WHY DOES MY VIOLIN HAVE FRETS (AND DO I REGRET IT?)

[@MiaAsano]

Hey everyone! Thanks for watching my new video! I forgot to mention a couple things that I put in the description, but let me know if you have any other questions!

[@shemarlosscott2656]

Mia Asano You're The Best

[@CalebMilesMusic]

This is great, thank you for making this! If you wouldn't mind sharing who that luthier is that can work on frets, that would be awesome! Especially if you have a good experience. 🙂 My Cantini frets are far too tall, hoping I can get them shaved down.

[@musicdijay]

I’m thinking of getting a viper. For a first, would you consider a fretted or fretless as a first?

[@daes5465]

If you are pluged Into a Mixer with your Violin Then you can Just buy a Wireless small earplug to Connect to the Main Mixer on an Output This way you can hear the Violin You can adjust the Sound so that you can hear the Violin and the whats going on around you

[@maxaya7033]

Kawaii Mia❤

[@wren23_bass-synths]

Your explanation is what I try to tell people about playing the fretless bass. It’s difficult for me because I’m use to putting my fingers where the fretless bass is. The frets actually get in the way. I prefer the fretless bass over a fretted bass. Considering that I started out on the double bass, switching to electric fretless was easy.

[@TehDuckOfDoom]

Sad that it's kinda useless in modern rock bands, for example, because guitars and keys are all tuned using equal temperament. So your just intonation does not really make you more in tune with them.

[@GrotesqueSmurf]

fretless bass is far from useless. they are used a lot, especially in extreme metal. Check out bands like Obscura, Cynic or Beyond Creation and players like Dominic Lapointe@@TehDuckOfDoom

[@wren23_bass-synths]

@@TehDuckOfDoom I don’t play rock or pop

[@boundinstinct7205]

​@@TehDuckOfDoom just intonation is relative anyways. And there's many big rock bands that use fretless basses

[@TehDuckOfDoom]

@@boundinstinct7205 yes but op said that he prefers fretless because "frets get in the way". Which makes no sense if you're playing with piano, for example.

[@LionmightOfficial]

Hi Mia! Great video and very informative! Fellow Viper user here (fretless 5-string) and currently waiting on my fretted 7-string. Super excited!

[@desperado8605]

Anyone who says you use it for an easy nose obviously hasn't watched you play

[@iggymcgeek730]

Wtf is an easy nose. As opposed to a difficult nose?

[@desperado8605]

@@iggymcgeek730 f'n phone lmao

[@ThomasCornejo]

Nah but what did you try to say

[@desperado8605]

@@ThomasCornejo note

[@miniyodadude6604]

They also have never played a fretless instrument and dont understand why youd use one. I play bass guitar and use a fretless jazz bass, and while it is harder in some aspects, you cant get the same tone on a fretted instrument, and vice versa. Theres a reason microtonal guitars exist, its to capture the exact pitch youre looking for that you couldnt on a normal guitar, and theres its own art and difficulty to it. Anyway, fretted instruments and definitely easier on some level, but like, who cares

[@docwallacemusic]

When frets were first developed for guitars, lutes, mandolin, and viols, two of the primary purposes for frets were 1) simply to enable stopped pitches to ring as clearly as an open string and 2) facilitating performance of chords. While Viper frets are more subtle and are intended to be stopped atop the fret rather than behind it, they can have a similar effect of increasing clarity and facilitating multiple stops and tapping. GREAT video, Mia!!

[@Brotelho]

I had just assumed that the frets were there so that you could play faster licks and solos. This has been eye opening. Been following you on Insta for over a year now. Happy for your growth.

[@bobdeadbeef]

I've experienced not being able to hear myself on stage. It was a nightmare-and I'm a keyboardist! I've also played bass, so your explanation makes perfect sense. Thanks.

[@Kylora2112]

Same with electric guitar. It's terrifying when your monitor cuts out in the middle of a solo, especially an improvised one.

[@Murgoh]

As a keyboard player in a "hobby level" death metal band I've become used to playing without hearing myself or much else besides the cymbals (I'm usually located next to the drums at the rear of the stage) clearly as we rarely perform in real professional venues with good sound equipment and monitoring. For some reason even if you can hear yourself clearly in the sound check you often won't during the actual performance. It's annoying but as said, you get used to it. But playing a violin without hearing yourself, that's a different thing entirely.

