Hellzero Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Forums will always be forums. Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Advice and tips [i]have [/i]been offered (darkened room, using open strings and harmonics as guide to intonation, sing your bassline, use a light touch...). Some differing opinions on ways to tackle fretless, too; nothing polemic, I'd say. What's the problem..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 [quote name='Hellzero' timestamp='1434912263' post='2803811'] Forums will always be forums. [/quote] Aye. Don't use anything but 12" speakers and forget about "tubes" Forget about musicality as a personal expression. Don't do too many slides and use effects judiciously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Come on people, let's not allow this to go the way of so many threads. Lots of good advice and that is what the OP asked for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Try as many things as you can and dispose of what doesn't work for you, that way you'll sound like you and not a clone of, whoever. Today I was using a pick with my fretless and was loving the sound. I may do it some more on other songs. There are no rules as such, just music. The modern bass guitar is only around 65 years old, so who is to say what's right and what's wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1434917540' post='2803870'] Try as many things as you can and dispose of what doesn't work for you, that way you'll sound like you and not a clone of, whoever. Today I was using a pick with my fretless and was loving the sound. I may do it some more on other songs. There are no rules as such, just music. The modern bass guitar is only around 65 years old, so who is to say what's right and what's wrong? [/quote] Yeah, but the quick way to decent fretless playing is to listen to the masters of yore, use 12" speakers and avoid valve amps. Get with with the programme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 [quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1434917728' post='2803873'] Yeah, but the quick way to decent fretless playing is to listen to the masters of yore, use 12" speakers and avoid valve amps. Get with with the programme. [/quote]Oops, sorry. One of us, one of us, one of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I didn't want to do this, but you asked for it. Now it's about time to understand your own language. I guess you learned it your way, so not ... correctly. correctly : adverb BrE /kəˈrektli/ 1 in a way that is accurate or true, without any mistakes synonym rightly Have you spelled it correctly? They reasoned, correctly, that she was away for the weekend. opposite incorrectly 2 in a way that is right and suitable, so that something is done as it should be done When correctly applied, fake tan is difficult to tell from the real thing. opposite incorrectly 3 in a way that follows the accepted standards or rules He was looking correctly grave. Source : Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary : [url="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/learner/correctly"]http://www.oxforddic...arner/correctly[/url] I could have held forth : I didn't as it's useless, but that definition isn't at all. Answer whatever you want, I dont care at all. This was my last intervention. Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 [quote name='Hellzero' timestamp='1434962549' post='2804101'] I didn't want to do this, but you asked for it. Now it's about time to understand your own language. I guess you learned it your way, so not ... correctly. <snip>[/quote] patronise [ ˈpātrəˌnīz, ˈpa- ] VERB (patronising) 1.treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority: [i]"“She's a good-hearted girl,” he said in a patronising voice"[/i] synonyms: treat condescendingly · look down on · talk down to · put down · treat like a child · treat with disdain · condescending · disdainful · supercilious · superior · imperious · scornful · contemptuous · uppity · high and mighty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Ah well. Unfollowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1434917540' post='2803870'] Try as many things as you can and dispose of what doesn't work for you, that way you'll sound like you and not a clone of, whoever. Today I was using a pick with my fretless and was loving the sound. I may do it some more on other songs. There are no rules as such, just music. The modern bass guitar is only around 65 years old, so who is to say what's right and what's wrong? [/quote] Agreed, to my ear medium-heavy flats, played with a pick on a fretless Ric or Precision is a to-die-for tone. Probably true for a Jazz also I just haven't tried it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 [quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1434968993' post='2804185'] Ah well. Unfollowed. [/quote]............................This, life it too short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 As a 29 year fretless man, my advice is do not practice reading music in a darkened room. It will ruin your eyes. There is only one thing in the fretless canon that is different from the fretted and that is the need for good intonation. You have to play with your ears and not your eyes. Make sure that, when you are playing with others, you can hear yourself. If you cannot, you are in no position to guarantee the accuracy of your intonation. Otherwise, a E major scale is an E major scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 It's fretless. You've got a string fixed between two points, and stuff happens inbetween. Have fun finding the stuff you like. Here endeth the lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1434984326' post='2804405'] You have to play with your ears and not your eyes. [/quote] I feel that this is really great advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1434984326' post='2804405'] You have to play with your ears and not your eyes. [/quote] Eyes can be helpful, something I learned from my early days playing DB live - especially when with poor monitoring - was to use a chromatic tuner and check whenever necessary the agreement between what I think my ears are hearing (in tune/not in tune) and a reliable measure of pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Apart from all the slightly off putting deviations off topic there is a lot of good advice here. But it is very important just to be patient. It takes time before you adapt your style to suit the fretless, once your fingers are used to making the tone as apposed to the frets doing part of the job for you, then you will see that it becomes easier to find your own fretless voice. And listen to Pino Paladino as well, I still like his fretless playing from back in the day. Simple and effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Have to say that in the early days when first playing and gigging fretless with the band, I found intonation a whole lot easier when I switched to heavier strings. In intonation terms these were simply more forgiving than lighter gauges and allowed me to develop the confidence to gig fretless. I'm guessing that heavier gauges are simply more stable and less responsive to being pulled. On that basis you only have end-to-end tuning issues to deal with as opposed to end-to-end and side to side issues. I still don't like light strings on fretless instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Right hand technique is as important as left (or vice versa if you're a leftie). Experiment with plectrum and fingers, and also with your thumb, especially if your fingernails get involved when playing with fingers - the side of your thumb will give yet another form of attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Just thought I'd seek out a fretless thread to share some thoughts, as I've just started on fretless. Loving it! I'm enjoying the challenge of getting correct intonation - I seem to be doing well, but need more practice down at the nut end where more hand movement is needed within a scale. Also I'm using my eyes a bit too much, but the ears are getting a good workout too. What has surprised me is the different timbre to fretted. Each note sounds so rich! That swell of overtones can almost sound like a phaser with chorus, in the most natural way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 When I got The Bass Doc (how is he, by the way?) to replace the fretboard of my bass with a fretless, I went for unmarked and with the side dots in the correct places for fretless, but most importantly, I needed a marker at the 1st fret position as I was getting really poor position near to the nut. I found that the extra marker really helped. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zawinul Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 get a lined one it will really help you!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmjos Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 1. Have fun 2. Stick with it 3. Play the best sounding bass you can afford 4. Listen to what other musicians play not what they say If it's in your soul you will get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goonieman Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 [quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1437728403' post='2828505'] 1. Have fun 2. Stick with it 3. Play the best sounding bass you can afford 4. Listen to what other musicians play not what they say If it's in your soul you will get it. [/quote] ^ this, ...and I vote 'without lines' ( but am definitely pro side markers!). The learning curve is greater, but more satisfying in the end. Also, fret lines are only general markers. If you intonate at the 12 fret, you still have to play sharp/flat (relative to the line) at either extreme of the fretboard. Another tip not mentioned here: a good setup! For me = almost deadflat relief (0.0015 to 0.005 max) and low action (4/64ths to 3/64ths) should be about right for lots of good resonating tones. Nut height also crucial, and right hand technique on fretboard, as well as other places for bringing different dynamics. Don't let people tell you slides are naff. Rather, the way most people on youtube use slides = naff. Bakhiti Khumalo is not naff. Bakhiti Khumalo is a hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) I'm getting used to fretless again having recently aquired a new one. I really like it, if anything I like it more than fretted playing. It just feels so natural and organic. I do find myself keeping things simple on fretless though as my intonation slips when doing anything overly complicated. I've also discovered that I quite often leave a note ringing under another when I'm playing and I've had to stop doing this so much on fretless as it's much harder to keep both notes in tune. This is why I'm sticking to four string for my fretless needs. I've also always used flats on fretless but my most recent one came with nickel rounds and they are staying on... they sound great! I have edge lines on mine, just extending about 5mm onto the face of the fretboard, it's easier than no lines at all but I find I don't look that much really anyway... you can hear when it's wrong! Edited July 24, 2015 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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