Fretless Alembics; side markers, lines, dots, etc...

[edwardofhuncote]

I have LED markers at the frets on my bass (including non-LED markers at frets 1 & 2), suggesting it was once fretless, but I find markers only at the frets confusing at times.  Dots in between the fret markers would be very helpful.

The different positioning of the dots between fretted and fretless basses was something I recall discussing with Susan. I thought it would be somewhat confusing so that added to my reasons for going with sidelines.

I should mention also, one of the choices on "Chain-Links" that had to be made (I'd almost completely forgotten this...) was where to place the side dots in relation to the fret sidelines. Note how Keith's are up close to the fret line, but I opted to have the bronze side dots in the usual place, as if on a fretted model. Just more weirdness on my part...

One of the more common things I do when setting up upright basses for beginners is marking the neck with side dots, usually I use aluminum wire for this, and only mark down to the octave. It's fairly simple, you just have to measure and mark very carefully before drilling. I have a cheat-chart stapled to the wall with the scale factor... most commonly, I'm dealing with either 41 - 3/4 or 42" scale.

Oddly, I've never done this to my own, main gig bass... ego, I guess. 

[keith_h]

(I own an upright - though I'm not licensed to operate it - and have several pieces of tape doing edge dots and fret lines like Gregory’s…)

I would hope so with your family history. 

[gtrguy]

Good old 77-829 (still a work in progress) just has the occasional small dot for it's darkside markings!

[gtrguy]

Oh, and a little ramp at the end for those airplanes that use up all the regular runway!

[hankster]

I have an upright with no markers which I like. And a electric upright with dots on the side that I like. And a fretless transverse bass with no dots - which I like. Wait - there are no basses I don't like.

Seriously - I love the look of inlaid fret lines. Wish I had me one of those.

R.

[CaseyVancouver]

Here's my unlined fretless, which gives me joy.

I follow 1,2,4 fingering below the mid harmonic and 1,2,3 or 1,2,3,4 above, just for intonation reasons. On fretted bass I use 1,2,3,4.

I also daily bow upright for intonation practise. I use a tuner and sometimes drone. Recording is useful to really hear your intonation. Takes work, it is very easy to develop a 'lazy ear'. Bach on fretless is great for playing all over the board, it will get you comfortable with all the notes on your bass.   

Intonation is a life long challenge! Nice when things sound good.

[pauldo]

Simandl school?

[CaseyVancouver]

Simandl school?

Yes!

Funny, the fellow I bought my Alembic from was taught upright by Fred Zimmermann as a youth.
(Fred Zimmermann is the bassist who edited the Simandl method) I still use Simandl today for practise!

[zomnius]

bit of error makes your song alive...

[edwardofhuncote]

I love where these threads end up sometimes. 

I was not classically taught on upright... not even a little. I got mine from the Tommy Jordan Skool of Hard Knocks. "...just go boom-boom-boom, and keep yer mouth shut son..."  It was brass-knuckles style... grab it and pound ones and fives, though I didn't even know what numbers had to do with anything.

I learned the really hard way (read - painful) that you can get hurt bad with poor technique. I had to look at, but not touch my bass for 6 months while recovering from acute tendonitis. In that time, I played ukulele to stave off the madness, and read up on Simandl method. One local bass player took time to show me how to apply that to what I was playing. To this day, Mark 'Rabbit' Ramsey remains one of my all-time bass heroes, right up there with Jimmy J, Johnny Mac, etc.

[pauldo]

and to continue the technique thought...
Simandl and proper playing position yada yada...
perhaps my favorite upright bassist is the sloppiest, worst form in the world kind of player, Edgar Meyer, his nut is waaay too high, his fingering arms elbow is way too low, etc.  But he can play the poop outta that thing.  Technique is for those that can't really play.

Paul (who should really practice on his upright more then he does now)

P.S. The last time I saw Stan in concert I actually enjoyed his upright playing more then his Alembic playing! Blasphemy!!!     

[keith_h]

P.S. The last time I saw Stan in concert I actually enjoyed his upright playing more then his Alembic playing! Blasphemy!!!     

I do too. Stanley has said he prefers playing upright which he started with over the bass guitar.

[hankster]

Ah, Simandl.  Gradus ad Parnassus.  I think my license to play upright with a bow has been revoked, or if it hasn't, it should be.

I have a totally unlined fretless with markers on the side exactly where they would be on a fretted bass, which is not ideal.  But I find that I just need to orient myself - play a scale or two - when I switch over, and the muscle memory does the rest for the most part.  But it needs constant attention.  I find the same thing switching between transverse and upright basses.  But it is a challenge - i think of it as the bassists' Sudoko, it keeps our minds clear and sharp as we age.

[edwin]

Ah, Simandl.  Gradus ad Parnassus.  I think my license to play upright with a bow has been revoked, or if it hasn't, it should be.

I have a totally unlined fretless with markers on the side exactly where they would be on a fretted bass, which is not ideal.  But I find that I just need to orient myself - play a scale or two - when I switch over, and the muscle memory does the rest for the most part.  But it needs constant attention.  I find the same thing switching between transverse and upright basses.  But it is a challenge - i think of it as the bassists' Sudoko, it keeps our minds clear and sharp as we age.

I have a copy of Simandl that I read through on electric bass every now and then, but I had a different method book when I was at Berklee that I liked a lot better by Édouard Nanny. I left it on a bus and getting a new copy has been a challenge.

[CaseyVancouver]

Lemur has the Nanny book.