How Many Strings Does Your Bass Have?

[Rudi]

I enjoy playing bass (4 strings), but it doesnt come easy to me.

 

I know my way around it ok, I just veer of the beat unless I concentrate hard.

[Janeva]

I've only just started learning on a 4 string second hand bass I got really dirt cheap.

 

I already really love it, though   

[TapperMike]

Good for you Jan.  If you enjoy what you are doing then follow your bliss.  The world needs more bass players.

 

 

Bass was always fun for me, never work. But I always feared that if I played bass often enough in a live situation I'd be relegated to playing bass permanently.  It happened once in my early years of playing in groups (or just with other guitarists) I like playing bass but I've always considered myself a guitar player first and foremost.  I've known a lot of guys who had to pay their bills playing music for a living and they played many instruments but the ones that always got them more gigs was bass playing.  Eventually they'd settle in and make a career out of playing bass even if their heart wasn't fully into it.  I could never do that.

 

Even now when playing bass on the ztar it's mostly about a fun alternative or a needed thing to complete a song. It's never about me striving to be a better bassist. I play well enough to make me happy and that's all that matters. And I can still put down the bass and pick up a guitar.  This isn't intended as a slap in the face to bass players. I respect what they do and appreciate their efforts, it's just not something I want to go full conversion on myself.

[Janeva]

I've been wanting to have a go for a while and saw this one advertised locally so I snapped it up. Whenever I listen to music, I like to always listen to the bass.

 

Funnily enough, I had seen the young man who was selling it playing it in a local pub when I went to see a musician collab friend of mine playing.  My friend has been teaching him bass and he now he has just bought a new one.   I did get it very cheap and I think it's ideal for me to learn on. 

 

(So far, I'm only following Youtube lessons - so my hubby hasn't complained because I do have a much more expensive alto sax I previously had lessons on under the bed).

[tomcollins]

jan that's classic !!lmao ,

[TapperMike]

When I'm trying to learn a song.  I always focus on the bass first to figure out the chord progression. It's easier for me to find the root and from there I turn to figuring out all the rest (major minor etc)

 

The hardest thing I've ever tried was playing bass and singing at the same time.

[davidmichael]

I mainly play guitar,but I do have one bass I use for doing my own bass tracks when recording at my house.

Its a 5 string that i love mainly because after messing with it forever I got it set up with the action pretty much the same height as most of my guitars=less than a 16th and it still sounds great and is very comfortable for me to play being a guitarist

As for the B,I usually kinda have the edge of my palm resting there,keeping it muted unless Im actually playing the B.That also is kinda my anchor point to help me keep track of where i am,as id use the bridge on a guitar.

[The S]

I voted 4.

but need to add in my impersonation of Jack Nicholson voice;

Is there any other kind?!?? ;-)

S

[Glenn Allen]

I swore I'd never go beyond four strings, I had tried a 5-string, but I didn't like the feeling of having this huge plank of wood in my hands.

 

Then one day, propped against a tree in the middle of summer was a grayish-black Washburn five string.  As I drove passed it yelled,

 

"hey! I see you looking at me, I bet you can talk the seller down to 35 bucks."

 

Sold.

[Glenn Allen]

Oh, yeah, I also have a single string bass, Its as tall and similar in stature to a snow ski.

[Brad Barnett]

I have 4, 5 and 6 string basses but I only use 5 when performing live.  That low B string is killer for rock songs, especially when guitar players play in drop D.