5 or 4 string bass?!

5 or 4 string bass?

i am currently in a hard rock/metal band, and i wish to learn bass. my friends all tell me to go with the 5 string because of the extra string but is it all that great or necessary? ive heard its a great addition from some, but ive heard from others that its garbage. does the genre affect my decision?

A fifth string does give you added range (more notes to choose from) for any given position on the neck. But an added string tuned conventionally only adds at most five notes not available on a 4 string. Just about any song played on a 5 string could be played on a 4 string. You just have to tune appropriately and move your fretting hand more. If speed is important moving your fretting hand less can be an advantage. But unless you are playing songs that include notes from both pitch extremes, a 5 (or more) string is not really necessary. You should also consider that 5 strings usually have thick, wide necks that can be less comfortable to play, especially if you have short fingers. Also 5 strings are on average more expensive to purchase and maintain (cost of strings, setups, replacement parts, etc). Am I saying you shouldn't buy a 5 string? No. I just think you should be aware of the trade offs involved before you decide. BTW. I just saw Rush play in Seattle last week and I noticed Geddy only played 4 string basses.