# Hate on 6 strings?



## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

Now i saw something like this in ERG so i thought id start it here any of you encounter alot of hate with your 6 or 5 or hell even 7 string basses

my bass playing absolutley hates the idea of any bass with more than 4 strings but then again its coming from the only bass player i know that thinks les claypool is a bad bassist i mean really is opinion even valid anymore?


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## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

yeah i was at practice with him and i was talking to our rythym guitarist/singer about my 8 string and he goes and how many strings does your bass have and i said 6 and he proceeds to say that two extra strings are useless i swear im going to tell him off if he ever hates on my 8 string and he even said that a the extra 5th string on a 5 string bass was useless i mean really a 5 string bass isnt even that extreme


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## Ruins (Feb 20, 2011)

don't waste your time with his arrogance. see if he can do his job with what ever amount of strings and opinions he got otherwise, really, don't waste your time with him.


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## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

Ruins said:


> don't waste your time with his arrogance. see if he can do his job with what ever amount of strings and opinions he got otherwise, really, don't waste your time with him.


 
Yeah hes a pretty good bassist just a douche sometimes the only thing that really pained me was when he was playing he wasnt into it at all (mostly just powerchords some hardcore stuff is what the kids would call it i guess) which means he gets simples bass lines and he wasnt really please untill he proceeds to change the style of the whole band by making funky bass lines and trying to change the sound of the band


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## HaMMerHeD (Feb 20, 2011)

On Talkbass, it is not uncommon to hear people say that anything with more than 4 strings isn't a bass, or even that if it isn't Fender, it isn't a bass. Also quite common is the "Jaco only needed 4 strings!" argument.

It's pretty ridiculous.

I am personally most comfortable with a 4-string bass, but I also own a 5 and I have owned a 6 in the past. They are most certainly not useless, and to be honest, anyone who says otherwise is just too ignorant and/or arrogant to take seirously anyway.



5656130 said:


> Yeah hes a pretty good bassist just a douche sometimes the only thing that really pained me was when he was playing he wasnt into it at all (mostly just powerchords some hardcore stuff is what the kids would call it i guess) which means he gets simples bass lines and he wasnt really please untill he proceeds to change the style of the whole band by making funky bass lines and trying to change the sound of the band



Sounds like you need a new bass player.


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## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

I think hes just jealous that my necks bigger than his.

im actually surprised he hasnt brought up the fact that he has a custom bass and i dont and thats why i suck and it actually surprises me that we only really bicker when we play instruments together


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## Joospocks (Feb 20, 2011)

highlordmugfug said:


> And it seems like bassists have been more open to extending the strings than guitarist, in the mainstream anyway. Except for some/a lot of the people on talkbass I've heard.



There are a certain number of people on talkbass who stubbornly insist "If'n you ain't usin' no p-bass with flats, you ain't no bass player in my books!" But most of the other people dismiss them as closed-minded trolls pretty quickly.


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## ZEBOV (Feb 20, 2011)

Almost every bass player I know has the mindset of "more than 4, you're a string whore." Odd thing is, they're all younger than me, and I'm only 22. When it comes to stringed instruments at all, it really sucks here in Memphis. I haven't met a single person who plays extended range guitars around here, and I only know one bassist that plays with more than 4 strings, and he plays a 6 string. And then there's the issue of tunings. Not many people want to play in lower tunings than drop D. Even fewer are willing to tune lower than drop C, and that bass player I know that plays a 6 tunes low to high CGCFA#D#. He tunes his bass to that because the 2 Gibson players in his band won't tune to B.
Memphis sucks.


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## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

ZEBOV said:


> Almost every bass player I know has the mindset of "more than 4, you're a string whore." Odd thing is, they're all younger than me, and I'm only 22. When it comes to stringed instruments at all, it really sucks here in Memphis. I haven't met a single person who plays extended range guitars around here, and I only know one bassist that plays with more than 4 strings, and he plays a 6 string. And then there's the issue of tunings. Not many people want to play in lower tunings than drop D. Even fewer are willing to tune lower than drop C, and that bass player I know that plays a 6 tunes low to high CGCFA#D#. He tunes his bass to that because the 2 Gibson players in his band won't tune to B.
> Memphis sucks.


yeah i live in mississippi yay someone near me haha

but yeah most people dont tune low around here or even own a extended range anything im the only person in my area as far as i know that owns a 8 string the band im in now his other band used to tune down to drop c but they didnt set their instruments right for it(i re setup his dinky to drop d which is what they play now) and he said that they went to drop d just because drop c wouldnt stay in tune i thought it was funny cause he had 9-42s and expected it to hold in drop c lol


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## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

HaMMerHeD said:


> Also quite common is the "Jaco only needed 4 strings!" argumentpretty ridiculous.
> .
> 
> 
> .


