This worked for me when learning Fretless. Learn it on fretted -> transfer those skills to Fretless.
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Can you switch between short and regular scale without constantly being a half step off?
- Thread starter DanAdams
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I do it all the time. As Steve Cropper said (in a different context) "just follow the dots" [fret markers]
I only need to hit one bum note before I make a stronger effort to pay attention to where my hand is on the neck.
I only need to hit one bum note before I make a stronger effort to pay attention to where my hand is on the neck.
Jeez, I had no idea this was a problem. I play 34" scale most of the time, and 30" scale when playing in confined spaces. Never thought about it.
Thanks. It's a Tribute series, but it looks great, built well and feels good. FWIW, the block markers are decals, makes for seeing the frets on dark stages a lot easier)
The Jackson Minion basses are a little over 6lbs. Almost feels like a toy, but the neck is reassuringly chunky enough to alleviate that feeling.
I play 30" and 34" and switch between them from set to set. I had a hard time switching between 4 and 5 strings so I sold the 5 string.
It goes hard for a day or two, then it's easier, then it's easy. Keep switching the basses and you'll get there easily enough. It will reward your technical skills, especially if you actively think about them.
The hard part is to overcome the 'why should I torture myself' part, when it eventually arises. It's the easier the more different the basses are.
The hard part is to overcome the 'why should I torture myself' part, when it eventually arises. It's the easier the more different the basses are.
No problem to adapt.
I have a Fender Precission and Jazz (34) a Gibson Thunderbird (34,..) a Rickenbacker (33,3) , an old Yamaha with medium scale (32) and a shortscale Hofner violin and a Gibson Eb3 (30,..) . All totally different in neck style, scale, dimensions.. but having played them all on regular basis for years and years, no problem.
so a simple answer to your question, it can be done
I've played 30", 32", and 34", sometimes switching between two of those during a gig, and I've really never had a problem with fret spacing or wrong notes.
I actually used to have a bigger (but still minor) problem occasionally when going from a 24-fret bass to a bass with fewer than 24 frets, if I had a part where I moved quickly into the highest registers where I was relying upon the marker dots to place myself, because the "geography" can look different up there when you have fewer (or more) dots due to the number of frets.
I actually used to have a bigger (but still minor) problem occasionally when going from a 24-fret bass to a bass with fewer than 24 frets, if I had a part where I moved quickly into the highest registers where I was relying upon the marker dots to place myself, because the "geography" can look different up there when you have fewer (or more) dots due to the number of frets.
That's an almost unanimous YES. Thanks everyone.
I'll keep at it for a few days and see if I can jive with it. I'm a Matsumoku fan so I'm rooting for it.
I don't have a physical issue with playing a 34" bass, so my next question for myself is:
Is there a there a benefit to me, or a reason I would ever choose to play this bass rather than another I own?
I don't do narrow string spacing, or anything aside from a four string, so maybe the writing is on the wall.
I'll keep at it for a few days and see if I can jive with it. I'm a Matsumoku fan so I'm rooting for it.
I don't have a physical issue with playing a 34" bass, so my next question for myself is:
Is there a there a benefit to me, or a reason I would ever choose to play this bass rather than another I own?
I don't do narrow string spacing, or anything aside from a four string, so maybe the writing is on the wall.
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Just takes some playing time and it will feel normal to switch. I only have problems with guitars switching from say anything to an sg. Same scale but something about the body and neck position gets me an inch off on the sg. Bass bodies I’ve never had that problem.
You make a good point. Switching between scales on similar-shaped basses that have a top horn that more or less line up with the 12th fret doesn't faze me. But reverse-shaped basses (thunderbird) or ones with a tiny (Warwick Thumb) or non-existent top horn (Steinberger) that place the 12th fret in a different position really throws me. Not just fingering the right frets, but the reach to the first fret.
It's for this reason I went short scale for a compact backup bass rather than a headless steinberger spirit.
Yes. Been doing it for decades. Nearly half my basses are short scale. I like them for their darker tone and unequalled E string punch and note definition.
I play a lot of fretless and my muscle memory/ear interaction is something I try to preserve. I've waived off anything that isn't 34" scale due to this. Just not worth the momentary hesitation switching scale lengths can sometimes produce. YMMV
Tsk. All this dedication, and the time consumed to pursue it. Now I know the basis for that line "No time for the Killing Floor" in the Guess Who's "No Time." No time, indeed!
The number of 1960s bassists who toggled between short-scale and long-scale should tell you that this is do-able.
