MacDaddy Posted April 1, 2019 Author Share Posted April 1, 2019 Time for me to interject as the OP. My bass journey began on classical guitar and that is the technique I brought to my bass playing. I've always played fretted. Over the years I've had a fiddle with fretless, but never got on with them. That is until I played Frank Black's Rob Allen Mouse at the last SE Bass Bash. I have being fortunate to procure my own, which is lined, and after initially having my gaze locked on the neck, I'm now playing with a mixture of neck glancing, positional play, and by ear. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 2 hours ago, MacDaddy said: I've always played fretted. Over the years I've had a fiddle with fretless, but never got on with them. That is until I played Frank Black's Rob Allen Mouse at the last SE Bass Bash. I have being fortunate to procure my own... So glad you are liking the Mouse and so glad I could be involved with your choice to get one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkPonyPrincess Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 (edited) On what you should and should not be doing: I delight in doing what I am not supposed to be doing, that way can lead to unusual and unexpected outcomes. I don’t wanna be a cookie cutter bass player. Edited April 1, 2019 by PunkPonyPrincess 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambassient Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 When I started playing bass I bought a fretless, it’s all I’ve ever played. With practice it becomes second nature. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledad Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 2 hours ago, Ambassient said: When I started playing bass I bought a fretless, it’s all I’ve ever played. With practice it becomes second nature. I think that does this whole thread. Just play it, a LOT and often. Keep it on a stand nearby so you pick it up frequently. You'll soon find you are listening to pitch (not a thing you bother doing on fretted, generally) and feeding that back to the left hand. It's just time and effort (and decent ears I suppose). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I took my fretless to a rehearsal and managed to play everything on it. Once or twice I got cocky and tried to do a big position shift without looking... Decided not to use it for Sunday, although back when I was gigging regularly I used to use it on a few songs each night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 I love playing fretless, am in a “ feeling really positive about my intonation” phase, which means I use it as much as possible. Won’t last, but such is... just keep on practising 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkPonyPrincess Posted May 19, 2019 Share Posted May 19, 2019 Times I do use fretted bass is when I am asked to play bass and gonzo punk guitar (via a pedal that needs a bit of unused string muting) at the same time as singing main lyrics — that’s a little bit much for me right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 I have played primarily fretless since 1986 in every setting imaginable. Try this. All the same bass.... Listen to Wal bass by Robert Palmer on #SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/sets/wal-bass9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 Great thread, thanks for all of the thoughts and experience shared here. Yes, even the disgruntled poster contributed valid ideas, please don't judge them too harshly - I have been there it's not a pleasant place. One aside, as a result of the Pino chat I decided to listen to a few of the recommended tracks. I knew nothing of the man other than his name, it does get bandied hereabouts so it's hard not to have heard it. Sowing The Seeds Of Love was a massive hit when I was in my 20s and Tears for Fears very much on my radar, especially as they grew out of a local band. I doubt I've listened to the song for decades now and was astonished on hearing it again. I honestly had no idea it was a simple tribute to the Beatles. At the time it seemed cutting edge but it could have been written by Neil Innes! Anyway I'm off to listen to more recommendations. Carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKenrick Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I've just reread the thread and can't find much mention of using drones (not the flying variety) when working on intonation* - I'm definitely one of those awful 'phony' fretless amateurs who bought one on a whim and gets it out of the case once a year, but I've found that working with a fixed pitch reference has been invaluable in getting my intonation together on upright, so I don't see why it wouldn't translate to fretless *If you've mentioned this and I've missed it then apologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Blank Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 57 minutes ago, TKenrick said: ...but I've found that working with a fixed pitch reference has been invaluable in getting my intonation together on upright, so I don't see why it wouldn't translate to fretless It does. I use this method a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 5 hours ago, Frank Blank said: It does. I use this method a lot. What is this method? Please explain this black magic 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 Just bought a fretless. As I was en-route to a gig it came with me. He'd a playful noodle in the sound check. Sounded gorgeous so I went for it. Half time break and only a couple of dodgy moments and only a handful of gratuitous sliding into the final note. I'm loving this 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 My main 'squeeze' is a fretless Jazz/Musicman hybrid. I have fretted basses for playing live with bands etc.. but at home I'll plump for the fretless every time; there's just something about the timbre of the notes that I love. I don't approach it as a 'fretless' instrument, just another bass. My technique doesn't (consciously) alter though. Occasionally I'll drop in some of the techniques that are associated with fretless bass (sliding/vibrato etc...) but I honestly can't remember the last time I did it during a performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 On 31/03/2019 at 14:53, Frank Blank said: Man alive... That's some frothy playing right there! Yes, but no-one has mentioned the Elephant in the room - guitarist is looking at his hands... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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