So where did 5's and 6's get us?

[Al Krow]

6 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Are you sure. 

 

Now, you're just stirring! 😁

[dmccombe7]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

Now, you're just stirring! 😁

Just sugaring the subject

Dave

[Woodinblack]

26 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Like them. I now have spoon GAS

I would but I don't have use for 4 strings

 

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Nah completely disagree. A musical instrument is not a spoon.

Maybe the analogy has a few chinks in it, but I agree 100% with the thrust of what the guy is saying. . . . . until he starts rambling right after the soup analogy.

Just don't sound bad and your gear has done it's job. The remaining 90% of being a good bassist is how and what you play.

 

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, chris_b said:

Maybe the analogy has a few chinks in it, but I agree 100% with the thrust of what the guy is saying. . . . . until he starts rambling right after the soup analogy.

Just don't sound bad and your gear has done it's job. The remaining 90% of being a good bassist is how and what you play.

 

Agreed. 

1. fingers

2. venue acoustics & PA

3. your signal chain, from strings to your cab

4. spoons

[Newfoundfreedom]

There is no spoon. 

[grandad]

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

Well, 4 string basses actually cover a lot of ground.

That is not to say that there aren't any real use for basses with 5, 6 or even more strings.

5 string basses actually even seem to be pretty common in certain forms of what I would call mainstream music, whereas 6 or more strings probably will remain a niche thing.

And nothing wrong with that really, I for one mainly prefer non mainstream and music that would probably be considered pretty niche for most people.

True innovation rarely happens within the mainstream anyway, and while that can be considered a fairly sad fact it's not exactly anything new.

It's more or less always been that way really.

And even if I don't consider myself belonging to the mainstream movement I still prefer playing my 4 string bass.

Nothing wrong with that either really.

Instruments are just tools after all, it's what you create with them that matters, and while a 6 string bass definitely got more potential possible uses than a 4 string, it doesn't necessarily mean it is automatically always the the better choice or that it in any possible way is always the right tool for everything. 

If you expect truly new ground to be covered within the mainstream you have seriously lacked paying attention to the music scene for ages. 

Just not going to happen, and if it does, be sure that they weren't even the first to do it, or even the best, they just managed to degrade it into a pop form, that's all. 

And while there are plenty of truly and genuinely amazing 6 string players if you dig a little, there will still be people who do just as amazing stuff on an old fashioned 4 string. 

The instrument is just a tool, what matters is the player, and if he or she happens to be a genuinely and truly great one he would be able to do amazing absolutely mind boggling stuff stuff on whatever instrument he prefers playing, regardless of the number of strings and amount of fancy advanced features it might or might not have.

For instance I seriously doubt this would have been even greater if he had just used a 6 string bass:

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Baloney Balderdash