I'm so glad you talked about the B string being a fantastic thumbrest and using the low lows sparingly. Playing chord inversions on the low B is a great way to spice up the groove, for instance.
The Low B String also allows you to move your lowest notes higher up the neck if your arm hurts in the lowest position. It's the same for a 5 String Double Bass if you're in an Unplugged setting.
I'm looking to start playing bass, 5 string in particular because of the versatility. I've watched many tutorials on common beginner mistakes and such. Your video has been the most helpful so far. I'm thankful for the time you took to make this video. Please dont remove it because of its age as it is still helpful to those of us trying to understand the instrument before we just jump in. Again, thank you very much
Yeah, the 5 String Bass eliminates the need to use that pesky low C extension on a 4 String cause now Low C is on the 1'st Fret of the B String. The Electric Bass is great for Upright Bass players, it's much easier to carry than a Double Bass. The Frets also make it easier to play more in tune.
About 6 months ago I started playing 6-string bass after 20 years as a guitarist, and my bass`s low B and high C were confusing me at the beginning - like you mentioned with 4-sting bassists confusing the 5`s low B for the 4`s low E. My brain kept telling me that my 6-string bass`s low B was the E string of my guitar. I bought some DR Strings `Black Beauty` low-B (and high-C) strings, and it really helped: my brain started to see the orignial silver E-A-D-G strings as the familiar intervals, with the black high C and low B standing out, to remind my brain to adjust accordingly. I`ve since purchased the remaining 4 Black Beauties because after a few months I had the intervals down, no problem.
so what do you call this tuning? k i start like EADGB then i drop D that and lower trhe rest so thats D tuning? ok so drop D that again and tune everything to the dropped string then drop D that...what tuning am i playing in??
Does not Exist basically you are using the standard E tuning of the guitar version (EADGBE) where the 2nd string (B) has an interval of 3rd note from its lower note string (G) instead of 4th like the rest of the string. while basses have all fourth interval in their standard tuning (BEADGC or EADGCF on six string bass). you can notice the difference when you tried to play barred chord on a standard E tuning of a 7 strings guitar (BEADGBE) in the 7th string, as there will be a note that feels like its going out of tune (the 2nd string / G string). Though it actually doesn't. The way to overcome this issue is detune the G string half a step to Gb or F# then you have a standard B tuning of a guitar with an extra high E to harmonize things.
Thank you for creating this video! After decades of playing 4-strings professionally, I decided to make the move to 5-string and wow! was I shocked by how difficult it is to keep all of the unplayed strings muted. Makes me feel like a novice again. I’m glad you shared the floating thumb technique. It’s a game-changer!
This was way more helpful than I thought it would be. I self taught myself 4 string by playing songs with tab and then learning my notes from there. I was struggling with that B string by trying to relearn that way and it wasn’t working. This definitely helped, especially with the muting.
I also have a 10 String Electric Bass which is basically a 5 String Bass with all the Strings doubled up with an Octave Higher String, it gives the Main Strings more clarity.
I bought a 5 string simply because it was the best feeling bass in the shop, Most songs I know only use the bottom 4 so with my band I just got fancy with the versatility of being able to play lines that would usually be higher down the neck but now an octave lower it's great, also you can have fun with dynamics playing certain notes high in a chord progression then going to the b string in between to just completely switch the feel up
I think that would probably be more difficult. I started out on a 4 string but didn't play bass for quite a while. Got gifted a 5 string and it was easy for me to adjust I think because I didn't have the 4 string setup drilled into memory as much
It's rent-free, time doesn't exist in it, there's no neighbours to complain about high volumes and you can walk, run, cycle or drive forever in any direction (THX1138)...
I've been playing 5 string bass for quite some time, and I still haven't mastered muting all the unnecessary sounds from other strings. I thought it was only me, but since you've said it, it seems to be a common problem with 5 string basses. Never heard of this thumb muting technique, gonna try it, thanks A LOT!
