Mark_Bass Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I’ve joined an established 80s metal band and the original bassist played a 4-string. I play a 5-string and I was wondering what the general consensus is about the using of the lower register on tracks that weren’t originally written with that in mind. At the mo I tend to just drop some the bridges and endings down an octave to fatten things up. I’ve not had any complaints from the band member’s but I thought I’d ask the collective hive mind if I’m committing blasphemy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 If your bandmates haven't complained/noticed then I don't see what the problem is. We replaced our sax player a few years ago and he plays the older songs his way. I wouldn't expect him to be a carbon copy of the previous sax player. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 (edited) No such thing as blasphemy. If you're happy and band is happy, that's it. If punters are happy, even better. Edited October 9, 2022 by EssentialTension 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I'm in a somewhat similar place, but it's my band and bass parts. We're only just about to get back together after an extended break due to the pandemic and our lead singer having to move away for work, and during the hiatus I've switched back to playing 5s. I've spent the last 10 years with that band playing 4s. I've arrived at the conclusion that I'll give a better performance if I just play the old songs how I want to hear them now, and if that's using the additional low notes then so be it. If I try it and those notes don't work, then I'll hear that and I won't be tempted to play them again, but if they do work and I'm just forbidding myself to play them then that won't last very long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 Go for it. I used to play in a band tuned to D standard, moving to a 5 string in standard tuning opened up a bunch of possibilities vs a down tuned 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I drop octaves like that sometimes. Often I’ll decide during the gig depending on whether the room has a woolly low end response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I do this in a couple of songs in the classic rock band, only to a drop D but it makes a nice difference, really brings out the guitar & keys on those bits - and sounds much more powerful on the low end of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleat Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 The lower the better, and play louder also. If you don't leave the practice room feeling sick with a headache from all the life threatening low end frequencies and half deaf with it.... you've not really played bass. 😐 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 There are no downsides or limitations going from 4 to 5. Not so the other way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franticsmurf Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 It's about what the band (including you) want. If it works, the rest of the band aren't complaining and you're happy then it's good. Imagine how things would be if we all had to play what the last guy played. In one of the bands I was in, it would have been all root notes and I'd only need a 2 string bass. 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I wonder if anyone either in the band or audience has even noticed you’re playing a 5? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 21 minutes ago, Grahambythesea said: I wonder if anyone either in the band or audience has even noticed you’re playing a 5? Over the years I've had a lot of interest in my 5 string basses, and compliments on the sound. It might have been a small overall percentage, but I'll chat about gear, after the gig, until they chuck us out. I guess less than half the bands have noticed what I'm playing. Most of the guys I'm playing with at the moment haven't mentioned gear, mine or theirs, at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark_Bass Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 Thanks everyone, there’s some tracks that I’ve had to learn all the fills and play everything as close as i can to the albums but then some of the newer stuff they’re not so precious about and that’s when I’ll be a little bit more carefree. it’s not a bad situ for someone who’s used to playing in covers bands. No one has commented either way tbh so I guess going unnoticed either means I’m not worth talking to or I’ve done a competent job lol 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbloke Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 Just be sparing. I've used a 5 string for 99% of recordings, rehearsals and gigs since 1993. I used to constantly drop below the low E. My first band reformed a few years ago and going back over my early parts I've come to the conclusion they sounded heavier playing 1 octave below rather than 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 Which band? 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 22 hours ago, chris_b said: There are no downsides or limitations going from 4 to 5. Not so the other way. Muting, especially if you're only using the string a few times a show, and especially if you like thumb stuff. Getting the right string spacing, I've owned three Stingray5's, one bought in '87 a year after they came out, they are all gone due to the narrow spacing. The main problem I see mentioned, is muting that extra string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 If your lowest note is D in the track, some things are easier and smoother to play with a detuned E on a 4 string. Without the extra string crossing, without the extra muting. This for instance, crossing three strings on a five to play it, crossing two on a detuned 4. Smoother, easier and less muting to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 3 hours ago, bassbloke said: Just be sparing. I've used a 5 string for 99% of recordings, rehearsals and gigs since 1993. I used to constantly drop below the low E. My first band reformed a few years ago and going back over my early parts I've come to the conclusion they sounded heavier playing 1 octave below rather than 2 I play at least one note on my B string in every song. Sometimes I play the low notes, but many times I just play notes above E on the B string for convenience and economy of hand movement. I prefer to use the same bass on everything because it's the best sounding bass I've owned so far, but mostly because I prefer to keep the same geography under my finger tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 31 minutes ago, Grimalkin said: Muting, especially if you're only using the string a few times a show, and especially if you like thumb stuff. Getting the right string spacing, I've owned three Stingray5's, one bought in '87 a year after they came out, they are all gone due to the narrow spacing. The main problem I see mentioned, is muting that extra string. Muting problems can affect any number of strings. It's not the fault of the bass or the string layout if someone is not muting correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 1 minute ago, chris_b said: Muting problems can affect any number of strings. It's not the fault of the bass or the string layout if someone is not muting correctly. The more strings the harder it is to mute them all. Jaco spent 9 years learning and playing Donna Lee, about half of that was spent on muting alone, on a four string. If you play any Parker lines, you'll see why. wide intervals, lots of string crossing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 I learned the head for Donna Lee back in the 90's and to this day, it is still a challenge to mute it and keep it all quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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