Bassguitar

[Flash Harry]

The only difficulty that you would have is that the nut would have to be modified to accept the thicker strings. You could always buy a new nut and cut it (you will need some fine files) for use with the bottom 4 strings from a 5 stringer. Remove the existing nut carefully and that way you would not have to wreck your bass.
You will have to adjust the truss rod and the bridge to make it playable. Carefull when you adjust the truss rod. Damaging this is a sure way of runining a perfectly good guitar. It's best to loosen the rod a quarter turn before tightening it. That way you overcome any reluctance of the rod to turn and you're less likely to strip the head of the rod.

I thought I would ask a stupid question for my first post. I was curious if there would be any problems takeing a 4 string bass and stringing it with a B E A D from a 5 string set.

[ThumpThump]

Thank you. I'm glad I asked, those were things i had thought may cause a problem. I think I'll just wait for the 5 string.

[Wildgeas]

Tip #1 - Bass players hit on the 1 and 3 count. 

[Speed Demon]

I play bass, as well as guitar. More years at it than I care to remember.
I put the notes where they need to be.
If the first beat is implied, what happens to the extra note?

[peterp]

They go into a note bank.
So you have a good stock of spare notes when it comes time for the Bass solo.

If the first beat is implied, what happens to the extra note?

[Speed Demon]

LOL Peter!
A note bank. This brings up more questions.
If I borrow a few notes from the note bank, do I have to pay interest on the loan?
And, if I get the wrong notes can I get a refund?

Do shredders get a discount because they use so many notes?

This may be the start of a viable business model. I have a great many extra notes
lying around doing nothing. How many can I put you down for?

[phantasm777]

to me, learn some scales, use the notes in some of the guitar chords, if your a guitarist. personally i prefer a deep booming bass, so anything that might make it treblier, i avoid except in using the G string.
i don't like a plunkity bass, a pick sound on a bass, nor slapping and plucking. to me a bass should be bassy sounding, not pluckity as from a pick, it seems to lose the bass depth that way, unless you equalize bass in on it.
i prefer using triplet picking, rather 3 fingers, when i can. my 3 picking fingers are all different in length but never was a problem, once i put my hand in position, pivoting on many ocassions, you can learn to keep your fingers pretty even, try to make your 3 fingers gallop on the string and practice that, using three fingers makes for some great funky sounds and faster picking than a pick.
plus you can pick 3 different strings with 3 different fingers which a pick cannot do unless you have finger picks like a banjo player.
also, bend your picking fingers, dont have then extended unless thats your style. lots of cool jazz scales and funk scales seem to me to come off better using your fingers and not a pick.
instead of going up, down then up, or reverse, with a pick .... in succession, use your three fingers and it picks faster than most using a pick. after a while when your last of the 3 fingers hits the string your first finger is already primed and ready to pick again, for successive triplets when needed.
there is so much high end or mid range in the other instruments, vocals etc, that i prefer a deep booming bass, and also ive always loved 3 peice bands where my bass playing could fill in as bass and to some degree rhythm guitar, not that i would play any chords, i rarely do on bass, but i would use a lot of scales, and flow the bass in a way where a guitarist could go off on leads and the bass is doing enough to compliment the drums and create a tight rhythm section.
for me it is vital to be tight with the drums first (rhythm section) while keeping in mind where the rhythm of the guitar (or keys) is going and complimenting that as well, not easy, but you pick it up sooner or later. persistence!
i started bass using only my thumb, i saw it was limiting, so i used my pointing finger, then worked in my midddle finger, then the ring finger. after a while i could even hit a note with one finger and pick it with the same corresponding finger on the other hand, a s in doing octave type scales.
sometimes i use my thumb as a pivot on the bass body, and sometimes if im using the A D G strings a lot in a song, i rest my thumb a lot on the E string, again as a pivot.
i also prefer playing, holding the bass diagonally, closer to the way an upright bass is, though not that far. rather than play it in a horizontal position.
for me its easier on the wrists and tendons etc, especially using long scale basses which i always have.
using some open strings on some of your scales can help you fly around a bit faster.
for me playing bass, is nothing like playing lead guitar. but then i like putting a lot of notes in scales depending on the song.
i got so good at bass long ago, it went to my head and decided if i could stretch those big-ass bass strings and almost play lead on it, imagine what i could do with a guitar. its not a good decision, at least for me, i was a mediocre rhythm guitarist at best, not at all a good lead guitarist, though if and when i would play lead on a bass, say for a bass solo, i killed! but applying that to a guitar is not the same thing, perhaps it varies from person to person?
sometimes it appears im playing another song entirely in the bass riff, on key of course, a different melody than the guitar or keys, but same assembly of notes as the guitars chords played, just done differently in order and in style even. i dont know if this makes any sense but i haven't much explained how i play bass to anyone, i just do it.

[chip]

Hi Geir. Sit down at the table and start hitting the table with the end of your fingers, this technique was my first lesson on bass playing. " Do that for week then we move on to the instrument" he said.  "Don't go past the fifth fret or I'll chop your arm off" is one I tend to use on bass players. Also leave the bloody treble alone lets's have the bottom end.

Another thing , with me anyway, is 'Less is more' which of course applies to guitars, drums and my pet hate of the moment synths/keyboards. By the way the finger banging does work

[bruno]

So I'm a guitarist that fiddles with a (fretless) bass. I think the only thing I can say is keep it simple (we guitarist always want to solo on bass - I'm guilty!), practice with a drum machine/metronome - timing is king - nothing sounds worse that an out of time bass, and make sure that you listen to the bass drum - bass and bass drum should hit in the same place.

That's my total knowledge!

Cool bass btw.

[bruno]

Actually watching this made me want to play bass - I watched this on DVD and clapped afterwards, I felt like an idiot, however it deserved a clap! See if you can watch this without clapping.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEyEu-hS0fA