blamelouis Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Got a relaxed gig on monday night and i've decided it has to be fretless only !!!! First time ive ever played fretless live. Any tips from you fretless swordsmen ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 [quote name='blamelouis' post='465570' date='Apr 17 2009, 09:49 PM']Got a relaxed gig on monday night and i've decided it has to be fretless only !!!! First time ive ever played fretless live. Any tips from you fretless swordsmen ?[/quote] Keep it simple and make sure you have good monitoring. Otherwise it's just the same as playing fretted really. Have a good gig Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Buy a tall cab...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Take a back up fretted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 [quote name='leschirons' post='465639' date='Apr 17 2009, 11:16 PM']Take a back up fretted.[/quote] Bah. I suppose if he'd said he was about to attempt to swim [i]la manche[/i] you'd have said 'wear water wings' Fretless pride! Courage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 [quote name='blamelouis' post='465570' date='Apr 17 2009, 09:49 PM']Any tips from you fretless swordsmen ?[/quote] Take your sunglasses off. Poor intonation is not cool. I had to learn that hard way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingers Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 [quote name='The Funk' post='465732' date='Apr 18 2009, 12:15 AM']Take your sunglasses off. Poor intonation is not cool. I had to learn that hard way. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blamelouis Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 [quote name='leschirons' post='465639' date='Apr 17 2009, 11:16 PM']Take a back up fretted.[/quote] Sink or swim mate ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foal30 Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 well being comfortable onstage sound wise is important but secondary to fully knowing the material you are going to be performing. If you have it down then by definition you should have a fun night. I always bring a spare bass, if it's fretted No Worries! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 [quote name='fingers' post='465763' date='Apr 18 2009, 12:43 AM'] [/quote] Come on, dude. Steve Bailey's the man! And I meant playing indoors, onstage at night with sunglasses on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 If you can hear yourself it'll be fine. If you can't hear yourself, you're completely and utterly screwed. Good luck! Oh and don't get wasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingers Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 [quote name='The Funk' post='465789' date='Apr 18 2009, 01:05 AM']Come on, dude. Steve Bailey's the man! And I meant playing indoors, onstage at night with sunglasses on. [/quote] Yeah, i love steve, i was trying to show just how important intonation is. Just ask a random woman on the street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blamelouis Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 Well i did it ! The guitarist/singer decides to leave his acoustic at home and bring his les paul and distortion pedals!!! So we had crossroads and sunshine of your love along with Hendrix and Thin lizzy ....and fretless . Couldnt hear myself or compete with this and drums !! Oh well Back to the Warwick next week and i am gonna SLAP till their ears are ringing !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifer Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 I use my fretless on one tune at the moment, but am doing some of my singer's acoustic stuff soon and if we gig that it will be fretless + pod; haven't played it live with the full band yet i've got enought stuff to carry! I know all about intonation - I had to move the bridge to get it right (damn my half arsed measuring!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifer Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 [quote name='blamelouis' post='474574' date='Apr 28 2009, 08:51 PM']Well i did it ! The guitarist/singer decides to leave his acoustic at home and bring his les paul and distortion pedals!!! So we had crossroads and sunshine of your love along with Hendrix and Thin lizzy ....and fretless . Couldnt hear myself or compete with this and drums !! Oh well Back to the Warwick next week and i am gonna SLAP till their ears are ringing !![/quote] Should have got some Bad Company in there and you would have been sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Haven't done more than a handful of gigs on fretted bass since 1986 (and they weren't by choice!). People are right; you have to be able to hear yourself or your intonation will be impossible to guage accurately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Don't stray too far from the bridge or the nasty Intonation Troll will eat you up....it's also been known for him to venture onto the bridge aswell ( he's on mine quite often) Keep your eyes and ears open....he's everywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I've recently decided to switch from fretless gigging to fretted. I enjoy playing the fretless, but I would tend to spend the whole time looking at my left hand, and gigs are more fun when you're looking at the crowd. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithless Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='474774' date='Apr 29 2009, 10:28 AM']Haven't done more than a handful of gigs on fretted bass since 1986 (and they weren't by choice!).[/quote] And, what do you mean by that, Bilbo? You won't prove me it any-way, that fretless suits all situations in life... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 [quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='474814' date='Apr 29 2009, 09:42 AM']I've recently decided to switch from fretless gigging to fretted. I enjoy playing the fretless, but I would tend to spend the whole time looking at my left hand, and gigs are more fun when you're looking at the crowd. S.P.[/quote] Yep, I always looking at my fretting hand on fretless, has to be done no two ways about it for me! I look on fretted too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 [quote name='Faithless' post='474968' date='Apr 29 2009, 12:29 PM']And, what do you mean by that, Bilbo? You won't prove me it any-way, that fretless suits all situations in life... [/quote] The only situation where, arguably, a fretted is better, IMO, is when you are slapping. I don't go there so the fretless wins every time. I find it delivers a better sound, warmer, fuller, more expressive, more wood and less metal (I know what that means). I am, of course, referring to the kinds of gigs I do so this is bound to be a completely subjective perspective. PS I played fretted only for the first 6 years. With a pick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 [quote name='leschirons' post='465639' date='Apr 17 2009, 11:16 PM']Take a back up fretted.[/quote] Leave the backup - no safety net really makes you concentrate. [quote name='blamelouis' post='474574' date='Apr 28 2009, 08:51 PM']Well i did it ! The guitarist/singer decides to leave his acoustic at home and bring his les paul and distortion pedals!!! So we had crossroads and sunshine of your love along with Hendrix and Thin lizzy ....and fretless . Couldnt hear myself or compete with this and drums !! Oh well Back to the Warwick next week and i am gonna SLAP till their ears are ringing !![/quote] Just play the fretless louder! Once you get your sound together it'll still cut through all the noise. [quote name='bilbo230763' post='474774' date='Apr 29 2009, 08:28 AM']Haven't done more than a handful of gigs on fretted bass since 1986 (and they weren't by choice!). People are right; you have to be able to hear yourself or your intonation will be impossible to guage accurately.[/quote] With you there. [quote name='Faithless' post='474968' date='Apr 29 2009, 12:29 PM']And, what do you mean by that, Bilbo? You won't prove me it any-way, that fretless suits all situations in life... [/quote] Works for me and Bilbo! Actually I even like slapped fretless.. more organic sounding than twangy. If you want twangy, though, Bilbo's right - that's the one sound you can't quite get, although I did have a brass fingerboard one a few years ago. Graunch supreme! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifer Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 What strings does everyone use on their fretless? I've got these bad boys on at the mo: Galli Black Nylon Taperwound - plenty of 'Mwah' and a nice thump, kind to the fingerboard and lovely to slide on too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Lifer' post='475127' date='Apr 29 2009, 02:37 PM']What strings does everyone use on their fretless? I've got these bad boys on at the mo: Galli Black Nylon Taperwound - plenty of 'Mwah' and a nice thump, kind to the fingerboard and lovely to slide on too![/quote] I get these made up in Wales.. I like the feel, and others seem to appreciate the sound. [attachment=24532:picato.5str.DB.FW.jpg] [url="http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/3542"]http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/produ...roducts_id/3542[/url] Can be heard on 'The Gift' at www.myspace.com/hughbass Edited April 29, 2009 by hubrad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Rotosounnd Solo Bass 45s... 23 years and no fretbard wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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