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5 String Double Basses

Double basses have existed in three, four, and five string configurations at different times and places. Paul Brun's new history of the bass deals with the matter extensively. (Brun, Paul, A New History of the Double Bass (Villeneuve d'Ascq, Paul Brun Productions, 2000)).

There was a 5 string double bass that was popular in Vienna during what Brun calls "The Golden Age of Virtuosity". this period existed from about 1760 until about 1830. These instruments were usually tuned as follows:

Tuning

The first mention of a 5 string orchestral double bass was in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1880. Hans von Bülow used 5 string basses in a cycle of the Beethoven symphonies. In 1882, a 5 string bass was being used by Willy Krausse, principal double bass of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Today, both C extensions and a fifth string are used to obtain notes lower than the open E string. There are two types of extension, mechanical and fingered. In the United States, C extensions are prevalent, although Joseph Guastafeste, principal of the Chicago Symphony uses a 5 string bass. (For more about extensions, visit Jonas Lohse's excellant website.) German orchestras use 5 string basses, and all three major London orchestras use 5 string basses.

Mechanical Extension Fingered Extension 5-String
Mechanical Extension Fingered Extension 5 String

I find the 5 string bass has the following advantages over a C extension:

On 5 string basses, the low string is tuned to either C or B. I tune mine to B as follows:

Tuning

This has the following advantages:





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