The sound of low B - advice

[BigRedX]

There's no right or wrong style of music for using a 5-string bass. I've played 5-string basses since the late 80s and although my current band is probably the most musically conventional I've been in, it's also the one that makes the most use of notes below E.

Having said that, I sure if I was a strictly 4-string player I'd have come up with perfectly acceptable bass lines for the songs that didn't need those lower notes.

[krispn]

Razze

I'm recently a 5er convert and have hardly touched the 4 string in months. I've not had to 're-learn my playing style' nor made any massive changes to how I play in general. Sure I have reworked original tunes to incorporate the low b but not in a way which over emphasises the low end - it's actually made some tunes easier as shifting the root notes to the B string 'opens up' the fretboard and going down to D on the B string is very rewarding!

If you fancy a go on it gimme a shout - but I'd say from experience (and I'm of the opinion that) you should play a 5er exclusively each day for a week or two (month or two) just to get your head fully into the zone. By incorporating the B or indeed shifting patterns down to the B string you'll find that patterns are the same just in a different position on the neck (if uisng the B string as your start point) which should make the transition more natural should you go back to trying it.

I've been playing over the festival and gigging with a singer/songwriter makeshift band thing and on the slower tunes the weight of those lower notes is simply a delight to play and a real nice contrast when I play a little higher up (not too high mind its still a bassline!). The bass is a 35" scale and I swear I can hear the open E string sounding 'deeper' or 'fuller' as a result but that could all be in my head I suppose.

It took me a cple of goes to feel right on a 5er but now I can really dig it and have gigged and rehearsed with it exclusively with my 4 string staying home and likely to be sold off in the very near future!

[stingrayPete1977]

I gigged my first 5 string the same day I bought it , I knew trying to play 5 at home until I felt ready would never work so I jumped in at the deep end! The footage of the night cropped up a couple of weeks ago so I put a thread on here, there were a few bum notes and plenty of 5ths below but I have not looked back since and sold both my lovely pre EB Stingrays as they were never going to be used again.

The only thing I do conciously is play any songs on electric bass only on the E-G strings that I will be playing on double bass at gigs so I dont get into the habit of playing across the board and using the B string, strangely I struggle with a four string bass now but my brain slips into gear with the upright straight off and I play a mixture of songs live on either but would struggle to play some songs on a four and some on a five string electric bass during a gig!

[JTUK]

I'd never contemplate a 4 and I turned down a 'gig' as the guy was so pre-desposed to wanting a 4 string bass.
Apart from the physical differences, I think there is something missing and since all my work involves a 5..and
you will get the same style from me on whatever gig, I see no point in chopping and changing.

Totally at home on a 5...and there is nothing that a 4 would give me, IMO.