Lord Sausage Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Today i was told by a wet behind the ears assistant MD (that's assistant to the MD) that fretless is no good in rocking songs. It's ok if you put chorus on it in chilled out tunes but not in rock. I've been playing as long as this guy has been alive. The guitarist left the room as he thought i was going to go nuclear. i had to bite my tongue as i didn't know if it had come from the MD. It hadn't. He even told the guitarist to try putting some pick scrapes into is playing. The guitar player has been the player for every big version of this show in th UK for 11 yrs. I think this kid thinks he is co MD not assistant to. Today should be interesting! Am i wrong? Am i being precious? or is it a naive, ill informed basic cliched thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Just ask him to listen to Bad Company, Bauhaus, etc etc Then tell hiim that if you don't add in slidey-ness, a fretless bass sounds just like ..... errrr ..... a bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I say use a fretless and see if he can tell the difference. And if he wants pick scrape, it is GM Midi patch 121 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1383811742' post='2269291'] Just ask him to listen to Bad Company, Bauhaus, etc etc Then tell hiim that if you don't add in slidey-ness, a fretless bass sounds just like ..... errrr ..... a bass [/quote]exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 IMO it's more down to the talent and imagination of the player rather than the absence or presence of frets. I've used fretless bass (played finger-style too) on some serious rocking tunes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 To be honest I ain't justifying anything and I'm just playing it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Bassman Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 What would Jack Bruce say..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='Urban Bassman' timestamp='1383812281' post='2269301'] What would Jack Bruce say..... [/quote] he say thats total ******** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 ahhh the wisdom of youth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 [url="http://youtu.be/Y-_jaNI1_Eg"]http://youtu.be/Y-_jaNI1_Eg[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1383812443' post='2269304'] he say thats total ******** [/quote] This, to the letter. Edited November 7, 2013 by hubrad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Played a whole pub rock gig on fretless many years ago after picking up the wrong hardcase. Even included my big moment 10 sec slap fill in Brick in the wall. The only member of the band that noticed was the sax player. Not the Satch clone on guitar, not the David Coverdale wannabe vocalist, nor the budding Jon Lord on keys. However, as you're new to the game and your assistant MD sounds like he really knows what he's talking about, I'd listen if I were you and take it all on board Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1383813605' post='2269325'] Played a whole pub rock gig on fretless many years ago after picking up the wrong hardcase. Even included my big moment 10 sec slap fill in Brick in the wall. The only member of the band that noticed was the sax player. Not the Satch clone on guitar, not the David Coverdale wannabe vocalist, nor the budding Jon Lord on keys. However, as you're new to the game and your assistant MD sounds like he really knows what he's talking about, I'd listen if I were you and take it all on board [/quote]ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) This is a great live rock album, with fretless by Jaz Lochrie on every track. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pwyo-OnmxU[/media] I think it rocks rather hard Edit: Awful album cover though! Edited November 7, 2013 by walbassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) Just been and re-read the OP. Are you actually intending to use the fretless for rock or is this all hypothetical? If it's not hypothetical what is this musical project and what is your role in it? Are you being paid? Edited November 7, 2013 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebigyin Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1383811851' post='2269294'] exactly! [/quote] The Late Great Boz Burrell say no more!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383814142' post='2269338'] Just been and re-read the OP. Are you actually intending to use the fretless for rock or is this all hypothetical? If it's not hypothetical what is this musical project and what is your role in it? Are you being paid? [/quote]I am being paid. It's a UK tour of a musical. I toured it in April played fretless. The band got great reviews. Particularly off Mark Shenton, the big name in Musical theater journalism. There wasn't a hint of any problems with the fretless sound at all from anyone at any point including the MD. In fact the sound designer (?!) in rehearsals when i was umming and aahhing over what to use listened to both and said the fretless sounded much better. Regarding the OP the point was made after rehearsals last night, when i'd been playing fretless all day. That's why i bit my tongue until i had spoke to MD this morning. She will be reining him in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Standard response. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npoUI1obH_M&safe=active Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1383811742' post='2269291'] if you don't add in slidey-ness, a fretless bass sounds just like ..... errrr ..... a bass [/quote] Quite. And if you get one with sufficiently bold lines, it looks like one too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 big hair thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1383814681' post='2269351'] I am being paid. It's a UK tour of a musical. I toured it in April played fretless. The band got great reviews. Particularly off Mark Shenton, the big name in Musical theater journalism. There wasn't a hint of any problems with the fretless sound at all from anyone at any point including the MD. In fact the sound designer (?!) in rehearsals when i was umming and aahhing over what to use listened to both and said the fretless sounded much better. Regarding the OP the point was made after rehearsals last night, when i'd been playing fretless all day. That's why i bit my tongue until i had spoke to MD this morning. She will be reining him in! [/quote] Fair enough if you've already been playing all these songs on the fretless and the MD was happy with it. AFAIAC if you are being paid you do what the person paying you wants. If the MD is perfectly happy with you playing fretless then end of story. If it was me I'd have nodded and smiled at the assistant MD (why does the show need both an MD and an assistant MD?) totally ignored him, and left it at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1383816704' post='2269376'] Fair enough if you've already been playing all these songs on the fretless and the MD was happy with it. AFAIAC if you are being paid you do what the person paying you wants. If the MD is perfectly happy with you playing fretless then end of story. If it was me I'd have nodded and smiled at the assistant MD (why does the show need both an MD and an assistant MD?) totally ignored him, and left it at that. [/quote] It doesn't need one. Including MD there it's a 5 piece band. 13 singers. It just for the next leg of the tour in Jan/Feb the MD is doing an O2 gig so this guy is sitting in for a week. So he's here to get to grips with it in rehearsal. He's blatantly jobsworthing, trying to look good. When i spoke to the MD I said if this is what you want of course I'll do it. She said she didn't and other things. I now understand where everything stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Sharman Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 What would Tony Franklin say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Always talk to the MD (he/she is king) after every one and his dog has given you their invalid and pointless advise. Assistant MD's are always going to be needed, pretty important gig for them. First off, there always needs to be cover for the MD for all the obvious reasons and maybe doing matinees (usually keys 2 or keys 3 is assistant MD) plus they get all the sh*te jobs, like cast vocal warm ups and such. On shows, always be prepared for anything during rehearsals, fretted, fretless, upright, fx pedals, farting the Bass line out of your arse, unless specified when you are booked. One other thing, airing problems on tinternet ain't a good idea, I know a Guitarist who got canned for it. Other than that, have a great show (As I am sure you will} Among many others, Steve Bailey never has/had a problem rocking out on fretless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1383822651' post='2269495'] One other thing, airing problems on tinternet ain't a good idea, I know a Guitarist who got canned for it. [/quote] All sympathy to the OP, and I can only assume he has way more patience and tolerance than me ( ) but this ^ is something we can all forget too easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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