on 6 string basses

[pack-rat]

Hey I play bass as well but not too much but I have a quick question for you bassists:

6 string basses (the shilouette looks cool) : Some people prefer EADGBE tunnings. I would think this would be rather unconvetional why go higher when you can go lower?
Do people use lower tunings ? What open notes would they be ?
Is it really hard to play 6 string bass ?
Are the strings expensive?
I know i can prob get this info on the net but would rather here from you guys.

 

[skabassist13]

ok, a normal 6 string bass would be tuned BEADGC. and the strings would most definatly be more expensive, i pay about 20 for a set of super slinkies for my fours string. i doubt it would be that hard to play a 6 string, but the neck would be huge.
Travis

 

[Stingraymund]

Hey I play bass as well but not too much but I have a quick question for you bassists:

6 string basses (the shilouette looks cool) : Some people prefer EADGBE tunnings.

Those people are not bassists. They're guit*r players who think they can play bass.

 

[Psychicpet]

Is it really hard to play? it's all pretty relative to the player but the biggest adjustment is the width of the neck.I always play 5 string electrics so hopping to a 6 isn't as much of a leap but going from 4 to 6 would be a little confusing for a bit. The 6 string offers alot of new options in the sense of positions though, instead of having to go running up and down the neck like on a 4 you can sit in one position and do alot more things vertically than horizontally but when you do start going up the neck with a 6 you've got the chance to chord and solo in a higher, "clearer" register. it's fun to tool around on but hey, from the nut to the 5th fret are usually the notes we're getting hired and paid for so....

peter


ps. good to see you moving over slowly from the dark side!

 

[Disquieter]

I played a 6 string bass for a while to see what happens.

it was fun to screw around on, but i never found much use for it. I suppose if i was playing a jazz gig or whatnot it would be handy, but really it wasn't that exciting.

I find myself being pushed more with a 4 string, having to extend what i know on the bass to reach what i want to do, so really it's much more fulfilling to me to just play the 4.


thanks!
joel D.

 

[midopa]

Hohoho!!! Six string basses! No use? They have a perfect role in playing Primus songs! Hahaha... But most of the cats on this board don't really dig the slap-crazy bassists so I'm gonna shut up right about... now.

End.

 

[Disquieter]

I love Primus!

i seen them 17 times (soon the be 18, after i seem ema t red rocks on june 5th!)..

I love the music, but playing the slapwild stuff wasn't blowing my skirt up if you know what I mean (note: i don't wear skirts, it's just a nice expression..),

I'm a industrial / rocker / church / bluesy bassist.

i have to admit, it was fun to play the guitar parts on bass just to piss off the gitfiddlist.


joel D.

 

[dlloyd]

Re: Re: on 6 string basses

Those people are not bassists. They're guit*r players who think they can play bass.

Yeah, that Jack Bruce was a phony

 

[cgworkman]

it took me years to move from a four to a five string - i always looked down my nose at them....

regardless - i don't ever see myself going to a six... isn't that a sin?

 

[Mobay45]

Since I have all 12 notes available on my 4 string, I see no reason to add any more strings to my bass.

 

[midopa]

In that case, all you need is a one string bass guitar.

 

[Mobay45]

You're right! They used to have one. It was a #3 wash tub with a string running from it to the top of a broom stick that sat on top of it. (I was really just being a smart a** before. I used to have a Fender Jazz Plus 5 string.)

 

[midopa]

If I remember correctly, I believe I saw one (though I'm not sure if it was real or just a stage prop) on a Teenage Mutant Ninja turtle VHS when I was kid. It was the orange turtle guy playing a one string bass in some special feature. Anyway, I just wanted to bring it up.

 

[cgworkman]

i see four or five - but not six

music today requires allot of "5 string" work with the low B - but i just can't see using a 6 string unless your doing allot of solo work - and in that case there are allot of great solists out there that only play four....... ;-P

 

[Mobay45]

The only players I've seen playing 6 strings are serious jazz bassists that play a lot of chords or solos. I can't think of any other reason to have one. The width of a 5 string neck is uncomfortable for me. I only play 4 now. I either use drop D tuning or I have a second bass tuned down a half step for the one or two songs I need it for. That's why I need a second MM bass!

 

[Stingraymund]

Strings and Things

I started out on 5-string (Stingray 5). In fact, I started playing bass because in bands (as keyboard player) I'd always complain why the bassist only has a 4-string and can't get down to low Eb or C. So one day I decided to take up the instrument my damn self.

Recently I bought my first 4 string, a Stingray 4 fretless. I love it, but many times I feel severely restricted cos I can't hit a low Eb or below...for a lot of my songs, I use those low notes and they really make the song. I don't regret getting a Stingray4 because I wanted an actual Stingray and not another Sterling5, er, I mean Stingray5.