For confused and misguided guitar players?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cellardweller
  • Start date Start date
my bro plays a 15 string bass. 5 fundamental notes, and 2 octaves for each...
 
I used to have one of those... traded it for an Alembic. Mistake; those suckers sound great.
 
You can put all the strings you want but the basic 4 string bass will never be replaced. Billy Sheehan Kick is a great example fo what I'm saying. You just need four string, the rest is for... bass players who want to look like a guitar player (frustated guitarist maybe?)
 
killthepixel said:
You can put all the strings you want but the basic 4 string bass will never be replaced. Billy Sheehan Kick is a great example fo what I'm saying. You just need four string, the rest is for... bass players who want to look like a guitar player (frustated guitarist maybe?)
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Or guys who need to keep up with 7-string guitar players.
 
This is a good answer, lol... But even if you have 4 strings you could keep up with 7 string guitarist...
 
killthepixel said:
You can put all the strings you want but the basic 4 string bass will never be replaced. Billy Sheehan Kick is a great example fo what I'm saying. You just need four string, the rest is for... bass players who want to look like a guitar player (frustated guitarist maybe?)
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I disagree. I play a 5 string, and I love the way I can get down and vibrate your guts on the B string. It has nothing to do with wanting to look like a guitar player; when I want to look like a guitar player, I play guitar.
 
ggunn said:
I disagree. I play a 5 string, and I love the way I can get down and vibrate your guts on the B string. It has nothing to do with wanting to look like a guitar player; when I want to look like a guitar player, I play guitar.
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Yeah, I can understand a 5-string for that reason.

What's the tuning scheme on all these 6/7/8/9 string basses? I would assume it would be completely different if the whole point is to make runs easier?
 
ggunn said:
I disagree. I play a 5 string, and I love the way I can get down and vibrate your guts on the B string. It has nothing to do with wanting to look like a guitar player; when I want to look like a guitar player, I play guitar.
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I agree too, but I'm defending the good old 4 string bass, the basic gear. More than 5 strings is kinda excentric, don't you think? Those vibratos on the high strings are great, especially for jazz playing.
 
killthepixel said:
I agree too, but I'm defending the good old 4 string bass, the basic gear. More than 5 strings is kinda excentric, don't you think? Those vibratos on the high strings are great, especially for jazz playing.
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More than 5, OK, but the guy I work with writes a lot in D, so I gotta have the B string to hit that low fundamental once in a while. There's another songwriter I work with that has a tune that lets me thump the open B in a couple of spots. That's fun.
 
it would be damn near impossible for an amp to produce a low F# below B.

It is not necessary to have more than 5 strings on a bass;

if you want to see a *REAL* bass player with a *WIERD* bass, check out Tony Levin...He uses something called a Chapman Stick. It is a 9-string bass instrument, that is played by finger-tapping. the lowest string on the instrument is positioned in the middle of the fretboard, and the higher strings extend out from the middle of the fretboard.

there is also an instrument called a Warr Guitar, that is a 12-stringed instrument, but i'm not too familiar with the specs and how it works.

and yes...7 string basses are for pillow-biters
 
blueroommusic said:
it would be damn near impossible for an amp to produce a low F# below B.
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Stringed instruments have far more energy in the two octaves above the fundamental. Most 'slap and pop' guys accentuate the harmonics above that much more than the fundamental. It isn't necessary for the amp to produce 23hz all that well.
 
Ever consider that some people actually have fun when they play music and more strings = more room to move around? I used to stick to 4 string, and then I got bored and switched to 5 so I can player heavier death metal riffs, and just have more dynamic range when playing lighter tunes. Next on my shopping list in the next 20 years is a picalo bass and a 12 string.

There's nothing wrong with sticking to the bare minimum of strings, and if it's your style to stick to root notes that's cool to, but if you're getting all huffy because some of us like to see how crazy we can get, take some time off, come back and try to enjoy music.
 
I assume that was directed at me...that's ok.

I do enjoy music...in fact I have a love affair with music, whether it be playing, listening, or recording.

My comments weren't directed at all bass players that play on eccentric instruments...but I do believe that for 99.9% of music a 6+ string bass is not a necessity. I've owned 5 & 6 string basses, and always end up right back where I came from, on my 4.

In my professional opinion, it takes someone with true skill to express themselves musically to their fullest, with a minimalist approach. (i.e. 4-string bass)
 
blueroommusic said:
In my professional opinion, it takes someone with true skill to express themselves musically to their fullest, with a minimalist approach. (i.e. 4-string bass)
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I agree, it takes true, even extraordinary skill for a bass player working with a 4 string bass with traditional tuning to play a low D. ;^)
 
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