a step down and rework stuff out...

 

I'm sure it's going to take a fair bit of effort in my part but keen to know how others have got on and how they've found it...

 

 

Thanks in advance...

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Chaos Daveo

[Mudpup]

You've lost me already 😂

(I'm also a new 'What's this 5 string malarkey all about then?' trainee)

 

[Chaos Daveo]

1 minute ago, Mudpup said:

You've lost me already 😂

(I'm also a new 'What's this 5 string malarkey all about then?' trainee)

 

😃 I'm an old man learning new things... Its almost as exciting as stopping the microwave with one second to go.

[Mudpup]

27 minutes ago, Chaos Daveo said:

😃 I'm an old man learning new things... Its almost as exciting as stopping the microwave with one second to go.

Same here - living on the edge!

[miles'tone]

You mean drop the B down to A# so you're still playing all the strings dropped down a half-step?

Yes, if that's what you're used to I reckon!

 

[Ed_S]

Anything other than 'normal' intervals between all the strings is just an out of tune bass to me, so I'd have no option but to drop the lot half a step and re-work the lines. Well, I guess technically I wouldn't have been able to play the out of tune 4 string to learn the existing lines in the first place, but you get what I mean. 🙂 I've had 5ers in nonstandard-standard tuning half and full steps both down and up over the years to suit different singers, so yeah, I'd do that.

[tauzero]

I'd just leave it in BEADG and play the notes as written. Thus you have consistent patterns up, down, and across.

[chris_b]

My 5 string basses are all standard BEADG. I don't see any advantage in changing the tuning around.

 

As a 5 string player of 29 years, welcome to the fun zone. Be careful not to overthink things, you're starting with the same 4 strings you're familiar with. Just incorporate notes on the B string when you're ready.

 

Always ask. We're happy to answer.

[chriswareham]

I played drop C on a 4 string for a number of years, so C-G-C-F. Heaviest four strings from an Ernie Ball Power Slinky set. For stuff I'd normally play in standard tuning I just adapted my playing to suit the drop tuning. Wouldn't work if you need open strings from the Eb tuning for double stops or drones though.

Edited Wednesday at 00:33 by chriswareham

[Norris]

4 hours ago, miles'tone said:

You mean drop the B down to A# so you're still playing all the strings dropped down a half-step?

Yes, if that's what you're used to I reckon!

 

This. Keep the relative tuning consistent

 

If you're new to 5-string give yourself a chance and immerse yourself in the experience. Don't touch your old 4-string basses for now. Keep to the E-G strings at first and just get used to having the B string there, until you can confidently hit the correct string. It will take a while. You will hit the wrong string a lot. You may well end up changing your plucking technique, especially if you tend to anchor your thumb.

 

Eventually it will come and you will feel comfortable playing it. It will probably take months. But hey, bass playing is a journey not a destination 😃

[Mudpup]

7 hours ago, Norris said:

This. Keep the relative tuning consistent

 

If you're new to 5-string give yourself a chance and immerse yourself in the experience. Don't touch your old 4-string basses for now. Keep to the E-G strings at first and just get used to having the B string there, until you can confidently hit the correct string. It will take a while. You will hit the wrong string a lot. You may well end up changing your plucking technique, especially if you tend to anchor your thumb.

 

Eventually it will come and you will feel comfortable playing it. It will probably take months. But hey, bass playing is a journey not a destination 😃

I'm a week or so in to it and havent touched my 4 string at all. On the 5er if I sit and play finger style I seem to be adapting fairly quickly. Standing up seems to generate more mistakes so I've shortened the strap a little and that seems to help a bit - don't know why though. But if I play with a pick everything seems much harder/less accurate even if I totally lay off the B string and just play the usual stuff on the usual strings. I've been a pick player all my life! Any suggestions? 

[Norris]

1 hour ago, Mudpup said:

I've been a pick player all my life! Any suggestions? 

I can't help there as I'm all fingers 😂

[BillyBass]

I don't like detuning the E string on a 4 string bass, it just confuses me.  I like to know where the 3rd, 5th , 7th, and octave are without having to think.  Consequently, I feel more comfortable with a five string if I'm playing anything below E.

 

I have also never detuned any of my 4 string basses to Eb standard, or D standard as I think the shifting of the notes on the fretboard would possibly confuse me, though I might try that one day.

 

I play covers and the key of a song is dependant on the singer so I am, quite often, playing songs that were originally written/recorded in E, but we transpose to Eb or D.  If the original bass line makes good use of the open E, for instance, the fingering becomes more difficult on a fiver as I will then have to fret the Eb on the B string.  This may or may not be problematic, depending on the BPM of the song.  