 

yeah but jaco also needed a fretless bass i guess fretless and as hate mongering as ERBs


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## bostjan (Feb 20, 2011)

Amazing. The electric bass has existed for how long? 60 years or so? Yet the nostalgia can run deep.

All you can do is realize that every musician forms strong opinions about other musicians and about gear. Some are very vocal and spout off untrue rhetoric about the history of the instrument or whatever- and these sorts of people will never accept a valid historical correction. Just ignore the nonsense. The best way to deal with such people is to make their arguments irrelevant by creating great music your own way.


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## Origin (Feb 20, 2011)

Xenophobia and elitism on a musical (irrelevant to be hateful towards) level...isn't it awesome?  I really don't get the whole freaking out over strings thing either. They're just notes. Like 5 semitones in a different pitch in standard tuning. I just don't understand who could really give a shit.


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## New Age Moron (Feb 20, 2011)

I love 6 strings. Actually, I don't like 4 strings - a bass without a low B feels strange and incomplete.


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## SirMyghin (Feb 20, 2011)

ZEBOV said:


> Almost every bass player I know has the mindset of "more than 4, you're a string whore." Odd thing is, they're all younger than me, and I'm only 22. When it comes to stringed instruments at all, it really sucks here in Memphis. I haven't met a single person who plays extended range guitars around here, and I only know one bassist that plays with more than 4 strings, and he plays a 6 string. And then there's the issue of tunings. Not many people want to play in lower tunings than drop D. Even fewer are willing to tune lower than drop C, and that bass player I know that plays a 6 tunes low to high CGCFA#D#. He tunes his bass to that because the 2 Gibson players in his band won't tune to B.
> Memphis sucks.



Some of them will outgrow it as they progress musically, I know I did. I didn't hate on extended range playing, I just never needed it, but then when I bought my first "real" bass I decided to give it a try as I was playing out at the time. I swore I would never need a 7 string guitar too, and look where I am now, having a nice custom being built. I have tinkered with getting a second 5 and tuning it EADGC, or just a 6. I don't often find I need the low B and the high C though. The B gets... lighter... use outside of metal. 

A lot of folks here skip a few steps (as in they already have an idea what they need it to do, opposed to wondering what it can do and then trying it) as they 'need' the 7 or 8 for 'the metal' but otherwise I would say as people grow musically they will tend to explore more and seek something different over time. Was I a ripping bassist in my teens? Absolutely. Was I 1/3rd the musician I am now? Hell no.


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## ixlramp (Feb 20, 2011)

I was talking to a gorgeous sax playing girl and mentioned I owned a 6 string bass, she says "a 6 string bass is a pretentious instrument". I don't bother arguing with such idiots so I just gave her my WTF? face. I mean ... what a thing to say ... what am I pretending to be? I'm just a person with a 6 string bass, being myself. Good thing I didn't tell her I was planning to tune it in fifths.


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## highlordmugfug (Feb 20, 2011)

ixlramp said:


> I was talking to a gorgeous sax playing girl and mentioned I owned a 6 string bass, she says "a 6 string bass is a pretentious instrument". I don't bother arguing with such idiots so I just gave her my WTF? face. I mean ... what a thing to say ... what am I pretending to be? I'm just a person with a 6 string bass, being myself. Good thing I didn't tell her I was planning to tune it in fifths.


 What a dipshit.


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## 5656130 (Feb 20, 2011)

ixlramp said:


> I was talking to a gorgeous sax playing girl and mentioned I owned a 6 string bass, she says "a 6 string bass is a pretentious instrument". I don't bother arguing with such idiots so I just gave her my WTF? face. I mean ... what a thing to say ... what am I pretending to be? I'm just a person with a 6 string bass, being myself. Good thing I didn't tell her I was planning to tune it in fifths.


