Tony Franklin • Bass tone comes from the hands • Subtleties & variations with no Effects

Re-sharing a popular video. There are so many variations of tone available with the placement of our right / plucking hand - without changing EQ, adding effects, etc. This applies to both fretted and fretless bass.

[@benleydon]

This is part of the essential lesson I give to every guitarist/bassist, no matter their level. Many get so fixated on the notes they forget that the tone and shape of the note are just as important. Another good one is the 1 note challenge for bassists. -Choose a single note - Make it into the most interesting bassline you can. It forces them to think rhythmically and sonically, as they can no longer show off melodically

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks for that. I do a one note exercise in my TrueFire Fretless Course. Also playing bass lines on one string. 👏🏻🤩

[@leonardofelchnervii7905]

Authoritarian

[@donharrold1375]

Hands are everything for all stringed instruments. Brilliantly illustrated here.

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks so much 🙌🏻

[@independentjames1]

Lol. I also call that the “ Jaco” position. Thanks Tony,, great info,,, damn I love that bass!! Painted Fender head stocks always looked the best.

[@FretlessMonster]

Thank you. Jaco and Jamerson covers it all. 🤷‍♂️🤩 I love the look of the bass too.

[@markjuhas7537]

Tony, you're the reason I got a fretless in the first place. Saw the Firm in mid 80's and said "Whoa!," that's a sound. In 2000 I finally got my first fretless and fell in love with both the feel and the sound. Love your videos. Thanks, Mate! If you're ever in the SF Bay area, I'd love to meet.

[@FretlessMonster]

That’s amazing to hear. It means the world. Cheers!

[@amosamaralmarao7846]

Primeiro pela primeira vez na vida!!! Desejo -lhe um ótimo dia,agradável Tony!!!!

[@FretlessMonster]

Thank you Amos. Have a great day.

[@tubekook55]

Man, there is so much great information in this, left and right hand placement, the pickups, tone adjustment, and how they all work together. Thank you!

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks for watching and picking up on all that. There are so many subtle variations.

[@bretthines1020]

Gorgeous P!

[@darrenchambers3042]

I don't even play bass but it's a Tony Franklin video so I have to watch.

[@FretlessMonster]

Ah that means so much. Thank you

[@chrislestermusic]

I think this is the most important technique video you have done yet. 👍🏻

[@FretlessMonster]

Appreciate that Chris. It’s often overlooked yet sooo important

[@MEGAMIGA]

That's the joy of stringed instruments, they allow on the fly sound-sculpting :D You make it look so easy!

[@FretlessMonster]

Thank you. And I personally find that Fretless has even more versatility and sound possibilities. 🤷‍♂️😊

[@MEGAMIGA]

@@FretlessMonster Given what you make out of it, I would agree ;)

[@chriscuthbertson]

Plucking hand position is such an important tool in the bassists tonal palette. I used to be very much a between the pickups player, but now I move all over deepening on what the performance needs.

[@benleydon]

Plucking hand position, and (off the top of my head) angle of attack, tip, pad or side of finger, Plucked, struck or bounced, how hard or softly plucked, fingernail sound or no fingernail sound, Can anyone else think of any more subtle variations that go into making 'Tone'?

[@FretlessMonster]

Bingo. Me too. Though I was closer to the bridge. So many variations available

[@FretlessMonster]

That’s right. I think the bass is unique in that way 🤷‍♂️🤩

[@bretthines1020]

Great class!

[@FretlessMonster]

👍🏻🤩🙏🏻

[@localbod]

When you're playing at the heel of the neck with your right hand it has shades of Del Palmer to my ears. Another interesting and informative video. Keep up the good work.

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks so much. Del is a great player 👍🏻😊

[@adams115]

Very good sir!

[@scottwhite2757]

The Master .. Excellent Tony !🤘🏻👍

[@FretlessMonster]

🙏🏻🤩

[@luvyesmusici4886]

A wonderful collage of bass sounds, notes and harmonics and playing from the monster, er master.

[@FretlessMonster]

Haha. Thank you kindly.

[@independentjames1]

Just back from my local music store. I checked out your signature Bass ( same colour as one you’re using in this video) OMFG!!!!! It just feels like butter!!!! The fretboard!!! Wow!! I’m in love, lol

[@FretlessMonster]

Wow. That’s great to hear. They’re hard to find in stores apparently. They get ordered in and usually head out the door pretty quickly. 🤩👍🏻🤷‍♂️

[@conradgittins4476]

I've come to like fretless bass more and more due to its versatility and tonal range. It was all rather unplanned but I am glad to have discovered it.

[@FretlessMonster]

How cool. Yes it’s a very versatile instrument.

[@mirkocaserta]

Hey Tony, I've had you Fender signature bass for a number of years, the sunburst one, and it is one of the most fun and exciting basses I've ever played. Its versatility is great but then of course you can do so much without touching any knobs as you just brilliantly showed here. Also, I find that the voice and the singing quality of that instrument are quite unique. I regret selling it but I might get the blue one one day which is also brilliantly beautiful. Thanks for sharing your mind and sounds with us.