[@charlescarmichael1124]

Been there. I play keys for a large church and occasionally I can't hear. I've learned to play by sight! Lol

[@WelcomeToTiltedTowers]

​@@Kylora2112no, not the same As a bassist you will ALWAYS hear the guitar unless your deaf or if the drummer has a serious problem with not being able to play without smashing his entire drumset

[@thecrazything95]

Worst is when singing. You are just completely and utterly lost

[@KwadSkwad]

I'm 3 months into violin after 25 years of guitar and 17 years of mandolin.. man I'd kill for some frets!! finding the correct positions isn't super difficult after playing a similar scale neck but I've gotta tell ya bowing is HARD!! and I'll probably spend years trying to figure that out :D I love what you do, keep being awsome.

[@johnny_eth]

Lots of practice and muscle memory. Good luck

[@j.p.8811]

That's exactly what I tried to explain to my uncle who plays mandolin (I've played guitar for like 15 years, he's played mando for maybe 5) but he thinks cause it's the same tuning as a violin that he could just pick up violin easily. I told him good luck on learning bowing and intonation buddy.

[@doctortorchwood6115]

Hi Mia, I always wondered how you are able to walk around with your violin without holding it in your hands. Now the riddle has beed solved. Btw, I was at the concert in Düsseldorf. Best concert I've ever been to. Although I have to admit I haven't been to that many concerts. LOL

[@Tina-ds3pp]

You have given me a lot of hope that rock will make a return to the music scene. With new instruments being played well the show is so much more! Thank you for your amazing music! Tina

[@syrsknight]

Im a lifelong guitarist ... but play most instruments, even the violin, lol. Being 59 yrs old, i have been around playing live and recording, heard many, many artists, even have some famous ones in my family, but honestly your one of the best i have ever heard! Thank you for sharing your gift with the rest of us! Hugs & keep up the beautiful work!

[@duelbraids]

I agree - I've played fretted violins and regular violin and always find that fretted ones just get in my way, but I can definitely see the benefit of having them for live play!

[@marekw7562]

"it ain't in tune but close enough" is so rock and roll statement I cry laughing ❤

[@teacherkev2k4]

I totally empathize. I'm Deaf and I play electric guitar as a hobby. Since I don't hear at all, I rely heavily on seeing the frets so that I know where to place my fingers to form chords or play notes. I have a hard time with soloing type things. Recently I've been working on "Fly By Night" by Rush. Such a fun song!! Keep doing what you love doing and thank you for videos like this one!!

[@Breadbored.]

If you don't mind me asking, what was your motivation for choosing to play guitar and what do you find enjoyable about it? I would have guessed a deaf person would naturally gravitate towards a bass or drums, but I also have no frame of reference for what it's like to be deaf so I'm just curious.

[@ClearColorCloud]

You’re from California aren’t you?I hope all you dumb fucks learn to swim.. I’m prayin for tidal waves

[@bassboi5052]

how do you, as a deaf person, experience music? have you always been deaf? or is it like a beethoven situation where you lost your hearing

[@teacherkev2k4]

Hi@@bassboi5052and thank you for your response. I was born hard-of-hearing and with the deafness going to happen. We believe it is an effect of having been exposed to "cytomegalovirus" (CMV) while still in the womb. All kinds of things are thought to result from CMV infection, so you could say I got lucky. So, I was born with my right ear totally deaf, and my left ear hard-of-hearing, it progressed until I was fully deaf in my early 20s. Today I experience music any way I can, chiefly through watching videos and occasionally cranking my tv if I don't bother the neighbors with it! :)

[@randallamik3230]

I'll have to show this to my daughters. Identical twins. 1 plays the violin, and the other plays the viola.. love your stuff!

[@BlueViper8907]

I love my Viper, Mark and I worked together on and off from 2005 to 2010. I only have 2 videos on my channel and they're ancient. You're amazing, thanks for representing the Viper family!

[@retromacman620]

That explains why your sound range is more eclectic and hits that tone of a guitar at times. Really cool instrument!

[@JeighNeither]

Range is a measurement. It's either wide or narrow, not eclectic like your listening tastes might be. The word your looking for is "tone".

[@retromacman620]

@@JeighNeither no, I think "eclectic" works. If you prefer to work it that way though, you can comment and use "tone", I think that works too. If you disagree, that's also fine.

