Skol303 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I've just converted a cheap'n'cheerful old bass (a Hohner LX90B) to fretless, and it actually sounds and plays fairly well! Just like 99% of other people who make a DIY fretless, I've decided to have a go at learning 'Portrait of Tracy' by Jaco. Firstly: I'm quickly discovering that it's probably a 'bridge too far' for my bass playing skills at the moment - and perhaps it always will be, as I'm finding it very demanding! (but then of course, Jaco was a genius so I'm not expecting to match his skills). Secondly: I honestly don't think my reach is big enough for this piece! There's one particular step where the Tab (from Bassmaster) indicates playing a B on the A string (i.e. 2nd fret), while simultaneously tapping what looks like a harmonic on D#/Eb (i.e. 6th fret on A string). The problem is - I simply can't stretch from the 2nd to 6th fret with my little/pinky finger! Either Jaco had enormous hands (or perhaps mine are small?!), or I'm reading this wrong somehow. I was wondering if the same effect could be achieved by playing the B on the A string, and the D#/Eb on the D string just above (i.e. D string 1st fret)? I mean, I can stretch to the 5th fret ok, but the 6th would appear to require an extra finger that I simply don't have ;-) If anyone here is familiar with playing this piece, then please pass on any tips. The bit I'm struggling with is: [ 3 ] G|---[4]-----[5]-------------|---------[4]-|-[4]--------------------|| D|---[5]-[3]-----[4]-----[5]-|---------[4]-|-[5]--------------------|| A|-3-------------[5]-[3]-----|-2(6)--------|--3-----------------0-2-|| E|----------------3----------|------0------|-----[5]--------3-0-----|| PS: I'm also interested in any other fretless solos, so please pass on any recommendations or personal favourites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Can't help with your specific problem (haven't got a bass with me) but I wanted to add that you do not need a fretless to play Portrait of Tracy. It is, in fact, marginally easier on a fretted. Continuum would sound better on a fretless but, for PoT, fretlessness is all but irrelevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 There is a way of playing the D# without stretching, using artificial harmonics. Victor Wooten uses this method as he cant stretch far enough, There is a video of him demostrating this on youtube but I cant find it. I think the position of the harmonic is just behind the front pick up or there abouts on the A string. I hope this is of some use to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 That particular note is actually an artificial harmonic,so you can't play D# on the string above (which would result in playing a 3rd over the . It's not actually a tapped note. The other way to play it is to fret the B as usual and then play the artificial harmonic an octave higher on the 16th fret(you could also take it an 8va higher if you wanted).Place your right hand finger or thumb lightly over the fret and then pick behind it. That's how Wooten plays it,and it's the same kind if technique that Jaco uses to play the melody to 'Birdland'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wotnwhy Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Another option is what i do. Bring your whole left hand over the fretboard and fret the B with your thumb, making it easy to reach the harmonic with your pinky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 ^ Thanks to you all for the very useful feedback! There appears to be several ways of approaching this, which I'm going to try out when I get home tonight after work... The more I try playing this piece, the more I'm realising how 'unconventional' Mr Pastorius really was (or still is!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Or you could just not bother because, when you have finally nailed it, you will never play it again, except at music fairs, bassdays and when trying out basses in shops. Spend the time learning to read music instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 [quote name='Bilbo' post='1093718' date='Jan 18 2011, 12:34 PM']Or you could just not bother because, when you have finally nailed it, you will never play it again, except at music fairs, bassdays and when trying out basses in shops. Spend the time learning to read music instead.[/quote] ^ Good point Bilbo, but slightly cynical if you don't mind me saying! ;-) I mean, there's still enjoyment to be had in learning these kind of solos, even though they don't have much 'gig value'. I personally don't play in a band and have no intention of doing so (not at the moment, anyway). I'm a studio geek (aka 'knob twiddler'!) first and bassist second, so I tend to make music on my lonesome and use the bass the record live audio when it suits whatever tune I'm working on. But I am learning to read music... slowly but surely, but I'm getting there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbora Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 ahhh the good old stretch in PoT. I just knew this was the problem when I read the title. No help we can give you just practice practice practice and try to make the stretch. Took me years to make that stretch sound good. Just to comment on few of the things here. Why bother with this piece?? Well I have taught it to my students it in the past and the same did a teacher of mine. I think it is technically challenging but also stretches your imagination on what you can play on bass. It is a beautiful composition and not just one of these solo pieces to show the rest of bass players how fab you are (well maybe a little). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Changles Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I used to be unable to do that stretch then I bullied my hand into doing it anyway and now I can do it easily. If you really can't do it you could play that B on the 7th fret of the E string and put the pinky over the 11th fret as the frets are obviously closer together further up the fingerboard. But that'd probably mean you'd have to do a load of hand-shifting. Also harmonics never really come out that well on the E string, so maybe forget it. Oh well, just thought I'd throw that suggestion out there. Keep learning it - when I first listened to it I thought I'd never be able to play it and now I can do it in my sleep. It won't get you gigs - that is true - but, maybe, just maybe, it could be of some other value!?!?!? It's not a show-piece, it's really not hard to play. It's just good music - nice melody and harmony and you'll have all those harmonics you learned on standby for other musical occasions that might call for such a sound! But above all it's good music and playing good music is awesome whether you're playing a gig or not. But yeah Bil is right that you should also learn to read music it's very rewarding in many ways - but maybe concentrate on PoT for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 ... just a quick update: I'm now getting there with PoT, thanks to the advice above! I'm still finding the (infamous) stretch kinda tricky - I can now make it from 2nd to 6th fret, but I don't always get the harmonic to sound. So I tend to 'cheat' but playing the harmonic on the E string instead; simply because I tend to lose less tempo when I do it this way. But the rest of this piece is starting to fall into place. Such a beautiful thing to play... I'm quite addicted to it! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Wait until you get to the last chord!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 ^ Ha! Yeah, that last chord is a beast... To be honest I've been ignoring it thus far. To paraphrase Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) in the movie Jaws: "We're gonna need a bigger boat (or longer fingers)!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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