Playing melody and chords on fretless

[lownote]

Over the last two years I have learned myself to play unlined fretless and jolly pleased with it I am too.  So are my band mates. Normally no need or desire to return to the tin ladder.  However, I'm now doing jazz melody, chords and soloing in Scott's jazz course. Diddly diddly of that sort is ... well, I haven't yet given up but it's very difficult from 'fret' 9 up.  What's other people's experience?  Do you avoid diddly diddly bits, have you mastered the technique (if so, how?) or did you buy into a fretted or lined fretless for this kind of work? .   

Edited November 23, 2021 by lownote

[jonnybass]

Practice really, scales and intervals up the dusty end.

 

When I used to play jazz on my fretless, I'd approach the melody like a singer.  Judicious slides into certain notes, I  not  too much vibrato, lots of space, I also found that playing round about frets 7-12 were good for me for intonation, anything from the 14th fret up I'd struggle with my sausage fingers.

[lownote]

11 minutes ago, jonnybass said:

Practice really, scales and intervals up the dusty end.

 

When I used to play jazz on my fretless, I'd approach the melody like a singer.  Judicious slides into certain notes, I  not  too much vibrato, lots of space, I also found that playing round about frets 7-12 were good for me for intonation, anything from the 14th fret up I'd struggle with my sausage fingers.

Many thanks... were you lined or unlined fl ?

Edited November 23, 2021 by lownote

[jonnybass]

Unlined.  Still have it, just dont play jazz at the moment.  

 

I'd prefer lined these days though simply as it reduces the need to have great onstage monitoring.

[ead]

Unlined here, and yes I feel your pain.  I do the odd chord but not too much widdly widdly.  More about inserting the odd harmonic for me.

Edited November 23, 2021 by ead

[Burns-bass]

There’s a funny story in the 17 Watts book where a composer gave Mo Foster an incredibly complex part to play 8va (as a joke) and it filled him with fear.

 

Practising with a drone really helps with getting intonation I found. Weirdly I also found the Simandl book to be helpful for EB too when I was trying to do fretless. In the end, I found the sound I wanted was a DB so bought one of those instead.

 

I’d also echo the point above that master fretless players add all sorts of tricks and techniques (like blues players) to each note. It really is a wonderful sound in the right hands. Good luck!

[franzbassist]

Unlined fretless here.  Similar to @jonnybass for me: chords are risky above the 12th for me, but I'm quite comfortable playing them below that as my "fretting" hand seems to naturally adjust to the spacing now (ref your muscle memory thread).  Same for melodies.  The plus to this is you're playing in the middle of the 'board, so tension's really nice and the notes sound full and fat too!

 

I found the best way to improve is to just play loads, and play along to solo passages in tracks you like or might be playing live.  The drone point is a good one too.    

 

 

[Hellzero]

Unlined sixer fretless player here, but I've always loved the challenges and playing in the dusty end has become an habit, just like playing chords anywhere on the neck.

 

There's no secret : practice (close to 40 years now).

 

That said I would not play fast chords changes on my fretless the way bebop guitarists do, of course.

 

I've also played a Glissentar for some time and odd fretless short scale instruments too : that helps getting your intonation right.

 

If you want to play chords on fretless, listen and practice some Alain Caron : he is a master at it.

 

Maybe try this : https://isyourteacher.com/bass/teachers/alain-caron/

[uk_lefty]

I only had an unlined fretless briefly. I could play 1-12 by muscle memory and ear, but above the 12th it got very hairy. I was also trying to do lead vocals so it was all just too much! Even with a fretted a struggle above the 12th if I'm trying to read a tab or something while playing.... Bad habits from when I started learning by fret numbers instead of note names I think! If I went for an unlined fretless again I'd like one that has the very short lines on the edge of the board above the 12th, it slightly spoils the look but it would help me use that portion of the neck.

[ead]

3 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

I only had an unlined fretless briefly. I could play 1-12 by muscle memory and ear, but above the 12th it got very hairy. I was also trying to do lead vocals so it was all just too much! Even with a fretted a struggle above the 12th if I'm trying to read a tab or something while playing.... Bad habits from when I started learning by fret numbers instead of note names I think! If I went for an unlined fretless again I'd like one that has the very short lines on the edge of the board above the 12th, it slightly spoils the look but it would help me use that portion of the neck.

 

Respect, unlined fretless and vocals.  Wow!

[uk_lefty]

32 minutes ago, ead said:

 

Respect, unlined fretless and vocals.  Wow!

Yeah, didn't last long.... On either! 😂