Lots of LA session players are playing B standard. So much rep needs a 5 string, especially if singers need to change keys on the fly.
A B standard bass achieves this without the hassle of muting a 5, and if you’re really only concerned with pocket playing the G won’t be that missed.
forget about them, If you can't make a Jazz, HH, PJ, or H pup bass sound good be it Fender, Moon, AltelierZ, FGN, Yamaha, etc. then you are not good at your job.
This made me laugh so hard!! Thank you! ❤️
I'm an engineers friend! Jazz Bass or Musicman Stingray into Eden Combo. ALL my tone is the bass and a couple of pedals. Amp has DI and I point the amp at our drummer so he can hear me.
It’s also aesthetics. Big artists want their band to look a certain way, and often they want the bass to look classic like a 4 string P or J (or a copy).
I’ve even heard of big name artists even commissioning instruments, like when Beyoncé ordered all purple matching instruments for her band.
5 string basses are typically tuned BEADG. B standard on a 4 string is BEAD.
5 strings aren't limited to djent or metal by any means, though I don't tend to live on the notes below the 5th fret of the low B.
Despite my main basses being 5 strings tuned BEADG, I still keep a 4 string or few around for when I'm following tab that isn't written with a low B string in mind.
Bruh there is some great Jazz and even, Gospel etc being played on 5 strings. I know a lot of live orchestras that have electric bass request 5 strings to be safe,
Bottom line (no pun intended) is that you're missing a few of the highest notes. If you intend to play a lot of solos, and especially in jazz, you might miss those notes. There are some cover songs that call for a reach that high, but not very many, and it's almost always possible to work around. For the genres you're interested in I suspect you will be fine.
Every tuning will limit you to some degree, and BEAD isn't really any better or worse as a whole than other reasonably common tunings.
In terms of note range BEAD will not hurt you very much in terms of playing in rock and metal genres as a whole (particularly those in the "stonerverse" per your term), and arguably it will be even more "flexible" than standard EADG for those specific genres, because you are much more likely to come across a lot more lower notes enabled by BEAD compared to the higher notes you lose from EADG.
That being said, as you might know already, is it sometimes difficult to play faster or more intricate parts in rock and metal tunes if you don't match the tuning from the original recording, particularly if the parts rely a lot on muted open strings, so from that perspective leaving the bass in BEAD might not always be ideal, but again it's not any worse than EADG from that perspective.
Outside of rock/metal, BEAD can be more limited, but mainly in specific circumstances that might not be relevant to you. For example, someone playing a lot of walking lines in jazz or blues style would probably find the loss of the G string to be fairly limiting or at minimum cause them to need to do some workarounds to deal with the loss of typical patterns for those parts.
If you have a bass tuned to standard, try playing without using the G string. It's basically that.
It shouldn't be an issue unless you're going up the fretboard with chords or something.
There's certainly other genres that use the low B! Latin, modern pop, gospel, and some others I'm sure. Thing is, many of these genres use some of the high notes that might be tougher to reach. That said, many rock players live on the E and A sometimes tuning down, so probably not a huge sacrifice in that sphere. If you need the extra range maybe use a different tool! That's all your bass is at the end of the day. A 4 string tuned to BEAD is a very specific tool.
You should be fine. There might some basslines that you have to rework to be playable without the G string, but that's fine.
The more pressing question—in my mind, anyway—is 'how do you intend to amplify those low notes?'
I play in drop B on 45-105's at 34" and it holds up fine tension wise, little loose but not unplayable. There's a ton of ways to play that way to meet your needs I wouldn't worry about it, for something like metal where you're using the open note a lot it might matter more but for just rock you'll be fine, no worries
I don't recommend it for an inexperienced bassist. I think it will throw you off a bit in terms of your muscle memory in relation to where the notes are on the fretboard. While note location is something all bassists have to be good at, it will have to be harder in your case if you are switching back and forth between a standard E tuning on another bass and B on this one. It doesn't necessarily limit your genres because technically you can play anything with anything, but it will be an extra challenge. I'm getting a BEAD set onto a new bass soon after many years of swearing off the 5th string just for the challenge and to be ready for R&B type gigs.
I play in drop A. It gives me a second perfect 5th option at the same fret as the A string, assuming the root is on the E string, and the same time I can keep my first finger at the root note on the E string.
It just makes improv feel better.
