Richard B

AW, thanks for all your many and various replies, guys! Intonation's not really an issue here as long as keep practising!

I've always regarded my fretted playing ethos as being a bridge between rhythm and melody, as a support for the melody and an enhancement for the rhythm.

What fascinates me about fretless is that it has a vocal quality that pushes me more towards the vocal/melodic side of support and enhancement, so I'll keep pushing my limits there...

'Deep and plummy' is a beautiful description! 'Sinister and animalistic' is the side that I am exploring for the time being!

Cheers! Richard B

Hi!

After years of being curious about fretless basses, I finally summoned the courage to buy one, and I'm in love! Its mwoaars and its thuds! I had no idea the variety of sounds that are available at your fingertips!

I'm lucky to have a very lovely Ibanez Gary Willis 5 - it's a dream to play, light, low action, thin neck, beautifully designed....great sound for recording.

I quickly realised that harmonics ring out very strongly on this instrument - I guess that there is minimal treble component in usual fleshy finger-style playing, so harmonics stand out very strongly....

I've had it about 9 months now and have started to explore other sounds that I can make with it....and try to incorporate them into my bass lines...

So far, I've been experimenting with the techniques on the list below...I use roundwounds, btw and don't use a plectrum. I avoid using fx pedals, just a bit of light compression.

Please can you experienced electric fretless/DB players supply any other ideas to experiment with?

1. Slid harmonics - ghostly wails!

2. Finger picking near and away from the bridge.

3. Open string harmonics and (gently) bending the neck. Saw Adrian Belew grinning whilst doing this on a Strat and had to give it a go!

4. Two handed tap/sliding on two notes (a root and a third) in opposite directions, like sliding from F major to A minor. Sounds great, but I find it hard to do quickly!

5. Right hand hammering the strings with my finger tips on the fretboard end to make a harsh, punchy sound.

6. Scratching my fingernails on the (round wound) strings near the bridge. Not sure how useful this really is, a strong sound, but hard to get a note value.

7. Rapid, strong vibrato at the end of a low slide to make an angry moany roar.

I know that only 1.,4. and 7. are truly unique to the fretless.... I've never learnt how to play slap bass, I guess that's another?

Thanks in advance,

Cheers! Richard B