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How do you play root/fifth/octave on fretless?

gregouille23

gregouille23

Jan 1, 2012
380
359
Antwerp, Belgium
#1
Hello,

I just got myself a fretless and I really like it. I cannot play it well for sure, but it does not seem as incredibly difficult as I imagined it would be. However it does require some adjustments of my technique it seems.

Sometimes, if I need to do a quick run root/fifth/octave (in any order) I will tend to use some sort of "power chord fingering": index for the root, ring for the fifth and pinkie for the octave. If the song is not too fast I will typically use index and pinkie, where pinkie moves and plays fifth or octave.

Now I realize this "power chord shape" may not be proper technique, if so don't hesitate to let me know. But in any case, it does not work on fretless as I cannot place my pinkie exactly below my ring finger. So that's why I wanted to know: how do you play such a root/fifth/octave on a fretless?

Thanks!
Greg
 
#2
I might get crap for this too, but there is no such thing as "proper" technique. There are, however, easier and more ergonomic ways to play.

At the end of the day, whatever helps you play the notes that need to be played is the way to go.

When I played fretless, I would fret the root with my index finger and then bar the fifth and octave with my pinkie. It took more strength, but it prevents intonation problems because fretting two strings with a straight finger is better than fretting those two strings with two fingers.
 
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#3
OK first is it a no line fretless, if so good luck. I live by the box and had to put some line markers on my no line fretless.

How to fret a R-5-8-5

Major Scale Box.
G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

Any way you can do it was a good answer. I use my index for the root. Ring or little finger for the 5 depending where I am on the neck, and then reach up for the 8. Yes, I slide when ever needed.

Jloch86 mentioned barring for the 5-8 I do not do that but will give it a try. Makes since. I also play rhythm guitar and use a bar all the time, but, for some reason not on the bass.

After running my scales using that box a zillion times how to fret anything becomes a no brainer; you just get where you need to be using "The Best Way You Can".
 
Last edited:
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#4
Jloch86 said:
I might get crap for this too, but there is no such thing as "proper" technique. There are, however, easier and more ergonomic ways to play.

At the end of the day, whatever helps you play the notes that need to be played is the way to go.

When I played fretless, I would fret the root with my index finger and then bar the fifth and octave with my pinkie. It took more strength, but it prevents intonation problems because fretting two strings with a straight finger is better than fretting those two strings with two fingers.
Click to expand...

^^^THIS +1

I might add that when I do this above the 5th "fret" area, I use index and ring finger, although this may not be comfortable for some.
 
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#5
Jloch86 said:
When I played fretless, I would fret the root with my index finger and then bar the fifth and octave with my pinkie. It took more strength, but it prevents intonation problems because fretting two strings with a straight finger is better than fretting those two strings with two fingers.
Click to expand...
I do it that way, even on a fretted.

The index/ring/pinkie power chording is basically guitar technique.
 
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#6
I'll bar with the pinky if I'm playing a lot of notes in a scale shape and need to get back quickly. But naturally I'll do the power chord shape because it's more comfortable, especially when coming back down. Also my fingers happen to line up about perfectly for that so no intonation issues. YMMV with one reason being that not everybody's fingers are proportioned the same.
 
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#8
I also use a "power chord" (1st, 3rd, 4th fingers) technique, although that occurs more often lower lower on the fretboard than higher up. Since I play five and six strings, it is sometimes easier to barre the strings on the smaller frets, but I'd say that below the 12th fret, I'll probably use the former technique more often than not. It's also dependent on how much glissandi I'm trying to get out of the notes that will determine how I approach them. If I'm trying to make them as seamless as possible, I'll do what was said before; roll my finger on to the next string.

I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" way to do it; so long as you can get the sound that you want, who cares how you do it?
 
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#9
Thanks for all the replies!

Jloch86 said:
I might get crap for this too, but there is no such thing as "proper" technique. There are, however, easier and more ergonomic ways to play.
Click to expand...

I was expecting it :) I agree with you to a certain extent: in the end there is no "proper technique" for everyone, everyone has to find a way that works for him/her. However, there can be generic best practices which would allow the player to play with the least effort and strain. When I use this "power chord fingering" in the lower part of the neck, I do feel I have to slightly angle my wrist, which may not be good in the long run.
 
#10
RustyAxe said:
I use my middle finger on the root. I just "roll" between the 5th and octave with my pinkie. Not really barring it.
Click to expand...

This is what I do on "not too fast" songs. I guess I should practice more to do so on all songs. When barring the fifth and octave, you may have one of the notes ringing out if you don't lift the pressure between notes and I personally don't like this sound.
 
#12
On my fretted 4-string, on which I play OFPF over the whole fretboard, it depends on whether my first or second finger is hitting the root. For example: F C F - index on 1st fret of E string, ring finger on 3rd fret of A string then roll the ring finger to the 3rd fret of D string. If I am hitting the root with my 2nd finger then I shift from the ring to the pinky for the 5th and roll the pinky for the octave. For anything beyond the 2nd finger for the root I shift up the neck to get the root on the 1st or 2nd finger.

This has worked pretty well for me on my fretted instrument and I imagine it should work equally well on the fretless bass that I plan to get later. As others have mentioned, I think you just have to experiment with what works best for you and doesn't put undue strain on tendons and joints. Listen carefully to what your hands are trying to tell you as you try out new techniques.
 
#14
gregouille23 said:
index for the root, ring for the fifth and pinkie for the octave
Click to expand...

Not an accomplished fretless player by any means but I mostly do as you describe and just adjust the angle of my fretting hand to be sure intonation of the 5th and octave is on. Or sometimes I just do the index root and ring 5th and octave. Glad to hear someone else say they don't really believe there's a "right" way to do it. Just like a fretted, I look for advice but ultimately do what works for me.
 
#16
Lots of good advice above. My philosophy is, learn multiple fingerings for popular patterns like root-5th-octave (for example: 1-3-4, 1-4-4, 2-4-4, 1-3-3, etc.). Then I have multiple "tools in the toolbox" and can make the decision based on factors like: what I am playing before, what I am playing after, am I in low position or high position on the neck, how fatigued is my hand feeling that night, and of course, which fingering sounds best for that given song?

A tip for playing fretless: get into the habit of finding notes based on sound, not finger location. It is logical to assume, the 5th and octave will both be perfectly in tune if I play them barred with the same finger. But in practice (at least in my experience) the pitch can be a little off depending on string thickness, the intonation of the bridge saddles, my playing posture, the height of my strap, the fact that some parts of my finger are softer or wider, etc. So for that reason, I really like the 1-3-4 fingering for root-5th-octave on fretless, as playing each note with its own finger gives me individual control over the pitch. On fretted bass however, I often find that 1-4-4 is less fatiguing.
 
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#18
flam said:
I don't know how big you hands are, but I play "power chords" using only two fingers, either my index and ring, or middle and pinky. I do have to be really concious of keeping my hand straight so that I don't lay my finger at an angle.
Click to expand...
That's often what I do, even on the upright. Except that I don't use a ring finger on the upright.
 
#20
If it has to happen quickly just barre the 5 and 8. Try to do it neatly. I do that on upright too, whatever, I'm sure it makes soloists tut loudly but I've got a day job what do you want from me??? Come to my office and make a decent fist of my job and I'll try harder to stop every note with my fingertips. Deal?
 

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