 

should of smacked her and told her to get back in the kitchen


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## The Reverend (Feb 20, 2011)

I don't own a six string bass, but I do have a problem with people hating on extended range instruments in general. I remember the first show I played, one of the locals had a seven string guitar, and I heckled him during their whole set.

Now I play one, and when that memory comes up, I feel like a dick. I don't see how people can't understand the point of an *extended range instrument*. The reason for having/playing one is in the name!


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## giantchris (Feb 21, 2011)

I got a 6 string 2 Christmas' ago and this past year I've really started to play it and honestly its so much more fun to play then my 4. Every time I play the 4 I feel limited and am reaching for the high C to do fun octave/chord stuff. I am actually considering trading my nice 4 for a conklin 7 if I can find someone that would do it.

Its dumb to rag on people for expressing themselves differently.


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## 5656130 (Feb 21, 2011)

giantchris said:


> I got a 6 string 2 Christmas' ago and this past year I've really started to play it and honestly its so much more fun to play then my 4. Every time I play the 4 I feel limited and am reaching for the high C to do fun octave/chord stuff. I am actually considering trading my nice 4 for a conklin 7 if I can find someone that would do it.
> 
> Its dumb to rag on people for expressing themselves differently.


 
you can never have to much range if you ever get that 7 id like pics


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## TemjinStrife (Feb 21, 2011)

You can have too much range when it becomes a problem to reach all the strings 

(I can't play seven-string basses, and I have problems with wide-spaced sixes. Small hands, short pinkies)


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## vince_grave (Feb 21, 2011)

highlordmugfug said:


> Nope, he's a moron. You don't have to like Claypool's playing, but saying he isn't good at bass means you're an idiot.


 
TRUE!


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## ZEBOV (Feb 22, 2011)

I actually started off on a 5 string bass. I knew from the beginning that I would be playing in tunings ranging from standard 4 string to Korn's ADGCF, and for higher tunings, I just use a capo. Now I'm wanting a 6 string bass.
As for guitar, I might as well start on an 8 string. It has a 6 and a 7 built in too. The issue for me is the multiple tunings I use. "Just play the same frets in standard E." If a song was recorded in A#, I wanna play it in A#.
I also don't memorize music by tablature.


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## Origin (Feb 22, 2011)

I just don't get why people think strings means musicianship. I had apprehensions about 5-strings once...when I was 14 and didn't know shit, and even then it took about a day to realize I was being an asshole. I love the thin and slap-encouraging feel of 4-strings, I love how 5s fit my hand and have lower capabilities, and I love 6s for having such rich possibilities and giving me a feel sort of akin to my 8-string guit. It's all just notes.

Claypool is UNREASONABLY good. That makes no sense


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## giantchris (Feb 22, 2011)

5656130 said:


> you can never have to much range if you ever get that 7 id like pics


If I get it having to buy a new car so that put almost all my instrument switching on hold. Might still try to trade the nice 4 though haven't decided. Its always good to have one decent 4 string sitting around.


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## 5656130 (Feb 22, 2011)

Origin said:


> I just don't get why people think strings means musicianship. I had apprehensions about 5-strings once...when I was 14 and didn't know shit, and even then it took about a day to realize I was being an asshole. I love the thin and slap-encouraging feel of 4-strings, I love how 5s fit my hand and have lower capabilities, and I love 6s for having such rich possibilities and giving me a feel sort of akin to my 8-string guit. It's all just notes.
> 
> Claypool is UNREASONABLY good. That makes no sense


 
yeah he probably just rats on me because he thinks i dont know how to play coming from a guitar background and a drumming background before hoping on bass 

hes a funk guy thats into victor wooten and funky slap bass and he says wootens better than claypool but in my honest opinion (i may anger people) i think claypool is better than wooten just my opinion and i mean claypools a slappin mofo i dont see why he hates claypool it confuses me


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## heavy7-665 (Feb 22, 2011)

Im in the process of getting a 9 string built by a member on here and Im ALREADY getting hate lol People are just unwilling to accept new ideas I guess.


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## 5656130 (Feb 22, 2011)

heavy7-665 said:


> Im in the process of getting a 9 string built by a member on here and Im ALREADY getting hate lol People are just unwilling to accept new ideas I guess.


 
just pull out and start playing the hell out of it and make their heads explode


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## heavy7-665 (Feb 22, 2011)

5656130 said:


> just pull out and start playing the hell out of it and make their heads explode



Once I get it there will be nothing to stop me


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## giantchris (Feb 23, 2011)

heavy7-665 said:


> Im in the process of getting a 9 string built by a member on here and Im ALREADY getting hate lol People are just unwilling to accept new ideas I guess.