[@Leenie333]

Video well done, Mia! Thorough explanation of that axe and the frets! 💜👍🏽63

[@MrakdNadvladar]

😊cool vlog. I really appreciate the look and sound presentation that the electric violin 🎻 produces. And you’re definitely very versatile and talented. Keep rocking 🎉🎉👌✌️🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@saturnosring]

This electric violin is actually an hybrid between a violin and an electric guitar. So yeah, it’s normal that it has traits from both instruments. It’s amazing that it’s possible to use guitar and violin techniques on it, that gives a lot of range of sounds and tricks. Mia, you’re awesome! I think it’s so hard to learn such a complex instrument

[@OfficialAshArcher]

Guitarist here; it’s fascinating to hear how things work on a different instrument. Thank you!

[@ShaneHerald]

i have played guitar for many many years and never seen a 7-string violin that is a wild instrument man .....much like your wild awesome playing !!!! never even knew a violin could sound so wild and wicked .....

[@epsilon6516]

Guitarist here, call it cheating all you want I need my frets

[@Nerotique]

Frets aren't cheating. It really matters what sound you want. Frets give a different sound.

[@epsilon6516]

@@Nerotique frets give an exact note every time. Never flat or sharp unless I want it that way

[@teknoaddict9335]

You need frets to make chords. There is fretless guitars but you can't play extended chords with them

[@teknoaddict9335]

​@@epsilon6516on fretless you use your ears and muscle memory to play the right note

[@epsilon6516]

@@teknoaddict9335 look “I” need my frets, I’m well aware that fretless guitars exist, they just aren’t for me

[@danemildanda9034]

I have witnessed you in concert … a truly gifted musician !!

[@gail63907]

Wow. I love your violin. If I was still a young gal, I would totally rock this! You have amazing talent. You give me inspiration to keep playing my acoustic violins even though I’m 69. I’m still learning & growing in my playing. I’ve learned as an adult & have been playing for about 17 years.

[@plinger1]

I remember being obsessed with the original Mark Wood album. It’s interesting to see the evolution of his original electric violin evolve, especially from using dimarzio guitar pickups. I do believe he had his own reasons for frets and it also offered a gateway to guitar players. Fun fact I got to meet his brother Steve as he instructed a lot of my friends on violin.

[@jeffreyp1855]

Mark Wood is awesome! I think that I first heard him around twenty years ago. 🤘

[@khzhak]

Voodoo Violince is my soundtrack to the summer of '94. maybe '93 too. I listened to it every day when I biked from the high school in Mequon to Summerfest and got in free with the pin, usually making it by only minutes to get in free.

[@jeffreyp1855]

@khzhak , I love these types of stories. So many of us have such great memories, due to good music! 🤘

[@leslieq958]

I get it. I play Trombone with a slide (fretless) and Euphonium with valves (frets). The playing techniques are very different for playing in tune. And even with a slide, you have to compensate to stay in tune.

[@digitalmediafan]

You are quite amazing. I recently saw you for the first time on one of Dovydas's videos....would love to see you duet with the young violinist from Ukraine some day - Karolina Protsenko - Have you heard of her ?

[@tippss3332]

Much love and mad respect from a guitar player!!!! Just started following. Love the cross-over metal theme music and performances. Well done!!!!!

[@lizardmilk]

I know nothing about violins. I certainly didn’t know what a fret was. I follow your channel just because I love your music. So it was fun to learn a bit from the craft from you.

[@nickvanheester633]

I listen to two steps from hell everyday at work, on the bus yeah actually all the time. I saw the video of impossible at wacken and again two steps stunned me with their music and most important every artist had their own way of expressing their love for this kind if music while they are playing i love that. I always liked violin. Its inspiring to know young people as yourself have such talent actually one of the best :). And you are absolutely right , violin on easy mode doesnt exist

[@max_archer]

I think the frets might help the violin to fit in with guitars onstage or when playing adapted guitar parts, too. Traditional straight guitar frets are a compromise and every note on the fretboard actually plays slightly out of tune, so a violin with perfect pitch sounds wrong when played alongside them, while putting frets on the violin should make its notes match the guitars' tuning and sound much more cohesive when played together.

[@FiZ]

As a (beginner) guitar-player, this is super interesting! Keep up the great work!! ❤

[@shogun2215]

I love seeing someone championing the electric bowed instruments, I'm an electric cellist myself and I love watching your content :D

[@subixbarbarasson6052]

I put a fiddle fretter on my Wood 5 string Klassik. I'm just an old death metal dude who grew up playing guitar. But the fretter on my axe, even if less than absolute- I give thanks for the out line. Kuzz end of the day I'm a metal head with a violin. Not a violinist playing metal. There's a lot more room for organik knarr on my world. None the less, Nothing but respekt for real violinists tearing it up. It's totally inspiring. That bow Breaker violin dude Liam is also hella inspiring. He's also just a really Kool dude and totally gave me pointers in a komment section. Mad respekt to both of you. 🤘 💀 🎻 💀 🤘

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

You can play music from Suzuki Violin School all the volumes on the Fretted Viper because students can follow the fretboard.