I got a good 5 string bass about six months ago second hand which had the G string removed and then tuned as a 4 string bass (E,A,D,G) and it looked as if the neck was bent. I took the old strings off it and let the neck relax for a few months, put new strings on and now I've a good cheap bass to learn to play on, so your tutorial is a great boon to me as all I've got is some books on playing four string bass
The Low B String on a 5 String Bass (7 String Guitar too) makes it way easier to play what's written on the page because alot of the Music is going to be transposed to fit the ranges of other instruments & singers.
I received my Yamaha TRBX305 5 String today and it's going to take time to adjust since all I've ever played was a 4 string but I'm already loving this bass.... Keep on rocking!!
@@jasonstone3231 My name is Oscar Stern BTW, & the fun thing about the 5 String Bass is that it eliminates the need to use an extension when playing lower notes especially if you have a Double Bass.
I've had a Squier Jazz 5 for just under two years, now my favourite bass, they are a tad heavy at the head stock, might tend to dip a little, but overall money for value the best bass about.
joomping (jumping), roofly (roughly), moosle (muscle). such an interesting accent for non-native audience. Scott (from Scott' bass lessons) has the same accent too.
I recently bought a five string and had no problem at all changing from four to five and funny enough it's exactly the same bass as that one. A floating thumb is all very well playing up and down scails but most bass lines ential skipping stings very frequently
The Floating Thumb is much more relaxed, another way to get used to extended range Bass Guitars that have 5 or more strings would be to use a Pick and using your Palm to mute unused Strings.
Just now coming across this video, but it was still very helpful. I played for a handful of years, mostly 4 string, but all with zero lessons or training. Glad to see you teaching a couple of the nuances I picked up over time, as well. I never bothered bringing my thumb to the D string either, b/c of the natural muting after plucking the G, so that's cool to see that being reinforced. I'm relearning via my 5 string at the moment, so much of this was helpful, for sure. Cheers!
Nice video. I'm a guitar player learning bass on a 5 string. The left hand stuff isn't so different, but finger style with the right hand is tricky. Right hand muting is different too. (unless you use a pick)
I just bought that same bass but black. It is brand new, I got it off ebay and won it for $200 free shipping. They said it had a bad truss rod. All it actually needed was the neck shimmed and now it plays like a Fender JB. I ordered a Hipshot kickass bridge for $100 and a set of brand new Bartolini classic jazz pickups for $120. So, for just over $500 I will have one more badass bass. Thanks for the vid.
Excellent beginners tutorial, and love that 'floating thumb' idea. Debating between a Fender 4-string P-bass, or a 5-string Jazz. I'm interested in Blues, Funk, Jazz, and R&B. * subscribed *
@lkingBassVideo @UCDfStxwji-22A_bvY280UIg Switching from 4 to 5 String Bass for beginners & intermediate level Bassists is easy cause the Low B string allows your little ones to play even lower than they've played before. An Electric Bass Guitar is easier to play than an Acoustic Bass Guitar due to it's super low action & yes you can use a pick. My 5 String Bass is tuned like a regular 4 String Bass with the addition of a Low B String which is a whole step higher than the lowest note on the Piano. Fun fact 5 String Basses weren't just used in rock music, they've also used them in classical music cause lots of orchestral Double Bass parts go down to a Low C. In order to be able to play all the way down to Low C on a Double Bass, all we need is a 5 String Double Bass tuned B0, E1, A1, D2, G2.
The 5 String Bass neck is only a little bit larger than a 4 String Bass Neck & the string spacing is also smaller so that way it sits more natrually in your hands.
The other great thing about a 5 String Bass is that it Bypasses the need to re-string your 4 String Bass with really thick strings if you wanna play songs by Bands that tune down a Fourth to B Standard.
