Hey everyone,
I would like to solicit some advice and opinions from those more adept at playing the fretless.
I have been playing bass on and off for about 15 years or so. Up until a month ago, however, they have always been fretted instruments. Recently, I defretted a bass (as detailed in my post in the "share your fret removal experiences thread) in order to 1) make that ol' beast useful to me, and 2) add more to my repertoire.
It didn't take long for me to realize that it is an entirely different animal....
Now, what I would like to find out from those more knowledgeable is this: what techniques, tricks, etc do you feel are vital to being a competent fretless bass player? I have seen the violin vibrato and, of course, perfecting intonation mentioned. Is there anything else that is essential?
I hate sounding ignorant. But if I don't ask, I may never learn....
Just as a side note, I do play slap and pop extensively on fretted basses, and do incorporate the slapping more so than the popping in my fretless playing. My approach to the bass guitar is that it is a hybrid of a percussion instrument and a stringed instrument. I also do a lot of finger picking (using thumb, index and middle fingers of picking hand) and strumming. I have gotten mixed results with these various styles, and some very interesting results with a few. I also incorporate wah/envelope filtering, chorus, overdrive, pitch shifting etc. Again, with some great hits and a whole lotta train wreck sounding misses.
Thanks for any comments, advice, etc.
Various techniques
Hi Point 19,
I find that you have to keep working at fretless bass, there are many different approaches to the instrument and in my opinion none are wrong, it's a matter of you're own personal taste. There are some important factors though: Intonation for me is the main one, work on getting your pitch correct and the other one for me is having a good set up on your bass that suits your playing, which I find better to do myself as you can set the bass to your unique style.
Try both flat and wound strings, see which you prefer.
On vibrato I like to use a sort of finger movement rather than the whole hand moving but as I said I also think it's whatever suits the player.
For me the whole fretless bass world is about learning, experimenting and trying to establish your own unique voice on the instrument.
I find that you have to keep working at fretless bass, there are many different approaches to the instrument and in my opinion none are wrong, it's a matter of you're own personal taste. There are some important factors though: Intonation for me is the main one, work on getting your pitch correct and the other one for me is having a good set up on your bass that suits your playing, which I find better to do myself as you can set the bass to your unique style.
Try both flat and wound strings, see which you prefer.
On vibrato I like to use a sort of finger movement rather than the whole hand moving but as I said I also think it's whatever suits the player.
For me the whole fretless bass world is about learning, experimenting and trying to establish your own unique voice on the instrument.
Hello Point 19, you posted a topic that I think will interst many of us...I play both fretless and fretted basses, I started with the fretless 2 years ago and I love discovering new things on it every day!
Of course, correct pitch, intonation and "violin-like vibrato" are essential for a fretless player....another thing that I feel very important is the use of dynamics: the neck of a fretless bass is very expressive, and by just plucking in different ways we can obtain a wide array of different sounds (ex: plucking nearby the neck we'll have a dark and full sound, on the bridge pickup a middle- rangy sound ecc...)...in my opinion many players tend to overlook also the problem of resonance, so I'll usually use my thumb to rest all the strings I'm not playing or to play chords or flamenco techniques.
I love slapping and popping on the fretted bass, but I can't do it on the fretless, maybe only the thumb here and there., I still have to apply the full technique!
Of course, correct pitch, intonation and "violin-like vibrato" are essential for a fretless player....another thing that I feel very important is the use of dynamics: the neck of a fretless bass is very expressive, and by just plucking in different ways we can obtain a wide array of different sounds (ex: plucking nearby the neck we'll have a dark and full sound, on the bridge pickup a middle- rangy sound ecc...)...in my opinion many players tend to overlook also the problem of resonance, so I'll usually use my thumb to rest all the strings I'm not playing or to play chords or flamenco techniques.
I love slapping and popping on the fretted bass, but I can't do it on the fretless, maybe only the thumb here and there., I still have to apply the full technique!
-
Arjen
-
point19
hot asians, wet video!
http://www.incredible-asians-online.inf ... d_hard.avi
http://www.incredible-asians-online.inf ... d_hard.avi
-
FretLessSince68
- Posts:307
- Joined:Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:29 am
- Location:On an Island, WA, USA
Playing fretless bass has an additional layer of technique that does require constant attention, however the rewards are huge in terms of expression in your music, AND, it becomes easy after a few million notes. Don't get discouraged, your accomplishment will be well worth the effort.
If you have developed your bass style mainly as a slapper on fretted, you may find that decent intonation is hard to achieve. This being due to slap style left hand technique is mostly octaves, sevenths, and fifths using what I call comfort position where the left hand only covers two positions (frets) most of the time. This is fine as long as you play the familiar notes, but when it is time to get outside (the usual notes), that slap left hand may not be your friend.
To get better intonation you may have to adopt a new left hand technique called "close guitar position" where each finger of the left hand covers a fret, or in the case of fretless, a position. With this technique, the longest (2nd) finger of the left hand often plays the root depending on the mode.
The point being to develop technique where you always know where your fingers are (and what notes they are covering) and can reach all of the nearby notes without shifting hand (thumb) position. Always keep a solid reference point in your thumb position, and know where your destination is when you have to change left hand position. You should be able to nail any note on the fingerboard without sliding to it (Glissando).
Close Guitar position technique can be a stretch in the lowest region of the bass fingerboard, here I often resort to a modified Simandle (URB) left hand technique.
Practice scales at a slooow tempo trying to avoid sliding notes, attempt to make each note a descrete and separate entity, AND ON PITCH. When you have this down, then start thinking about achieving a hip fretless style. This comes under the general subject of "You need to learn to walk before you run".
