Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
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.
Poll: Playing Beyond the Twelfth Fret
- Thread starter jackajesusfreak
- Start date
I usually stay at the 12th and below. But, like it has been stated, I will use above the 12th for fills or whatnot. I just don't find it comfortable to play that high with how my arm and hand has to bend, but maybe with more playing up there, that will come around.
Of course, when you know someone is photographing you, doing a bend up around the 17th fret is a must. (Along with the grimace.)
I would use it quite a bit but my current bass limits me from confidently going up there (fretless with ridiculous intonation issues).
of course!
i intentionally write riffs for my band's songs that go all over everything...i like to use my real estate, and that thick thick tone of a big string playing a high note (frets 17-24 on the a, e, and b) is to good to pass up
Have no idea if it was a joke, but it is quite easy for a fretless to have intonation issues. Although there are no frets, you still need all the harmonics to line up perfectly - i.e. 12th "fret" = 2nd harmonic in the same place across all the strings. If the string length - intonation - is off, this won't happen.
There have been times where i'm playing on the 24th fret of the G string and felt limited since I had nowhere to go.
or on the 23rd fret on the g and need a whole step. that happens more often then not...
i always think i can bend it enough, but i never do. yay for free-improving!
I checked Seldom. My band has one song in which I always play parts up there.
You're missin out!
There is a very specific tone you get by playing Low strings high up:
less over tones and string sound, more pure fundamental, fat , smooth round bassyness.
Not appropriate for every tune, but yummy nonetheless.
Check the difference in tone between E played at D string, 2nd fret and the E played E string 12th fret.
Listening to Tony Levin's tones on PG stuff turned me on to those "Low strings high up" choices.
Not at all the high pitch fret wanking usually associated with playing up there.
You're missin out!
There is a very specific tone you get by playing Low strings high up:
less over tones and string sound, more pure fundamental, fat , smooth round bassyness.
Not appropriate for every tune, but yummy nonetheless.
Check the difference in tone between E played at D string, 2nd fret and the E played E string 12th fret.
Listening to Tony Levin's tones on PG stuff turned me on to those "Low strings high up" choices.
Not at all the high pitch fret wanking usually associated with playing up there.
This pretty much. And also there tend to be a lot of buzz problems up there unless I have a huge bow in the neck and soaring action. It's not the nicest fretless, but it's a 6 string so I'm covered below the octave pretty well.
I'm getting the hang of it though. It's just that not all the notes actually align the way that they should up there. But Ill go up there for soft melodic playing, and sometimes chords, it just takes a lot of attention. So if I'm playing in a setting where I can't hear myself well enough, I'll stay away from it, because I can't rely on the markers.