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks! It is a fun, responsive and versatile bass for sure. I hope you have the opportunity to get another one. The blue has the same feel - plus the matching headstock. 😊💙

[@bobthomas8342]

I love matching headstock on a Fender. Shame it's kinda uncommon.

[@wademiyataki9221]

Yup, learned that decades ago when I first started, but didn’t pay much thought to it. Started out on a P Bass clone playing over the pickup while trying to learn lines from Sabbath, Rush, and Maiden. Then picked up a Jazz Bass, and somehow heard about this guy named Jaco. Picked up the first album, and heard Donna Lee. Learned that he played over the bridge pickup, and that’s where my right hand lived for years. Decades later, while watching videos from Carole Kaye and Lee Sklar, that got reinforced, especially after hearing the story behind the “producer switch” on Lee’s Bass. Glad that you’re teaching people about that, and it’s not just about amps and effects, and that when you’re in the studio, a lot of times the bass is just DI’d.

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks so much. Agree completely. The hands are everything.

[@yuribillones5094]

Hey Tony, guitar player here. Just wanted to thank you for your DARNED AMAZING insights. Had a fretless bass once and regrettably sold it. If I was adept at playing sweet basslines while singing (like Esperanza or mid 70s Wetton), I'd be on bass full time!!! Thanks for sharing your insights, it's probably one of the richest bass content on the tube so far!!! People offer lessons, but your insights strike me at the core of it all -- the passion and magic of your expressive playing! Please keep up your wonderful work! Stay well, always! -Yuri

[@FretlessMonster]

Oh wow. That’s amazing to hear! Thank you so much. And yes it is quite challenging singing while playing Fretless!!

[@davidhogan5133]

Great lesson.😊🌄

[@FretlessMonster]

🙏🏻🤩

[@wesleyc.4937]

Thanks Tony, my pedal board is now an instrument cable!

[@FretlessMonster]

I greatly approve of that!!! 👏🏻🤩

[@wesleyc.4937]

@@FretlessMonster ...and the only thing that makes it sound better is a few beers in frosty jugs... haha!

[@bassthis]

I love the bass work in Billy (MTV version) For 14 years it never dawned on me you altered the tuning. When I play along I used standard EADG. Quite a challenge

[@FretlessMonster]

Thank you. Yes it’s very challenging in standard tuning.

[@stringemup5941]

As always, great content! I’m a guitarist, but when I play bass, it’s always fretless! You, Jaco, and Bob Daisley are the bassists that made me go fretless! Love your channel!!

[@FretlessMonster]

Thank you so much. That means the world. 🙏🏻🤩

[@stringemup5941]

@@FretlessMonster I had a little back and forth with you in the comments a couple of weeks ago about your rig on the Kate Bush gig. I did an episode on her first 5 albums a month ago, and I’m going to follow up with an episode on the remaining 4. I’m also going to do an episode on her “extracurricular” stuff-the episode of “Comic Strip Presents”; the Tour of Life video, the tribute tunes AND the performance you did with her!! Can I quote you from our message thread? It’s a guitar/bass oriented channel and it might be of interest to my audience. I also plan on linking to your vid of the performance.

[@thomasfioriglio]

I would love to see a video on using a pick and playing fretless bass. I always loved that percussive tone. I'm still digging round your KZbin channel, so there may already be one on here. I started playing fretless back in the 80s and I'm I've just started getting back into it. Cheers!

[@FretlessMonster]

There are plenty of videos on here where I’m using the pick. It’s a great sound. Here’s one kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmbOhGVver-EjNk

[@Surge_LaChance]

You are spot on with this, Tony!

[@bryanoakley8046]

You are the man Tony!

[@lightnintrucker]

Very cool. You should share more of those subtleties with us.

[@jasondarling0629]

Great discussion, I use a lot of what you showed, between pic position and tone knob depending on the song. I only have a wah that I'm going to add at some point.

[@FretlessMonster]

👍🏻👍🏻🤩🤩 Great. Thanks

[@stephenshoihet2590]

Great stuff! If you watch Jaco play, he moved his right hand around a lot to get the tones he wanted. I've got a Gary Willis bass bass with a big ramp that makes it easy to move around a lot. I love playing up over the finger board too. 🙂

[@FretlessMonster]

Oh yes. You’re talking about two master Fretless bassists there. Great stuff! 👏🏻

[@tomjackson5815]

Thanks tony lot of fun sounds great

[@claudevieaul1465]

I love playing around with my right hand to get the tone I want - from right over the neck (Geezer style!!) to very close to the bridge - it really gives you so many more nuances... Thanks for pointing this out T! 🙏😎

[@FretlessMonster]

Absolutely. It’s almost like a whole different bass - especially between the two hand positions you mentioned. Love it 🤩👍🏻

[@johnskerlec9663]

Thanks Tony. I love your work. I try to use the right positioning when I play different tunes. Brilliant.

