Basics · 5-string

Switching to 5-string bass:
what really changes

A 5-string adds a low B string below the E. Everything else is the same as on a 4-string, because the tuning stays in fourths: scale and chord shapes don’t change. You gain lower notes, and room to play longer without shifting position. In return: one more string to mute, and a wider neck.

The tuning

From low to high: B, E, A, D, G. The low B vibrates at about 30.9 Hz, a fourth below the E, which vibrates at about 41.2 Hz.

The shapes stay the same

From B to E is a fourth, just like E to A, A to D, and D to G. So a scale, an arpeggio or a chord is played with the same shape from the B string as from the others.

Two five-string necks seen from above. On each one, the same chord shape: a solid root and two ringed notes on the string above. The first starts from the B string, the second from the E string. — The same major chord shape (root, third, fifth).
From the B string.
From the E string: the shape is identical, one string higher.

Don’t confuse this with guitar, where the B string breaks the tuning in fourths. On a 5-string bass tuned B-E-A-D-G, nothing shifts.

What you gain

The notes below low E: D, C♯, C, B. Keys like D, C and B get their real low root.
Playing in position: notes that needed a big shift on a 4-string are right under your hand, one string lower.
An extra register for the styles that love it: metal, gospel, modern pop, electronic music.

What takes work

Muting: one more string to keep quiet. Your plucking-hand thumb moves with your hand, from string to string: this is called a floating thumb.
A wider neck, which is a bit more tiring at first.
Finding your way: for the first few weeks, you’ll land on the wrong string.
Taste: the low B fills up a mix fast. Play it when it adds something.

The gear

An amp and a cab that go low enough, or the low B will barely come through, or will rattle the furniture.
Enough string tension, often with a slightly longer scale, so the B doesn’t feel floppy.

How to get started

First play your usual lines without touching the B, while learning to mute it.
Then use it to avoid a shift: the note is often right there, one string lower.
Finally, use it as a note in its own right, to go below the E.

What about the 6-string?

It adds a high C string above the G, still a fourth up. It’s mostly used for chordal playing and solos.

With UnitBasse

The 5-String tuning (B-E-A-D-G) is in the Tuner, with its TUNING setting, and in the Scales tab: there, the fretboard shows the 69 scales on five strings, with fingerings. BackTrack offers it too. And Scores writes for 4 or 5 strings, and even for a 5-string with a high C, or a 6-string.

UnitBasse’s fretboard in 5-string: the A minor pentatonic scale across the whole neck, each note marked with its interval. — UnitBasse’s fretboard in 5-string: A minor pentatonic, in intervals.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 5-string harder?

A little at first: the neck is wider, and there’s one more string to mute. But the shapes are the same as on a 4-string, and you get used to it in a few weeks.

Do I need a special amp for a 5-string?

You need an amp and a cab that go low enough for the low B. A small practice amp reproduces it poorly, but it works. On headphones, the low end comes through well.

How do I tune a 5-string bass?

B, E, A, D, G, from low to high. You tune the B like the others, with a tuner: it vibrates at around 30.9 Hz.

Can I start on a 5-string?

Yes, if that’s the sound you love. But a 4-string makes it easier to learn muting and to find your way around. Moving to a 5-string later is easy.

Switching to 5-string bass:what really changes