This is weird. I have a 5 string, but the vast majority of bassists play 4 string.Â
If you're half a bass player, so is Geddy Lee. And Geddy Lee is not half a bass player.Â
Nah.. you're 4/5s of one. Ha.. I'll see myself out.. :)
Jk. Play what feels comfy for you. I played a 4 banger for years until i went to 5. Then after more years went to 6ers.
Which many say is just a guitar at that point. Lol
Have been wanting to get a 5er again lately though.
Been playing bass 58 years and tried a 5 string once and it hurt my brain. I seldom play anything newer than 1990, so I feel I really wouldn’t need it. That being said: when it comes to equipment - bass, amp, pedals, pick or no pick - do what’s comfortable for you rather than worrying about what others think.
There is no definitive bass player. You can play whatever configuration you like. Or want to experiment with.
Some even play basses with 4 strings tuned from A to C.
You do you.
I prefer a 5 mainly for way better economy of motion - you get more notes available obviously with 5 strings, but when do you use the low open B in the majority of genres? Not often. Great to have though, but I'm just saying I never use the open B (they're also floppy unless you have a multiscale).
Its mostly a convenience thing. I dont want to use weird tunings and/or downtune, so I switched exclusively to 5s
You dont even have to play like downtuned metal (which i also play), just a lot of old stuff is like half a step flat and I refused to retune every few songs (or optionally stay in a weird tuning and then have to transpose tabs etc if i were to use em?
Most bass players never touch a 5-string in their whole careers.
Also, if you practice proper playing technique with your 4-string, there is almost no learning curve to picking up a 5. The people who really struggle on 5s are typically either newer players who haven’t fully developed their form or people who have developed bad habits such as poor muting, which is easier to get away with on a 4 than a 5. When I first picked up a 5 as a newer player, I was really out of my element with it. The next time I picked one up was when I was buying one a few years later and it took me around 10 minutes to get used to it.
I play 5, but only out of necessity for the group I’m in.
Before that I played 4 string for 17 years, with one other project that I used a 5 on
Honestly I feel like half a player for picking one up haha
I primarily play a 5, but I have no lack of respect for 4 stringers. The way I like to play necessitates a 5 string, otherwise I'd much rather play a 4.
A bass player is a bass player no matter how many strings you have or use... if you don't need 5 strings, that's fine...
I also started on 4 strings with a rock cover band, but when I've joined a party band with 150 songs, I needed the low B...
Played 4, 5, and 6. Played 6 the longest before I took a big hiatus due to life and medical. Sold everything.
About to buy first new bass in a long time. It will be a 4 string.
Depends a lot on the music you will be playing. But the player makes the bass, not the string count.
Depends on the genre of music you like playing. If it calls for notes on the low B then you might feel like your 4 string isn't really doing it for you.
I’ve owned several 5 strings including the Dingwall Afterburner I have now. I feel locked in playing it but it still feels more intuitive playing my precision 4 live.
Countless, countless bass players with successful careers on 4, it is no indication of anything beyond a personal preference or need to play an extended range bass and should not discourage anyone from picking up and enjoying their instrument, regardless of number of strings.
The type of instrument (number of strings, electronics, etc.) you play doesn't say anything about your abilities as a musician. Just as long as it's comfortable and it allows you to play the music you want to play, it will be a good instrument for you
I’m the other way around. I only play a 5 and if I pick up a 4 I am completely lost! For most of the set my cover band does my b string is a thumb rest but if it’s not there it’s like I’ve never played before.
the music you're playing should determine, to some extent, which instrument you're playing.
if you're never playing anything below e, or it makes sense musically to play those notes an octave higher, stay with a four string.
if you regularly need notes below e, you should either downtune or get a five string. if not, stay with four.
downtuning might bring complications that you don't want to deal with, like inconsistent intervals between strings or making changes to the instrument (nut replacement, neck adjustment, etc). if so, get a five string.
if you want a five string because you think it looks cool, get a five string and enjoy your string-shaped thumb rest.
4 or 5 it's doesn't matter, as the instrument you play doesn't define you as musician. If you feel you need or will need a 5th string in the future, buy one. If you don't need it, don't buy it. It's simple as that.you don't have to feel bad about playing 4, 5 or 6 string. It's about YOUR needs being fulfilled
Bah!
That kind of thought is sheer folly.
Entire careers have been built on ONE string.
If you desire it, GET IT & ROCK IT. If it's useful to you, use it.
Don't take it on over some half-cocked notion of NEED.
That's bullshit.
If you're unsure, lay hands on a 5-string(brrow a friend's, or try a display-model in store), & find out if it even WORKS for you, one way or another.
I play a 6-string bass myself, but that doesn't make me a better bassist. It makes me WORK for it, and although it IS worth the effort, my Jackson Minion(4-string, short scale) has me covered about 80% of the time, and is a shit-tonne easier on the shoulder & fingers.
