5 string question

[morganpiper]

I have wanted a five string, thinking a moongazer, but here is the question, what exactly does one do with the fifth string, I know, kinda silly question, also, if one is playing a trad song, does the fifth string help or hinder? How does one incorporate it. What are some good resources to study? I look forward to to the forums response, cheers, Brett

[Pete Martin]

You play the fifth string when you want notes in that range! Chords or single notes. It is fun to have that range, go ahead and use it.

[Colin Lindsay]

Once you get used to it you find it hard to play without it.

[F-2 Dave]

Once you get used to it you find it hard to play without it.

What Colin said.

[darrylicshon]

A few things that a 5 string helps,
most tune it to C which I play a lot of guitar notation and to be able to play the guitar low E or sometimes D some metal bands use a low C so you can play it without transposing it. To me thats the best reason.

I have a friend that loves the chords it adds and the sounds of them. Most trad music it would depend on how used to it if it would hinder or help, i was teaching a friend mandolin, he was a quick learner and practice a lot, he wanted to try a 5 string he gave it a good afford but couldn't , not sure why.

I play a 5 string i only my om i don't have a regular 5 string right now i sold the last one i made, new one is half way done can't wait

I say yes buy one moongazer has some nice mandos, good luck

I am going to make a 6 string that will be turned f c g d a e it will be a lot of fun, but it wont get built until late 2015

[ricomando]

It is most useful for giving a lower voicing for chords and melodic back up ie- cross picking arpeggios . in your case any trad song you know in G can easily be played in C just by pretending the C string is the G string . A to D or D to G or E to A etc... are also possible by using the C string as the G .

you will find chording possibly a challenge either muting the C string or E string or expanding to 5 note chord shapes

[Jim Garber]

I remember having a conversation with Tiny Moore about how he played his 5-string. Generally for chording/comping he would use the lower 3 or 4 strings and for melody would use the upper 4. That didn't mean that ne never played melody on the low string but is sort of a jazz guitar approach in terms of comping. It makes a lot of sense that you would want more of the bass lines and the lower range for that.

[morganpiper]

Thanks for the responses, I'm gonna go for it!

[Dave Greenspoon]

I'm thinking two-finger chords is the simplest, most "elegant" way to go. Barre chords to cover a three-string span can work too. It's easy to move all over the fret board and add lead. Adding that low string opens up all sorts of fun possibilities.

[ricomando]

Choice of chord voicing should really be dictated by what best serves the song being played in the ensemble playing it , minus your ability to use all the various chord voicings . IMO

[mandroid]

Nifty thing : 3 string chords .. the IV, I and V are neighbors on the same fret.

middle 234 the root .

CGDA lets you use Tenor banjo and Viola charts

GDAE Violin scores can be used.