I’m shopping for my first bass. And I have absolutely NO experience with guitars. I know the general consensus is to start on a 4 string but I have an opportunity to get a 5 string cheaper than a 4 string of the same brand (sterling by musician). So my question is, is it a good idea to go ahead and get the 5 string as a complete novice?
I'd go for the 5 then all your base memory will be for 5 string making 4 a piece o cake,and if you decide to move to a 6 in a few years ,you'll really only have to add the 6 string knowledge since you already know the first 5 strings
@@aarondavis4341 This video is the Bass-ics for a 5 String Bass. The Low B String on a 5 String Bass eliminates the need to use an extension when playing lower notes.
@@aarondavis4341 They're all tuned in Fourths (the 7 String Bass adds on one more strings High F etc). With more and more strings & a tighter spacing, experiment with using a Pick because it's easier to strike the strings this way.
great Video. I also feel a bit awkward with the floating thumb technique alone and use it in combination with anchoring thumb when playing b,e and a string
I tune my 5 String Bass down a half step to Eb Standard with a Low Bb on the bottom (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb) because it makes the higher notes less of a strain on my Voice.
I never played the bass guitar but because I wish build my small home studio I would like to buy one. Of course 5 string. Currently I am using my guitar multi-effect Boss ME-25 in octaver mode to play bass in my creations and also EZ Mix from Toontrack to make it more deep or characteristic as bass guitar sound. Thank you very much for explanation that lowest string goes down of classic guitar. I thought that it is extra higher string so ending by low E. Now I know how to tune it when it will come to home. Thank you also for thumb tip, it is of course usual and helpful thing. Simply I thank you for your video, I learned minimum 2 things about 5 strings bass ;) Have a good rest of the day ;)
4:16 Why he started on a 5 String Bass cause the music was written for a Bass with a Low B String and some of the Music was transposed to fit the range of other instruments or vocalists.
I have an LTD ESP Predator 5-string, and I can say that it was a good investment at least for me. See, I play standard 6-string and 7-string guitars, so tight-ish spacing is something I’m already used to. The passed few years I had started going back to the first instrument I had ever played, the bass guitar. Only, the spacing was fucking with my head. lol And granted, bass guitar functions quite different from other guitars. Yet, it was killing my hand-to-eye coordinations and messing with my wrist. Getting a five-string is something that makes this dual nature of playing easier. However, my bud John Griffin has played nothing but standard 4-string bass guitars. And when he tried mine, it threw him off. He admitted that it was a little difficult for him to adjust? So everyone with different skills and styles varies for these creatures of instruments.
Im here after playing a 4 string for 14 years. Picking my 4 string is like coming home. Picking up a 5 string is like learning it all from the start. Never thought I'd be so frustrated again. Thanks for the video
Whoa slowdown boy! I decided to start and learn playing bass on a 5 string bass. Should I just learn basics on the 4 string bass ? Bought myself a Yamaha bb235. She is sweet!
Great review mate, I've been a stubborn 4 string player since I bought my first bass in 1981 but I must admit there have been times when I've needed to go lower but have compensated by jumping the whole scale up higher, ( way too high ) if I'm honest, I do think it's about time to stop being such a chicken & take the plunge. You have just given me a much needed push to do just that,
TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons The easiest way to get used to playing a Bass with 5 (or more) Strings would be playing with a Pick, cause a Pick makes it easier to get around the narrow spacing.
Thanks a lot Mark. How to mute the B string when playing slapping? I found that in 4 string when I slap on A or D string it is relatively easier to mute the E string with my fretting hand. However on a 5 string when I slap the A or D string I just can't naturally stop the B string from ringing.
My neighbor who I do yard work for came and dropped off this nice ass 5string bass w a stand and amp since he can’t play no more with his athuritis and hopefully this video will help me
So it's better to just start learning bass on a 5 string if you foresee that you're eventually gonna jump from 4 to 5 anyway? To avoid the relearning and what not..
