fretless technique

mister fister · #1 09-29-2006, 05:50 AM

yeah, i just got my first fretless, so i'm wondering if anyone has tips as to what i can practice/play to improve intonation, or general technique for fretless playing..?

**Mark Wilson** · #2 09-29-2006, 06:50 AM

Lines or no lines?

What helped me play Unlined (well, upright...) was to plug into a tuner. Make sure it's intonated and everything, then play into a tuner. It really helps with the frets that aren't marked (ie. 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th, etc etc)

IMO, most important is Vibrato. With your left hand "roll" the note in and out of tune slightly. It's a classical technique. Watch any cello, or violin player. Just don't do it as fierce.

Next, your right hand. For that jaco-esque sound, play near the bridge pickup. For a "mwah" sound (which is a sought after sound for fretless) Play OVER the neck.

Good luck! I love my fretless.

-Mark

AGCurry · #3 09-29-2006, 07:20 AM

Practice. Practice. Practice some more.

Oh, and listen!

Erick Lam · #4 09-29-2006, 11:22 AM

Play along a tempered instrument, simple things like scales. Play in interval of thirds and fifths.

Poop-Loops · #5 09-29-2006, 12:00 PM

Record a CD with you playing some scales on a fretted bass. Then try to play along with your fretless.

Alec W. Conway · #6 09-29-2006, 12:17 PM

I've been playing for a bit over 4 years, fretless for about a year. What I can say is

Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice...

Need I say more?

fcleff · #7 09-29-2006, 03:32 PM

Try playing with a drone. You can set a tuner or metronome (each of mine are cheap Korg models) to a drone note and play your scale along with that. Drone on the tonic or dominant.

Oh, and if anyone hasn't mentioned it yet, you should practice alot. I have three fretless basses (DB, 4-pack, and 6-pack) and love them all. Good luck.

tplyons · #8 09-29-2006, 03:55 PM

If you have the ability, find a note, then play it on a piano, to check your intonation.

I do it with the pedals on my Hammond organ.

frogleggstoo · #9 09-29-2006, 04:10 PM

Attack the notes from the lower side and bring your finger up untill your in tune makes for a nice sound only a fretless can do then try it the other way then both when you finally go crazy (and some do) you will know when to use this technique. lot's less expensive than some pedals I own ,which is my next point I use a compresser with my bass wah turn it all the way up and that gives my Jazz Bass a sweet sweet growl........ later Richard

Bottom Feeder · #10 09-29-2006, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogleggstoo

Attack the notes from the lower side and bring your finger up untill your in tune makes for a nice sound only a fretless can do then try it the other way then both when you finally go crazy (and some do) you will know when to use this technique. lot's less expensive than some pedals I own ,which is my next point I use a compresser with my bass wah turn it all the way up and that gives my Jazz Bass a sweet sweet growl........ later Richard

Please run, don't walk, to the nearest puctuation store and stock up on some periods! While you are there, I notice they are having a 2 for 1 sale on non-bold fonts.

Poop-Loops · #11 09-29-2006, 05:40 PM

But he was emphasizing the entire post!

Nick Ioannucci · #12 09-29-2006, 07:32 PM

his whole post made no sense. if unlined, practice with a tuner but use your ear as much as possible,, dont become dependent on technology, and for lined the lines are not the end all be all, u must still use your judgement for when you are in and out of tune. for mwah play over the neck, for the fretless burp play close to the bridge, and use vibrato, which is a classical technique. also, bending the strings isnt so good for the fretboard if youre concerned with that, i personally dont care. in addition both flatwounds and roundwound strings will damage your fretboard over time, so it doesnt really matter what you use.

Brad Maestas · #13 09-29-2006, 08:46 PM

I think it was Steve Bailey who was telling people to practice in the dark. It really forces you to let everything go and trust your ears. It's not a part of my practice routine but I do it every once in a while just for fun. It helped! My main fretless (F Bass BNF5) has little lines on the side but no lines on the face of the fingerboard. That's my favorite because they're still there if you need them but they're not obtrusive. Sometimes the lines mess with the tone too, especially if they're synthetic. IMHO, I think it can be detrimental to rely on lines or technology to do the work that your brain (and ears) should be doing.

Yes, vibrato is very important and it is perhaps the most neglected and least understood of all techniques. It can also be one of the more difficult and uncomfortable things to study, at least initially. When I use vibrato I try to use it the way a good singer uses it. It doesn't start out fast and wide like a spaz attack. Surely, that has it's place (like say flamenco) but generally I start out slow and then speed up. If you listen to someone like Ella or Billie Holliday, they do this all the time and it sounds so natural that it can go unnoticed. Make it sing!
Good luck and have fun.

mister fister · #14 10-02-2006, 08:48 AM

unlined zon bass. starting to get things going, but it ran out of power (lightwave) and i'm waiting for a converter so i can use the us charger with my norwegian power outlet, haha.

main problem now seems to be the vibrato. any more tips on that would be appreciated!

MonetBass · #15 10-02-2006, 08:58 AM

Being a string bass player, I can tell you that vibrato doesn't come easy. I started practicing this on the upright and moved it to the electric. As already mentioned, make it as slow and wide as possible. Roll the finger up and down along the string, staying on the fingertip as much as possible. With lots and lots of practice, it should become instinctive.

Alec W. Conway · #16 10-02-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogleggstoo

Attack the notes from the lower side and bring your finger up untill your in tune makes for a nice sound only a fretless can do then try it the other way then both when you finally go crazy (and some do) you will know when to use this technique. lot's less expensive than some pedals I own ,which is my next point I use a compresser with my bass wah turn it all the way up and that gives my Jazz Bass a sweet sweet growl........ later Richard

Even though reading this post gave me nausea and hyperventilation at the same time, what he says about attacking the notes from a bit under or over it is very true.

It's called FLUIDITY, one of the most important technique to master on a fretless bass. Instead of just ramming the notes in, you need to make it feel like the sound is smoothly adjusting itself.

In other word, on a fretless bass, your sound needs to a feel like a sentient being.

MySweetFracture · #17 11-02-2006, 03:11 PM

Im bumping this beacuse i just purchased a 5 string fretless (lined) and its a blast to play. I was wondering if anyone had any new tips or exercises, other than regular stuff you can do.

Side note- to achieve proper intonation, should i fret ON the lines, or in the same place as a fretted bass?

OT: This is my first time with flatwounds, and they feel like the strings are made of glass! I love playing on them, but i will never give up my elixers.

7flat5 · #18 11-02-2006, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MySweetFracture

Side note- to achieve proper intonation, should i fret ON the lines, or in the same place as a fretted bass?

Yes.

All_¥our_Bass · #19 11-03-2006, 12:32 AM

On the lines.

Swimming Bird · #20 11-03-2006, 08:11 AM

Finally, another lightwave user... I can't wait for them to come out with non-ferrous strings for our basses.

How many strings on your Zon?

In terms of fretless technique, play using open notes more than you would usually, it'll really help your intonation (it's very obvious when you're off and you don't need to stay plugged into a tuner). Also, this lets you find which new intervols sound good -- without frets you can do quarter-step scales or deeper. I'm starting to look into 43-note scales just cause it's possible with no frets (though it drives midi-tracking stupid...)