Fretless beginer. Advice needed

[Conan]

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1367314637' post='2063953']
and John Giblin
[/quote]

Totally! IMO the most tasteful fretless player there is/was. He played on some great stuff with Fish (Vigil in a wilderness of mirrors album) and John Martyn (especially Grace and Danger and Glorious Fool). Other stuff too numerous to mention - but there is not a lot about him on the web... A lovely laid-back style that always sounds more simple than it actually is to play!

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QllBnsiIpMg[/media]

This live version actually features Alan Thompson, who plays in a very similar style to Giblin. Not many videos of JG playing live...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_OjHUJcWc&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_OjHUJcWc&feature=player_embedded[/url]#!

Edited April 30, 2013 by Conan

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='chilievans' timestamp='1367263685' post='2063437']

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.

[/quote]

Start saving for an EUB.
Then a DB.

That's the normal progression, isn't it?

[Silvia Bluejay]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1367324657' post='2064153']
Start saving for an EUB.
Then a DB.

That's the normal progression, isn't it?
[/quote]

LOL yes, except when you do it the other way round and buy an EUB first and then a fretless (5 strings in my case), followed inevitably by a 5-string EUB. No space for the DB at present, thank God!

[fatback]

Make sure the dots on the side of the neck are ON the 'fret' positions, not between them as they are on fretted guitars. If they're not, move them or use sticky paper dots. Getting those right will do two things: 1. You'll be able to avoid looking at the lines. 2. You'll be able to use them as a position marker for your thumb.

The best road to good intonation imo is to use (mostly) one finger per fret, pivot on the thumb and restrict the thumb positions (on the E string) to F#, G, A, B, E. Essentially, it's the Rabbath double bass method.

The reasoning is that if you have a limited number of thumb positions, you limit the amount of arm movement you do. Arm movements are the risk factor for intonation. You can effectively practice the arm movements (thumb positions) alone if you want to and your muscle memory will develop.

And not least, you will be able to make the transition to upright (you will, you know ) pretty painlessly. Alright, not painlessly, but easily.

I'm only saying here what I found worked for me. I'm nobody's expert, i hasten to add.

Edited April 30, 2013 by fatback

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1367325063' post='2064159']


LOL yes, except when you do it the other way round and buy an EUB first and then a fretless (5 strings in my case), followed inevitably by a 5-string EUB. No space for the DB at present, thank God!
[/quote]

I didn't exactly go that way myself...

4, fretless 4, 5, fretless 5, discover fretless isn't for me, sell it and buy another fretted 5, figure EUB will sound how I'd want, buy EUB 5 straight from the off...

[the boy]

[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]
Boooooohhhhh..... That's like telling kids not to slide on the dance floor at a wedding.

[the boy]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1367315296' post='2063970']
Congrats, you never need to tune your bass again, just slide around until you find the right note, and take it from there....

[/quote]
I've done that ........lol

[merlin]

just play have fun,loads of great advise here,I play both with no worries,the more you play the better it is...

[Bilbo]

Just realised that, despite playing 99% fretless for 27 years, I hardly ever slide.

[Guest McBass]

This live version actually features Alan Thompson, who plays in a very similar style to Giblin. Not many videos of JG playing live...

That looks like John to me.

[apa]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1367398652' post='2065011']
Just realised that, despite playing 99% fretless for 27 years, I hardly ever slide.
[/quote]

Then your doing it wrong

A

[guyl]

Boost the mids and enjoy the "mwahh". And definitely enjoy the slides. Surely you didn't buy a fretless to sound exactly like your fretted bass??

It's hard to stop looking at the lines/dots, but to quote Obi-Wan Kenobi - "your eyes can deceive you - don't trust them". Intonation is in the ears!

And when you 1st gig with it, take your usual fretted as a back up in case it doesn't fit as well as you'd hoped.

Good luck...

[Skinner]

My advice is when you first gig with it just go fretless! you will overcome.

[Conan]

[quote name='Skinner' timestamp='1393807083' post='2384626']
My advice is when you first gig with it just go fretless! you will overcome.
[/quote]

This thread is nearly a year old! I'm guessing that the first gig stage has been and gone...