When to move to fretless?

coffee-sipper · #1 07-21-2003, 01:06 PM

How long should one play a fretted before moving on to a fretless?

Matthew Bryson · #2 07-21-2003, 05:37 PM

I don't play fretless, so I can not give the most informed answer - but I will tell you that my old teacher told me that he had a student who wanted to start out on fretless and while he warned the student it was a more dificult instrument for a beginer to learn, the fretless player to be insisted he was most attracted to the fretless sound and wanted to play fretless. My teacher told me that he tought him, the kid worked hard and became quite a player. So, in my teachers experience it is possable to play fretless from the begining (with proper instruction and hard work) FWIW - I would not recomend attempting to self-learn fretless. If fretless is what turns you on, get a good teacher and start playing fretless.

The_Pope · #3 07-21-2003, 08:21 PM

I'd been playing bass for about a year when i first picked up a fretless/double, and with out really thinking about it i was able to play reasonably well, just playing it like a fretted bass. The hardest part is getting the note right on tune, although you can usually pass being sloppy. Once you can play the notes well though, its worth it; cause fretless basses can be alot 'faster' than fretted, and they get great tone.

JMX · #4 07-22-2003, 02:48 AM

The sooner the better

coffee-sipper · #5 07-22-2003, 09:43 AM

Thanks guys.

mark beem · #6 07-22-2003, 10:23 AM

There is no minimum time required on fretted to justifiably move to fretless. It's just a matter of when YOU feel you're ready for it.. It's definitely a different animal, and requires lots of work on your accuracy, intonation, and ear..

Good luck!!

christopper · #7 07-23-2003, 11:40 AM

I played for 2 years before I got a fretless, but i didntbuy a fretless, I converted my squier affinity into a fretless so that i wouldnt have to buy one, and now i love my squier, (it has seymour duncan pickups in it so it sounds pretty decent.

coffee-sipper · #8 07-23-2003, 02:09 PM

That's exactly what I want. I saw someone page on the net once on how to construct a hollow telecater body - anyone have that link or something similar.

Velkov · #9 07-29-2003, 11:15 AM

That's a very funny question.... mainly because I only have a fretless and it was the first bass I owned. I tried all kinds of basses but it made sense to get a fretless and I did. I'm not very good at playing fretted but that doesn't bother me.

iplaybass · #10 07-29-2003, 05:08 PM

Quote:

[i]When to move to fretless? [/b]

Don't you mean if? I've played around with several fretlesses, I even have an improvised one at home, but I just don't feel drawn to it. Many people do, but some people don't. I just don't think you should feel required to play a fretless, plenty of players are perfectly happy only playing fretted.

eli · #11 08-03-2003, 09:50 PM

A fretless is indeed a different animal, not a "next step" after fretted, any more than 5- or 6-string is a "next step" "after mastering 4". Beginning string bass students in 4th grade don't play cello first, nor do they play a fretted string bass. They simply learn to play the instrument they've chosen, with all its idiosyncrasies, and learn how to play it in tune.

You like how fretless sounds? You like how it feels? Then get one and learn how to play it, and don't think of it as a step in any sequence -- think of it as its own thing. I own a frtetted and a fretless, and I take both to every gig -- they are tools to be used as the situation dictates.

Greywoulf · #12 08-04-2003, 06:36 PM

This is probably a great sacrilage, but I think fretless is easier! (And I find it more enjoyable too.)

Greywoulf