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Tryxx
12-08-2006, 02:03 PM
Hey guys,

I like to think my intonation is pretty decent, but it could always use some improvement, especially in the upper register. (1-12 on the fretboard is pretty decent for me.) So I've been practicing lately with a chromatic tuner trying to figure where I should be on the fretboard relative to the dot. This got me thinking, because with the tuner I'm shooting for the perfect pitch, but people don't play with equal tempermant tuning... so even if I'm dead on, it still won't sound right.

How do you learn what to shoot for? I can see numbers on wikipedia (like how many cents it's off), but what do you guys teach yourself in a situation like this.

MichaelScott
12-08-2006, 02:19 PM
You could:

1) Get together with a guitar or other bass player with frets. Have them play a scale slowly and then you match them.

2) If could record yourself on fretted and then play it back and try to match the pitches on your fretless.

3) You could get a sequencer or song writting software (there are free ones out there- Finale Notes I think it's called) and you could compose the scale and then play it back and try to match pitches.

4) You could sing the note, make sure you are in tune, and then try to match the note on your bass to the voice (this is really rewarding).