Cool man post clips/pics when you get it. What are the specs and how much is it running out of curiousity? I'd imagine string spacing might be an issue with a 9 string.


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## Steve08 (Feb 23, 2011)

Honestly, you should get a bass that has as many strings as you want it to. That's ALL that matters. Anybody who says otherwise is doing it wrong. Same thing for guitar, and drums for that matter.

Although, _personally_ I think basses with more than 6 strings is kind of excessive and I doubt I would ever get one myself, but I'm not going to tell someone not to get one solely for that reason.


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## ZEBOV (Feb 24, 2011)

5656130 said:


> just pull out and start playing the hell out of it and make their heads explode


 That sounds dirty



Steve08 said:


> Honestly, you should get a bass that has as many strings as you want it to. That's ALL that matters. Anybody who says otherwise is doing it wrong. Same thing for guitar, and drums for that matter.
> 
> Although, _personally_ I think basses with more than 6 strings is kind of excessive and I doubt I would ever get one myself, but I'm not going to tell someone not to get one solely for that reason.


Same here. I can't see myself playing a bass with more than 6 strings unless its something like that 12 string used to record "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam. But if I meet someone playing a 7 string bass, I'll still find it cool that they do simply because they don't have that "more than 4, you're a sting whore" mindset. I'd probably ask if I can try out the bass too.


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## TemjinStrife (Feb 24, 2011)

Although the other way does happen too. I've run into a couple guys who play stringed aircraft carriers who don't understand that a 4-string Rickenbacker is all I need sometimes.


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## vansinn (Feb 24, 2011)

Who cares... IMHO, it's most definately not the audience; they'll swallow all cool playing.
Other musicians maybe, though I sense a Bit more openness towards multistring bass than towards ditto guitars.
But again, who cares.. if someone doesn't like my 7-string bass and programmable rig, I'll disregard them and go find another venue. Then again, I'm mainly a guitar player who'll merely have to cope with idiocracies against 8/9-string axes, haha ;D


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## Murderface (Feb 24, 2011)

Hey dudes, I'm new here but I play a 6 string. My philosophy is that if you've got an extended range instrument, PLAY THE WHOLE THING! No one will hate on you if you're playing the shit out of it, but if you're playing 2 strings of a 6 string, then they will, and probably should. If they're skeptical of you at first, just let your playing speak for you. Sure, some people will always be jerks, but most will realize when you know what you're doing.


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## Variant (Feb 25, 2011)

It think it's just par for the musical world, some people just want instruments to be locked into a very limited range... why, I'll never know. I'm pretty sure all those indie guys with those cartoonishly dinky two-octave keyboards talk shit when some other band's keyboardist hauls a 88-key monster onto stage.


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## R0ADK1LL (Feb 25, 2011)

I honestly wouldn't know what to do with 6 strings or more. Other than a whole lot of crazy prog rock tapping, or slightly weird sounding chords I'm just not sure what I'd do. Though, I've never really seen someone play something decent while actually using all the extra strings. I'm not saying it can't be done or that many of you aren't friggin awesome at what you do, just that every time I've looked at something on youtube, it's someone tapping out the Mario theme (or some tune which its skillfullness is only rivaled by its gayness).

Having said that, I've only just gone from a 4 string to a 5 & I find it hard to pick up my 4 string any more cos it just doesn't go low enough. What I don't get is going higher. Why? It seems funny for a bass to do that, kind of stealing the guitarist's role, sneaking into the treble clef. Although to be fair, I'm stealing the drummer's thunder when I start playing slap as well.

Maybe some bassists are just greedy, trying to steal the limelight that the other band members have traditionally hogged for themselves.

I think the real issue is, do you actually use all your strings, & does it sound good? If the answer is yes, then screw the haters, you're a better musician than they are. If no, then you're probably pretentious - learn to use your instrument or get one you can use.


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## heavy7-665 (Feb 25, 2011)




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## R0ADK1LL (Feb 26, 2011)

Yeah, sorry but I gotta say, skillfulness is only rivaled by its gayness. (Yes that's exactly the kind of backhanded compliment Megatron would give in G1 Transformers, "Your courage is only exceeded by your stupidity".)

