Quote:
Originally Posted by tycobb73  How hard is it to learn fretless bass once you know how to play fretted? How about lined vs unlined? sometimes it can be hard to see those side markers on a dark stage. How easy is it to switch between fretted and fretless? |
I started on a lined fretless because I thought it would be an easier transition from fretted. Indeed, it was, and I surprised myself on how easily I made the transition. I recorded my 3rd CD with a few fretless tracks within a week of teaching myself, and all my band members and our producer thought my intonation was superb.
Now here's the problem I eventually discovered. My intonation was spot on thanks to the lines but I knew nothing about the art of playing fretless - utilizing glissandos, vibrato, etc. and all the various techniques that give a fretless it's true voice. I was simply fretting notes in the right place as I would on a fretted instrument. The end result was my fretless tracks were virtually indiscernible from my fretted bass tracks.
A lined fretless is a good starting point to learn fretless, but whether you go lined or unlined the key is to develop your ear and playing so you're not dependent on looking at your fretboard, especially given the said poor lighting conditions you mentioned. (Check out Mick Karn, for example. He never looks at his fretboard and claims he doesn't even tune up his bass sometimes!). Intonation's only part of the equation. Nothing worse than bad intonation on a fretless, IMO, though. Like nails on a chalkboard to my ears.