[@jdjenk2816]

Cool to hear about the frets - I ended up going with a fretless Jordan when I bought a 7 string. How do you feel about the Bb string? Dunno if its just mine but I've found it varies a crap ton in pitch depending on how hard you bow it vs the other strings, took a while to kindve get used to

[@shepberryhill4912]

Getting that note out of a string that short really pushes the extremes of string engineering. I have the same issue with my six string NSDesign cello's low F string.

[@ralfsieber3342]

Thanks. I played Fretles Bass and I loved this. And yes the Monitoring was difficulty too.

[@briangrover873]

One thing that frets make possible, that would be especially helpful with the extended range, is the possibility to bar across multiple strings (as a guitarist would when playing power chords). It's pretty much impossible to bar on a fretless instrument and have all the strings in tune, So, it opens up chord/harmony possibilities with the violin beyond double stops.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Frets also act as a grid so you can see where to put your fingers when you're playing music. They're like the Keys of a Nyckelharpa which add precision to the finger placement.

[@MiaAsano]

Yes! I go into it a little bit at 3:50

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MiaAsano I have seen Nyckelharpas before. The Nyckelharpa is a traditional Swedish Stringed instrument that's played w/ a Bow & has Keys to change the pitch of the strings. I guess Mark Wood got the idea of a Fretted Violin from a Swedish Nyckelharpa.

[@andrewl9191]

@@MiaAsano As a flute player, it's frustrating to be like, "You mean they can just CHEAT when they're improving!?!?!" lol

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

​@@andrewl9191 I play the Nyckelharpa and the Fretted Viper kinda has some relationship to it. The Nyckelharpa has Keys which add precision to the finger placement. The frets on the Viper do the same thing

[@hesaplee4568]

having the right pitch is mostly about having the right wavelength, so if the frets are "getting in the way" it most likely because of wrong measurements, maybe the length between the nut to the bridge, or positions of the frets? i do play traditional violins too, and prefer fretless ones, but frets are supposed to make things easier and add some limitations as well

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The frets on a Fretted Viper are usually shaved down nearly flush w/ the fretboard so you touch the strings directly on top of those lines.

[@BaliBlogDe]

Awsome Mia, i have the 6 string Wood Violin and i must say i love it but still can not give away my Yamaha without frets.

[@WEdHarris]

Thank You so much and Thank You for such an excellent explanation! I think you are an amazing musician and your hard work and dedication is shining through! Your explanation regarding intonation and frets got me to thinking about a fretted violin without actual physical guitar type frets but visual frets only. Maybe an inlay for example in the fingerboard which provides a visual aid yet does not compromise the tactile feel of a fretless fingerboard. Just a thought... Keep making great music!

[@marketennant]

Hey Mia, So looking forward to seeing your show at the Beachland in Cleveland on ❤'s Day! Great venue, you guys will love it!

[@lance134679]

I have a Gold Tone fretless u-bass, but it has inlays where the frets should be. I think that's more common in fretless instruments these days as a visual aid. 👍

[@kentshelley4739]

Hi Mia, I have a question. I don't play violin: I'm mostly a guitarist, but I have repaired violins, cellos, basses, etc. I recognise that you get used to positioning the hand by where the heel would be on the acoustic instrument, whereas guitarists like unimpeded access right down the neck - so - my question is: why don't you have the heel on the electric one further down the neck and, perhaps, just have a bump/knobble/stud/indentation to indicate where the heel would normally be? Wouldn't that be more efficient? 'Tis just a thought. LOVE your playing and thanks for that video about the frets. You seem like a refreshingly nice lady. LOTSALUKANLUV.

[@3dprintingbybluebeard381]

Hello, I am new to your music. I LOVE the electric violin, 7 strings WOW, I just bought my family a violin and we ALL are going to be learning how to play, I played when I was in school some 40 years ago. but with HARD work we will be playing, I will be buying more violins as I can find them, I LOVE your VOILIN

[@segazora]

I am not a violinist but would love the tonal flexibility of a violin for recording. the idea of fretted violins and cellos sounds like it would be easy to pick up as a folk instrument. I wish fretted bowed string instruments were more regularly available.

