Hobbayne Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I have always played a 4 string P Bass, but I saw a Sterling SUB 5 string in the window at Wunjos for a really good price, and er.. I am fiddling with it and am finding myself getting lost and hitting the low B string thinking its the E. Anyone got any tips for folks moving from 4 to 5?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Adams Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 My only tip would be; Stick with it. Wish I could BTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hitting the wrong string is par for the course. Don't worry, put your 4 string away and work on the 5er. Practice will convert your licks to 5 strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbobothy Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) ... try to take advantage of the extended range (2 octave run with no shift now possible) and keep on with it. I probably find 4 strings easier, but love the range of a 5 so am sticking with them. I also use a sort of floating thumb technique so the B string is a great resting point for my thumb when playing on the E string etc. This also helps me get a map of where the strings are in relation to my right hand helping to play the correct string. Edited May 17, 2015 by jimbobothy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Practice, practice,practice.. Eventually it will feel comfortable and natural. I'm not sure what style of music you play but you might find that playing your usual lines in a diifferent place on the fret board and making them more 'vertical' by using all 5 strings will help. I still find switching between Warwick (5) and the Jazz Bass (4) a little odd if i play them back-to-back although I suspect thats more to do with the string spacing rather than 4 vs 5. Maybe thats something to consider? Keep going with it, I'm sure you'll work it out in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I actually find the move back to 4 harder and end up playing a 4th higher. As others have said, it's just practice and getting comfy with it. The hardest thing I found when I first moved to a 5 was keeping that B string muted, but again practice was key. Enjoy it, those SUB 'Ray 5s are very nice basses for the money (I fancied a blue one with rosewood board, but I've only ever seen pictures of them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Don't know if it is technically the right thing to do, but I started by playing at the 5th fret, getting comfortable playing in e and working from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 see my sig... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I found the transition easy - I credit this to ditching my "thumb on the pickup" as an anchor point and adopting a "floating thumb" technique instead....if that makes sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegom Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1431859129' post='2775580'] Anyone got any tips for folks moving from 4 to 5?? [/quote] Yeah... Don't move. Sorry, had to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) People seem to various levels of success with this. What I did was essentially ignore the low B for the first few hours of playing it (in my case this was at a band rehearsal on the same day as I got the new bass) and then gradually started chucking in a few tasty low notes. If you have problems I guess you could even try removing the low B string from the bass to start with until your finger adjust to the new string positions. If youve got an android or Iphone then this app might help your brain adjust http://www.5diamondmusic.com/bass-apps/bass-note-workout-app/ Edited May 17, 2015 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 It'll only take a couple of hour's playing to get over the 'wrong string' syndrome. Concentrate on playing across the fretboard instead of up & down. I start at the 5th fret if I'm playing in E (for example) and that allows mo to go across without shifting up or down. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I've had three 5'ers over the years and each time I got rid because I just couldn't get on with it. A recent cull meant I was down to one bass and I decided to make that one a 5'er, reasoning that if that's my only bass, I'd have to learn to play it. A few months in and I think I've just about got the hang of it - I'm not a great bassist anyway, so I was starting from a pretty low point anyway (badum tish) but I've found if I don't think about it, it's easier than if I consciously think "right, now I'm going down to Eb". So, rambling aside, try locking your 4 string away for a month or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 A bit of practice and you will soon feel at home on it, the hardest thing for me is the switch back to 4 strings, if feels like you need to order a taxi to get from one string to the next....I have long since worried I could get far to used to a 5 string to the detriment of by beloved 4 strings...hence I rarely play the 5 string...shame really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1431859408' post='2775588'] Hitting the wrong string is par for the course. Don't worry, put your 4 string away and work on the 5er. Practice will convert your licks to 5 strings. [/quote] I found this when I first made the transition, eventually I started to get the hang of it once I started playing scales and arpeggios from all the low notes on the B string. The main thing to remember is that once you get the hang of playing those low D's, Eb's, etc, those notes need to be used sparingly. If you just "ride" those notes all the time whenever possible, it doesn't work for the listener (IMO). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1431859129' post='2775580'] Anyone got any tips for folks moving from 4 to 5?? [/quote] Buy a 5-string. Play it. It's a long time side I made the transition (back in 1989) but I can't remember ever having a problem dealing with the extra string. But at that time I had just come back to the bass after spending most of the 80s playing synths. Before that I also played guitar (6 and 12 string), mandolin and balalaika, so was used to dealing with instruments with different numbers of strings. Edited May 17, 2015 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 i always thought its best to concentrate on playing from the B string. don't treat it like a 4 string with an extra string. really get to know all those notes on the B string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 [quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1431899376' post='2776102'] i always thought its best to concentrate on playing from the B string. don't treat it like a 4 string with an extra string. really get to know all those notes on the B string. [/quote] This ^ +1.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 [quote name='jimbobothy' timestamp='1431859762' post='2775594'] I also use a sort of floating thumb technique so the B string is a great resting point for my thumb when playing on the E string etc. This also helps me get a map of where the strings are in relation to my right hand helping to play the correct string. [/quote] [quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1431867306' post='2775674'] I found the transition easy - I credit this to ditching my "thumb on the pickup" as an anchor point and adopting a "floating thumb" technique instead....if that makes sense? [/quote] Another bass player showed me 'floating thumb' and after I'd been doing it for a while I found this video: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Look at videos of any top bass player. You're not going to find many using floating thumb. IMO, you're getting to grips with more important changes to your technique without adding non essential stuff. If you think this is really something you need to explore, do it [i]after[/i] you've mastered the change to 5 stings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I tend to use the "moveable anchor" where you mute the strings above the string you're playing with the pad of the thumb, but "floating thumb" will work just as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Moveable anchor is what most players, even "pro" players, use. For a 5 string it's just an extension on what most people use on a 4 string and IMO it's much better to deal with one significant change at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) +1 to the [s]moveable anchor[/s] (I meant floating thumb), and to the giving the 5er some time. I'd avoid playing too much 4's while you're getting used to the 5 strings. Enjoy, and be patient! Edited May 18, 2015 by PlungerModerno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1431946665' post='2776393'] I took some advice from Mark at Bass Direct and went with a Lull. Love that bass and believe me, I never thought I would say that about 5 string. The "B" is devastating. [/quote] 100% thumbs up for Mark from me. And owning a 5 string Lull P bass really has been the high point in my playing career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samBolshy Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I've been playing a 6 for about 6 of my nearly 10 bassing years, and now struggle with 4s. It pretty much boils down to time spent with the instrument (whatever it is) to get comfortable and get the most/best out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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