kwmlondon Posted September 6, 2022 Author Share Posted September 6, 2022 1 hour ago, EBS_freak said: You can play open strings as long as you dont need a drone from that open string going on. Yeah, there is a Larry Graham line that needs the open E to ring out while popping the E and D on the 10th and 8th frets of the first string... it's one of my favourites! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted September 6, 2022 Share Posted September 6, 2022 3 hours ago, kwmlondon said: Yeah, there is a Larry Graham line that needs the open E to ring out while popping the E and D on the 10th and 8th frets of the first string... it's one of my favourites! In which case, use a 4 string! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmlondon Posted September 6, 2022 Author Share Posted September 6, 2022 3 minutes ago, EBS_freak said: In which case, use a 4 string! Yep. Am doing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted September 6, 2022 Share Posted September 6, 2022 Right tool for the job and all that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmlondon Posted September 6, 2022 Author Share Posted September 6, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, EBS_freak said: Right tool for the job and all that! I know but I DO LOIKE A CHALLENGE!!! Edited September 6, 2022 by kwmlondon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDC484950 Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 14 hours ago, EBS_freak said: Right tool for the job and all that! …or just learn how to mute properly on a 5. It’s not rocket science, just muting. And you don’t need a fret wrap either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmlondon Posted September 7, 2022 Author Share Posted September 7, 2022 (edited) 14 minutes ago, FDC484950 said: …or just learn how to mute properly on a 5. It’s not rocket science, just muting. And you don’t need a fret wrap either. Well, playing a bass isn't exactly rocket science is it? It's just whacking a few strings on a bit of wood, any idiot can do it, if that's your way of thinking. Edited September 7, 2022 by kwmlondon 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 2 hours ago, FDC484950 said: …or just learn how to mute properly on a 5. It’s not rocket science, just muting. And you don’t need a fret wrap either. Go on then. Show us what you've got then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 2 hours ago, kwmlondon said: Well, playing a bass isn't exactly rocket science is it? It's just whacking a few strings on a bit of wood, any idiot can do it, if that's your way of thinking. That's the beauty of most musical instruments, you can be an idiot or have a PhD in Music and you can make an equally good sound. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 19 minutes ago, chris_b said: That's the beauty of most musical instruments, you can be an idiot or have a PhD in Music and you can make an equally good sound. You've not heard me playing, then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 7, 2022 Share Posted September 7, 2022 27 minutes ago, Dad3353 said: You've not heard me playing, then. . . . . or equally bad. I'm not judging. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmlondon Posted September 7, 2022 Author Share Posted September 7, 2022 1 hour ago, Dad3353 said: You've not heard me playing, then. Pfft. I can sound EXACTLY like Victor Wooten. For one note. It all falls apart after that but that one note, man .... it's amazing! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 On 01/09/2022 at 17:02, kwmlondon said: You've got to be a frigging octopus!!! Honestly... Gaaaaaahhhhhh! Absolutely no problem with fingers - floating thumb. Pick, bit more difficult but I've got it down but I'm in my early days of slap and I think I'm gonna have to put down the Dingwall and get back on the 4-string for a while. Anyone else get frustrated with ringing strings when slapping? And I can't really resort to one of those wrap things as some stuff needs open strings to ring out... It takes practice to get used to muting an additional string, that's all. It is frustrating because it feels like a step back, but you'll soon figure it out. I don't know how long it took me to be 'ok', but it was not as long as I feared. At the same time I'm not as good as I'd like, but part of the reason is these days I barely slap. However, what I noticed since I started playing primarily 5 strings: While slapping, my right hand moves a lot less. When I first started slapping I'd swing my forearm wildly. As I got better, the movements become more economical. With the 5 string I tend to mute the B string a bit with my palm, and in that position there is not a lot of movement, just the wrist. The other thing is that if I'm hitting the E string, I've started to wrap my left thumb over the edge of the fingerboard, and gently touching the B string, muting it. That way if I touch the B string while hitting the E, I still just get the E string ringing. These things just sort of... happened. Just like I never really set out with a plan to mute unused stings on a 4-string bass... I just played the thing and subconsciously found ways to play more cleanly. This is the same. It doesn't take very long! Just stick with it. In my case, after having owned 5-string basses on and off but never bonding with any, last year I found one that felt right. It sounded good, felt good... and I started using it regularly. Then I decided to use the 5-string exclusively at home. When practicing songs that we play live and live I still used a 4-string, I'd play them as if the B didn't exist. Eventually, after not that long, it all started to feel comfortable, and now I prefer 5 strings, but I swap around and I play 4/5 string basses with equal comfort. I think I just had to push myself a bit at first, but once you reach a certain level of confidence you're well on your way and number of strings is not an issue (well, until I try a 6er ) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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