@gmunatsi reminded me (thanks!) that I had a story to tell on the not-always-obvious dangers of going from 4 string to 5 string.
Here goes:
The Cautionary Tale of This One Bass Player I Saw One Time
I was at a concert because my lady love was singing in a gospel choir, and they were part of a 3 -all-gospel-band bill.
Since she was in the choir, I knew a few folks from the choir and band. I’d seen them before. They were great. Full of fire and energy and grooves. Fun times had by all.
They were going to be the last band of the night and their bassist had just gotten a brand new, beautiful 5 string. (I think it was an Ibanez, but it’s not important. Just imagine the most beautiful, tantalizing 5-string you can.) He was chatting with the bassist for the 2nd band about it. You could see this other bass player’s eyes goggling - you could see the drool from the corner of his mouth as he looked at this bass. He wanted it.
I had seen the 2nd band in soundcheck. They were super cool - tons of style and sophistication - some choreographed turns and snaps - a very nice Gospel-meets-4-Tops kind of vibe. And, in soundcheck, their bassist played a 4 string Fender. Classic, and wonderful.
Come concert time, when band number 2 takes the stage, lo and behold, he cruises out there with the new 5 string. The 5 string of band number 3’s bass player.
“Wha?” I say to myself. A bold move, says I. But, I give him the full benefit of the doubt. He’s a pro, and this is a legit concert, after all.
The band begins their set.
Throughout the 1st song, the 4 dudes in classy suits trying to sing keep throwing dagger-eyes at the bass player. I don’t know if the audience is in on just how many clams that bass player is dropping, but it is INTENSE! CLAM after Clam after Clam!! He has no idea what to do about this 5th string! His whole game is off! Everything is one string further away than he thinks!
They make it through song one, and go right into song 2, like a well-oiled machine… with a bass player who doesn’t know where his notes are anymore.
Song number 2 is a repeat of awful, excruciating on-stage-tension-and-death-by-glaring, until… they just stop. The singers just call it off. They stop the band, turn around, and the bass player - with a hung head and sagged shoulders walks off stage.
Oh my lord.
He comes back moments later with is Fender. His 4-string Fender.
The band starts again, and they crush the remainder of the set.
HOLY CATS, but I still think about this story any time anyone asks me what the difference is / what it’s like going from 4 string to 5 string.
Is it hard?
Not really. It just takes a bit of an adjustment period. Like, a longer adjustment period than 3 minutes before your band starts their set.
So.
That’s the story I was supposed to tell a while ago. DON’T BE THAT GUY!! Don’t just assume that because you’re a badass player you can easily waltz your way onto that extra string, no-practice-necessary.
It’s an easy transition, it’s an easy adjustment, but it takes a bit of getting used to.