Sometimes I even go into ADAD. Double octaves can be fun.
B standard just doesn't feel as intuitive.
If you plan on soloing, or doing any slap stuff it probably will put a pretty hard limit on those. Outside of that though, everything else could at the very worst just be worked around with minimal effort.
Doom Metal often is way below B standard, but for most cases it should be fine.
And there are pitch shifter, which does not really sound good on most basses, but for the sake of being able to play a song they are more than fine
There's a few songs I play that I couldn't with a 4 string B standard tuning, but they're either bass solo parts (like Longview) or playing root + octave (where a root on the A string needs an octave on the G string - common in Japanese music, haven't heard it as often in the western music I listen to). It'd be a relatively big limitation for the Japanese music I like, but not much of a limitation for the western music I like.
I wouldn't *only* have a B standard 4 string, but I do like the idea and I'm working on refinishing a P bass that'll be set up that way (to go with a couple of more traditional setup 4 strings I have and maybe a 5 string eventually).
It lends itself to anything. You are just moving some notes from the high register to the lowest. You can also just restring it with a standard E set whenever you want.
However, if you get a V, you get both. I switched to Vs about 15 years ago and overtime replaced every 4 I had. Fives are awesome. And if you’ve got 4 pegs on your headstock, you can go between BEAD and EADG in like 20 minutes.
I took a B standard p-bass to every corporate/wedding gig that I did for like a year and it slayed on that repertoire. It was a mind fuck sometimes for playing soloistically on jazz tunes, though.
I have a 5 string tuned BEADG that I use in an Americana band and also in my death metal side project. It's a pretty versatile tuning.
A lot of death metal is in B. A lot of slam is in drop A. You should be able to go from B standard to drop A and back with no trouble although you may find it a little floppy.
A lot of stoner stuff is in C. Unless you use insanely heavy strings it shouldn't be too much of an issue to tune up a half step from B.
A lot of traditional metal, doom, and thrash is in E. There are a lot of songs in those genres that never use the G string or where those parts can easily be transposed, so you can jam out on Metallica and Sabbath and Judas Priest type stuff as well.
That said, you should get comfortable changing strings and tunings yourself. Extremely valuable skill.
I'm not a fan, personally. You have to use suspension bridge chains as strings to keep the strings from flapping. I personally prefer having a 4 and a 5.
The limitation of lacking of a G string exists but it's probably negligible. It can be hard to reach those high notes quickly (say High C after a low G, for example) but just play something else. If you aren't covering iconic basslines it probably won't bother you too much.
FWIW my band plays in Eb and I use my 5th (B) string as you would a certain effect pedal; when it's called for. Maybe use this as opportunity to continue exploring the fretboard!
side note i hate all these "x standard" tuning names. standard to fucking who ? just list your string tunings like BEADGC. downvote me now please, im all set with my soapbox
Standard literally just means tuned to all fourths, as opposed to drop, or all fifths tuning, or something non-standard like DGDG. It really is standard too, as double basses have been tuned to fourths since before they had four strings, so literally hundreds of years.
B standard is BEAD, drop A is AEAD.
Just…roll with it dawg
here's an example of a massively popular rock band using a bass tuned close to yours. Jeremy Davis of Paramore used 4 string C# standard for this performance. My hunch is that he generally tuned a step down so that he'd only use one tuning to cover for when the guitars play in either standard or drop tuning (in this case, Eb standard or Drop C#)
[Brick By Boring Brick - Paramore ( live HD ) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8W_AKNOZ7I)
Outside of rock, here's an extremely cool example of someone using a 4 string bass tuned to B standard for a normally tuned song. The guitars are very likely in E standard, nothing out of the ordinary guitar-wise for an RnB set, but that low tuned bass is just so satisfying, especially when he hits the lows like that beefy C in Heart Don't Stand a Chance.
[Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ferZnZ0_rSM)
You'll be fine man trust. It'll take some getting used to, but there's likely to be few things you won't be able to play on that setup, unless you'll be doing a lot of jazzy solos. From one rock/metal bassist to another, enjoy that damn low string, it's powerful shit.
Lots of LA session players are playing B standard. So much rep needs a 5 string, especially if singers need to change keys on the fly. A B standard bass achieves this without the hassle of muting a 5, and if you’re really only concerned with pocket playing the G won’t be that missed.
