Any 5 String Bass Guitarists ?

[Rudge]

I assume the top 4 strings are tuned as normal (E - B - G - D)

To what note is that 5th string tuned? My guess would be an ( A )  

Extreme Bass Licks - Spector

I was only ever in about 3 bands that had a truly talented bass player.

Good bass and drums make a good band.

The problem is that good bass players are 2nd on the "Hardest To Find" list.

1st on the list would be good drummers.  


(I am not trying to imply that you need to play a 5 string bass to be talented. Indeed, the "talented" bass players that I refer to, played traditional 4 stringed bass)   

[Tony]

I assume the top 4 strings are tuned as normal (E - B - G - D)

To what note is that 5th string tuned? My guess would be an ( A )

Hi Rudge, you can tune a Guitar; Bass or Standard, to any of many alternate tunings, as you know. Joni Mitchell it is said, uses 64 "open tunings".

5-String Bass Tuning
The most common standard tuning for a five-string bass from lowest pitch to highest (thickest string to thinnest) is:
B – E – A – D – G
This tuning has one lower pitched string added to the standard 4-string tuning giving you 5 lower notes.

Some people tune a 5-string bass adding a higher string instead:
E – A – D – G – C

This tuning gives you 5 higher notes.

Standard tuning for 4 string Bass is E, A, D, G.

(6 string Guitar = E, A, D, G, B, E)

The Danelectro 6-string bass (1956) and the Fender Bass VI (1961) were tuned EADGBE, an octave lower than standard guitar tuning. In 1975, Anthony Jackson asked Carl Thompson to build him a six-string bass guitar tuned (from low to high) BEADGC, which he called the contrabass guitar.

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended-range_bass#History
Rudge:

The problem is that good bass players are 2nd on the "Hardest To Find" list.

1st on the list would be good drummers.  Grin

Personally I'd have to leave the country.    
I have noticed the younger generation are really embracing ROCK Music. I hate Death Metal which unfortuneately some kids find popular.

There are young local bands here that have great Bass Players, and Drummers, I believe as you can learn good ROCK songs in the Music syllabus at High school these days.

My Son is 19 and a very talented Guitarist, who is generally in 3 bands simultaneously, then none, due to Ego's.

So I'm hoping a younger talented lot of Drummers, and Bass players are learning their craft right now.
From checking out Muso's my Son plays with, of his age they generally read Music, have a broad range of interest in Music from Jazz to 'Rock', which I find exciting.
As far as finding people my own age to play live Muisic; they've all grown up and got married !     

Regards,

Tony

[Tony]

Just to totally confuse, digress, and maybe entertain, this is a 7 string ESP, Baritone Electric Guitar.
Played by a local musical aquaintance of mine Brett Kingman here in Melbourne.

Other notes: This is a 27" Baritone 7 string guitar tuned to B. The high string is a B and the low is an F#. I use 13-70 for it.

ESP Custom Shop: Stef-T7. Clean. (Blues for Chi)

Warning; this is pretty Bad !   
Distortion pedals for 7 string guitar: Shootout (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

[joechimp]

Most use B in their tuning. Alternate tuning is at the players choice.

[Rudge]

Thanks guys. I never thought about that extra string being the first string (the low note). I always assumed it was the tiny string at the bottom that was "extra". 

[Yankee]

(I am not trying to imply that you need to play a 5 string bass to be talented. Indeed, the "talented" bass players that I refer to, played traditional 4 stringed bass)  

My EB-0 was good enough.   Only one or two songs where 5 strings
would be nice, but then for only 4-8 measures.

A little Felix Papallardi (Mountain Climbing) or Peter Cetera (Chicago)
never hurt.  

regards,

Y

[Yankee]

Some people tune a 5-string bass adding a higher string instead:
E – A – D – G – C

This tuning gives you 5 higher notes.

The lower tuning option, I'd need an 18 inch speaker to hear it.

[joechimp]

I have known people that made the last string a C as well.

