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Fretless books, videos, tutorials, etc

Anyone have any fretless instructional material you’d recommend?

I’m borrowing a Rob Allen MB2 from a friend and I’d like to do some shedding. Been playing lines I know, intervals, double stops and scales.

Have anything I should check out?
 
Fretless technique is more in your ears than any specific book. Keeping your posture and hand position consistent is really the key. Learning to hear, not just for the note, but the intonation.
Play things you know. Having a track, or drone or something to play along with is very helpful. iReal Pro, Band in a box, are two great apps (you won't need both).
It takes a bit of time and practice.
 
Fretless technique is more in your ears than any specific book. Keeping your posture and hand position consistent is really the key. Learning to hear, not just for the note, but the intonation.
Play things you know. Having a track, or drone or something to play along with is very helpful. iReal Pro, Band in a box, are two great apps (you won't need both).
It takes a bit of time and practice.

irealpro looks great. Do you know if it’s free for Mac OS Ie desktop? I’m on my iPhone and the mobile app looks good too and it’s not expensive. Can’t tell what the desktop app costs cause I don’t have a laptop right now. My new one is coming next week.
 
irealpro looks great. Do you know if it’s free for Mac OS Ie desktop? I’m on my iPhone and the mobile app looks good too and it’s not expensive. Can’t tell what the desktop app costs cause I don’t have a laptop right now. My new one is coming next week.

I've got it all my devices, so now when I go to the App store it just has 'open', not the price. I don't recall what it was but I don't remember it as expensive, and it's well worth the price. You get chart charts (that play) the entire Real Book stuff, like 1300 songs, plus all kinds of other Blues, Rock, etc. Well worth it.
 
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I've got it all my devices, so now when I go to the App store it just has 'open', not the price. I don't recall what it was but I don't remember it as expensive, and it's well worth the price. You get chart charts (that play) the entire Real Book stuff, like 1300 songs, plus all kinds of other Blues, Rock, etc. Well worth it.

their site says you have to buy the desktop and mobile apps separately. I’ll get it for my MacBook.

to the guy who mentioned tony Franklin, I watched the few videos from his course I could find online. He’s a great player but the lessons were pretty basic exercises. Was hoping for more. Do you know where I can find the rest of the course?
 
to the guy who mentioned tony Franklin, I watched the few videos from his course I could find online. He’s a great player but the lessons were pretty basic exercises. Was hoping for more. Do you know where I can find the rest of the course?

The feetless bass is a bass, but it is nevertheless a different instrument, that needs to be learned. More specifically, the left hand technique is different, no matter how similar it may look. You don't need more than the pretty basic exercises, until you can play scales, arpeggios, etc. in tune all over the neck.

I would love to have a Rob Allen bass in my hands...
 
Maybe something like this? Read the pdf just to keep you from looking at your fingerboard, but play along with the MP3 to check your intonation.

It's just C major, but to keep it interesting, think in terms of a different mode each time you go through it. In other works, think of C as the root note. Then maybe D the next time (for Dorian mode). If it's too much of a challenge, try looping sections of it at a time and slow it down. You can never go too slowly.

Just do a little each day. Besides improving intonation, you may improve your knowledge of the fingerboard and your familiarity with notation. You may not need that part. When this gets old, change the key (e.g., F or one flat) or change the interval. The possibilities are endless, but it does get a little tedious if you do it for too long.
 

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I would suggest playing some very diatonic stuff, children songs, pentatonic tunes, etc., because the consonant intervals help building up a solid intonation. To play in tune, you must be able to pre-hear and sing what you are about to play. You can use a drone or a tanpura while playing scales, arpeggios, etc.

Use for reference open strings and harmonics as they are automatically in tune. You can play lines in which fingered notes precede or follow the same note on open string or harmonics.

First practice with no shifts. Practice playing fifths, octaves, major and minor thirds, major and minor seconds in fixed position to help establishing a solid hand shape. Simandl technique (1-2-4) is good because the relaxed hand falls quite naturally on a whole ton between 1 (index) and 4 (pinky), with 2 (middle finger) playing the half tone in between.

To work on shifting and pivoting, practice finger-replacement shifts, where for example your index finger replaces your pinky playing the same note. The unison is the easiest interval to play in tune.

Try doing this with closed eyes very slowly focussing on what you ear tells you. Sure, in actual playing, you will use the lines and/or dots to guide your hand, but the less you need them, the more you will be able to play in tune.

Playing fretless is a wonderful experience of ear training. Enjoy it!
 
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OP here. I didn’t buy Tony’s course cause the free videos were underwhelming. But I’d like to watch the rest of them someday.

Thanks all for the input in general. Most of this I’m already practicing but I am looking for material or sheet music still. Learning parts played on a fretless is helpful and more interesting than sitting with intervals and scales all day. Sure, any music can be played on a fretless but understanding the approaches on recordings takes practicing to new heights. I’m transcribing some parts but I also read bass clef and am always on the lookout for sheet music. I’ve got some sheets of Pino’s work. Great stuff.
 
Gary Willis' "101 Bass Tips" is a good general purpose bass book with a fretless bias from technique to setup. A good book to have in any case. Check the table of contents.

https://www.amazon.com/101-Bass-Tip...ocphy=9052450&hvtargid=pla-490594219820&psc=1

excellent book. I have it too.

I found some great Willis lessons online. They apply across fretted and Fretless and most of them are way over my head but he’s an inspiration. Saw him do a clinic once. Such a tasteful player.
 
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