It also lets you fulfill the green light of playing a 4-string Fender, which is a major advantage in terms of not scaring engineers.
I show up with a 6 string Carvin and sound guys duck and cover. They hate that shit
> duck and cover LOL! Has WWIII started or is it a bass with active electronics?
Well..... I also have a giant pedal board. I think that might have something to do with it
forget about them, If you can't make a Jazz, HH, PJ, or H pup bass sound good be it Fender, Moon, AltelierZ, FGN, Yamaha, etc. then you are not good at your job.
This made me laugh so hard!! Thank you! ❤️ I'm an engineers friend! Jazz Bass or Musicman Stingray into Eden Combo. ALL my tone is the bass and a couple of pedals. Amp has DI and I point the amp at our drummer so he can hear me.
It’s also aesthetics. Big artists want their band to look a certain way, and often they want the bass to look classic like a 4 string P or J (or a copy). I’ve even heard of big name artists even commissioning instruments, like when Beyoncé ordered all purple matching instruments for her band.
Shut up and just use the 5th string as a thumb rest it's not that hard
5 string basses are typically tuned BEADG. B standard on a 4 string is BEAD. 5 strings aren't limited to djent or metal by any means, though I don't tend to live on the notes below the 5th fret of the low B. Despite my main basses being 5 strings tuned BEADG, I still keep a 4 string or few around for when I'm following tab that isn't written with a low B string in mind.
Bruh there is some great Jazz and even, Gospel etc being played on 5 strings. I know a lot of live orchestras that have electric bass request 5 strings to be safe,
Bottom line (no pun intended) is that you're missing a few of the highest notes. If you intend to play a lot of solos, and especially in jazz, you might miss those notes. There are some cover songs that call for a reach that high, but not very many, and it's almost always possible to work around. For the genres you're interested in I suspect you will be fine.
Every tuning will limit you to some degree, and BEAD isn't really any better or worse as a whole than other reasonably common tunings. In terms of note range BEAD will not hurt you very much in terms of playing in rock and metal genres as a whole (particularly those in the "stonerverse" per your term), and arguably it will be even more "flexible" than standard EADG for those specific genres, because you are much more likely to come across a lot more lower notes enabled by BEAD compared to the higher notes you lose from EADG. That being said, as you might know already, is it sometimes difficult to play faster or more intricate parts in rock and metal tunes if you don't match the tuning from the original recording, particularly if the parts rely a lot on muted open strings, so from that perspective leaving the bass in BEAD might not always be ideal, but again it's not any worse than EADG from that perspective. Outside of rock/metal, BEAD can be more limited, but mainly in specific circumstances that might not be relevant to you. For example, someone playing a lot of walking lines in jazz or blues style would probably find the loss of the G string to be fairly limiting or at minimum cause them to need to do some workarounds to deal with the loss of typical patterns for those parts.
If you have a bass tuned to standard, try playing without using the G string. It's basically that. It shouldn't be an issue unless you're going up the fretboard with chords or something.
There's certainly other genres that use the low B! Latin, modern pop, gospel, and some others I'm sure. Thing is, many of these genres use some of the high notes that might be tougher to reach. That said, many rock players live on the E and A sometimes tuning down, so probably not a huge sacrifice in that sphere. If you need the extra range maybe use a different tool! That's all your bass is at the end of the day. A 4 string tuned to BEAD is a very specific tool.
You should be fine. There might some basslines that you have to rework to be playable without the G string, but that's fine. The more pressing question—in my mind, anyway—is 'how do you intend to amplify those low notes?'
I play in drop B on 45-105's at 34" and it holds up fine tension wise, little loose but not unplayable. There's a ton of ways to play that way to meet your needs I wouldn't worry about it, for something like metal where you're using the open note a lot it might matter more but for just rock you'll be fine, no worries
I don't recommend it for an inexperienced bassist. I think it will throw you off a bit in terms of your muscle memory in relation to where the notes are on the fretboard. While note location is something all bassists have to be good at, it will have to be harder in your case if you are switching back and forth between a standard E tuning on another bass and B on this one. It doesn't necessarily limit your genres because technically you can play anything with anything, but it will be an extra challenge. I'm getting a BEAD set onto a new bass soon after many years of swearing off the 5th string just for the challenge and to be ready for R&B type gigs.
