Just curious!?

[nilorius]

Would a new band refuse my status only just that i play only fretless? By the way i know that i'm pro bassist. Always find a beat with bad or good drummers, fast react to new songs (chords), groove is good, 23 years expirience. Why it sometimes happens?

[nilorius]

Here is a demo groove with drums.

 

[Dad3353]

So, you play the tuba..? 

 

...

 

 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

25 minutes ago, nilorius said:

Here is a demo groove with drums.

 

I can only assume that this clip is you trying to ‘find the beat’ with this particular drummer?

[Bassfinger]

25 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

So, you play the tuba..? 

 

...

 

 

I went out with a lass who played the pink oboe.

[nilorius]

33 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

So, you play the tuba..? 

 

...

 

 

No, i try to play an interesting groove. What's the point to play few notes on one chord ?

[nilorius]

10 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

I went out with a lass who played the pink oboe.

Pink, rd or black tuba, i try to play interesting groove , not CC..FF..GG only. You think it's bad.

[Dad3353]

Edit : Post removed.

Edited August 28, 2022 by Dad3353

[Nail Soup]

People may have certain associations with fretless bass... like lots of glissandos and 'Mwah' sounds, and may not want that in their music.

After hearing you play they can hopefully see if what you actually play like suits them.

[Dad3353]

There are a thousand, maybe more, reasons why folk don't get the gig or the place in the band, just like going for a job interview. One may tick all of the boxes, but there's more than competence or professionalism (although that helps, obviously, for most situations...). Don't get hung up about the gear; it's only one tiny factor in a complex equation. Maybe they don't like suede shoes, or curly hair, a squeeky voice or a limp handshake. There are no rules, really; each meet-up is different, so just go in with a positive attitude and a smile. If it's meant to be, it will be. 

[Old Horse Murphy]

14 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

There are a thousand, maybe more, reasons why folk don't get the gig or the place in the band, just like going for a job interview. One may tick all of the boxes, but there's more than competence or professionalism (although that helps, obviously, for most situations...). Don't get hung up about the gear; it's only one tiny factor in a complex equation. Maybe they don't like suede shoes, or curly hair, a squeeky voice or a limp handshake. There are no rules, really; each meet-up is different, so just go in with a positive attitude and a smile. If it's meant to be, it will be. 

Or if they've advertised for a tuba player and a Fretless player turns up. 
 

It might be worth switching to five string euphonium 

[Ricky 4000]

Weird thread alert.

[tauzero]

It took well over a year for my last band to realise that I played fretless. I've never been turned down from a band because I played it.

[Crawford13]

I think it very much depends on the band, and also how versatile you are on fretless.

 

Some bands have members that have rigid visions and if you show up with anything but a P bass, you will never be in the band.

[Mickeyboro]

8 hours ago, tauzero said:

It took well over a year for my last band to realise that I played fretless. I've never been turned down from a band because I played it.

Sad to say, I don’t think the difference is appreciated enough by non bassists. On the other hand if they don’t notice you must be doing something right!

 

Not all fretless players are (or want to be) Jaco…

[lowdown]

I suppose the obvious reason for turning any fretless players down would be tuning. Unless you are looking for a specific sound, of course (twangy plectrum with lots of attack etc...).

When a Bassist turns up and whips out his 34 incher with no staples on the fretboard and starts playing, is it possible, the band members (one of them, some of them, all of them) are hearing something in the intonation that don't like?

It's the same as with any instrument (or vocalist). If there are intonation problems going on, it's not a nice musical experience and usually ends with a polite no-no or eventually, a P45.

 

 

[Franticsmurf]

Early in my band career we auditioned for a bassist and ended up picking the fretless player. In all honesty, fretted or fretless was not a consideration. As I remember (and it was a while back) it was initially a compatibility of influences and at the audition it was whether the player could add to the stuff we were doing (original and a few covers), play competently and whether he fitted in with the rest of us. He ticked all three boxes and was with us for about 6 months. We parted company for a few reasons, none of which were to do with frets.

[nilorius]

23 minutes ago, lowdown said:

I suppose the obvious reason for turning any fretless players down would be tuning. Unless you are looking for a specific sound, of course (twangy plectrum with lots of attack etc...).

When a Bassist turns up and whips out his 34 incher with no staples on the fretboard and starts playing, is it possible, the band members (one of them, some of them, all of them) are hearing something in the intonation that don't like?

It's the same as with any instrument (or vocalist). If there are intonation problems going on, it's not a nice musical experience and usually ends with a polite no-no or eventually, a P45.

 

 

Last every time my time were fine, i tried to play more like fretted, no vibrato or sliding, played only precise lines. I think most people just don't know how fretless can be usefull because they even don't know what it is.

[lowdown]

4 minutes ago, nilorius said:

Last every time my time were fine, i tried to play more like fretted, no vibrato or sliding, played only precise lines. I think most people just don't know how fretless can be usefull because they even don't know what it is.

 

Sorry, I was just generalising. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular.

👍

Edited August 28, 2022 by lowdown

[Beedster]

13 hours ago, nilorius said:

Would a new band refuse my status only just that i play only fretless? By the way i know that i'm pro bassist. Always find a beat with bad or good drummers, fast react to new songs (chords), groove is good, 23 years expirience. Why it sometimes happens?

 

I did several auditions on fretless and only one musician and in only one of the bands - amazingly the drummer - even noticed. If you play in tune, in time and what the track needs, no-one will notice you're on fretless unless you want them to. 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Beedster

[gjones]

I have a friend who used to play his original 70s Fender Jazz with his Americana style band, which had a very traditional bass sound. He then discovered, while in a guitar shop, an Ibanez fretless. He liked it so much that he bought it and now plays it exclusively in his band.

 

He plays it in the same way he played his Jazz Bass and you can't tell, by listening, that he's playing a fretless.

 

My point is that, if you can play your fretless like a fretted bass, then there's no reason for a band to not hire you because you play a fretless, as long you can be versatile and change the sound of your bass to suit the song.

 

If you want to play with only one sound - the fretless sound in your clip - you'll only appeal to bands that want that fretless sound.

[nilorius]

1 minute ago, Beedster said:

 

I did several auditions on fretless and only one musician and in only one of the bands - amazingly the drummer - even noticed. If you play in tune, in time and what the track needs, no-one will notice unless you're on fretless you want them to. 

I said them that, just before we start playing.

[Dankology]

I occasionally bring a fretless to rehearsal and no-one ever notices. 

 

This may be due to a multitude of factors, the least likely of which being impeccable intonation on my part.

 

Musicians are generally conservative sorts - I'd suggest auditioning with what they want to see and then sneaking the fretless in later. 

[nilorius]

It is interesting that other "money bands" witch sometimes need full setup and knows me - never had any questions about the fretless and all is fine, even they all know about it and let me play it as i want, vibrato, slidin, mwah.

[nilorius]

3 minutes ago, Dankology said:

I occasionally bring a fretless to rehearsal and no-one ever notices. 

 

This may be due to a multitude of factors, the least likely of which being impeccable intonation on my part.

 

Musicians are generally conservative sorts - I'd suggest auditioning with what they want to see and then sneaking the fretless in later. 

I always like liked to play my grooves with lots of note, more like funk, jazz. Maybe that is the problem, they just don't want to bass explode so much.