It is a music making machine, yes, but it is not a bass. If it were a bass he would use the bottom strings. (I'm aware that I'm probably making some enemies, but go on, defend your instrument. I don't mind being proved wrong if you can put up a good argument.)


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## Joospocks (Feb 26, 2011)

I think any ERB with 9, 10, 11 strings is inevitably going to be used at least somewhat as a touchstyle instrument. The musicians who play them aren't bothered by the fact that they don't fit the traditional role of the bass guitar in a band. If playing a touchstyle instrument as a soloist is pretentious or greedy or gay, then solo piano playing must be all of those things as well, because the two instruments have rather similar capabilities.


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## deevit (Feb 26, 2011)

I like to approach the bass in melodic ways too, and as a solo instrument. The massive ERB's are not for me, but if it inspires you in whatever way, why not? IMO bass playing is not just playing low notes, it's just another instrument. I have got 5 string and 25 frets and use them all. I love high C strings, great for pops and chords. There is a lot possible on a bass guitar, and the limits of it can make it just more fun IME.

Another thong; If you have six strings (or whatever), why schould you use them all the time? I've played four, five and six string basses and I always bring the one with the best sound for the gig. If it has got one, two or five strings that I won't need right in that moment, who cares? When I played my six people would ask me why I used a six, because I barely used the high C. Strange enough they would not come to me when I used a four or five, not even if I would use just one string. 
A drummer doesn't have to use all his toms and cymbals on every song does he? 

Do whatever rocks your boat. I like people who tend to look outside the box and on the other side I love it when someone can play like a monster, racing on only a fourstring. Numbers don't matter, the player does.


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## ZEBOV (Feb 26, 2011)

deevit said:


> Another thong; If you have six strings...


Are they all G-strings?


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## Steve08 (Feb 27, 2011)

R0ADK1LL said:


> Yeah, sorry but I gotta say, skillfulness is only rivaled by its gayness. (Yes that's exactly the kind of backhanded compliment Megatron would give in G1 Transformers, "Your courage is only exceeded by your stupidity".)
> 
> It is a music making machine, yes, but it is not a bass. If it were a bass he would use the bottom strings. (I'm aware that I'm probably making some enemies, but go on, defend your instrument. I don't mind being proved wrong if you can put up a good argument.)


It's not really a guitar or bass at that point honestly, there's only so low and high you can go in terms of a 'guitar' instrument and he's probably maximized both in terms of range, but I mean if it's built like a bass and he plays it like one then I'd be inclined to call it a bass, just because, mostly 

edit: I hadn't watched the video until after I posted, but it looks like he's using at least the low E for some basslines to accompany the higher melodies. Plus, the timbre and appearance of the instrument are entirely bass-oriented.


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## heavy7-665 (Feb 27, 2011)

Steve08 said:


> It's not really a guitar or bass at that point honestly, there's only so low and high you can go in terms of a 'guitar' instrument and he's probably maximized both in terms of range, but I mean if it's built like a bass and he plays it like one then I'd be inclined to call it a bass, just because, mostly
> 
> edit: I hadn't watched the video until after I posted, but it looks like he's using at least the low E for some basslines to accompany the higher melodies. Plus, the timbre and appearance of the instrument are entirely bass-oriented.



Listen to his track "Krakatoa". Lots of low.


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## deevit (Feb 27, 2011)

ZEBOV said:


> Are they all G-strings?




Yeah, thrown on stage by the chicks who dig the big ass guitar.

Haha best typo ever!


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## AcousticMinja (Feb 27, 2011)

I just say what I tell people when they complain about any instrument with extra whatever...
More range, and it'll hurt more when I hit you with it 

But honestly, more range without using crazy tunings...so for a person who is used to standard tunings with all their crazy chords on bass and stuff, it's definitely a way to go. With whatever amount of stringy ding things you want. It's about how you personally utilize it. Don't care what others think.


