Five String or Four String???

[bgranger]

It doesn't really matter. I started on a 4 many moons ago. Been playing 5s for about 10 years and never went back to 4. I'm considering a 6 with a low F.

[JoashStilltheman]

So if I hear correctly...Once you go 5 you never go 4
It's like I'm used to 88 keys on the keyboard and 61 keys is kinda little for me.

[B3Wannabe]

Indeed. I hear many people say that. Rarely do I see someone, who plays a 5+, go back down to one with less strings.

[kawi9893]

welcome to the site kawi9893

thanks I appreciate it

[Cherri]

welcome to the site kawi9893

thanks I appreciate it

Greetings!

[Andrzej]

Indeed. I hear many people say that. Rarely do I see someone, who plays a 5+, go back down to one with less strings.

I have!  I played 5-string for 10 years and a few months back I switched back to 4-string.  All I use now is my Fender Dinky Jazz and my Warwick Thumb (which you can kinda see in my profile pic).  I still have my 5-string basses as I still use them as and when required, but 4-string will now be my primary choice.

I really needed to self-ascess my playing and put some bad habits to rest, so thats why I switched back to 4-string and more or less started my theory all over again.  When I pick up a 5-string just after a few months of trying this I have noticed that I am a lot more fluent.  A couple of my bass playing friends think that I made the switch because having one less string is easier to cope with, but I totally disagree.  Believe it or not, I have had to put a lot more work into and use more of my creativity.

[JoashStilltheman]

I don't know if it's just me but the frets in a 4 string feel wider than in a 5 string.

[fatbaby78]

What ever you learn to play. Just perfect your craft. I play a five AND four,four when I wanta funk. Its all bout you and your likes. Whateva you do do it to conquer. Be able to interpret what you play on a 5 on a 4. Thats where the separation comes from

[dhagler]

What ever you learn to play. Just perfect your craft. I play a five AND four,four when I wanta funk. Its all bout you and your likes. Whateva you do do it to conquer. Be able to interpret what you play on a 5 on a 4. Thats where the separation comes from

+1.  I own one of each, the 5-string I primarily play at church and the 4-string when I want to play jazz.  I try to cross-play whenever possible, playing the jazz on my 5 and the gospel on my 4 just to see (1) if it's possible without going up or down an octave, and (2) to see if I can play it differently because I have added or lost a string.

[mr.dj]

I started out on a 4 string and it was uncomfortable to me, then i bought a 5 and I love it.  I've also played a 6 which I like also.  It all about what you feel comfortable with .

[malthumb]

...... When I pick up a 5-string just after a few months of trying this I have noticed that I am a lot more fluent.  A couple of my bass playing friends think that I made the switch because having one less string is easier to cope with, but I totally disagree.  Believe it or not, I have had to put a lot more work into and use more of my creativity.

Now that I play 4 string more than I used to I am also finding this to be the case.  Especially regarding creativity.  I have to think more about how I want to improvise a piece when I don't have the extra range provided by the B-string and the additional playing positions that a 5 string offer.  Then when I move back to a 5 string, I'm able to do more by bringing along what I learned on the 4 string.  Hope that makes sense.

Peace,

James

[malthumb]

I don't know if it's just me but the frets in a 4 string feel wider than in a 5 string.

If you're talking neck width, that's true.  In order to maintain useable spacing going from 4 to 5 strings, the neck has to get wider.  If you are talking the distance between adjacent metal frets, that should not be the case.  That is determined by scale length, not number of strings.

Peace,

James

[JoashStilltheman]

Now that I play 4 string more than I used to I am also finding this to be the case.  Especially regarding creativity.  I have to think more about how I want to improvise a piece when I don't have the extra range provided by the B-string and the additional playing positions that a 5 string offer.  Then when I move back to a 5 string, I'm able to do more by bringing along what I learned on the 4 string.  Hope that makes sense.

Peace,

James

I hear u James...one reason why I want to get 4 string..coz I got a lil stuck when I tried to play the 4 one time coz I didn't have that extra string.

[Andrzej]

Now that I play 4 string more than I used to I am also finding this to be the case.  Especially regarding creativity.  I have to think more about how I want to improvise a piece when I don't have the extra range provided by the B-string and the additional playing positions that a 5 string offer.  Then when I move back to a 5 string, I'm able to do more by bringing along what I learned on the 4 string.  Hope that makes sense.

Peace,

James

Perfect sense!  It's difficult to explain until you try it.  This could be something that I will do every 4 or 5 years for the rest of my bass playing life...play 4-string exclusively for 12 months and then switch back to 5-string for 3 or 4 years.  This is my first time trying this method and it has really opened up my playing a lot already.

[Steelpulz]

I went from 4 to 5 to 7 strings. I originally went to the 5-string because I was primarily playing gospel and wanted the low Eb, Db etc. Then, I started hearing Bbs below my B. People started to tune their basses Bb-Gb. I didn't want to do that. So, I went to the 7-string now tuned B-F. But, Since i finally got new strings and a new nut, I'll have it setup and tuned F#-C. THat way I can get those Bbs, Abs etc.

As far as recommending staring with a 4 or 5 string. I don't think it makes much of a difference. But I think the 5 string would be better for gospel.

[chrismc101]

I started on my 5-string and skipped the 4 string. So, I'm stuck on the 5 and looking forward to going to the 6 later on in my playing.

[dhagler]

As far as recommending staring with a 4 or 5 string. I don't think it makes much of a difference. But I think the 5 string would be better for gospel.
[/quote]

+1  That's exactly why I went to a 5-string.  Not only can you play in E-flat and D-flat but you can also play in F at the 6th fret of the B string, which is sometimes helpful.