 

You pays your money you takes your choice.  I prefer to use the fiver, if I have to, warts and all, rather than de tune.  

[miles'tone]

2 hours ago, Mudpup said:

I'm a week or so in to it and havent touched my 4 string at all. On the 5er if I sit and play finger style I seem to be adapting fairly quickly. Standing up seems to generate more mistakes so I've shortened the strap a little and that seems to help a bit - don't know why though. But if I play with a pick everything seems much harder/less accurate even if I totally lay off the B string and just play the usual stuff on the usual strings. I've been a pick player all my life! Any suggestions? 

Yes, mute the strings with your fingerboard hand and spend some time focusing on just your picking hand, eyeballing it as you do. Alternate picking on each string, then when you can do that accurately, try going between B&A, E&D, A&G (like you would play octaves), again alternate picking as you go (1+2+3+4+ on each string at first). When you can do that accurately and consistently with minimum hand movement, mix it up how you feel like.

This will help internalise the new string spacing which is what we all trip up on at first, picking especially. 

Won't take too long. Have fun, it's a good game!

Edited Wednesday at 13:12 by miles'tone

[SteveXFR]

Depends very much what you're playing really. Some metal and rock songs will use that lowest note a lot, almost like a drone and for that, it's much easier to have that lowest note an open string. 

When playing a 5 string, muting is really important, that low B string just wants to ring out all the time.

If you're going to tune up to C then make sure you fit lighter strings otherwise you'll be putting a lot of load on the neck.

I used to play a 5 string in my band because I played most riffs off the open B string but for most stuff, I preferred a low tuned 4 string.

[tauzero]

5 hours ago, BillyBass said:

I play covers and the key of a song is dependant on the singer so I am, quite often, playing songs that were originally written/recorded in E, but we transpose to Eb or D.  If the original bass line makes good use of the open E, for instance, the fingering becomes more difficult on a fiver as I will then have to fret the Eb on the B string.  This may or may not be problematic, depending on the BPM of the song.  

 

We recently gave "Whole lotta Rosie" a shot, a semitone down. It was an absolute pig to finger so I put a capo on the 4th fret and played it one string down.

[okusman]

Adding the 5th string gives you 5 lower semi-tones, but that shouldn’t be your only thought when you play a 5 string.

You then end up playing like you’ve a 4 string with a rather bulky and often underused B string.

I suggest you look at your technique and how and where you construct your lines.

its a chance to be far more economical with your left hand movement, a chance to be 20% slicker and working ‘across’ the board and less up and down the board. I think it a good opportunity improve your fretboard knowledge.

The B string can be the most tricky to manage/mute, but equally it can bring real benefits to your playing.

As suggested, it’s not always helpful to jump between 4 and 5 string basses; worth concentrating on the 5 and seeing it as a different tool not necessarily a better tool.

Oh, and in the alternative tuning debate, I wouldn’t even consider it, especially if this is all new. Master the new normal first. Enjoy.

 

[moley6knipe]

Some good advice here so far. You likely need to mute a lot more on 4+ strings. I use floating thumb. That said, if I’m playing something that doesn’t need anything fretting or open on the B I anchor my thumb on it.

 

As others have said the extra low notes are nice, but the real benefit is e.g. being able to start stuff in E on fret 5 B string.

 

I’ve got two main fivers… one is dropped half a tone because the geetard in the band I was joining didn’t tell me they dropped until the day before first rehearsal. By that point it was too late to relearn fingering. If I’d have known I’d have just shifted down a fret on a regular tuned bass! Hey ho 

[chris_b]

I never liked playing open strings, so for me switching to a 5 string bass made playing easier. Later I worked out that the B string meant I could move my hand less. I prefer to have the same geography under my fingers so I don't switch basses. I haven't played 4 string since the 90's.

 

Several myths that are just silly: 5 string basses weigh more (my lightest 5 weighs 3kg/6lbs 6oz), there are 4 and 5 string songs (of course there aren't), muting the 5th string is an issue (we all learnt how to mute 4 strings when we started, how is 1 more a problem?), a 5 string is only about 5 lower notes (not true) and Jaco only needed 4 (there are photos of him playing a 5 string bass).

 

It's all about choice. A 5er is about added flexibility, playing in different positions and increasing your note choices.

Edited Wednesday at 23:42 by chris_b

[cetera]

I'd just tune one of my 4 string basses down to Eb and play as normal.

 

I'd then use the Polycapo on my HX Stomp or a Digitech Drop to drop me an extra semitone for any occasional tracks in D.