Learning to play fretless instruments

Chronos-X · 12 Jun 2006 at 00:16

Edit: Sorry Dons, please move to Music

Hello all,

Having spent a few years now playing guitar in its various permuatations, diversifying into bass and ukelele (!) I want to try something new.

I think I'm confident enough now to give a violin a go, and I see some cheapies on the net for £40.

My question is thus - whats is like adapting to a fretless instrument, and is there anything I should know?

TommoUK · 12 Jun 2006 at 00:18

Afraid I can't help, though I once tried to play a cello and it was just like a guitar with no frets, so I could play smoke on the water on it

I got a ukulele too, they're great fun.

My most recent purchase is a Theremin though

Just waiting for it to arrive in the post.

Btw, I think this will get better replies in the Music forum.

Booner! · 12 Jun 2006 at 00:18

its quite hard, i play bass and guitar and i tried a 5 string fretless bass and could only hit about 50% of the notes i wanted.. but hey , i only tested it, i heard violin is ok so go for it!

Dave · 12 Jun 2006 at 01:52

TommoUK said:
I got a ukulele too, they're great fun.

Have you heard the Led Zeppelin song Battle of Evermore? Ukelele classic :cool:

Andelusion · 12 Jun 2006 at 01:57

You can get stickers for the fingerboard to get to certain notes quickly.

It can be very hard to master according to some of my friends who play it, you need to have a very good sense of pitch to avoid the stereotypical dying-cat-syndrome.

Chronos-X · 12 Jun 2006 at 07:43

Andelusion said:
It can be very hard to master according to some of my friends who play it, you need to have a very good sense of pitch to avoid the stereotypical dying-cat-syndrome.

I reckon I've got that. Might as well give it a go

Wonder how far I'll get without formal tuition... worked on guitar.

Andelusion · 12 Jun 2006 at 12:18

I'd really think it'd be a good idea to go for a couple of lessons. I think with most classical instruments it's important to learn some tips on how to even hold the thing, I know with classical guitar if I hadn't had instruction I'd find just plucking strings very difficult.

It can get really uncomfortable holding a violin if you don't position it properly too as far as I know, combine that with the bowing action which I presume also isn't as simple as just pushing it over the strings, and you've got a couple of things to get right before you even play a note

Phalanx · 12 Jun 2006 at 15:09

adapting to fretless instruments is fairly easy actually. If you've been playing for a couple of years or so (even though i've only played 1 and a half years) you can really easily tell if you're playing out of tune.

I have an unlined fretless bass by the way and it took me a few weeks before I can competently play it with good intonation

SexyGreyFox · 12 Jun 2006 at 20:45

The neck will be no problem to you except that the strings are backwards compared to a bass.
The hard bit is the bowing which will take an age to master.
First practise picking with your fingers (pizzicato) so you can get a tune out of it then progress to the bow.