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Necessity of low B on fretless

#21
I have played fretless for years. I have both 4 and 5 string basses.

What I don't do is practice :hiding: Well, at least I am honest.

And what suffers most ??? My Intonation. I admit it.

So recently, I have been enjoying my 4 string basses more. It is easier.



So obviously, as many opinions as posters.

What is most important? Playing in TIME and in TUNE.

Choose a bass that will help you do that first and then when you have mastered enough fretless fundamentals, expand.

Good luck.

Fretless rules !!!!!!!!!!!
 
#22
I had given up on 5 strings for a while now on all my fretted basses
I just never used the low B or in some cases of tuning a high C

I recently acquired a Warwick 5 fretless
and for some reason I love having the low B now
it makes playing up higher for me easier and when I dial in an uprighty sound
I love having the low B to go back down on
it has changed my attitude towards 5 strings in particular
but I will prob stay with 4s on my fretted
 
#23
The only 5-string I now own is my fretless EBMusicMan Sub5 (I started on 5s, but grew sick of it after a few years). I only bought the 5-string version because I found the pickup sounded much better than the 4-string, why that was I have no idea. I still don't like having the 5th string, it does nothing for me, but I learn to avoid it mostly. To each his/her own - I just have no use going below a low Eb or D.
 
#25
c-ba55 said:
To accentuate the fretless sound, you actually want to do a good amount of sliding (position shifts), and playing higher notes.
Click to expand...

Frankly this is why I often don't care for a lot of fretless playing. I actually often strive for playing with few slides on fretless. There are other aspects to the instrument beyond glissando and playing up high, but that is a personal preference.

To the OP's question, both my fretli are 5 string, but I will be picking up a 4-banger after a recent epiphany with a P-bass. I consider 4 and 5 string to be very different instruments that allow different approaches. A 5 isn't just "5 extra low notes" and a 4 isn't just "missing a string." Similarly, fretted and fretless are two different instruments as well. So combined, you have 4 different combinations that afford you 4 different approaches. Or you can play exactly the same on all 4 - depends on what you want to do. I've seen people switch between 4 and 5, fretted and fretless and play pretty much the exact same way. And I've seen others who change their approach. No right or wrong - just because you have a capability doesn't mean that you need to our should use it. Up to individual discretion.
 
#27
You gotta have a low B

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#30
I don't play fretless (a 5) near as much as fretted (4's and 5's), but when it is called for in my experience it is not only for the typical "out front" sound, but also to make a tune sound bigger. A lot of the people who hear me play a fretless just to sound bigger in a track are surprised at first and then realize it does make a difference. It is also nice to be able to roll your finger just right and cop that bowed low "c" sound a bowed upright would produce. (No- a fretless five string electric bass is not a replacement for an upright, but not playing upright anymore, this does come in handy.) The 5 definitely affords me some different options that are appreciated.
 
#31
nostatic said:
Frankly this is why I often don't care for a lot of fretless playing. I actually often strive for playing with few slides on fretless. There are other aspects to the instrument beyond glissando and playing up high, but that is a personal preference.

To the OP's question, both my fretli are 5 string, but I will be picking up a 4-banger after a recent epiphany with a P-bass. I consider 4 and 5 string to be very different instruments that allow different approaches. A 5 isn't just "5 extra low notes" and a 4 isn't just "missing a string." Similarly, fretted and fretless are two different instruments as well. So combined, you have 4 different combinations that afford you 4 different approaches. Or you can play exactly the same on all 4 - depends on what you want to do. I've seen people switch between 4 and 5, fretted and fretless and play pretty much the exact same way. And I've seen others who change their approach. No right or wrong - just because you have a capability doesn't mean that you need to our should use it. Up to individual discretion.
Click to expand...

+1
the first person that came to mind is Marcus Miller
 
#34
Atticus said:
for those of you who use fretless fives, do you think you could live without the B string, or do you use it a lot?
Click to expand...

I probably use the low B string on my fretless more than I do on my fretted basses. The first three fretless basses I owned were 4-string instruments but I kept running into material that needed a low Eb or D and I got tired of retuning. These days I would give up the 5-string fretted bass before I'd part with the 5-string fretless.
 
#35
Hoover said:
I probably use the low B string on my fretless more than I do on my fretted basses. The first three fretless basses I owned were 4-string instruments but I kept running into material that needed a low Eb or D and I got tired of retuning. These days I would give up the 5-string fretted bass before I'd part with the 5-string fretless.
Click to expand...

That's exactly where I am now. Sold the 5-string fretted and won't get another until one I have on order is done late this year. Have a pair of 5-string fretless, P-bass, and 4-string shortscale fretless. P-bass is the only fretted bass I have at the moment. It's funny because the one band where I thought I "needed" the 5-string fretted it turns out the P-bass totally kills. Go figure...
 

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