Question:

just looking for opinions… do you think a 5-string bass is required to play in a death metal band?  or can a standard 4-string handle the low-end? thanks rafe

Response:

>just looking for opinions… >do you think a 5-string bass is required to play in a death metal >band?  or can a standard 4-string handle the low-end?

Well, do you think a 5-string bass is required to make the sounds come out of the amp that you want to hear coming out of the amp? I’m not trying to be snide—it’s just that there’s no other answer.  Of course a 5-string isn’t *required*; hell, a 4-string isn’t *required*, and I’m not even too sure about three.  I wouldn’t go to one string, but you can do a hell of a lot with two. Death metal as I understand the term (but be aware that I’m an old fart, and it may mean something different to you) is about texture, not distinction, in the low end.  That may be a good argument for having the lower notes of a B string available; then again, it may be a good argument for not bothering with extra notes that are just going to get lost.  The fact that people answer these sorts of questions differently is one reason bands don’t all sound the same.  (And since the usual complain about death metal is that it all sounds the same, it may be advantageous to throw out the standard answers and see what you get in their place.) Given your name, it may be of interest that Tom Araya seems to play 4-strings.  (And, yes, I know Slayer is only arguably death metal, in the world of microgenres.)         NT — Nathan Tenny                     | A foolish consistency Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA    | recapitulates phylogeny.

Response:

> just looking for opinions… > do you think a 5-string bass is required to play in a death metal > band?

hmm… See the Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse, incredible man who use 5 string bass. so you have the answer ) I think that must be individual choice ! Greetings

Response:

: : >>just looking for opinions… : >> : >>do you think a 5-string bass is required to play in a death metal : >>band?  or can a standard 4-string handle the low-end? : > : >Well, do you think a 5-string bass is required to make the sounds come out : >of the amp that you want to hear coming out of the amp? : > : >I’m not trying to be snide—it’s just that there’s no other answer.  Of : >course a 5-string isn’t *required*; hell, a 4-string isn’t *required*, and : >I’m not even too sure about three.  I wouldn’t go to one string, but you : >can do a hell of a lot with two. : > : >Death metal as I understand the term (but be aware that I’m an old fart, and : >it may mean something different to you) is about texture, not distinction, : >in the low end.  That may be a good argument for having the lower notes of : >a B string available; then again, it may be a good argument for not bothering : >with extra notes that are just going to get lost.  The fact that people : >answer these sorts of questions differently is one reason bands don’t all : >sound the same.  (And since the usual complain about death metal is that : >it all sounds the same, it may be advantageous to throw out the standard : >answers and see what you get in their place.) Some would argue that "bass" isn’t necessary at all in death metal, since it gets frequently lost between the guitars and drums.  I would say to pay attention to what your guitar players do since most death metal bass follows the guitars.  If they frequently go below standard E on their guitars, you might want to pick up a 5-string.  I think you could get your point across just fine with a 4-string.  Plus, the lower you go, the more likely the human ear is to lose it in the mix.  Think about being heard through the rest of the band. : >Given your name, it may be of interest that Tom Araya seems to play : >4-strings.  (And, yes, I know Slayer is only arguably death metal, in : >the world of microgenres.) : > Tom Araya tunes down on his 4 string. : I play in a Tool tribute. I own 9 basses – all 4 strings. For my needs : I tune 1 normally, 1 to BEDG and 1 to BADG. : : So no a 5 string isn’t necessary but I definitely rely on the low B. I : have a personal preference not to play anything more than 4 strings : (also a limit to how many basses I want to own) but depending on what : you play, ie; Godsmack, Korn, Tool, or whatever, it’s tough to not : have a low string. Those are hardly death metal bands, though.  They are more like n