Uses for a 5 string bass

[crankypants]

Floating thumb is NOT anchoring your thumb on any string. It means letting your thumb hang down loosely, so that it rests against all of the strings lower than the one you are playing on, thus muting them. This is my usual approach, unless I am playing a line mainly on the lowest string, in which case, I might anchor on a pickup.

I will have to give this a shot.

 

[ggunn]

actually floating thumb is different than what you describe. You describe what some people call "moveable anchor". Nothing wrong with that technique; it's just different from what I meant. Definitely, everyone's approach is a little different.

Floating thumb is NOT anchoring your thumb on any string. It means letting your thumb hang down loosely, so that it rests against all of the strings lower than the one you are playing on, thus muting them. This is my usual approach, unless I am playing a line mainly on the lowest string, in which case, I might anchor on a pickup.

Actually, that is pretty much what I meant. I am anchored on the B string when I am playing on the E, but I am muting everything below with the side/back of my thumb when I am on a higher string. The tip of my thumb at the string immediately below the one I am playing is just the position.

 

[ggunn]

This technique sounds pretty close to what I do. The problem is that when I'm playing up on the D and G strings the low B is flopping around mercilessly. I think the E is not so much of a problem in this instance, because I can stick my thumb somewhat between the E and the A and dampen them both. Trying to dampen all the lower strings with my palm would cramp what little technique I have.

Not the palm but the thumb.

Bring the fingers of your left hand low across the strings so that you mute the ones above the string you are playing on with them. Also, a good habit to get into (I was told by a bass teacher) is to grasp the neck with all the fingers below (pitchwise) the one you are fretting with, i.e., if you are fretting with your pinky, all the other fingers are down on the strings behind it.

 

[Superhuman]

I love my 5 string, great for banging along with my 7 string for heavy riffs. And no, I don't play Nu-metal!!! Playing off Eb opens up a whole new dimension when it comes to layering lead guitar.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I could never find a 5-string that I actually liked. My fingers are way too stubby to play one proprely, but I always find that I need those extra few notes down below the E. Jazz/pep band in high school always needs the E-flat. Worship music in church always needs the D. I opted for re-stringing my bass with the low 4 from a 5-string. I absolutely love how it sounds now. So much less octave-jumping!

 

[EdWonbass]

I play 4, 5, and 6 string basses. At gigs I mostly played my 6 string for the last 5 years but for a year now I have been playing my Lakland 5'er and the B string is killer. I played in a small bar in last night with limited space and just took my Lakland. It's the first time I didn't have my 6 string as a crutch.
The great thing about a 5 string is that when we play songs with drop D tunings, I just learn the riff fretting the note on the B string. No tuning down.
It does make it a little harder to play some stuff but it also keeps me from getting bored.
Now, having said all that I still grab my 4 string G&L L2000 for recording because it just records so well.

 

[NRS]

Another option.....

Being more a guitarist my first bass was an Ibanez 6 string which was easier for me to make the transition to from guitar and psychologically didnt feel like a downgrade to me. It was ideal since I played only with a pick at first and its strings were close together. I later aquired a 4 string when I got good at slap and figerstyle which was a whole new animal but have now come to the conclusion after 10 years of owning both that I'd like to replace both instruments with a 5 string and tune it E,A,D,G,C instead of the typical B string tuning.

Heres my reasoning: What was always way more appealing to me than having 5 extra low notes on the six string was the extended chording ability the high C string gave me of always having the option of forming 3 note chords instead of just 2 which became a staple of my technique. I also like that when changing keys as if in a standard blues progression, the scale pattern stays the same when when your scale root jumps from the E to A string. Keeps your planig in a much tighter easy to manage range. I also find having just the standard E string on makes it easier to follow and be followed by sight when jamming with guitarists. B strings can throw some guitarists off.

As for the low B itself, I've concluded (for my own style anyway) that its just a fat floppy unnessisary piece of thud thats difficult to equalize and more often in the way than of any real benifit to my playing. Hardly worth the 5 extra notes and I get the same benifits of extended scale runs in a confined fretboard area by having the high C instead.