[@FretlessMonster]

Cheers! Thanks

[@djolestefanovic]

Thanks Tony, it's useful for the guitarists, also. I was playing without pick for a long time, like Jared James: wast universe of different tones.

[@FretlessMonster]

Exactly!! Jared’s great.

[@elyot4010]

Absolutely correct

[@FretlessMonster]

👍🏻🤩

[@user-ib9zm5kf3m]

Tony Franklin good luck. Благодарю за обучение на бас гитаре . Всех благ Вам и веселого настроения.

[@FretlessMonster]

Smiles and best of luck to you 😊👍🏻

[@heavi-armed-infadel]

Thanks for the wisdom Tony! Would love to see you play a song off that Blue Murder Trouble album 🤟🏻

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks for that. Any particular tune? I haven’t dived into those too much.

[@sierraesquivel]

Your a awesome teacher!! 😊

[@FretlessMonster]

Oh thanks Sierra. I teach well in these situations, but as a one on one weekly teacher, I’m not so good. 😩😂

[@mixc8]

Great as always Tony!!! I know I keep saying it LOL Your a beast :)

[@FretlessMonster]

Haha. Thanks so much. 🤪😂

[@mixc8]

@@FretlessMonster I would still love to see you create another training video like the first one and add all the short doodles you have created to the course, man that would be a great course I would by it in a sec! . I Learned a lot with your first video :) I still review it today from time to time. Still love my TF P Bass ( I got the black one).

[@rimmersbryggeri]

That's right. But is not limited to bass. Even piano tone comes from the hands. Lang Lang and Glenn Gould for example have a very different tone on Rondo Alla Turca. Up to the individual what their preference is but preety interesting that there ins such a difference even when they are not even physically touching the strings.

[@FretlessMonster]

Great comment. 100% agree.

[@jamescoderre9595]

I have always said that tone comes from the hands & where the plucking hand is placed on the body & also from the heart & mind .... 😀

[@FretlessMonster]

Agree 100% 👏🏻👏🏻🤩🤩

[@jamescoderre9595]

@@FretlessMonster Thanks Tony !

[@drury2d8]

My music teacher said in the very first class .. Its all in the fingers.

[@FretlessMonster]

Absolutely 👏🏻👏🏻

[@nerminsalkic6360]

Hands is all

[@FretlessMonster]

Yesss! 🙌🏻

[@user-pm3tb5wz2o]

Oh yea, you got tone

[@FretlessMonster]

That’s my name 🤪😂

[@matthewgill_music]

Hi Tony Great video as usual ! I learn so much ! And that tone !!!!! I have a question . I've started playing live with an unmarked fretless and this last weekend I had a challenge which you could possibly have a solution too. The strobes /lights were creating a difficult environment for me to see the neck and often it was a little bit of a guessing game. At times I was playing in the dark . Have you experienced this ? Much love . Matthew

[@FretlessMonster]

Thank you. Yes it can be very challenging with the lights. Especially if you don’t know it’s coming. No real solutions for that other than keep it simple at that time. I have the same challenge!!

[@matthewgill_music]

@@FretlessMonster thank you !!!

[@Skorpp13]

Typical :) My fretless is actually the only one I'm experimenting with. That "far over the "fret"board position even gives synth-like sounds. Sometimes I'm jamming here hours without acually playing a real song. My wife says I'm doing weird again in that case ;)

[@FretlessMonster]

Haha sounds perfectly normal to me. Yes we can get some beautiful synth-like sounds from the fretless. Especially if we add an octave pedal. 😊

[@ErikStone1]

Hi Tony. A lot has been documented on your channel about your basses and technique. I haven't seen much about your backline. Are there any amps or pedals/rack equipment that are a must for your sound? Any special amp for small gigs vs large gigs, or does it not matter because of the use of DI and monitors? Thanks!

[@FretlessMonster]

Good point. I officially use Fender amps - though it varies - especially when doing fly / backline dates. I love the Super Bassman. Though I often use the Fender Rumble series. Unofficially I often use Ampeg as they are the most readily available. But I can pretty much get my sound from most rigs. And yes I often rely on DI, so it varies. That’s why I haven’t put too much focus on it - as there isn’t a definitive set up.

[@joethebar1]

I’m not into variety; just give me one good sound and I’ll ride that train all day long. Front PU and play on the heel=bloom for days

[@FretlessMonster]

Bingo!!

[@jabbahursty]

i love that blue P bass of yours, but then i looked up what it cost

[@FretlessMonster]

Thanks. Yes it’s a high end, US made instrument.

[@powerdavid6235]

Tony, I know this is out of your control but for the past 3 weeks I've been trying to set up a cameo from you for a friend who has a birthday coming up, and 3 times Cameo have bounced my payment back into my account, PayPal can't understand why this is happening because I did everything correct.. Just thought I'd let you know. I will keep trying.

[@FretlessMonster]

Hmm. That’s strange. Yes cameo is out of my control. If you still have no luck send me an email through my website www.fretlessmonster.com Go to the contact page.

[@FretlessMonster]

And I haven’t seen a cameo request either.