Hellzero

I didn't want to do this, but you asked for it. Now it's about time to understand your own language. I guess you learned it your way, so not ... correctly. correctly : adverb BrE /kəˈrektli/ 1 in a way that is accurate or true, without any mistakes synonym rightly Have you spelled it correctly? They reasoned, correctly, that she was away for the weekend. opposite incorrectly 2 in a way that is right and suitable, so that something is done as it should be done When correctly applied, fake tan is difficult to tell from the real thing. opposite incorrectly 3 in a way that follows the accepted standards or rules He was looking correctly grave. Source : Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary : [url="http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/learner/correctly"]http://www.oxforddic...arner/correctly[/url] I could have held forth : I didn't as it's useless, but that definition isn't at all. Answer whatever you want, I dont care at all. This was my last intervention. Tony.

Forums will always be forums. Tony.

I think that nobody read what this girl was asking : tips and pointers ! So put simply : a way to progress and understand the fretless world. I think that when anyone writes "do it your way without bothering if you're doing it correctly", does he remember that all these artists have studied (not learned, it's not the same) music, even when they say exactly the opposite ? Talent is nothing without work... Tony.

Hi folks, I've read all this topic and just can't agree with all I've read. Put it simply : Can anybody tell why Mick Karn had the same sound on Travis Bean and Wal, or why Paul McCartney had also the same sound playing his Höfner, Wal, Rickenbacker or anything else ? The answer is not in the instrument itself but more in the sound one wants to hear, in fact when you have been starting playing, you had a very precise sound in mind and you always try to tend to THAT sound. I also bought a fretless Wal many years ago as I'm a big fan of Mick Karn and in my hands it sounded always a bit nasal with a huge growl, and after a decade I realised that this is MY sound. Anyway, I discovered the ACG basses thanks to this topic and I'd like to put my hands on one. And Joe Leitner is so close to Mick Karn that I thought it was Mick Karn himself playing : congratulations ! Tony.

Sorry, but compression must come out of the fingers. The less you put effects, the better the sound is. And yes fretless bass is another instrument as double bass is. If you are still at school, try to learn the most academic way and then try to forget everything... harder to do than to say. ;-) By the way, I was kidding when I wrote that Beedster was right : Have you ever tried writing and reading without knowing the basic principles ? Tony.

Hey, the weekend is not over... :-) Tony.

Cool, with all these answers and advices, now Lawetlatla is certainly completely lost, but that's a good thing... ;-) In fact, as Beedster wrote, play it the way you want and you'll find your way. And remember : no fret, no limit ! Tony.

Absolutely right White Cloud ! Percy Jones who has been playing on a Precision Bass (listen to Brand X) and Mick Karn who was playing mainly on a Wal but started on a Travis Bean and ended on an acoustic Klein (listen to Japan) are my favourite fretless bass players and certainly way more innovative than Jaco Pastorius, but don't forget Michael Manring... For the playing itself : use open strings to hear if you are still in tune, make slight longitudinale finger movements to increase your growl (no bend on fretless instruments), play on the neck if you want to hear all the power of fretless and think slow and articulate, don't tend to overuse slide effects (again listen to Mick Karn who was a real intelligent slide master), let the notes ring and develop, use external effects like chorus or reverb or octaver or whatever with parsimony, open your ears and play with them, practise as much as you can and keep in mind that you still have to learn ! Here are my few advices for the playing itself. For the sound, low midrange is the key to that fretless sound you certainly want to hear. Prefer 12" speakers and forget tubes. If your instrument is passive, use the tone to sculpt your sound. Prefer the closest to the bridge pickup, but don't neglect the neck pickup. Moaw ! Tony.