The 5-String Double Bass

[David Powell]

Here's a nice page on a violone site.

[Ken Smith]

I have just sold my 5-string and therefore am officially retired from trying to play the 5er and working hard on using a Fingered/Chromatic C-Ext to go down.

I just couldn't get the low B to work nor could I find the right string all the time. That was partly due to lack of practice. When the buyer came to test the Bass, we switched it to high C to low E tuning. I came with a Spiro/Red C-string and I had a usable set of Reds on my French Bass so one by one while testing we changed all the strings. Finally that Bass sounded good with a full set of Reds! It was deep, dark, sweet, colorful, loud and bowable. I would have never tried that set on that Bass (or any other Bass of mine) as they usually sound too nasal for me. In front of the Bass they were just slightly edgy but from 10 feet or an office away thru the wall, the Bass sounded great and in the hands of a great European player now living in USA.

So, for now, me and the 5-string is just a shady memory..

[David Powell]

Ken, when you ventured into the five my thoughts were that "this guy is going to give anything a serious try, even if he has been on a four string for most of his life." Kudos to you for giving it shot, Ken, and for offering your insights on the comparative disadvantages or advantages as well as the difficulty in switching.

I'm not having the easiest time myself and I realized right away that if I was going to make steady progress, I needed to have 5 on the EBG as well because it helped me think in terms of note location and all of that. Switching back and forth for a few months, I was often hitting the wrong string. I still do now and then. I was only two years into the DB when I made the change. 2 years later, it still is not easy. Hopefully I'll get there, but I refrain from encouraging experienced players to switch at this point.

[Ken Smith]

Not having the easiest time for me as you stated also has to do with the fact that I have some other great 4-string Basses that I would rather play musically. If the 5er was my Gilkes or one of the other classics I might have used it all the time but converting one of those for trial sakes is out of the question.

My conclusion has to do with many factors but mainly that I don't go down for than many notes on the B-string and the 98% or more of the time the B is either in my way or confusing me. For most things I can manage on the Extension and manage is the key because that is about the best most people can do with it on certain parts. I have asked players in both the Philly orch and the NY Phil to get some insight as to how they 'manage' and it seems that neither of the two orchestras have a 5er between them or at least that I have seen.

I am from NY and live near Philly now. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me! My teacher Lew Norton never used an Ext. as far as I know and he spent most of his professional career in the NY Phil playing just a 4-string.

It was fun, plenty fun the times I had with the 5er. Most of all just having it to play and to be different in the section. So is a 3-legged Cat in the litter..

[Paul Warburton]

I been 5ing it for so long, I have trouble playing a 4 stringer.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

I been 5ing it for so long, I have trouble playing a 4 stringer.

Paul, Please come by and bring your bow. Play in one of the orchestras for one night and then tell me it's not a problem!

If it was jazz pizz, I don't think it would have been so hard but with the bow, yikes!

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Paul, Please come by and bring your bow. Play in one of the orchestras for one night and then tell me it's not a problem!

If it was jazz pizz, I don't think it would have been so hard but with the bow, yikes!

What kind of man are you?

[Jeff Tranauskas]

Ken,
I am sorry to hear that the mighty 5er is gone for good.
Did you try playing it when it was strung with a high C?
If so, did you feel the high C was any benefit to the style of music that you play?
For me the age old saying "some is good, more is better" applies with regard to string quantity. I've had a Shen Willow previously that I played side by side with the 5er and ended up going with the 5 over the 4.
Of course my skill set ( on a scale of 1-10) is in the negative numbers.