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Open strings?
Do you use open strings much when playing?
If given the choice between open A or fret 5 on E string..most of the time I'll choose the latter option.
I have better control over the note is one reason I suppose and I like the tone better.
Same here - generally I'll use the fifth fret over the open string. As you said, I have better control over the note at the fifth fret. It is harder to mute a string at the nut compared to farther up the neck.
But it also depends on what comes before and after; sometimes the open string does work better.
Depends on what I'm playing. If it's something heavy then I'll most likely use the E but if it's something like indie rock I'll use the open A
On The Animals ‘We Gotta Get Outta This Place’, on the bass riff, which is the main part of the song, Chas Chandler uses the 5th fret on the D for the G, I use the open G cos its easier
Quote:
Same here - generally I'll use the fifth fret over the open string. As you said, I have better control over the note at the fifth fret. It is harder to mute a string at the nut compared to farther up the neck.But it also depends on what comes before and after; sometimes the open string does work better.
Ditto. Crazy Train immediately comes to mind. You could play the main riff like this…
Tabs:
G|-------------------------------------|
D|----------------7---6---4------------|
A|----------------------------7--------|
E|-5--5--5--5--5----5---5---5----------|
…but it's easier and more expedient to play it with the open A like this…
Tabs:
G|--------------------------------------|
D|---------------7---6------------------|
A|-0--0--0--0--0---0---0-9-0-7----------|
E|--------------------------------------|
Quote:
On The Animals ‘We Gotta Get Outta This Place’, on the bass riff, which is the main part of the song, Chas Chandler uses the 5th fret on the D for the G, I use the open G cos its easier
i do the same thing
Playing closed also helps if the singer decides to change the key for a song. It's a lot easier to shift where you fret when you're fretting in the first place. This happens with the praise band I play in just about every time we play, usually just before we run through the song in rehearsal.
I try to avoid using open strings as much as possible. I like using the fretted notes for better control of the sound, but there are a few songs where open strings is a necessity to keep my hands from stretching too far or doing some weird repetitive sequence that causes my hand to cramp.
If I read a tab with open strings, I try to train myself to learn the song using the fretted notes.
The only time I really appreciate open strings is when slapping. But I rarely do this because I suck at it. But slapping an open string seems to give more punch than the fretted note being slapped. For me at least.
It depends on where the fretting fingers are and the settings I use. With some distortion and fuzz the difference between E5 and open A can hardly be heard. I try to avoid the G string, as it produces a rather thin tone. It should be mentioned that I play punk rock and metal most of the time.
Jay, if you avoid the G string why not change to B E A D, just a little tweaking with a nut file (CAREFULLY) and presto, a heavy metal bass
I tuned my oldest bass BEAD four years ago.
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