Low B String How do you use it?

[ebo]

I saw a reggae fest recently and all but one bassist had a five string. They were going for the booming fat bottom sound that rattles windows.

 

[Spidey2112]

I just recently 'completed' a 5 string Saga MB-10 kit, in the hopes of learning the ins and outs of playing a 5'er, then without warning...

... the 'G' string sliced off part of my nut, and 'Hello, Emergency Room!'...

... so, B, E, A and D pseudo 5... for now.

I'm thinking when it's actually complete (repairs and mods), I will incorporate the extra 5 notes I have gained into my playing, wherever appropriate, as almost all of the bass players (music) I listen to utilize 4 stringers...

 

[40Hz]

You can convince yourself you absolutely have to have a low B string just as easily as you can convince yourself nobody ever needs anything more than four strings.

Just use whatever you need to use to get your job done and don't over analyze it. At the end of the day all that matters is what you did and how it sounded - not what you used, or how you did it.

Or so I think anyway. YMMV.

 

[joebar]

Another benefit might be the added mass of a fiver, may contribute to a stiffer neck, less dead spots etc.

 

[Spidey2112]

You can convince yourself you absolutely have to have a low B string just as easily as you can convince yourself nobody ever needs anything more than four strings.

Just use whatever you need to use to get your job done and don't over analyze it. At the end of the day all that matters is what you did and how it sounded - not what you used, or how you did it.

Or so I think anyway. YMMV.

You take 5 shots to get it in the hole, I take 4... I win... I never mentioned what I used... doesn't matter... all that does, is that I got the job done...

... and yes, @40Hz , I was using golf as an analogy... .

 

[tlc1976]

As far as the poll question, I say carrots. Because more than anything it depends on the music.

Jimmy Johnson said something about playing the 5 string more like a 4 string, so when you occassionally go for those sub E notes, it tends to hit harder. That's how I prefer to use it.

I almost never use the B string above the 7th or 9th fret. I prefer the sounds of those notes on the other strings. I suppose if I had a bass that cost more than my cars, it might sound different, but the actual low notes on the B string sound great so it works for me.

 

[40Hz]

... and yes, @40Hz , I was using golf as an analogy... .

Well… a golf analogy got the job done didn't it?

Works for me!

 

[Charlzm]

I am curious how others who are playing a 5 string as to how much do you use the low B string.

I use it all the time. Even songs that only require a 4, if I find I like the way the fingershapes work, I will find a way of playing them at a higher position so I can utilize the B string. Does that make sense?

Having said that, I do prefer the sound of open strings over fretted strings, so it's case-by-case. But I have played 4 and 5 for years and am slowly but surely moving more into 5s.

 

[Pirate Captain]

Thumb rest. First!

...totally beat me to it!

 

[Ant Illington]

Past the fifth fret to the 12th

I understand 2nd position to be index finger at second fret, unless it's double bass with its half positions...

 

[PraiseBassing]

For the first 10 years of playing I used it as a thumb rest... Took a couple years off, then came back to music. Since playing again and really feeling how the music is dynamically changing through songs, those low notes have really helped add emphasis in builds and has helped round out the tone on softer parts in higher registers.

Have fun with it!

 

[socialleper]

This question doesn't make a lot of sense. A B string means I need to play lower than a E.
When I use a B string I use it like it is an E, just lower.

 

[bassplayer2014]

Mostly for convenience yes I do grab my fair share of 2nd position B-String notes but I mostly use my B-string as an effect similar to how you might use a stomp-box for a certain part of a certain tune.

For example "The Crush of Love" by Joe Satriani I play most of the song as if I were playing a 4-String bass and then in the, I guess you call it the big bridge part, I play it as the 5-String with a low B bass that it is while banging strong 2nd position B-string roots and grabbing quick turnarounds past 1st position.

 

[Rev J]

I play a 6 because I'm a lazy bugger. I like having 2 octaves and a 4th in one position. Generally speaking I will line up the lowest note in a piece on the B string and take it from there.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[NaH]

I tend to use it when in the keys of Bb or Eb for example, so I'll often use it on the 7th-12th frets. I like the fingering this way.
I'll use it for deep ending notes, usually 1st-7th. I'll also use it as a thumb rest when I want to "play a 4", but will often end with a deep note if I have it.

 

[Ant Illington]

I player several instruments and I started with a 5 string bass when I was a teenager but went away from it for years to play keys and drums. I have now gotten back into playing bass for a band I am starting so I begin to study other bass players and noticed that most of the pro's either played a 4 string or played a 5 string like a 4 string using only the low B string just for taste. Because I learned on a 5 string I am use the B string and use it as often as possible because I feel comfortable with it. So I am curious how others who are playing a 5 string as to how much do you use the low B string. I feel like I am cheating because I play as low as possible but when listening to records I can hear the 4 string tones which are higher. Thanks in advance

I had always stayed as low as possible and only used the B for notes lower than E. Then I started learning to sight read more advanced walking stuff and will frequently just stay higher on the neck, once Im up there, until I need to shift to hit a note in a lower position; however, I still never use the B string for notes available on the E unless it's a fast fill (non walking jazz) that I can't execute without the B string. The most common exception for me is songs recorded on an Eb bass but Im playing and E bass and I can't execute the fills without incorporating the B string at or above the 5th fret. Real clear, right? Haha. To summarize, do what works for you as long as you get a good sound.

An important note, lots of great players, including Nathan East and presumably two fingers, are frequently seen playing in higher positions and consistently play on the B string notes that are available on the E string so "lower equals a better bass player" is clearly not the rule.

 

[bigboy_78]

I use the B string for occasional emphasise and to cover tunes originally played on a 5 string.

I have small hands (or poor technique) so find it more comfortable play on the E string, than above the 5th fret on the B.

 

[elgecko]

Whenever I hear a 5-string bassist playing too many low notes, I always get the impression they just go the thing.

 

[lowphatbass]

I play 4 and 5 string, and sometimes play 4 string on a 5 string.
It all depends on context, for R&B and modern Soul(or Country) I ride low notes on the B all the time. For Classic Rock or Soul/Motown stuff that wasn't played on a 5 I tend to avoid low notes.
I will sprinkle in low accents here and there but I'm careful to respect the music and bass lines when appropriate.

 

[Doug Parent]

For me it has so much to do with musical context,and overall range of any other instruments present in the moment. Low C's and D's etc can be really dramatic when used at the right moments, and help create a dramatic musical point. Also as others mentioned, being able to hang in 2nd position is really handy as well and offers many note choices with efficient left hand movement. Granted some new country and pop material has an abundance of driving low notes as well, so that can be loads of fun too, especially with a big PA and a deft technician!

yeah thats helpful