The general consensus is that the low B is nice to have, but not crucial unless 1) you are hired for a theater gig that has a written part for a low B string b) doing cover stuff (in the original key) in which the original bass line falls below E. In terns of doing those types of gigs, can one get by with a 5 string fretless with a low B (played in tune, of course)?
What i've found is i had to learn muting all over again. Putting your thumb on the B string definitely helps with muting. I'm an aggressive player so I knock into other strings quiet often
i use my ring and pinky fingers to mute the strings as i play downwards. i use a 5 string bass and i´ve had no issues playing this way so far. The thing is, i dont know if my way of playing is just plain wrong and i should is my thumb or if there is someone here who plays that way too.
I have a 5 string also. Been driving me wild trying to sort this out so I was just gonna maybe remove or ignore the B string and then eventually add it in. Its that or just buy a 4 string I'm just starting out too. I want to go through his Chord Tone Essentials and Walking Bass courses which look pretty cool.
@@RockStarOscarStern634 Cool, yea I went ahead and bough a 4 string to start with. Just seems easier to get through the videos and then maybe later add in the 5 string once I get the basics down I guess.
@@TheBeach5563 The easiest way I got used to playing a 5 String Bass (I've upgraded to a 5 String Bass after playing on 4 Strings for a long time), was using a Pick. Using a Pick will help because the Strings on a 5 String Bass are closer together since the neck is only a little bit larger. If you use a Pick, the 5 String Bass will get alot easier to play cause the Pick is helping you get around that narrow string spacing.
Thanks for the video Mark. You have helped me realize some good points of getting good sound out of a 5 string. This video especially has pushed me more toward the 5 sting as a good bass instrument. Are the set up requirements on this bass much different than the 4 string version? I set up all of my equipment and have heard on some youtube videos and comments that set up is a little different.
Great video i would like to know if the same technic exists for slapping while we are slapping on the E string to mute on the B string ( with the palm of the hand ) Thank’s
Hey, dude! The majority of 5 strings bass players prefer active pick ups instead of passive ones. Which one do you recommned most? Active 5 strings or passive 5 strings basses like yours? Thanks.
It's all down to taste and requirement. Do you need to be able to add treble, bass or mids from your guitar? That's it. I have active basses and passive basses. The fact this is a 5 string has nothing to do with why it should be active. An active preamp is simply a preamp in your bass. You can basically adjust tone without having to walk over to your amp.
@@talkingbasslessons The Low B String is a whole step above the Lowest note on a Piano. Fun fact the 5 string with a Low B was also used in Orchestral playing so that Bassists can hit that Low C and others would have their Basses tuned in Fifths C, G, D, A, and for a 5 String that extra one is a High E. Orchestral Bassists switched to Fifths tuning cause the intonation would be much more in tune with the rest of the String section.
Hey Mark and to anyone that knows the answer to this question. How do you get the EADGC tuning? Do you tune the low B to an E? Or do you have to get the instrument set up?
the problem with using the low B as an anchor for the thumb is that the string is not as solid/stiff as a pickup, so it bounces up and down and that doesn't work for me
Hey Mark, thanks for the video, it is great as usual. I just bought my first 5 string and re-learning everything with low B as thumbrest. The main reason I went to 5 string is that I play covers of the songs with a different tunings. mostly heavy stuff, with D standard, E std, Drop C, Drop C# and I’m tired of learning the notes on the fretboard with all different tunings over and over again. I thought maybe with 5 strings I don’t do this madness and just transpose all songs into B std. Do you have any videos describing pros and cons of non standard tunings vs maybe using an extended range on the bass (5-6 vs 4)?
Just wanted to say this is the same reason I went for my 5 string, playing drop c and c# tired of switching tunings all the time. The pros, including being able to transpose everything to B, is actually the added thickness on that ~130 gauge is better than dropping a 100 Also the main con is usually in heavy music, it's common to "bounce off the open string" when they play their riffs, like BYOB is a good example, to keep in original key is almost impossible without an open c# string But overall I am happier with a 5
