fretless book?

[Fishbrain]

Can anyone recommend a good fretless book preferably with a cd or dvd and with tab?

Thanks!

[BassChuck]

If you need TAB, you need a fretted bass.

[Fishbrain]

I don't personally see how my ability to read music has anything to do with my ability to play a fretless bass, if I can't read music I'm not going to be able to play it on a fretted bass either.

Any sensible responses appreciated.

[TrevorOfDoom]

silly man! books don't have frets!!



seriously, it's the same as a fretted bass. just without the frets. work on your technique. run all the same scales. use a tuner. it's not hard, it just takes doing.

[Fishbrain]

I always thought of it like that but I've stumbled across a few books that say they help you work on intonation and things and they come with cd's so I can hear how bad I'm doing :P

I know practice is key but I like to make progress through a book, it makes me feel like i'm getting somewhere!

[MosGuy]

The book "FRETLESS BASS: A Guide to the Styles and Techniques of Fretless Bass" by Hal Leonard ( http://www.halleonard.com/item_detail.jsp?itemid=695850 ) . Looks to be quite decent, the link has page excerpts & MP3 samples. It appears to have TAB as well. I haven't seen the book first hand, tho I've put it on my birthday list as padding. Which is coming up in under two weeks. If I get it, I can give a little better review.

I do agree with others, if you can learn to read music slowly. That is the way to go long term. The trouble with TAB is the majority of it, especially the stuff on-line. It usually has a bunch of mistakes, or variations of a song depending who transcribed. In any semi proper music situation, you'll be given sheet music, or just a chord chart to play from. Having the ability to read proper notes or make up a line from chord charts on the fly. Are very useful skills to develop, especially if you want to play with other people.

Anyway the book seems to have everything you're looking for. So it might be worth checking out.

[ryco]

Here's another good book/CD. http://www.booksnation.com/a/brunel%...ass/0634045784

Weird. It used to be on the same Hal Leonard page as the above post. Found it here, though.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by ryco

Here's another good book/CD. http://www.booksnation.com/a/brunel%...ass/0634045784

Weird. It used to be on the same Hal Leonard page as the above post. Found it here, though.

I have this 'un too, its pretty good.

[Fishbrain]

thanks!

[chicagodoubler]

Whatever you use, make sure you are practicing to a pitch reference.

out of tune fretless is like a shoving a screwdriver in your listener's ear.

sideways.

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by chicagodoubler

Whatever you use, make sure you are practicing to a pitch reference.

out of tune fretless is like a shoving a screwdriver in your listener's ear.

sideways.

Word. I recently recorded a song on fretless, laying my track down over a scratch vocal & piano line. After adding gitard, keeper piano & vocals, it became GLARINGLY apparent that I was horribly off-key. Had to do the track again; w/on-key parts in place, my intonation was tons better.
On this note, throwing in open notes here & there can really help keep you playing in tune.
Also, I disagree somewhat that a fretless is 'just like fretted' w/regard to method books, etc. There are fretless-specific technique aspects that won't likely be addressed in a more general book- mind you, you can use the same method(s)for fretless but IMO you'll be missing something(s).

[TDYooper]

Originally Posted by MosGuy

The book "FRETLESS BASS: A Guide to the Styles and Techniques of Fretless Bass" by Hal Leonard ( http://www.halleonard.com/item_detail.jsp?itemid=695850 ) . Looks to be quite decent, the link has page excerpts & MP3 samples. It appears to have TAB as well. .

Oh man, this is just what I've been looking for.

I followed your link, and looked the site over. Found a music store less than a mile away, and put it on order with them. Cost on line was $19.99, my cost at the local store, $16.59. Should be here in a week to ten days...

More later...

TDY

[Rickett Customs]

Originally Posted by BassChuck

If you need TAB, you need a fretted bass.

+1

[maxgrant]

Originally Posted by BassChuck

If you need TAB, you need a fretted bass.

So are you saying that you can only play fretless if you read sheet music?

I don't use tab mostly because I already know where all my notes are and I use my ears to find them. But tab has its uses when you're in a hurry.