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## Matti_Ice (Feb 27, 2011)

I've ran into this problem before. Had a guy play bass for the band i'm in for a while who hated my 6 string bass, 7 string guitar and LOATHED my 8 string. Seems everyone we run into has a problem with extended range instruments. Bass isn't that big of a deal but guitar wise, its crippling. Thus why we are a 3 piece, either we find people who play 7 strings who want to just play metal and NOTHING else or we find 6 string players who basically tell us to go to hell when we suggest pickin up a 7. Shreveport music scene sucks. I will say this, I always preached the word of the 6 string bass, but I eventually had to pick up a 4 string for some of the things I was doing. I needed the speed the smaller neck had to offer and it really wasn't that big of a change and I actually preferred it. But anyone who says a 6, 7, 8 string bass is stupid, is a complete ass clown. They should be forced to watch this for 8 hours a day until they appreciate it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvEhyxZqtCk


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## vampiregenocide (Feb 27, 2011)

Playing guitar is like going into a gunfight, people are always going to be more impressed by the guy with the bigger gun. The poor guy with the pistol is afraid he'll go unnoticed and he wouldn't be able to use a gattling gun even if he could afford one.


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## Matti_Ice (Feb 27, 2011)

vampiregenocide said:


> Playing guitar is like going into a gunfight, people are always going to be more impressed by the guy with the bigger gun. The poor guy with the pistol is afraid he'll go unnoticed and he wouldn't be able to use a gattling gun even if he could afford one.


 Unless its my pistol, it gets mistaken for a SMG all the time lol but good analogy


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## R0ADK1LL (Feb 28, 2011)

Matti_Ice said:


> nvEhyxZqtCk[/MEDIA]


I agree, that guy is awesome.

My real beef with some 'extended range basses' is that once you start creeping out of bass in to baritone or tenor territory, it looses its definition as an instrument. Just the same as if a double bass had cello & even violin strings & you only called it a bass because it was big like one. But if you didn't even play it like a bass, plucking or with a bow, rather you hit it like a xylophone, you'd really have to wonder just what kind of instrument it really was.

I think I've lost where my point is, 'cause I kinda want someone to make this ridiculous instrument now. I would still laugh at it though.


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## Murmel (Mar 1, 2011)

R0ADK1LL said:


> I agree, that guy is awesome.
> 
> My real beef with some 'extended range basses' is that *once you start creeping out of bass in to baritone or tenor territory, it looses its definition as an instrumen*t. Just the same as if a double bass had cello & even violin strings & you only called it a bass because it was big like one. But if you didn't even play it like a bass, plucking or with a bow, rather you hit it like a xylophone, you'd really have to wonder just what kind of instrument it really was.
> 
> I think I've lost where my point is, 'cause I kinda want someone to make this ridiculous instrument now. I would still laugh at it though.


I don't see anything wrong with that, you still have the range of a regular bass guitar. I just think it's fun to play outside the boundaries so to speak. Honestly, I don't care how anyone plays their instrument, if they're playing a 6 string bass with a snare drum attached to the body with their dick and it sounds cool, then fucking go for it


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## 4String (Mar 3, 2011)

I prefer a 4 string.
I really liked 5, 6, and even 7 string bass guitars but they just seem to "big."
I really like the feeling a 5 string, but anything above that is just too much for my preference.


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## Insanity (Mar 4, 2011)

I just love instruments with strings. Dont care how many they have though.


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## gazooba (Mar 4, 2011)

Insanity said:


> I just love instruments with strings. Dont care how many they have though.



Exactly! Why can't we all just get along?
Put strings on a hunk of wood, music will be made. Isn't that what it's supposed to be all about anyway - the music?


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## Dopey Trout (Mar 12, 2011)

R0ADK1LL said:


> I agree, that guy is awesome.
> 
> My real beef with some 'extended range basses' is that once you start creeping out of bass in to baritone or tenor territory, it looses its definition as an instrument. Just the same as if a double bass had cello & even violin strings & you only called it a bass because it was big like one. But if you didn't even play it like a bass, plucking or with a bow, rather you hit it like a xylophone, you'd really have to wonder just what kind of instrument it really was.
> 
> I think I've lost where my point is, 'cause I kinda want someone to make this ridiculous instrument now. I would still laugh at it though.



Bass guitar is already out of traditional bass range considering the lowest note is contrabass. Hell a standard guitar isn't a tenor instrument, it starts in bass range and ends in soprano.

Guitars already blur the line between voices, they're an old fashioned concept referring to old fashioned instruments (not that there's anything wrong with old instruments, but we're not all learning sonatas any more).