[Tony]

Seems maybe the Video confused. That's a Guitar, NOT a BASS Guitar.
27" Baritone 7 string guitar tuned to B. The high string is a B and the low is an F#.

Thanks guys. I never thought about that extra string being the first string (the low note). I always assumed it was the tiny string at the bottom that was "extra".

OK, some confusion. Rudge, your 'GREEN' statement is true.      
The 'Extra' 5th string IS thinner than any other string. It is Higher in pitch, and thinner.

A Standard tuning of a Four string Bass mimics the tuning of the LOWER 4 strings of the Standard tuning on a Guitar.
E (The fattest) ,A, D, G. B, E.

You can tune a Guitar many ways. I know Joni Mitchell uses 64 "Open Tunings" in her repitoire.
Rudge, See here for 5 string Bass:
http://www.tunemybass.com/tuning/bass_guitar_tunings.html

This pic shows the 5 String Bass. The farthest right String is the added 5th String. Higher in tone, thinner in gauge.

[joechimp]

So Rudge , you are learning that there are no absolutes in what strings are used. It all depends on what the Bass Players status in the band is.

[Rudge]

*joke*  "as usual, I am more confused now than I was before I asked... "

Very interesting.

Also I would like to point out that I already knew the tunning of a regular guitar and that the strings are tuned to E,A,D,G,B,E.

I also knew that the four strings on a bass are typically tuned exactly the same as the top four strings on a regular guitar.

But for some reason, in my op, I got it wrong.   Don't know what I was thinking.

Actually it should have been my first clue that there were alternate tunings because I think I was looking at something on line and just copied it in..  LOL

[Yankee]

The problem is that good bass players are 2nd on the "Hardest To Find" list.

Well when I was in high school concert band the fellow down the street
was studying concert bass, yes the big, big standup bass.

He taught me bass guitar, I was dating his sister.

I'm sure he'd tune his fifth string just like the other four, just an extra string.

But, more importantly, it's all dynamics.   When to play soft when to play loud,
when to play fast when to play slow, when to run up to a higher octave and when
not to.    Also, find a good bass player and imitate him, like Peter Cetera (Chicago).
They where all from DePaul where Terry Kath was from.

He'd never play an EB-0, but I had a bass amp with an 18 inch speaker.   100 watts.

I struggled reading bass cleff but could usually pick out scales from songs I heard
and play by ear.   If I could read bass cleff I might've played longer as the technicals
he taught me were quite excellent.

So read bass cleff, pick a bass player to imitate, use them dynamics, etc..
Remember, bass is not a lead instrument, so any solo you play should only
be 4 to 8 measures.    And play a solo once a night.

Plus it's good practice if you ever want to play 6 string.

My humble experience as I trust there are some music school students
in this thread.


Y

[Tony]

The Bass plays the 'Root Note' of the Chord being played. That's the most basic way a novice will start off. Tempo, 1,~ 1,2. Sounds cool actually.

Enough guy's, go crank something up to 11 and unload, that's the reward of all the hard work !

[Yankee]

The Bass plays the 'Root Note' of the Chord being played. That's the most basic way a novice will start off. Tempo, 1,~ 1,2. Sounds cool actually.

Enough guy's, go crank something up to 11 and unload, that's the reward of all the hard work !

Here's how the guy on ZZ Top plays most of his songs and sings while doing so.

Tempo, 1(hold),and 1 and, 2 and

OK, if the band is playing an E chord, his notes would be

Tempo, E(hold), D,E,D,E,D

Back and forth all night long with some minor variations.

[joechimp]

The Bass plays the 'Root Note' of the Chord being played. That's the most basic way a novice will start off. Tempo, 1,~ 1,2. Sounds cool actually.

Enough guy's, go crank something up to 11 and unload, that's the reward of all the hard work !

Here's how the guy on ZZ Top plays most of his songs and sings while doing so.

Tempo, 1(hold),and 1 and, 2 and

OK, if the band is playing an E chord, his notes would be

Tempo, E(hold), D,E,D,E,D

Back and forth all night long with some minor variations.

I could be in ZZ Top.