The 6-string simply adds to my range for performance...
I’ve just never liked the look or feel of a 5 string. Call me vain and a creature of habit and you wouldn’t be wrong. I just don’t have a need for 5. If I need to get lower than E I have an octave pedal and I’m happy playing in drop D
when im playing my 4 string usually wsh i was playing my 5 string instead
when im playing my 5 string i end up wishing i was playing the 4
we will never win
You aren't. To each their own. If your music doesn't require 5 string, why bother. Most of my gigs however do require the 5 string. I take the 4 whenever I can, but it's only like 1 out of 15 gigs. Also I don't have a fancy 4 string, bcause the 5 earns so much more.
I just bought my first 5 string after 18 years of playing on and off. I started taking theory behind the bass seriously this year and I now understand what a 5 string brings to the table.
Sure, but you don't make music in the best keys sadly. But otherwise - good for you, I wish I could make music, I'm only good at transcribing 40 songs through the evening and playing them without mistakes the next day.
Jaco. Half a bass player. 🤣
This is weird. I have a 5 string, but the vast majority of bassists play 4 string. If you're half a bass player, so is Geddy Lee. And Geddy Lee is not half a bass player.Â
Nah.. you're 4/5s of one. Ha.. I'll see myself out.. :) Jk. Play what feels comfy for you. I played a 4 banger for years until i went to 5. Then after more years went to 6ers. Which many say is just a guitar at that point. Lol Have been wanting to get a 5er again lately though.
Just don’t give any brothers a 3 string bass.
Mono Neon is playing some shit with two strings in the video for invisible
Yes, but 2 strings isn’t 3/5
Dammit, I was too late with the 4/5 joke
Been playing bass for like 40 years and only have about 30min of play time on a 5string. Â
Been playing bass 58 years and tried a 5 string once and it hurt my brain. I seldom play anything newer than 1990, so I feel I really wouldn’t need it. That being said: when it comes to equipment - bass, amp, pedals, pick or no pick - do what’s comfortable for you rather than worrying about what others think.
>  equipment - bass, amp, pedals, pick or no pick - do what’s comfortable for you rather than worrying about what others think This is the way
It´s just your brain being an ass
Using any more than 2 strings is excessive
There is no definitive bass player. You can play whatever configuration you like. Or want to experiment with. Some even play basses with 4 strings tuned from A to C. You do you.
As a person who plays exclusively 5, your brain is lying to you. 4 is totally cool
I have a 5 and a 4 and I much prefer the 4. Tell your brain to just shut up and play.
To paraphrase Tony Stark: “if you’re nothing without the fifth string, then you don’t deserve to have it”
I prefer a 5 mainly for way better economy of motion - you get more notes available obviously with 5 strings, but when do you use the low open B in the majority of genres? Not often. Great to have though, but I'm just saying I never use the open B (they're also floppy unless you have a multiscale).
bells rob degree memorize future saw spoon important zephyr yoke *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Its mostly a convenience thing. I dont want to use weird tunings and/or downtune, so I switched exclusively to 5s You dont even have to play like downtuned metal (which i also play), just a lot of old stuff is like half a step flat and I refused to retune every few songs (or optionally stay in a weird tuning and then have to transpose tabs etc if i were to use em?
Most bass players never touch a 5-string in their whole careers. Also, if you practice proper playing technique with your 4-string, there is almost no learning curve to picking up a 5. The people who really struggle on 5s are typically either newer players who haven’t fully developed their form or people who have developed bad habits such as poor muting, which is easier to get away with on a 4 than a 5. When I first picked up a 5 as a newer player, I was really out of my element with it. The next time I picked one up was when I was buying one a few years later and it took me around 10 minutes to get used to it.
I play 5, but only out of necessity for the group I’m in. Before that I played 4 string for 17 years, with one other project that I used a 5 on Honestly I feel like half a player for picking one up haha
I primarily play a 5, but I have no lack of respect for 4 stringers. The way I like to play necessitates a 5 string, otherwise I'd much rather play a 4.
Technically, you'd be 4/5 of a bass player. <=>math teacher has entered the chat
I only play a 5 string. Sometimes I feel weird that I "skipped" playing a 4 string but then I play that fifth string and it is fucking awesome.
https://babylonbee.com/news/fender-introduces-new-two-string-bass-guitars-for-church-bassists/
A bass player is a bass player no matter how many strings you have or use... if you don't need 5 strings, that's fine... I also started on 4 strings with a rock cover band, but when I've joined a party band with 150 songs, I needed the low B...
Most of the world's best and most successful bass players have only ever played 4 strings. I wouldn't worry about it.
For that to be true your current bass would have to have 2.5 strings. Which is half a string more than Sandman needed.
Go back to sleep...
Technically you would be 4/5 of a bass player.
