Tony Franklin • Illustrates Why Unlined Is Better Than Lined Fretless!

As a guitar player I never understood why I always feel out of tune even after tuning, mostly with G notes. I always felt the need to readjust, but then other notes were out of tune. Nobody could answer that to me, not even my teachers. Thank you Tony, you made it clear to me within minutes! 🙏🏻

Aside from tempered tunings, we have 'concert tunings' among others, which harmonically align the notes correctly for a particular key. What a fretless allows you to do is 'hermode tuning', which is adaptive to the last note played, allowing one to realign constantly. Whether you use a line or not, one should adapt. On a fretted instrument, especially when playing double stops, I have a tendency to pull the root a little sharp for a major, a pull the 3rd a little sharp for a minor. I'll pull the root a hair sharp for a dominant, a major 6th, but pull the minor 6th a bit tighter. These slight movements bring the notes into alignment, and help reduce beat tones which can be, in fact, rather punishing and off-putting at higher volumes. I don't want to punish the listener, when the've been kind enough to listen to what I have to express.

there's nothing more hauntingly beautiful than the sounds of a fretless bass. subscribed

The first proper bass I bought, when I had no idea what I was doing, happened to be an unlined fretless Jazz bass - I got it cheap when I was about 12 years old. I'm sure the nature of the unlined fretless, as a novice learner, made me learn to use more feeling and to use my ear. It probably had a profound influence on my playing even now, 20 years later.

This is amazing. When you play in an orchestra nobody even USES a tuner. The conductor has everyone play a note or a cord and everyone just uses their ear and adjusts. You are not thinking "am i playing this B flat perfectly in tune with a tuner?" No! you are playing what sounds good in the room, what sounds pleasant to your ear.

Well explained. My first fretless bass was a Warwick without lines. No other fretless bass (with the lines) has ever felt right to me. I always play just a tiny bit behind the dot, while using my ear to increase accuracy. It really is a world of difference.

Classical players use a drone to play against to develop muscle memory. Very important because in an orchestra you’re most likely playing with a few other upright players. Intonation is so very important. Imagine what it would sound like if every player was using lines as their reference point

What an incredible human being. Your joy for music is contagious

Been playing fretless exclusively for about a year, (playing bass for over 40 though), no lines here. I love the freedom and one of the first things I noticed was needing to go a little flat at times... sometimes just to be in tune with the guitar. I would have never realized the limitations of frets were it not for me being inspired, (mostly by you, by the way), to pick up the fretless. Thank you for the great videos and the wonderful music you have recorded throughout the years.

Very good lesson and advice. 3 months in on my unlined fretless I’m finding the best daily exercise is running scales in every position I can find. The side dots are like you say,, a guide. But I’m using my ears more than my sight. Thanks Tony,, you’re a great influence on me

I’ve always preferred unmarked. It’s made me rely on my ear rather than my eyes.

Always love your authenticity, delivery and humor in your wonderful personality. Thank you

What a great way to teach music! That synth sound - so satisfying with bass - for the first time learning the technical stuff is pleasing in a personal way.

EXTREMELY important lesson for that 3rd being played in unison with the root. Vital bit of knowledge thank you sir!

Great video, Tony. I'm psyching myself up to get back to practicing bass and seeing videos like this certainly help! Hope you're having a great day!

It’s my understand that before our current temperament system, different keys had different characteristics, some thirds were more stable than others, some keys had a bit more dissonance, etc, composers were well aware of these different colors in the different keys and chose the key for their compositions accordingly. one would have no choice but to play fret less instruments to hope to keep up with whatever the pianist was doing. Frets would have held players back in that time, depending on the ensemble. We do see some frets on the lutes and such, but they could be moved to suit a particular key’s intonation. There are some electric pianos that let one experiment with different temperaments. Really fascinating and yes, jarring, to listen to some of them.

Tony, you now made me know why!! I finally own a completely handmade unlined fretless bass and I was doing what you've said, not being aware of the reason why. Thank you for "opening my eyes".... or for closing them and opening my ears even more. I'm a huge fan of you since Firm. You are a LEGEND!!!! Peace and Love. Trive

The scenario about the single instrument in the orchestra was a really subtle but interesting way to think about a chord. Looking forward to more of these really fundamental topics.

Love it! I heard it as soon as you played it! Wonderful!

This bloke is one of the true greats of the fretless bass!