I am 47 years old and started to music playing. Should I use my 4 string fretless like a DB and play like NHOP right hand technique for - using whole finger for more control - less right hand wrist twist, and faster , healtier playing with 3 fingers ? Anyone tried this before ? thanks, mustafa umut sarac istanbul
I was trying to picture , holding a fretless bass guitar vertical not as usual as horizontal and play like a cello or double bass with the three fingers style of NHOP and left hand technic. There are few classical guitar players like that. I wish I am clear now
Salaam, I play fretted and fretless BG and am getting back to DB. If you play BG vertical, it will not balance by itself so your left hand will be balancing it. This will interfere with proper intonation. I have played fretted BG vertical, resting on stool. It can be done. Suggest you play fretless BG in conventional seated or standing position with strap.
In my humble opinion, these ideas sound great, but my experience tends to believe that you are going to injure yourself. NHOP’s technique isn’t something you just pick up. I seem to remember someone here that studied with him(?) and discussed the intricacies. I play electric and decided to study upright properly. I applaud originality, but a tendon is a tendon. Pain hurts... I hope you will be able to show us the benefits of learning this technique... After some thorough vetting of course.
I experimented with this a couple of years ago when I went on an international trip and could only take a fretless BG. I had about 4 months to relearn how to play BG before the trip, and I’ve been playing DB for so long that the vertical technique was by far my native tongue. I tried everything - traditional BG technique, classical guitar position, and even upright technique. As mentioned above, there was just no way that I could find to make it comfortable. In addition, an essential part of DB technique is the rest stroke that grazes the fingerboard throughout the stroke. Without the fingerboard to calibrate the finger to the string, it’s an entirely different animal. I cam to the conclusion that the only way to make it work would be to install a ramp on the BG and come up with some sort of stand to hold it in place. In the end, I made the concerts work but vowed to not be in that position again. In the future, I willl travel with a removable neck travel DB since that is the primary physical language that my technique speaks.
My son plays BG and has a fretless that I've played with. Vertically, balance is totally off. The only way it could work for me is with a really really long endpin, and even then, as Chris has said, the neck setup is completely different. For me, required parts of the DB setup are a heavily radiused fingerboard, the long scale length, the thick strings, the distance between the strings and the relatively high string action; without those DB components, it just doesn't feel right. Trying to pretend I'm playing DB with a vertical BG is like trying to pretend I'm riding a Harley while peddling a beach cruiser. I can get from point A to point B, but it is distractingly not as fun.
Merhaba! As others have said, vertical on an electric bass is less than ideal. As far as right hand technique - I'm not familiar enough with NHOP's to comment. Gary Willis has exceptional RH technique on fretless electric bass, and you might want to look into that.
I have no idea why you want to play a BG vertical? Doesn’t make sense. I suggest starting with a normal playing position and basic two finger right hand technique. After a while you can always adjust and change some things but first learn the conventional way.