I think Jeff is correct, however fretless is tougher, it requires a lot of work. If you like the sound, and I live for it, play fretless. I work on difficult stuff on fretted, then when it's really under my fingers move to fretless, the only worry then is intonation: not intonation, fingerings and everything else at the same time. This is only for academic purposes, I often do entire gigs on fretless.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Fretless instruction
- Thread starter DoubleBuck
- Start date
I ONLY play fretless. Rehearsals, gigs, jams, the lot. My approach has been to first master the intonation problems without watching the fretboard, as Steve Bailey strongly recommends. Need side dots nor lines.
Fretless requires much more practice, but I reached a point where I never have to bother much about intonation anymore. I assume double bass players do it that way as well. That surely doesn't mean I'm 100% in tune, but corrections I make pretty much automatically, without really bothering.
Occasionally they ask me to hop on stage somewhere, pushing a fretted bass into my hands. For me frets don't make things easier. On the contrary, I would say.
I played fretless exclusively from 1998 to about 2004. First time I played fretted again it was not so good! Lot's of rattle and felt really wierd. Total immersion on fretless is probably correct too (it certainly can't be wrong!). I completely agree with knowing where you are on the neck, lines and side dots go away on a dark stage. Intonation has never been an issue for me (but yeah I do hit a clunker now and then), but I sure as heck seem to worry about it a lot!
