Alternating Between Lined & Unlined Fretless Basses

[Neil Folkard]

Interesting. I've never heard of this issue before. I have an unlined 4 string and a lined 5 string. I switch back and forth all the time. I just need to regularly play the unlined one, to feel comfortable on it.

The only thing that throws me, as some others have mentioned, is when they put side dots, where they would be on fretted instruments, as opposed to where the lines would be. I don't get the purpose of that at all. I have a custom F Bass 5-string fretless on order and I made sure to tell them to put the side dots where the frets would be.

And I continue to be amazed at people who can play by ear and rarely look at their hands. A lot of the songs that I play have a lot of notes in them, and no way, no how, could I effectively keep making micro-adjustments all the time to keep in tune.

 

[conttador]

Everyone's brain works differently.

I think you just hit the jackpot…

 

[conttador]

Interesting. I've never heard of this issue before. I have an unlined 4 string and a lined 5 string. I switch back and forth all the time. I just need to regularly play the unlined one, to feel comfortable on it.

The only thing that throws me, as some others have mentioned, is when they put side dots, where they would be on fretted instruments, as opposed to where the lines would be. I don't get the purpose of that at all. I have a custom F Bass 5-string fretless on order and I made sure to tell them to put the side dots where the frets would be.

And I continue to be amazed at people who can play by ear and rarely look at their hands. A lot of the songs that I play have a lot of notes in them, and no way, no how, could I effectively keep making micro-adjustments all the time to keep in tune.

My thing is when I play lined, I’m looking to ensure that my fingers are on the lines and that robs my concentration. I’ve gotten some good pointers so far so I’ll see if what works to gain comfort.

 

[swarfrat]

Same...(to johnh89) I know I need to work on first position. If I can nail 0-14 I'm good. Anything up past there is likely as not to be a sliding harmonic or general shove in some sort of direction.

 

[Bill Pool]

Been playing fretted basses for decades, but two years ago, I put together a fretless Warmoth 32"scale P bass, with low contrast fret lines. Was concerned that my intonation would be off so the lines gave some comfort and as others have mentioned, I kept a tuner on to check. Appears my finger placement from years of playing fretted boards, was just behind the fret, where it should be, and therefore just behind the fret line on the fretless. Notes are usually in tune, or a tiny flat at most. I do look at my neck a lot, always have. Not so much for individual notes, but for hand placement around the root note. I have enough muscle memory for simple patterns and scales. Thats when I look up and around. At chord charts or tab, the drummer or audience. I've always thought those who could play unlined or unmarked fretboards well must have really good ears, maybe some level of perfect pitch.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

Simply stop looking at the fingerboard. The markers no longer serve any purpose.
Side dots either on the fretline or in between also make no difference unless you look.

I've found my intonation is vastly improved by not looking and using muscle memory and ears.

And of course the best advice, practice, practice, practice.

 

[swarfrat]

I know bass is not a melody instrument, and I'm a noob but... I spend a lot of practice time playing melody - the deeper the grooves in your brain the better. Kid stuff. Church stuff. Stuff you grew up with. Stuff they couldn't beat out of your memory with a stick. I think the ear is a lot more attuned to melodies than root-five when it comes to pitch accuracy. It's not just 'easy wins' I think it helps train the ear.

 

[conttador]

Simply stop looking at the fingerboard. The markers no longer serve any purpose.
Side dots either on the fretline or in between also make no difference unless you look.

I've found my intonation is vastly improved by not looking and using muscle memory and ears.

And of course the best advice, practice, practice, practice.

Funny that you mention that because I read an article or interview with Marcus and his tip was to practice in a dark room. This now makes sense…

 

[conttador]

I know bass is not a melody instrument, and I'm a noob but... I spend a lot of practice time playing melody - the deeper the grooves in your brain the better. Kid stuff. Church stuff. Stuff you grew up with. Stuff they couldn't beat out of your memory with a stick. I think the ear is a lot more attuned to melodies than root-five when it comes to pitch accuracy. It's not just 'easy wins' I think it helps train the ear.

I try to play jazz and I try to learn the heads of tunes as I’ve found this helps me keep my place and for those times when I lose my place (which probably happens more than I care to admit) find my place. I’ve also found that this also helps, in my honest but biased opinion, make my bass lines more interesting.

 

[Neil Folkard]

Simply stop looking at the fingerboard. The markers no longer serve any purpose.
Side dots either on the fretline or in between also make no difference unless you look.

I've found my intonation is vastly improved by not looking and using muscle memory and ears.

And of course the best advice, practice, practice, practice.

Again, I'm just astounded that people can do this. May I ask if most of the parts you play are down near the first fret? The originals I play move around the fingerboard a lot, and I'm not sure any amount of practice could get me to a point where I don't need to look a fair bit, lol.

 

[Neil Pye]

I have one of each - a lined Aria SB1000 and an unlined Wal Mk1. Makes no difference to me. Even if I look, its not for the sake of being in tune. You tune with your ears, not your eyes

 

[DJ Bebop]

Fender Tony Franklin, best of both worlds.
Unlined, side dots in the right places

 

[mikezimmerman]

Lines kinda drive me crazy. I know the Pedulla is an awesome bass, but I’ve never bonded with any lined fretless that I’ve owned….

 

[conttador]

Lines kinda drive me crazy. I know the Pedulla is an awesome bass, but I’ve never bonded with any lined fretless that I’ve owned….

I’ve not spent a lot of time with it because I tend to go back to the Modulus since it’s my comfort zone. I’m starting to think that playing the lined is going to force me to place greater reliance on my ear, which is not a bad thing…

 

[swarfrat]

Again, I'm just astounded that people can do this.

I still find myself looking at an unlined board. Why? I dunno. Maybe it's just so beautiful. Maybe I'm learning the figuring patterns for reference.

 

[skyline_01]

I started on unlined and have owned nothing else since. I also find that the lines screw me up more than they help.

I'm currently GASsing pretty hard for a 5-string unlined Warmoth build. I'm considering selling another of my basses (maybe two) to make it happen.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I still find myself looking at an unlined board. Why? I dunno. Maybe it's just so beautiful. Maybe I'm learning the figuring patterns for reference.

I love the look of unlined fingerboards too. I know playing my old Pedulla several years helped me get a feel for fretless. Right now, I think I have “functional” intonation on my fretless MetroExpress. In other words, I sound good in live settings. My intonation would probably tell on me if I were laying down tracks in a studio.

 

[Tedthulhu]

Necroing this thread; I have two fretless basses; one lined, one *kind of* unlined; it has lines ONLY on the top (left, as you look at it from the front) side of the fretboard for a few millimeters. I find those keep me in tune SO much more than trying to scope the entire fretboard, and I adore the look of the unlined fretboard. For reference, my "unlined" is an Ibanez SRF705.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Necroing this thread; I have two fretless basses; one lined, one *kind of* unlined; it has lines ONLY on the top (left, as you look at it from the front) side of the fretboard for a few millimeters. I find those keep me in tune SO much more than trying to scope the entire fretboard, and I adore the look of the unlined fretboard. For reference, my "unlined" is an Ibanez SRF705.

Do what you need to do to get the job done.

 

[conttador]

I tolerate lined; I prefer unlined. Either way, I put 1/4" file folder dots in the "correct" positions just as on fretted basses. I use ear for the in-between notes that have no dots.

Even more maddening for me is unlined 'boards that have no dots but instead have a brass insert set into the side of the fingerboard at every half step. Now THAT is confusing.

I need to check where the dots are on my Pedulla. If they align with the dots I’ll just need to get in the habit of looking at dots when I need to cheat…