best five sting riffs?

[wellREDman]

for a mid level bass player with access to a 5 string for the first time, what riffs get the most bang for the buck using a low B? I'm thinking what to have a pop at learning to have fun with it rather than playing with others ?

[Denis]

At first I thought this was going to be about Police songs!

Try some Gogol Bordello stuff. Tommy Gobena plays a five string throughout the music and the riffs are terrific. Not exactly pop but it's fantastic music.

[4stringer77]

It's only 5 extra notes, B, C, C#,D & D#. Having the B string isn't just about those notes but also it's about the increased options of your fretting hand position. Now you can fret E on the 5th fret of the B string instead of playing it open for instance.
It's good to be judicious with the B string. If you hang around on it like it's an E string you'll end up sounding like P nut from 311. 

[gweimer]

Some of the earlier Black Sabbath material was drop tuned, so having that lower B string makes "Into The Void" easier to play, and sounds right.

One song that is deceptively drop tuned, to my ears, is an old Humble Pie song that fits better with that low B string available, too.

[nofi]

what a great song. thanks for posting.

[jumbodbassman]

one of my favs...

[Chris P.]

Always nice to here Steve Marriott!

[4stringer77]

Also when it comes to five string I have a hard time not thinking of Nathan East. He's great on this.



But the guy that takes the cake for me on 5 string would have to be "Ready" Freddie Washington.

[nofi]

is that freddie 'boom boom' washington from 'welcome back kotter'!

[fealach]

It wasn't very popular, even for a Yes album, but this riff got me to buy my first 5 string, and tune it down a step.  By the time my infatuation had cooled off, I had gotten used to the tuning and floppy strings and still use it.

[4stringer77]

is that freddie 'boom boom' washington from 'welcome back kotter'!

Yes, exactly. Same guy that goes on tour with Steely Dan and is a first call session bassist also played himself on Welcome Back Kotter. 

I heard you're a big fan of Robert Johnson.

[nofi]

my guy is dead. who is this imposter.

[4stringer77]

I realized Nathan East and Freddie Washington both recorded for Anita Baker. I prefer the album Freddie did, Rapture, over the one Nathan did, Giving You the Best That I've Got.
This guy covering East's work on the title track is impressive and shows how to handle a B string well.

He does a Freddie Washington cover too.

[Highlander]

Too many strings on that bass, Ari... 

[patman]

I keep my Dano Tuned standard...my Precision is BEAD...never missed the g string, never looked back...