julietgreen Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 Today I played on the upright bass for a bit - early days on this for me - just plonking through some of the chord notes and trying to maintain the 'correct' technique. Just now, I'm probably going to do a bit of fretless for jazz practice and then tonight go to rehearsal with my standard fretted 4-string because I'm not confident enough to use the fretless. Do you think switching like this is OK or is it going to give me brain damage/ruin all technique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_c2 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 If your technique is correct, it will be a complete non-issue. If your technique is sloppy, then switching from one to another may reveal this! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I double-up in one of my bands - switching between playing bass guitar and upright. Not for each & every gig, but from time to time. There are occasions when I haven't done this for a while (depending on which band I'm playing with and other factors) and when I double up again, I really enjoy it! Keep at playing the upright, and keep switching between the two - even if you only play your upright a little... just keep your hand in. You will get used to switching, as long as you keep practicing on both. It just takes a bit of time. I must admit, I don't play my upright half as much as I'd like But that's just due to other issues, like work, family life, much needed DIY around the house etc etc. and for the most part, other bands don't really "need" me to play upright I also like to switch between playing different bass guitars - just so I'm used to playing basses with different string spacing and differing diameter and radii of neck Plus of course, this helps me justify owning way too many! Many years back, I could only afford to own one bass, and whenever I picked up a differing model, I struggled a bit, trying to get used to different necks, different spacing, different action heights, string gauges, controls etc etc I'd say it's definitely good for you, as a player, to be able to switch. But most of all - best of luck with your new venture into the world of upright - you won't look back I would recommend taking both along to a rehearsal one day. Make it a rehearsal that isn't too "pressured" - i.e. one which isn't a vital one just before a gig Start off by playing your usual BG, and then switch to upright, informing your band that you quiet fancy having a "dabble" at upright for a few songs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I play in a few different bands and use different basses for different projects. If I practice then it's no issue (& ditto the above re switching between upright and bass guitar in one band) but if I haven't practiced, I'll pay for it! I do find it harder if I throw a short scale bass into the mix but generally across Fender, Gibson, long scaled Hofner and Rickenbacker, it's no issue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) I'm not upright, but I do alternate between fretless 4 and fretted 6. The number of strings used to but no longer bugs me. Where I struggle is with playing frets after a spell on the FL; they seem SOOO clunky and restrictive after the fluent gliding up and down of fretless. If I was told I could have any budget but only one bass, I think I'd settle on a 5 or six string fretless. Like this Fodera currently on sale in the Bass Gallery: Edited December 10, 2019 by lownote12 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julietgreen Posted December 10, 2019 Author Share Posted December 10, 2019 1 hour ago, Marc S said: I'd say it's definitely good for you, as a player, to be able to switch. But most of all - best of luck with your new venture into the world of upright - you won't look back Thanks Marc. That was a useful response. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julietgreen Posted December 10, 2019 Author Share Posted December 10, 2019 1 hour ago, Cat Burrito said: If I practice then it's no issue I think this is probably key. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julietgreen Posted December 10, 2019 Author Share Posted December 10, 2019 58 minutes ago, lownote12 said: they seem SOOO clunky and restrictive after the fluent gliding up and down of fretless. Yes. I'm thoroughly enjoying the feel of the fretless. I like the sound of the one I have as well. It'll be good for jazz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I struggled swapping between 4s and 5s - sold the fiver and bought several more 4s....my own fault, but I can't stop myself.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I think because, they are such fundamentally different instruments, I have less problem switching between fretless and upright than I do between fretless and fretted! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petebassist Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I don't think switching should be a problem. I switch between upright and fretless mainly, but also dig out a fretted bass now & again without any issue (apart from struggling to pluck clunky old dead round wounds). If anything, I guess it keeps the hands and fingers moving in different ways, as well as the brain, which I think is a good thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 IF (and this is one pretty big IF) you are after an extremely well educated muscle memory, the fretted and fretless should be in the same place regarding to your body. This is easy to achieve by having two similar basses from the same manufacturer. It may be so that the issue is meaningful to top players only, but just one thing to consider. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I switch between basses (fretted and fretless) and double bass. I used to worry that because each was different that I had to concentrate on those differences. A revelation for me was to let the muscle memory develop and , if your technique is basically OK, you will not notice and eventually it will appear seamless. Enjoy practicing and changing....it's a whole new world. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldslapper Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I think it’s fab that you’re playing different instruments, (or different versions of). For me it keeps the old grey cells challenged and the creative juices flowing. 😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 2 hours ago, julietgreen said: I think this is probably key. Absolutely. I practice more now after 31yrs of playing... just wish it hadn't taken so long to work this out! 😺 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I can swap between my most of my basses without really noticing The one that trips me up is my Washburn Status, and then only if I try to slap. For reasons I've never understood the string tension is much higher than on my other basses and it really throws me out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I can't see how mastering different types of instrument, or different flavours of the same instrument, is anything but awesome. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 24 minutes ago, Bassfinger said: I can't see how mastering different types of instrument, or different flavours of the same instrument, is anything but awesome. +1 I find even fairly small differences in feel and tone make me play differently and inspire me to play in different ways. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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