bonnp Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 looking to maybe try or buy a fretless bass - i play rock, and enjoy disco funk stuff. wondering if the fretless gives of a particular tone that suits a certain genre, do u think u can get a good meaty bass sound for disco funk etc, i am learning daft punk get luck, which is easy i know but do u think a fretless tone would sound weird )i know this was played on a 5 string fretted), i like bernard rodgers as well and have a musicman sub i love but fancy trying a fretless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) When I hear a fretless bass solo'd - I tend to think of Jazz or Progressive Rock / Metal. Pop, Rock, and every other genre has had a little fretless in it's time - depends on how you use it. To much "mwah" may ruin a song that really just cries out for straightforward clean bass. Edited January 9, 2015 by PlungerModerno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 There is no one fretless tone. Same with fretted, you make of it what you want. There are heavy rock fretless players and there are funky fretless players. Pino Paladino has played some pretty funky lines on fretless in the past. Have a look around on youtube and I'm sure you'll find plenty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 As stated above, there's no reason why you cant use a fretless in any genre. Its all about the application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) You mean like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by4o9GJZrWw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv48aNUcFxI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxZukx-Drw0 Nahhh. Can't be done. Edited January 9, 2015 by icastle Links Fixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 If you like the sound and you can play it well enough to please your band mates, just do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 You can play fretless in any genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 With things like these, I think it takes conviction. If people don't try then you don't get your true 'originals' but you'll need to do it well to avoid cliches and to make it work. If you are someone like Mick Karn, you can find a voice... but very hard to do, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 Yep, you can play fretless in any genre, (*thinks* personally I switch off when I hear one of those guys who have just discovered Jaco, or have attached a Chorus pedal to it, other than this), I say go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 This is my favourite bit of fretless playing at the moment. http://youtu.be/oHO-CKfxvH0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visog Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 [size=4]> [color=#323232][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]fretless bass - what genre do you associate with[/font][/color][/size] [size=4][color=#323232][font=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Old ones! [/font][/color][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulbass Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 The people that inspired me to take up bass were mostly fretless bassists and yet i've never had one. I simply love the phrasings and the sound. I wished i got one when i first started learning bass and after many years of playing i still get the urge to get one and i have been looking around lately to see whats about....Damn you GAS! I must resist temptation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 [quote name='paulbass' timestamp='1420845763' post='2654291'] The people that inspired me to take up bass were mostly fretless bassists and yet i've never had one. I simply love the phrasings and the sound. I wished i got one when i first started learning bass and after many years of playing i still get the urge to get one and i have been looking around lately to see whats about....Damn you GAS! I must resist temptation [/quote] :dons shiny suit: :stalks: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 [quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1420839564' post='2654220'] This is my favourite bit of fretless playing at the moment. [media]http://youtu.be/oHO-CKfxvH0[/media] [/quote] I was going to dig out the White Room clip from that gig... [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCc00pX_pFA[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Fretless all the way for me... Punk, rock, pop, funk, its all good. I do like a mellow sound though and put some black flats on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I've had 6 fretless basses on/off over the years. Currently have 2. My Overwater 6 and Jaydee 4. Don't use them a lot but i like having them and find they improve my technique as you need to be more accurate. Don't think i would use it in a rock band as i find they don't have enough attack or edge to cut thru mix. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I just associate it with that classic Pino sound on Paul Youngs music. But, having tried one out a few months ago I just played my regular basslines and it sounded no different really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnp Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 thanks for the replys, i have bit the bullet and ordered the esp 5 string fretless from thorman, told the mrs it was 250 but still only 320 plus free delivery. going to but some black flats on as suggested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 [quote name='visog' timestamp='1420840974' post='2654235'] Old ones! [/quote] No instrument is bounded to a genre or a time frame. The 'Jaco' or 'Pino' styles of fretless playing are not the only 'schools' and the instrument has moved with the music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grassie Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Fretless bass = 80's pop IMO. Pino (Paul Young), Mick Karn (Japan), John Giblin (Kate Bush), that fellow that played on that John Farnham song "You're The Voice"(?) Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel). Think of all those singers biggest hits and you'll hear fretless bass. I love it. Wish I'd stuck with mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 the slidey widdley genre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I don't associate them with any genre in particular, but I generally associate them with a bit of extra musical sophistication. Even the Paul Young tracks are a cut above many otherwise similar pop songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Demigod Mick karn proves fretless is as funky as you like to make it. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flHWJoDt3Yo&list=RDfuiRBLa7pdA&index=10"]https://www.youtube....La7pdA&index=10[/url] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHH-D6y_O5Y&index=20&list=RDfuiRBLa7pdA Sorry, can't remember how to embed. Edited January 12, 2015 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 [quote name='fatback' timestamp='1421092268' post='2657096'] Demigod Mick karn proves fretless is as funky as you like to make it. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flHWJoDt3Yo&list=RDfuiRBLa7pdA&index=10"]https://www.youtube....La7pdA&index=10[/url] [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHH-D6y_O5Y&index=20&list=RDfuiRBLa7pdA"]https://www.youtube....t=RDfuiRBLa7pdA[/url] Sorry, can't remember how to embed. [/quote] Thanks for that, 6music played 'Sons of Pioneers' the other morning [media]http://youtu.be/suQyFBx1ilY[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1420818784' post='2653877'] You can play fretless in any genre. [/quote] Me? Thank you, I think I will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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