getting the most "mwah" out of your fretless...

[fiebru1119]

When it comes to left and right hand techinique, what are some key things to enhance the "mwah" you get? I've been searching through a couple of old threads and there have been debates about whether or not its "in the hands" or "in the gear". Well assuming you've got a nice bass with relatively low action, a pretty straight neck, and a pretty flat eq setting, what can you do when it comes to right and left hand techinique to get the best sound out of a fretless?

[Figjam]

Ive heard that playing more with your pads of your left hand fingers instead of the tips can give you more muah. Adding in slight vibratos here and there obviously add muah as well.

[josh_m]

This is probably bad technique but when I want more mwah I tend to go a little under pitch and slide up (not that much, a quarter tone at most.) I've found that the more I play fretless the more accurate my fingering gets and thus the less mwah. I also play pretty far up (between the neck pickup and the neck) which seems to give me a little more sustain and a bit better mwah.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by josh_m

This is probably bad technique but when I want more mwah I tend to go a little under pitch and slide up (not that much, a quarter tone at most.) I've found that the more I play fretless the more accurate my fingering gets and thus the less mwah. I also play pretty far up (between the neck pickup and the neck) which seems to give me a little more sustain and a bit better mwah.

Mmm, I do this too. Works great. Having spot-on intonation is good, obviously, but what's the point in playing a fretless if it sounds just like a fretted?

[verbass]

try rolling the finger tip from dead on pitch to slightly below when descending then slightly above when ascending
it's a real bear to learn and will drive you half insane
but when you get it it makes a whole bunch of subtle
tonal differences. that makes fretless playing sound cool

until later


If the future is now........
What was Yesterday?

[The Antipop]

Originally Posted by josh_m

This is probably bad technique but when I want more mwah I tend to go a little under pitch and slide up (not that much, a quarter tone at most.) I've found that the more I play fretless the more accurate my fingering gets and thus the less mwah. I also play pretty far up (between the neck pickup and the neck) which seems to give me a little more sustain and a bit better mwah.

this is what I do.. and Im using a Cort... and still it can put out a good mwha.

it is not that I am sloppy (though I am ) but if I want mwha I do it... if I don't I don't

Claypool once said something along the lines of what good is it playing a fretless if people can't tell you are.