Fretless beginer. Advice needed

[chilievans]

Calling all fretless players

I've recently bought my first fretless. Its a very lovely sounding VM Jazz.

Being new to this sort of thing I'm looking for some advice regarding intonation, setup, strings, study pieces etc etc. basically anything that can help me on my merry way.

It sounds awesome. I should have bought one ages ago

[RhysP]

Just play it like a normal bass & don't be tempted to slide all over the place as it sounds cheesy & cliched.

[Silvia Bluejay]

The neck will have the usual dots, which you can (in fact should) check periodically while you're fingering the notes, to make sure you're not too far out. As for the rest, trust your muscle memory and your ear, and just play

[fretmeister]

When you have a chance to use an open string, use it. That will let your brain re-set your mental intonation and give you an open string to compare your fretted strings to.

[SpaceChick]

However, there are some songs where a well placed slide sounds AWESOME like in Pink Floyds High Hopes..... That baby, nailed on my fretless at an audition last week gained me a fabulous gig

[Silvia Bluejay]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1367264104' post='2063449']
When you have a chance to use an open string, use it. That will let your brain re-set your mental intonation and give you an open string to compare your fretted strings to.
[/quote]

Good advice, but doing so usually sounds a lot better on double bass than it does on bass guitar, especially if you're playing twangy or boomy rounds and/or a fretless 5.

[chilievans]

cool

It has fret lines which helps a lot

[GarethFlatlands]

Do a massive slide into or out of every single note. Best get a chorus pedal too.

[fretmeister]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1367264333' post='2063453']
Good advice, but doing so usually sounds a lot better on double bass than it does on bass guitar, especially if you're playing twangy or boomy rounds and/or a fretless 5.
[/quote]

Good point. I use nickel rounds but back the bass control off loads to even it all out.

[fretmeister]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1367264447' post='2063460']
Do a massive slide into or out of every single note. Best get a chorus pedal too.
[/quote]

ha ha!!!

[voxpop]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1367263862' post='2063441']
Just play it like a normal bass & don't be tempted to slide all over the place as it sounds cheesy & cliched.
[/quote]

+1

I play mine just like my fretted bass but with SUBTLE slides in and out of notes. Play loads and use your ears to feel fr the note.

It's great fun and a very unique sound.

[chilievans]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1367264447' post='2063460']
Do a massive slide into or out of every single note. Best get a chorus pedal too.
[/quote]
Now thats more like it

I've been playing Bach on it and it doesn't sound quite right in places. I'm thinking its my intonation?

[apa]

A touch of Chorus works wonders IMO and its not just the slides that make it unique. Theres the vibrato to. You'll feel free as a bird once you get into it.

Exellent choice in the VM btw. Very good basses indeed.

A

Edited April 29, 2013 by apa

[GarethFlatlands]

Could be. Mine was terrible at first but it just kind of clicked after a while.

In all seriousness, treat it like a fretted in terms of trying to play cleanly and in tune. You can worry about all the flowery techniques once you've got that sorted.

[Guest bassman7755]

Practice exclusively on the fretless even when playing "normal" material. Don't ever take a break of more than a couple of days from playing it or your intonation will start to go off (once youve aquired it that is).

[BassBus]

[size=4][quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1367264447' post='2063460'][/size]
Do a massive slide into or out of every single note. Best get a chorus pedal too.
[/quote]

And then try slapping it. And that's when you'll wish you hadn't. [size=4] [/size]

[quote name='chilievans' timestamp='1367264963' post='2063475']
I've been playing Bach on it and it doesn't sound quite right in places. I'm thinking its my intonation?
[/quote]

It might not be just your intonation. Take it to a good luthier for a setup. Not all guitar shop techs know how to setup a fretless properly.

[Roger2611]

I learnt on an unlined fretless, firstly and foremost play by ear rather than looking at where you think your fingers should be, as you get confident you should be able to play it exactly the same as a fretted bass or using short slides you will get that lovely fretless sound....then most importantly buy a chorus pedal an octaver and get hold of Paul Young's No Parlez album and listen to Pino at his best and ignore those ney sayers on here they are out for mischief!

[chilievans]

thanks guys

[bassatnight]

Assume your bass is lined? If not or possible even if it is begin by treating it exactly like a fretted, this will give you a feel for 'where you are' before you catch the slidings bug.

Listen to other players and watch their styles if possible, but getting your own style is key - you tube has many excellent fretless players with beginners lessons.

Players of note:
Mark Egan, Mick Karn, Tony Franklin, Pino Palladino (Gary Numan/Paul Young), Jaco Pastorius

[Panamonte]

[quote name='bassatnight' timestamp='1367314070' post='2063949']
Players of note:
Mark Egan, Mick Karn, Tony Franklin, Pino Palladino (Gary Numan/Paul Young), Jaco Pastorius
[/quote]

and John Giblin

[Dave Vader]

Congrats, you never need to tune your bass again, just slide around until you find the right note, and take it from there....

[fretmeister]

Basic rule...

Miss 1 day of practice and you will notice your intonation sucks.
Miss 2 days and your band will notice.
Miss 3 days and the audience will notice.

[BassBus]

[quote name='bassatnight' timestamp='1367314070' post='2063949']
Players of note:
Mark Egan, Mick Karn, Tony Franklin, Pino Palladino (Gary Numan/Paul Young), Jaco Pastorius
[/quote]
[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1367314637' post='2063953']
and John Giblin
[/quote]

...and Gary Willis...

[fretmeister]

Les Claypool has been known to slap a fretless with scary accuracy too.

[Fat Rich]

When you play your fretted bass try to get your finger as close to the fret as possible without choking the note, it'll improve your fretless playing no end and also means you need less pressure to fret a note cleanly which causes less tiredness.