# Looking for some fun songs to play on my 5-string



## axxessdenied (Nov 17, 2011)

Hey guys! I'm looking for some good 5-string bass songs to challenge me. Just recently got into playing bass (guitar is my main instrument) and looking to find some good bassists to listen to. I have a 5-string so I'd really love to utilize the full range of my instrument... aside from playing drop d songs in standard tuning lol 

I was playing Schism by Tool last night for the first time and didn't even need to practice it. So, please don't hold back on the difficulty even though I'm new to bass!


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 17, 2011)

The album Colors by Between The Buried and Me is a really great, fun, and challenging play through. None of the techniques are exotic, nor are the speeds at any given time completely insane. It's also not a "fill fest" like a lot of bass in Metal is. All the lines are well thought out and musical. It'll build up your plucking hand just as much as your fretting hand. 

Best of all, you can buy a complete transcription of the bass parts on the album.


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## need4speed (Nov 17, 2011)

For notes, anything by Liquid Tension Experiment. 

"Universal Mind" is one of my fave's but Tony Levin switches to Chapman Stick after the keyboard solo, so you kind of have to fake it after the first half. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sRvATypBSg

. . . but the tune is a really fun 5-string. You can also play it on a 4-string in drop-D, but it makes much more sense on a 5-string.

This is math; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVCpfTtHzzo
and just super, hard, all over the place. If you can do this, you're a champ. I can't even tap my foot to this song. They have sheet-music on their web site. 


Fun and weird, as pretty much all EAPZ goes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xu83URUlXA
(again, not really sure if this could be played on a 4-string in alternate tuning)


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## broj15 (Nov 17, 2011)

check out some protest the hero stuff. I'm pretty sure most songs off scurrilous are on five strings iirc.


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## axxessdenied (Nov 17, 2011)

Dude, that EAPZ song is awesome. Hadn't heard of these guys before, definitely right up my alley 
Wish I wasn't at work on my laptop right now, these speakers can't do the song justice!

Thanks for the suggestions guys, checking all this stuff out! Keep it coming


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## need4speed (Nov 18, 2011)

More?

LOL you asked for it!

Das Muerte (Only shoot when necessary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q9m6rGIPMY&feature=related

Tub Ring (Faster): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCeakrGsApU
(Killers in love): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObsf1U9cok

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (1997): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unrdh1ynMas
(1997 - studio version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9rWY6JZgGU&feature=related
(Powerless): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJz2acQafro&feature=related
(I was at this show \m/
. . . in some songs, their bassist plays an Ernie Ball Music Man, in others, he plays this 8-foot long home-made monstrosity with piano strings called a "sledgehammer dulcimer" - the guitarist plays a 12-string Gretsch 

. . . and a great weird boogie-woogie riff:
Mr. Bungle (none of them knew that they were robots): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PBH5ez-Znw


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## axxessdenied (Nov 18, 2011)

I was watching that Primus - Tommy the Cat video posted in the other thread on here... holy FUCK @[email protected]

Was working on Opeth's - To Bid You Farewell :  My fingers are starting to get the hang of plucking strings without a pick 

I've been actually considering finding a private bass teacher... I am REALLY enjoying this instrument... dare I say more than the guitar ?  I've always had more of an interest in rhythm and groovin' on the guitar vs being just another guy that can run scales all day. I really feel like my musical creativity is going to really start taking off.


Speaking of Ernie Ball Music Man's... I've been interesting in getting the John Petrucci Ball Family Signature Edition... can't find any place that has one in stock to try out


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## need4speed (Nov 21, 2011)

axxessdenied said:


> Speaking of Ernie Ball Music Man's... I've been interesting in getting the John Petrucci Ball Family Signature Edition... can't find any place that has one in stock to try out



I *JUST* saw one a couple of weeks ago at the Guitar Center in San Jose, CA. Gorgeous metallic-flake paint job; (the kind you see on show-cars that looks green from one angle, purple from another). My son loved it, but he was looking for a hard-tail 7-string, and this one had a floyd-rose, so he said "no" to that one. But he did like it better than the $2000 Gibson flying-v 7-string that was also at that store.

(strangely - a week later, he bought a much-neglected Samick 7-string, for chump-change. He has plans to rip out the pickups and electronics and put in some EMG's, and otherwise, he loved everything else about it.)


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## MGasparotto (Nov 21, 2011)

Les Claypool.


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## axxessdenied (Nov 22, 2011)

need4speed said:


> I *JUST* saw one a couple of weeks ago at the Guitar Center in San Jose, CA. Gorgeous metallic-flake paint job; (the kind you see on show-cars that looks green from one angle, purple from another). My son loved it, but he was looking for a hard-tail 7-string, and this one had a floyd-rose, so he said "no" to that one. But he did like it better than the $2000 Gibson flying-v 7-string that was also at that store.
> 
> (strangely - a week later, he bought a much-neglected Samick 7-string, for chump-change. He has plans to rip out the pickups and electronics and put in some EMG's, and otherwise, he loved everything else about it.)



Damn, I'd be mad... I'm a hard tail fan as well  
Glad he found something he likes! My next guitar is probably going to be a 7-stringer to match the 5-string... 

BTW, doesn't surprise me he didn't like the gibson flying-v... they are kinda meh when it comes to playing them. Not worth the price tag imo.


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