Fingering on a fretless

[Turnaround]

Jaco's wrong.

Edit: Let me amplify that a bit.

Jaco was exceptional.

Almost without exception, bass players on TalkBass are not.

It's like the whole, "Paul McCartney couldn't read music so I don't have to either" bit people bring up here.

Just, no. Stop it.

Actually, Jaco is not wrong. But he is not saying to play on top of the fret, he is says to play in the same position as on a fretless. Here's a pic:

On a fretless, if you press right on the fret line the note will be sharp because the registration point will where the arrow is on the left illustration. When you finger slightly back of the line as in the second illustration, the string registers at the fret line and then is in tune.

So following on what Jaco actually said, you would finger a fretted just behind the fret, not on top of it.

 

[DJ Bebop]

The video is about finger placement on a fretless, which is often on the fretline.

Actually the video shows a fretted bass. He plays a fretted bass thought out the video until he plays Jerry's fretless bass. Look and listen to what he says...

Fingering on a fretless

 

[theduke1]

The edge of your finger is what determines the pitch not the middle of your finger. Therefore if the middle of your finger is on the marker the tone will be sharp.
This is the way I play fretless and it works.
Good luck
Duke

 

[DJ Bebop]

Actually, Jaco is not wrong. But he is not saying to play on top of the fret, he is says to play in the same position as on a fretless. Here's a pic:

View attachment 4637916

On a fretless, if you press right on the fret line the note will be sharp because the registration point will where the arrow is on the left illustration. When you finger slightly back of the line as in the second illustration, the string registers at the fret line and then is in tune.

So following on what Jaco actually said, you would finger a fretted just behind the fret, not on top of it.

Listen to what he says about freting a fretted bass...

Fingering on a fretless

Listen carefully



I hear what you are saying and he could be mistaken but hear what he says. He says on a fretted bass, you can play anywhere between the frets but the best sound he says, is when you play "on the fret" on a fretted bass.

 

[James Collins]

Are you all still arguing about fretted fingering in a fretless fingering thread? That is pretty remarkable.

 

[Jhengsman]

I believe that OFPF means one finger per fret and 124 means using the index finger (1), medius (2) and pinky (4). The ring finger (3) is just for show, I guess.


Just for the record about playing a fretted bass on the fret. Jaco was a good bassist and all, but wasn't he the guy that took a tort guard OFF of a Jazz Bass? So much for being a genius. So there.

Under the other technique topic I guess the theory is for the lower notes when you have to spread your fingers further apart to reach the desired position the ring finger has less strength to press down than the pinky and using it would lead to fatigue.

 

[SloFingers]

I've been lurking on this site for some time but just recently registered. As a novice who recently began playing again after many years, this thread is particularly interesting. My Sire P7 fretless should be arriving today from Thomman. Cant wait to apply all of this information.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Are you all still arguing about fretted fingering in a fretless fingering thread? That is pretty remarkable.

Not me

I am saying that people are not hearing what he is saying in the video. I am not saying he is right or wrong, just folks are not hearing what he is saying.
Folks are saying he's just talking about fretless where there he's talking about both.



People will do what works for them.
I just thought his theory and approach was interesting.

 

[Turnaround]

Listen to what he says about freting a fretted bass...

Fingering on a fretless

Listen carefully



I hear what you are saying and he could be mistaken but hear what he says. He says on a fretted bass, you can play anywhere between the frets but the best sound he says, is when you play "on the fret" on a fretted bass.

He says "you play exactly on a fretted bass where you do on a fretless". As I said, that's slightly behind the fret line on a fretless and by extension exactly slightly behind the fret on a fretted one.

 

[coy garcia]

Not me

I am saying that people are not hearing what he is saying in the video. I am not saying he is right or wrong, just folks are not hearing what he is saying.
Folks are saying he's just talking about fretless where there he's talking about both.



People will do what works for them.
I just thought his theory and approach was interesting.

After I became a competent fretless player I noticed when I picked up a fretted that I was playing more on top of the frets or barely behind them...my tone was better and it took less effort to play. Never knew Jaco said it first.

 

[darwin-bass]

There are no lines or edge dots on a double bass. You find the "target position" by muscle memory alone, except for the thumb position where you reference the body joint. But even then it varies between D and E flat necks. And your point #1 is good so long as you are not changing positions.

You really need to be reliant upon muscle memory and your own ear when playing double bass, especially if you are reading music. For me the same is true when playing fretless electric. I often have to read a part and I don't have the option to be watching my hands.

I've heard it said that the double bass has "stations" that help the player know their position where the electric bass just has a long neck with nothing but visual indications. I've heard players who do both say the fretless electric is tougher because of this, but what do I know.

 

[James Collins]

After I became a competent fretless player I noticed when I picked up a fretted that I was playing more on top of the frets or barely behind them...my tone was better and it took less effort to play. Never knew Jaco said it first.

You are clearly playing wrong! What you state is impossible.

I play my Word Police card and immediately cast the nit pick spell!

What you need are more diagrams that don't illustrate what you are talking about.

 

[coy garcia]

You are clearly playing wrong! What you state is impossible.

I play my Word Police card and immediately cast the nit pick spell!

What you need are more diagrams that don't illustrate what you are talking about.

I'm always surprised how people debate things when clearly the answer is always more wood shed.

 

[James Collins]

I'm always surprised how people debate things when clearly the answer is always more wood shed.

Counting down the hours.

 

[DJ Bebop]

He says "you play exactly on a fretted bass where you do on a fretless". As I said, that's slightly behind the fret line on a fretless and by extension exactly slightly behind the fret on a fretted one.

 

[SteveCS]

Actually, Jaco is not wrong. But he is not saying to play on top of the fret, he is says to play in the same position as on a fretless. Here's a pic:

View attachment 4637916

On a fretless, if you press right on the fret line the note will be sharp because the registration point will where the arrow is on the left illustration. When you finger slightly back of the line as in the second illustration, the string registers at the fret line and then is in tune.

So following on what Jaco actually said, you would finger a fretted just behind the fret, not on top of it.

All of which relies on the bridge saddles being set accordingly.

My personal view is that intonating the bridge is as important on a fretless EB as it is on a fretted EB because it 'calibrates' the instrument to your handshape and posture. Whether it plays in tune at the markers is not so important, but it must play in tune to one's hand. As it happens, the markers are a useful reference in that regard.

YMMV

 

[James Collins]

Just for fun and not directed at any person I made this. I had been watching a video about custom Pokemon cards and this thread got me thinking of it.

 

[dpbass66]

Actually the video shows a fretted bass. He plays a fretted bass thought out the video until he plays Jerry's fretless bass. Look and listen to what he says...

If Jaco is saying that finger placement on a fretted bass is ON the fret, then Jaco is wrong. The point of the fret is that as you press the string down behind it, the string pinches over the fret, giving you the pitch.

Fingering on a fretless

 

[MVE]

Just for fun and not directed at any person I made this. I had been watching a video about custom Pokemon cards and this thread got me thinking of it.View attachment 4638100

I’m not one to name drop celebrities, but Bullwinkle J Moose is a personal friend of mine.

 

[BassChuck]

You can set up the intonation on the bass to have you finger 'behind the line' or 'on it', depending on your preference. Ultimately you're better off getting your eyes on the board and letting your ears do the work, but that might be a little in the future.
Set it up the way you like and go from there.