[@micah_noel]

I’m a guitarist who invented my own version of a fretted fiddle (more like a lyra or erhu). I haven’t learned to play bowed instruments without frets, so I would say that the frets help me to stay in tune. However, it’s far from easy and I still had to develop the technique and learn how to play it.

[@davidwright8576]

Really good job how you explain the fretted violin . As a person who doesn't play violin, I got more understanding of it, thank you mia ❤ya

[@harrytabb328]

Very cool. I learned a lot. The frets get in your way? You make it look so effortless anyway. Of course, I know it took 18 years of hard effort to make it look effortless. Mad respect!!

[@TheFreeBass]

I've never wondered these things. I've wondered if/ how much the action differs from fretless.

[@Swines1988]

You so gorgeous and so well informed, I could listen to you talk all day. Congratulations on the success of your tour. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving 😊

[@paulieboy6644]

That’s interesting what you said about how how the frets can make it hard to hit the notes right because of how much a difference a little distance makes I’m an adult learner of the viola - I removed my finger tape because I realized I was using my eyes and not my ears and my eyes were not good enough to pinpoint exactly where my fingers needed to be

[@steveowens398]

I have personal experience with not being able to hear myself in a loud electronic band, so I can appreciate the frets, even though they limit your range of expression otherwise. I'm really surprised by the three strings below standard - I've played five strings and the intonation isn't perfect. How do you keep all seven in tune, all the way up the neck? Thanks for the video.

[@PhilG999]

Interesting! I did not notice that it has frets. I guess I was so focused on trying to figure out how many strings it had I overlooked that ... My younger brother tried to learn Viola when we were MUCH younger, but he gave up on it. Friend of mine since High School is a Bass player and a few years ago got a fretless one. Said it took a LOT of getting used to! He was also an extra in a movie (I forget which one) and they had him play an upright Bass (and made him cut his long hair and shave his beard). The band is in the background of a scene, and they had to appear to be playing along with the soundtrack (a production detail easily overlooked). I saw the clip and if I didn't KNOW the Bass player was my friend I wouldn't have recognized him! I watched it several times and it still looked like they all were actually playing!

[@yellowbutterfly6796]

its so obvious now, idk how i didn't know it was fretted, i guess i was too distracted by the musicing. also what you said makes perfect sense, but as a listener, unless you're showing your skills to a music school of job opportunity, i dont care if you're playing "on easy mode" (edit: also, just remembered, we have seen you play on fretless violins, like acoustic), i come here to rock out to fun music and idc really how we get there. i do happen to be a beginning violinist myself though, so i appreciate the conversation about how the frets and concert playing impacts the violin playing and hearing your instrument in real time.

[@Justin_L_Smith_]

You could likely find a violen that has fret marks more like inlays. There's a number of Electric Bass guitars that are frettless. But they basically have wooden inlays that look like frets. These get sanded with the board creating a seemless board. This would solve your intonation problems & give you a visual guide. Lots of guitarist also get special inlays that set between the fretboard & neck to help them see where there fret hand should be. #DontFretIt

[@Duckgosquack]

I'm not sure if you can get a Violin like this but I've seen fret less guitars that have the markings of where the frets would be and also some with just the dots. Seems like you could get the best of both worlds like that.

[@ryanAk4983]

You are so talented and explained that so effortlessly ❤ you are absolutely adorable

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

That Low Bb1 string is the Bassoon's lowest Bb, some Bassoons have an extra key so you can play one more note lower than that down to A1

[@scytaleghola5969]

I do not know the violin and so what I am about to say is based only on observation. It seems like a violinist slides on the fingerboard a lot. With frets, you do not get smooth transitions between notes - you jump from one note to the next (and hope you don't get any buzz). In other words, without frets, you get microtonal capabilities that you cannot get with frets. It's interesting that there are fretless guitars specifically to overcome this limitation.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Mia Asano Music This is basically the same idea as a Swedish Nyckelharpa because Nyckelharpas have Keys to make playing in tune easier. Well the Fretted Violin's Frets do the same thing.

[@AMurder0fCrows]

I love that you did this. Been a fan for years but don't remember many times where you sat and chatted to us. Can you play the fretless version some time in a clip? I'd love to see a dueling violin video between the two to see if I can pick out the intonation differences

[@aadkilbourne]

This makes perfect sense to me..