You wouldn't attempt to fly an airplane without first learning how to fly (would you?). It's the same thing for fretless unless you are a natural. If you pick up a fretless and jump in to a band situation without first shedding enough to get your intonation at least adequate, your band-mates may complain and may even declare the fretless putrid. Of course it's not the axe, it's lack of preparation. If you had taken up an airplane in an equivalent circumstance, you would most likely be dead very soon.
Bad intonation make the whole band sound bad, so it is important to get it under control.
After you get those scales down you will be ready to play some nice walking bass lines. Walking bass is a staple of fretless playing, then learn to swing if you don't know this already. Swinging is a subtle time feel and defies notation, listen to the right hand (ride) of a jazz drummer. That ride, in it's many forms, is a good clue about how to swing.
Once you get decent intonation and an ear for pitch, maintaining the skill is not a big deal, just keep playing, get as many hours in as you can. If you stop playing for an extended period of time, you may notice (or people around you may notice) that your intonation skill needs some polish.
Here is a tip regarding acquiring decent fretless intonation. Record the scale you are working on using a keyboard. Use a basic sound such as piano, avoid modulated sounds. Then practice playing along with the recording in unison. If you go to the trouble of recording a piano track you might as well use a click track and practice time too.
A fun thing to do with the fretless bass. When a guitarist starts rasping at you about how he can play bass better (a common ego driven attitude among guitar players) just hand him your axe and say "Show me what you have in mind, please."! This works best when your fretless has no lines.
Another good one is to bring the fretless to a jam session. When some noodle-head asks to play bass, watch what happens when he/she realizes your axe is fretless.
Perhaps my favorite is when a heckler mouths off about being a better musician. Invite the heckler on stage and put your axe on him. Be sure the volume is full 100%, in a loud voice count off a tune, then say "Come on Maestro, PLAY!". Cut him off as soon as he falls on his face.
If you have developed your bass style mainly as a slapper on fretted, you may find that decent intonation is hard to achieve. This being due to slap style left hand technique is mostly octaves, sevenths, and fifths using what I call comfort position where the left hand only covers two positions (frets) most of the time. This is fine as long as you play the familiar notes, but when it is time to get outside (the usual notes), that slap left hand may not be your friend.
To get better intonation you may have to adopt a new left hand technique called "close guitar position" where each finger of the left hand covers a fret, or in the case of fretless, a position. With this technique, the longest (2nd) finger of the left hand often plays the root depending on the mode.
The point being to develop technique where you always know where your fingers are (and what notes they are covering) and can reach all of the nearby notes without shifting hand (thumb) position. Always keep a solid reference point in your thumb position, and know where your destination is when you have to change left hand position. You should be able to nail any note on the fingerboard without sliding to it (Glissando).
Close Guitar position technique can be a stretch in the lowest region of the bass fingerboard, here I often resort to a modified Simandle (URB) left hand technique.
Practice scales at a slooow tempo trying to avoid sliding notes, attempt to make each note a descrete and separate entity, AND ON PITCH. When you have this down, then start thinking about achieving a hip fretless style. This comes under the general subject of "You need to learn to walk before you run".
You wouldn't attempt to fly an airplane without first learning how to fly (would you?). It's the same thing for fretless unless you are a natural. If you pick up a fretless and jump in to a band situation without first shedding enough to get your intonation at least adequate, your band-mates may complain and may even declare the fretless putrid. Of course it's not the axe, it's lack of preparation. If you had taken up an airplane in an equivalent circumstance, you would most likely be dead very soon.
Bad intonation make the whole band sound bad, so it is important to get it under control.
After you get those scales down you will be ready to play some nice walking bass lines. Walking bass is a staple of fretless playing, then learn to swing if you don't know this already. Swinging is a subtle time feel and defies notation, listen to the right hand (ride) of a jazz drummer. That ride, in it's many forms, is a good clue about how to swing.
Once you get decent intonation and an ear for pitch, maintaining the skill is not a big deal, just keep playing, get as many hours in as you can. If you stop playing for an extended period of time, you may notice (or people around you may notice) that your intonation skill needs some polish.
Here is a tip regarding acquiring decent fretless intonation. Record the scale you are working on using a keyboard. Use a basic sound such as piano, avoid modulated sounds. Then practice playing along with the recording in unison. If you go to the trouble of recording a piano track you might as well use a click track and practice time too.
A fun thing to do with the fretless bass. When a guitarist starts rasping at you about how he can play bass better (a common ego driven attitude among guitar players) just hand him your axe and say "Show me what you have in mind, please."! This works best when your fretless has no lines.
Another good one is to bring the fretless to a jam session. When some noodle-head asks to play bass, watch what happens when he/she realizes your axe is fretless.
Perhaps my favorite is when a heckler mouths off about being a better musician. Invite the heckler on stage and put your axe on him. Be sure the volume is full 100%, in a loud voice count off a tune, then say "Come on Maestro, PLAY!". Cut him off as soon as he falls on his face.
One good note makes my day.
Well, this happens very often...a guitar player friend of mine (who plays also a bit of fretted bass) wanted to try my fretless, and he got angry 'cause he lacked of groove and of course he was quite out of pitch!
I told him that playing a fretless is sothing that requires patience and constant training, and that the best thing is that your phrasing, your melody sense and your intonation can get better each time...is'n that a wonderful thing?!
I told him that playing a fretless is sothing that requires patience and constant training, and that the best thing is that your phrasing, your melody sense and your intonation can get better each time...is'n that a wonderful thing?!