Two fretless solo videos

[Mike Flynn]

Happy New Year to you all - I hope you had a good holiday - I know I did - anyway I was in the mood for a some playing this morning and I taped a little of it. Here a couple of short solos - one featuring some of the 4 finger stuff I've been working on and the other is more of an 'open' fretless solo - apologies for some of the faster bits!

4 Finger Fretless
http://www.munkio.com/music/music_videos_jan06.html

Open Fretless;
http://www.munkio.com/music/music_videos_jan062.html

Cheers

Mike

[Vorago]

I still have a lot of practising to do

Quality stuff, as always


Just a question, did you have any specific methods to practice your intonation?

[Mike Flynn]

Originally Posted by Vorago

I still have a lot of practising to do

Quality stuff, as always


Just a question, did you have any specific methods to practice your intonation?

Cheers V - basically good intonation comes from playing along with stuff - i.e. CDs etc - and really listening - it's very dependent on using your ears above anything else as there's no single place to play each note on each string - it all varies by minute degress as you move around the neck. Even Gary Willis points this out in his video - explaining that playing the A on the second position on the G string is different to playing an octave higher on the 12th position - it's all down to practice. I have my good days and my bad days - especially when I use the fretless in my band - the unison parts can sound a bit crap sometimes! And it's usually my fault...

M

EDIT - it's also about building up muscle-memory around the neck and learning the difference in spacing that occurs between the lower and upper portions of the neck.

[FR5]

Hey Mike, your tongue is sticking out!

Love the fretless stuff, now if you could only play it a bit slower, I might have a chance of catching up a bit.

Happy new year to you too,

Steven

[Planet Boulder]

Mike - your playing always gets me geeked to practice! Keep posting the vids, man - I enjoy checking out your playing!

[Mike Flynn]

Originally Posted by Planet Boulder

Mike - your playing always gets me geeked to practice! Keep posting the vids, man - I enjoy checking out your playing!

Thanks PB - I appreciate that, these are kind of geeky practice videos if you will, I definitely can't describe them as finished items in the slightest but when you pass another milestone in the long, long road of learning an instrument it's great to share it with others - I fully intend on turning these ideas into songs and recordings soon. I promise to make them as musical as possible

Cheers

M

[Vorago]

What strings are on that fretless?

[Mike Flynn]

Originally Posted by Vorago

What strings are on that fretless?

Very light Elites - 115 - 30 - try Stringbusters online - they do them for a great price

http://www.stringbusters.com/

I use the Players series

M

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by Mike Flynn

Very light Elites - 115 - 30 - try Stringbusters online - they do them for a great price

http://www.stringbusters.com/

I use the Players series

M

Very cool Mike! I love the clips. I've been thinking of going back to real light strings myself. I use to run a .090 E when I was only using 4 string basses... I think I need to order a thin set and see if it suits me 20 years later.

[Mike Flynn]

Hi James, I know the penalty I pay in terms of really thick tone by using the light strings but I've actually found that they work for me on these particular basses - i.e. my fretless and my Warwick. I played a friend's recently finished Sei 4 string bass - which took a lot of influence from a Wooten Yin Yang design - and because they are incredibly well made basses, I was all over it with a heavier set on i.e. 100 - 40. I also played a 6 string Sei and was flying all over that as well - once again the string gauge wasn't as light as I use - so I know it really comes down to the bass, your physical limitations, the music you play, and having a decent amp - good technique and being a half decent musician doesn't hurt either - I've tried other gauges on the Thumb bass and 90 - 30's work just great for me - there really is no single rule for what's best - but my phylosophy is "why make life hard for yourself?"

Thanks for watching

M

[sargebaker]

great vids! I need to practice my 4 finger technique more!

[Mike Flynn]

Here's a another short clip of a few more ideas I had on that particular morning - just uploaded this:

http://www.munkio.com/music/music_videos_jan063.html

M