This is why every one of you needs a Bongo fretless with piezo

[adouglas]

Because it will make you bliss out.

From last night's practice....

http://www.coolshoesband.com/audio/1114KillingMe.mp3

 

[Black Lake]

Very nicely done. I can't get enough of that fretless sound, especially if it's a Bongo.

 

[oli@bass]

Thanks! It's always good to hear "raw" recordings, because then you can really tell how the bass sounds in a live situation. Really nice how the bass stands out, but you have to admit the guitar's really tinny -- I've hardly ever had a guitarist using that little low end, and even less any keyboard player.


Great playing, BTW, better you than me on the fretless...

 

[adouglas]

Thanks, Oli, for both the compliment on my mediocre fretless ability and the honesty regarding the mix.

The lack of low end on the guitar is mostly my fault...I'm the guy who does the mixes...but it's also because it's a middling-quality acoustic guitar with just an under-saddle piezo pickup. They're notoriously "quacky."

This is our standard rehearsal recording setup. Had we been doing this for real, the acoustic would also have had a good mic or two picking it up.

Regarding "raw" vs. whatever else....

This is raw in the sense that it's eight channels of straight audio going into some recording software (Reaper... REAPER | About ) and mixed/produced by an utter amateur (me). It does have some EQ, compression, etc., so it's not completely bare, but to be honest I really don't know what I'm doing.

I'm far from being a pro and I have zero training. I just do what I think sounds good.

 

[oli@bass]

Thanks, Oli, for both the compliment on my mediocre fretless ability and the honesty regarding the mix.

As said, better you than me on that fretless... I'm already happy if half of my notes are at correct pitch and wouldn't dare to try it in a band situation -- and this on a lined fretless! However, I'm looking foward to playing a '88 blank plank 'Ray. That will be quite fun to find the notes ... there's two reasons why I want to play fretless: First I like the tone for some song contexts, and second I hope to sharpen my hearing and hand positioning skills by practicing on the fretless at home.

This is raw in the sense that it's eight channels of straight audio going into some recording software

Ah, I see. I thought it could have been a good mike placed in a dry room, or direct from the mixing board to a stereo recording unit. It's closer to the second situation. IMO, you're doing it well, because the recording and mixing serves the purpose: You can hear all the instruments and vocals, nothing is completely lost (at least not to my ear).

Now, since you have all the instruments on a multi-track, I'd try to give that guitar more body.

 

[mntngrown]

If.....

If I could nail the notes on mine like you did, I would pull my for sale thread! Nice work. I think I'll pull mine out of the case and try some more. How do you like to set the knobs on a ballad like that?

 

[adouglas]

Nailing the notes is all about the lines on the fretboard. Blank planks might be aesthetically attractive, but the point is to stay in tune, no? Tony Levin has lines on his fretless. That's good enough for me. I don't need to prove anything. What I do need to do is stay in tune, and since I don't have the world's greatest ear, I rely heavily on visual reference.

Regarding knob settings: This is an Hp, so it's got the four-band EQ.

Frankly, I don't get too obsessive about precisely where the knobs are. I set it by ear and it might vary from night to night. However, as a general guideline for fretless....

Because I want that magical mmmmmwaaahhhh, I need to hear the overtones. Therefore, I favor the upper mids and treble a bit. Bass is definitely set flat.

This is in contrast to my fretted, where I want a more solid bottom. On that bass, I favor the low mids. I rarely if ever boost the bass or treble, except maybe when I want a "smiley face" EQ for some funk thing that requires popping/slapping. I'm not a huge fan of gymnastics like that, though, so those settings don't get used much.

Because the Bongo EQ is so powerful, no knob is more than 1/5 or 1/4 up from neutral. I never, ever crank anything all the way to the stop, unless I want to impress someone with how powerful the Bongo electronics are (shaking the rafters is fun from time to time, but not useful musically). Nothing is cut.

Piezo is anywhere from about 1/3 to 1/2 of the mix.

Oh, and I'm using rounds...the same strings the bass ships with.

 

[mntngrown]

tips

Thanks for the input. Mine's H/piezo too. I think I'll find a few cover tunes that are fretless, and work on those.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Thanks for the input. Mine's H/piezo too. I think I'll find a few cover tunes that are fretless, and work on those.

In my opinion, for practising intonation and technique on a fretless, nothing beats playing songs you are already familiar with and usually play on a fretted bass. That way, you'll know right from the start if your intonation sucks or not.

 

[mntngrown]

good point

But I guess the other stumbling block for me is, unless the song is written for it, why use it. Leo called it the Precision bass for a reason. But based on the OP,s post I was searchin and came across this: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY_wH15a7C0]YouTube - Bireli Lagrene fretless bass, jaco would be proud[/ame] That got my fretless interest goin again. This guy is a guitar player that toured with Jaco as a guitarist and plays bass like that? Some guys get all the talent! Anyway thanks guys closin the for sale thread and tryin harder!

 

[oli@bass]

unless the song is written for it, why use it.

The question is: What songs are written for the fretless? If you play your own songs, you decide... and if you can play it, you're free to decide whether you want that sound.

This guy is a guitar player that toured with Jaco as a guitarist and plays bass like that? Some guys get all the talent!

I weep!

But he probably did practice a lot more than me. And sometimes it seems as if it would have been a good idea to learn guitar or keyboard first and get a thorough music education than to just pluck away on the bass...

 

[adouglas]

But I guess the other stumbling block for me is, unless the song is written for it, why use it.

Sorry, that makes no sense to me.

On the original recording of this song, it sounds like they're using a fretted bass to me.

I use fretless whenever I think it'll sound good.