Fretless bass - tips on technique required!

[Gunsfreddy2003]

Hi all,

So, I've got involved with a project that needs fretless bass on a few numbers, initially wasn't too phased by that as had had fretless before and don't remember it being too bad.

I read and watched some online videos and opted for a lined neck to make things easier for myself. Not sure if it is my age but I'm finding it tricky to remember to play on the line to get the right notes, some have said that without lines it's easier because you play more instinctively but I'm not sure that I believe that!

The main issue that I am having is that I can't seem to get that really nice smooth sound that you hear on records - I thought that it was all down to heavy chorus but even that doesn't help me much. The vibrato in the left hand on the fretboard seems to be a big part of it and I am working on that.

My main questions are:

1/ Do flatwound strings make much of a difference to getting that sound?

2/ Am I struggling to get a nice warm tone because I scrimped on the bass (Ibanez SGR) my fretted basses are all over £2k.

Any tips and advice gratefully received.

[HazBeen]

1. Flatwounds do emphasize the mwaah a little less than rounds, but the difference isn’t huge unless your flats are dead as can be. Bright flats also help a lot.

2. Not necessarily, Ibby basses are generally good even the cheap ones. 

You can choose to not look at the lines, so blah blah to the unlined is easier comment. 

I would advise you to start with practicing the intonation, never mind the vibrato. Also switch off the chorus. Remember that the more meaty the finger the more to the middle of your finger  the fretline will need to be to be in tune and your pinkie will likely be sharp if you do the same (more boney).

Once intonation  is back in shape start giving it more feel with both right and left hand.

Also you get more mwaah when you play closer to the neck, heck I often anchor my thumb on the neck....!

stop worrying and only play fretless for a bit, you will soon get back into it.

[mybass]

Just play fretless all the time! This way you will really have to ear train yourself to intonate better than you ever have. Ideally practising on double bass is the way forward. Double bass technique books can help, they show the exercises in ‘position’ playing, ie half position, 1st position etc. The frets on a fretted bass play the notes for you. On fretless ‘you’ play the note which is why intonation becomes of paramount importance.

[T-Bay]

I have a cheap Ibby fretless with flats on and it makes the most fantastic mwaaahhh sounds. It was ok when I got it but a decent set up made the world of difference. It is set very low now which seems to help.

 

[Gunsfreddy2003]

Thanks guys for the advice given - really interesting stuff.

So, had a rehearsal on Tuesday night and first run through of one tune with loads of fretless lines in it. What became very apparent is that all of the notes on the B E and A string shone through but anything on the D and G string and in particular the upper register was completely lost, lacking in bass, volume and clarity. I’m guessing this means a set up and some adjustment to the pickup height if that is possible on this bass?

It was a nightmare trying to boost and cut volume for different sections of the same song.

[Linus27]

On ‎24‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 19:47, mybass said:

Just play fretless all the time! This way you will really have to ear train yourself to intonate better than you ever have. Ideally practising on double bass is the way forward. Double bass technique books can help, they show the exercises in ‘position’ playing, ie half position, 1st position etc. The frets on a fretted bass play the notes for you. On fretless ‘you’ play the note which is why intonation becomes of paramount importance.

Can you recommend any good books to hunt out?

[paul_c2]

When I bought my fretless it came with roundwounds and I hated them, it was clearly obvious (at least for me) that flatwounds were the right thing to have.

Regarding tone, its just a case of adjusting the EQ as needs be. Don't worry too much about trying to mimic exactly, a particular timbre of someone else for now. I know it sounds daft but sometimes, just turning up the amp much higher, then forcing yourself to play very quietly, can alter it so it works out. I am troubled by your saying you're boosting and cutting the volume during a song - can't you do that in your playing?

Regarding intonation, its just down to a solid left hand technique (which you should have already) and a good ear (which will probably need more development, indeed should be developed continuously over time anyway). 

[mangotango]

1 hour ago, paul_c2 said:

Regarding intonation, its just down to a solid left hand technique (which you should have already) and a good ear (which will probably need more development, indeed should be developed continuously over time anyway). 

This. And - Be Patient. It's taken me time to get back into fretless, and I'm very definitely of the "I don't have time for patience!" school of thought. However, the more that you do it, the better it gets, IF you apply correct technique. Practice doesn't make perfect - it makes permanent. So practice the right stuff.

There are two items on the Scott's Bass Lessons that helped me, a video on "5 reasons why fretless bass sucks" (ignore the clickbait title and it's a worthwhile watch):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEnd3Szjf6c

Also, try to find Steve Lawson's Fretless Bass Course on SBL Academy - pretty much everything that @Steve Lawson says on this subject is gold and if you can get to see it, I would recommend you to do so.

Edited June 27, 2019 by mangotango

[ezbass]

2 hours ago, Gunsfreddy2003 said:

What became very apparent is that all of the notes on the B E and A string shone through but anything on the D and G string and in particular the upper register was completely lost, lacking in bass, volume and clarity. I’m guessing this means a set up and some adjustment to the pickup height if that is possible on this bass?

Pickup height may be a factor, but it’s quite likely that the string height in the D & G is a bit low and they don’t have the room to vibrate before being choked off by the fingerboard. You’ll sacrifice a bit of ‘mwah’ by raising the string height, but they should sing more clearly.

[mybass]

2 hours ago, Linus27 said:

Can you recommend any good books to hunt out?

'F Simandl' Book 1....(publisher Carl Fischer Inc).....Simandl 'New Method for String Bass, (publisher International Music Company).....Simandl 'Eighty Six Etudes for String Bass (Carl Fischer

Chord Studies for Electric Bass by Rich Appleman and Joseph Viola from the Berklee Press.......These are all books with exercises and scales, some get a tad boring but persevere. The double bass exercises can be used for electric bass and you will see in the first book listed a lot of 'advice' on hand/finger positions. These are not always exact and you wouldn't suffer as much strain on electric bass as maybe on double bass if you get them wrong.

A simple ear exercise on each string...(no jokes you lot!) is to slide up from the lowest note on a string, even the open string to the upper octave. ie G to G octave then G sharp to octave G sharp etc.