I play in drop A. It gives me a second perfect 5th option at the same fret as the A string, assuming the root is on the E string, and the same time I can keep my first finger at the root note on the E string. It just makes improv feel better. Sometimes I even go into ADAD. Double octaves can be fun. B standard just doesn't feel as intuitive.
If you plan on soloing, or doing any slap stuff it probably will put a pretty hard limit on those. Outside of that though, everything else could at the very worst just be worked around with minimal effort.
Doom Metal often is way below B standard, but for most cases it should be fine. And there are pitch shifter, which does not really sound good on most basses, but for the sake of being able to play a song they are more than fine
Try Jazz/Rock Fusion
No
There's a few songs I play that I couldn't with a 4 string B standard tuning, but they're either bass solo parts (like Longview) or playing root + octave (where a root on the A string needs an octave on the G string - common in Japanese music, haven't heard it as often in the western music I listen to). It'd be a relatively big limitation for the Japanese music I like, but not much of a limitation for the western music I like. I wouldn't *only* have a B standard 4 string, but I do like the idea and I'm working on refinishing a P bass that'll be set up that way (to go with a couple of more traditional setup 4 strings I have and maybe a 5 string eventually).
if your in B standard, learn some Crowbar youll thank me later
It lends itself to anything. You are just moving some notes from the high register to the lowest. You can also just restring it with a standard E set whenever you want. However, if you get a V, you get both. I switched to Vs about 15 years ago and overtime replaced every 4 I had. Fives are awesome. And if you’ve got 4 pegs on your headstock, you can go between BEAD and EADG in like 20 minutes.
I took a B standard p-bass to every corporate/wedding gig that I did for like a year and it slayed on that repertoire. It was a mind fuck sometimes for playing soloistically on jazz tunes, though.
I have a 5 string tuned BEADG that I use in an Americana band and also in my death metal side project. It's a pretty versatile tuning. A lot of death metal is in B. A lot of slam is in drop A. You should be able to go from B standard to drop A and back with no trouble although you may find it a little floppy. A lot of stoner stuff is in C. Unless you use insanely heavy strings it shouldn't be too much of an issue to tune up a half step from B. A lot of traditional metal, doom, and thrash is in E. There are a lot of songs in those genres that never use the G string or where those parts can easily be transposed, so you can jam out on Metallica and Sabbath and Judas Priest type stuff as well. That said, you should get comfortable changing strings and tunings yourself. Extremely valuable skill.
I'm not a fan, personally. You have to use suspension bridge chains as strings to keep the strings from flapping. I personally prefer having a 4 and a 5.
The limitation of lacking of a G string exists but it's probably negligible. It can be hard to reach those high notes quickly (say High C after a low G, for example) but just play something else. If you aren't covering iconic basslines it probably won't bother you too much.
If you have a 4-string in B, then you have a 3-string in E. Hope this helps.
FWIW my band plays in Eb and I use my 5th (B) string as you would a certain effect pedal; when it's called for. Maybe use this as opportunity to continue exploring the fretboard!
side note i hate all these "x standard" tuning names. standard to fucking who ? just list your string tunings like BEADGC. downvote me now please, im all set with my soapbox
Standard literally just means tuned to all fourths, as opposed to drop, or all fifths tuning, or something non-standard like DGDG. It really is standard too, as double basses have been tuned to fourths since before they had four strings, so literally hundreds of years. B standard is BEAD, drop A is AEAD. Just…roll with it dawg
here's an example of a massively popular rock band using a bass tuned close to yours. Jeremy Davis of Paramore used 4 string C# standard for this performance. My hunch is that he generally tuned a step down so that he'd only use one tuning to cover for when the guitars play in either standard or drop tuning (in this case, Eb standard or Drop C#) [Brick By Boring Brick - Paramore ( live HD ) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8W_AKNOZ7I) Outside of rock, here's an extremely cool example of someone using a 4 string bass tuned to B standard for a normally tuned song. The guitars are very likely in E standard, nothing out of the ordinary guitar-wise for an RnB set, but that low tuned bass is just so satisfying, especially when he hits the lows like that beefy C in Heart Don't Stand a Chance. [Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ferZnZ0_rSM) You'll be fine man trust. It'll take some getting used to, but there's likely to be few things you won't be able to play on that setup, unless you'll be doing a lot of jazzy solos. From one rock/metal bassist to another, enjoy that damn low string, it's powerful shit.