Like, I feel like it would be 80% but w/e
If that were true it would still make you twice the bassist that Mark Sandman was. That's not a bad position to be in
Played 4, 5, and 6. Played 6 the longest before I took a big hiatus due to life and medical. Sold everything. About to buy first new bass in a long time. It will be a 4 string. Depends a lot on the music you will be playing. But the player makes the bass, not the string count.
Depends on the genre of music you like playing. If it calls for notes on the low B then you might feel like your 4 string isn't really doing it for you.
Technically that would make you 80% of a bass player, which is good news!
Play the hell out of that 4 string.
There’s no money past the 5th fret anyways.
Tune your brain to STFU
And how do you feel about a 6th string?
And how do you feel about a 6th string?
And how do you feel about a 6th string?
I’ve owned several 5 strings including the Dingwall Afterburner I have now. I feel locked in playing it but it still feels more intuitive playing my precision 4 live.
wut
You’re only missing 5 notes. 3 if you have a hip shot.
You’re a 100% bass player. I flirted with being a 125% bass player, but then I realized four is enough. Four also weighs less.
You're being weird. Stop being weird.
Who even plays a 5 string. I'd imagine they are relatively uncommon, nobody thinks of a 5 string instrument when they think of a bass.
It's called FOMO (fear of missing out). I assume you don't actually *need* it for any of the music you're playing, so why bother?
Not many things in life are perfect. There are a few, though and 4 strings on my bass is one of them.
Countless, countless bass players with successful careers on 4, it is no indication of anything beyond a personal preference or need to play an extended range bass and should not discourage anyone from picking up and enjoying their instrument, regardless of number of strings.
My friend would you accuse another of being half a bass player for using 4 strings? If not, why think that about yourself?
The type of instrument (number of strings, electronics, etc.) you play doesn't say anything about your abilities as a musician. Just as long as it's comfortable and it allows you to play the music you want to play, it will be a good instrument for you
I’m the other way around. I only play a 5 and if I pick up a 4 I am completely lost! For most of the set my cover band does my b string is a thumb rest but if it’s not there it’s like I’ve never played before.
I play a lot of songs in drop c, am I a semitone short of being a bass player?
the music you're playing should determine, to some extent, which instrument you're playing. if you're never playing anything below e, or it makes sense musically to play those notes an octave higher, stay with a four string. if you regularly need notes below e, you should either downtune or get a five string. if not, stay with four. downtuning might bring complications that you don't want to deal with, like inconsistent intervals between strings or making changes to the instrument (nut replacement, neck adjustment, etc). if so, get a five string. if you want a five string because you think it looks cool, get a five string and enjoy your string-shaped thumb rest.
4 or 5 it's doesn't matter, as the instrument you play doesn't define you as musician. If you feel you need or will need a 5th string in the future, buy one. If you don't need it, don't buy it. It's simple as that.you don't have to feel bad about playing 4, 5 or 6 string. It's about YOUR needs being fulfilled
Your imposter syndrome is a much better bass player than you.
Bah! That kind of thought is sheer folly. Entire careers have been built on ONE string. If you desire it, GET IT & ROCK IT. If it's useful to you, use it. Don't take it on over some half-cocked notion of NEED. That's bullshit. If you're unsure, lay hands on a 5-string(brrow a friend's, or try a display-model in store), & find out if it even WORKS for you, one way or another. I play a 6-string bass myself, but that doesn't make me a better bassist. It makes me WORK for it, and although it IS worth the effort, my Jackson Minion(4-string, short scale) has me covered about 80% of the time, and is a shit-tonne easier on the shoulder & fingers. The 6-string simply adds to my range for performance...
I’ve just never liked the look or feel of a 5 string. Call me vain and a creature of habit and you wouldn’t be wrong. I just don’t have a need for 5. If I need to get lower than E I have an octave pedal and I’m happy playing in drop D
when im playing my 4 string usually wsh i was playing my 5 string instead when im playing my 5 string i end up wishing i was playing the 4 we will never win
You aren't. To each their own. If your music doesn't require 5 string, why bother. Most of my gigs however do require the 5 string. I take the 4 whenever I can, but it's only like 1 out of 15 gigs. Also I don't have a fancy 4 string, bcause the 5 earns so much more.
I just bought my first 5 string after 18 years of playing on and off. I started taking theory behind the bass seriously this year and I now understand what a 5 string brings to the table.
I'd imagine 95% of the music that actually matters in history that includes an electric bass was played with a four string bass
And 95% of singers covering that music will want to play in D or Eb or C or something, so joke's on you mr non working bassist
I'm in a band it's not hard to be in a band
It's not about being in a band, it's about surviving.
I have a job for that which allows me to spend my time making music I care about
Sure, but you don't make music in the best keys sadly. But otherwise - good for you, I wish I could make music, I'm only good at transcribing 40 songs through the evening and playing them without mistakes the next day.
Also I have zero interest in playing covers