Stupid playing question

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:16 pm

I have been playing a 5 string for almost 10 years. I now have my very first 4003, and I have an issue! I have a particular song where I play an F#, then D then E then F# again. A little reminiscent of the song the Nerds played in the movie. On a 5 string I go down to the low D and I rattle the joint. Today with the Rick, I went to the higher F# D E F# and it sounded weak! So, my dumb question is, should I have played the low F#, go up to the D and back down to open E and F#? I tried it once and it didn't "feel" right.

pflash4001 · Post by **pflash4001** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:30 pm

If it doesn't "feel" right, don't do it! You'll find a way to adapt. I usually use 2 basses, a 4 and a 5 string. at a gig and switch depending on the song.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:31 pm

get a 5 string Ric!!! ... or convert one 4 to 5 ...

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/

I stay away from 4 string basses ... they don't feel right ...

hieronymous · Post by **hieronymous** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:58 pm

One option would be to tune the E string down to D, but that would require retuning mid-set, as well as relearning the notes on the E string. But it is doable! I had a Hipshot D-tuner on my Jazz Bass and used to detune mid-song.

Or you could get an octave pedal and play the notes an octave higher. In fact, that might be the best option to cover the lower notes?...

edski · Post by **edski** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:37 am

Hehe, Jeff's opinions are legendary.

Sure, a 5 string Rick is an option, but I'm guessing the 4003 is a 4 banger. And I'm not sure everyone has the same drive to convert things.

Harry's suggestion has merit, especially if there are a lot of songs that need a D or Eb and gettig a 5 string Rick is out of the question. It's not the best on the string to have the constant tweaking, but I've never broken an E...and it would take a LONG time for the retuning to do that to that string. A hip-shot is a possibility, although I'm not sure I'd want to do that on the new Rik...

Javier IMO has the best suggestion...if you still have your 5 string.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:28 am

I've been tuning my E down to D for years for certain songs especially if they are in the key of D. That was what a lot of people did before 5 string basses became popular and a lot of mid 70's pop tunes incorporated that sound as it was different for then. I do it by ear. Tune to stop the beats with your open D sting for D then tune with the overtone on your 7th fret A string which is an E and also stop the beats to get back up to E. You can get used to playing with your E tuned to D. If your not comfortable doing that I'd play all in the low register except for the D.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:01 am

I find detuning a 4001/4003 to low D doesn't work because of the 33 1/4" scale ... the low string becomes a little lifeless and dull sounding ... but e flat tuning works very well on a Ric ... before I switched to 5 string basses I had a jazz bass tuned to DGCF and a p-bass tuned to e flat and a Ric tuned normal ... I got tired of switching basses ... so I play 5 string basses ... so unless I need a low A I can get whatever note I need from the 5 string bass ...

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:03 am

5-string basses are just wrong.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:04 am

Depends on the type of strings you use, I have no problems with mine.

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:55 am

THere's just nothing like that low D, either dropped or on a fiver. I'm playing a Lakland 55-94 with a 35" scale ,and I can see that a shorter scale would not producethe same oomph. I might add that forthe "Big Generator" era of Yes, Squire had a custom made bass that would tune to low A! Now thaz low!!!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:06 am

hey Ronn ... I used to feel the same way ...

just imagine playing your bass with your E string removed ... that is what a 4 string bass feels like to me ... it is missing a string ... I had to retrain my brain to be more comfortable with the 5 ...

sabbath_of_bass · Post by **sabbath_of_bass** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:09 am

I play 4 and 5 but i like 4 more. But i hate down tuning anything. I cant even stand going down half a step. Much less to low A. Thats just crazy.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:14 am

or have a bass tuned BEAD ...

You can tune a Ric DGCF if you get fatter strings ... get a .110 .90 .70 .50 set of strings ... I tried that for a while but I felt it was easier to just go with a 5 string bass ...

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:15 am

I don't think I would like it, I play 6-string basses, the old E-E type, and love them, and for years I only played Hamer 12-string basses, but those notes lower than E on a 5 just sound weird to me.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:43 am

I suppose I should mention I play in a praise band at church and we only do 5 songs. Switching instruments for one of them is too much "visibility". We are trying to be "transparent"!