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## ApteraBassist (Mar 12, 2011)

R0ADK1LL said:


> I agree, that guy is awesome.
> 
> My real beef with some 'extended range basses' is that once you start creeping out of bass in to baritone or tenor territory, it looses its definition as an instrument. Just the same as if a double bass had cello & even violin strings & you only called it a bass because it was big like one. But if you didn't even play it like a bass, plucking or with a bow, rather you hit it like a xylophone, you'd really have to wonder just what kind of instrument it really was.
> 
> I think I've lost where my point is, 'cause I kinda want someone to make this ridiculous instrument now. I would still laugh at it though.




hmmm... last I checked this is Sevenstring.org, where people gather who enjoy the sound of a guitar that goes beyond its standard range. if you have a 7 or 8 string guitar then your argument seems kind of hypocritical


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## R0ADK1LL (Mar 13, 2011)

ApteraBassist said:


> hmmm... last I checked this is Sevenstring.org, where people gather who enjoy the sound of a guitar that goes beyond its standard range. if you have a 7 or 8 string guitar then your argument seems kind of hypocritical



I have a 4-string & a 5-string. One string of extended low range. I think the initial idea of sevenstring.org is from 7-string guitars. One string of extended low range. Not saying you can't have more, just that I'm not a hypocrite.

What I don't like so much (& this is purely a point of preference) is higher strings on a bass & the impact the extra strings have on the way a person plays the instrument. If you had a 179-string bass & you could rock out some killer riffs, it would be awesome. If you had a 2-string bass & all you did was tap the Mario theme or something equally bad, then you are the anti-awesome.

Just to be clear, I'm not against tapping. I used tapping in a gig today. What I don't get is taking a beautiful piece of wood, crafting it into an instrument, carefully shaping it, picking out just the right pickups, strings & all the rest... & then limiting yourself to making music that could be replicated on a gameboy.


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## deevit (Mar 13, 2011)

You're referring to Jean Baudin I presume? He makes some beautiful music with his ERB's, too bas people only know him from his Mario en Zelds themes.


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## R0ADK1LL (Mar 13, 2011)

I think maybe I should just stop posting on this thread because I'm probably getting a lot of hate my way for the comments I'm making, but at least it's more interesting than "I love 6 strings."
"Yes, I also love many strings."
"Not as much as I love strings."
"I too love many many strings."
Sometimes someone needs to play devil's advocate to get the details out.

My main point is that predominantly bassists who "extend" their range with more strings, end up in fact limiting themselves to little melodies that would sound better on a guitar or a piano.

I think extended range basses are most often beautifully crafted instruments & it takes more skill & knowledge of musical theory than I have to play them well. I just think it's a shame that their potential is seldom realised.

With that, I think I'll retire from this thread & carry on posting much more positive comments elsewhere. Feel free to keep rebutting, but I'll try to hold my tongue on this one for now.


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## Dopey Trout (Mar 13, 2011)

R0ADK1LL said:


> I think maybe I should just stop posting on this thread because I'm probably getting a lot of hate my way for the comments I'm making, but at least it's more interesting than "I love 6 strings."
> "Yes, I also love many strings."
> "Not as much as I love strings."
> "I too love many many strings."
> ...



You're not getting hate, you're posting opinions and other people are informing you to the contrary. It's pretty much the fundamental basis of debate to inform the other side of your views.

The friction is coming from the fact that you are effectively posting rather close minded and outdated opinions which many people are opposed to. I'm not saying I dislike you for thinking that way and no one else is, but you can't expect no rebuttals if you consistently post contrarian opinions on a public forum.

Regardless, I have to disagree. The range for experimentation should not be maligned or insulted because of general use. It should be lauded for what CAN be done. Many people frowned and continue to frown on extended range guitars because of the nu metal era, but people here look past the most basic exploitation of an advancement and into what can be done with them, see Steve Vai, Nevermore, Chris Broderick or whoever you feel achieves this. I understand your fervour and opposition to basic exploitation of advancement, but you can't throw the baby out with the bathwater just because you've seen a few guys with 8 string basses tapping Super Mario


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## ApteraBassist (Mar 14, 2011)

agreed. not liking extended range basses because the high range gets overused is the same as not liking 7 and 8 string guitars because most people just djent away on the low 2 strings and completely ignore the higher strings. dislike the people who do that, not the instrument


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