[@jcortese3300]

Do the flying V violins have fret inlays available? That'd be a nice compromise -- you can make microadjustments to your intonation, but you can also still put your fingers wherever you want. The inlays are there, but you don't HAVE to put your fingers on them.

[@andrewl9191]

Dude this is awesome. There's the violin/guitar candy of just playing sweet stuff, but this video is like the grungy stuff that's fun to hear about. I played flute in college music school. I always get to hear about Jethro Tull. Yeah. Or Ron Burgundy.

[@ronaldwood2955]

Beautiful honey. I love that you explain your electric violin you play so well and why it is made the way you wanted it. ❤❤❤❤

[@brianthompson4480]

I think that fingers mute the strings slightly on an unfretted instrument. so a fretted instrument strings resonate more clearly and freely.

[@MarijkeViolin]

I'd love to see the fretless Viper too! 😁 Sounds like an ideal combo indeed. I tried someone's fretted Viper two years ago and was slightly disappointed it was no easy intonation fix, haha!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The bridge needs to be slanted to fix that

[@shemarlosscott2656]

Great Job Mia Asano You're Pretty Good With Violin and You are Amazing

[@williamgrissom9022]

Earl Scruggs, who developed the modern banjo finger-picking style, learned to play on a poor violin which didn't have the frets in exactly the right places. He compensated by bending the neck and stretching the strings while playing. Amazing how people can learn to compensate. You likely get a clearer note on a violin with frets. If your finger gets "meat" past the fret on a guitar, it greatly dampens the note.

[@thenext9537]

I played cello and violin (not super well) and I would love frets. At least I would know after set up it would have proper intonation (maybe?). I play guitar, so frets are welcome for me.

[@millie-q5f]

That is the MADDEST VIOLIN I'VE EVER SEEN AND HEARD YOU ARE A VERY GIFTED VIOLINIST AS I WATCHED YOU PLAYING ALONG WITH THE GUY ON THE GUITAR AT THAT BOARDWALK OVER THE OCEAN ARE THESE MODEL VIOLINS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET OR WAS THIS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU

[@taurushipointenthusiast1306]

caught the collection, Ya mentioned why/why not have frets, oh geez I got suckered in, No worries it is cool ya piqued the interest keeping it summarily in tune. Got it interesting different from guitars.

[@rchesnutt9850]

Great answers. You rock and I am a fan.👍👍

[@eriklagergren7124]

That low Bb string is such a flex. Playing all parts of a string quartet on one instrument

[@MushroomSoT]

if you want perfect intonation with frets, take a look at True Temperment frets. Personally, I do think a violin with frets is kinda easy mode, but the way you use the instrument is so far from what classical violinists are doing that it doesn't really matter. Also, frets help you play your natural harmonics without having to mentally section out the fingerboard on the spot. Who knows tho, I'm just a guitarist.

[@MushroomSoT]

I do wonder how left hand pizz would sound.

[@jakeazfitness]

Love your violin and I want one! I sing bass and I don’t know high positions very well so it’d be very cool to play the lower notes on the violin! Love your music!!!

[@HarpistKT]

Loved this!!

[@txd]

Isn't it also a question of tone. I mean for an electric guitar frets vs fretless makes a huge tone difference. And if you are aiming for more of a rock sounds then frets just makes more sense.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

It has frets and fret markers like you see on a Guitar, Electric Bass (which I see peaking on the side), or even a Mandobanjo

[@markchandler7089]

Look at some videos of semi-fretless banjo. They put a brass or other smooth surface near the nut but frets for higher notes. Very interesting sound and could be done with electriic or acoustic violin, viola. What do you think?

[@ZTAudio]

I’ve seen Mark Wood play this at NAMM several times … beyond amazing!

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

It started life out as an 8 string mini flying V and you converted it into a violin because those mini guitars weren't known to have good intonation about them. I might give that a try on my mini vox guitar.

[@allisonholmesmusic97]

Cool. I’m a guitar player who is trying to learn violin. I’m sure I would find frets to be very helpful. It seems like it would be easier to wrap my head around. Don’t know about the seventh string though

[@lasshrugged]

This particular model also comes in a 4, 5, and 6 string version. I've also been considering one of these. I'm a pretty solid guitar player, so having frets on a violin seems super helpful.

[@MikeB-nn4nh]

Having played guitar for years., when I did try to play a cello.. it was difficult to find the notes.. Maybe they’ll do a fanned fret version to get the frets in to intonation..

[@thecrazything95]

The part im more interested is the tuners, because something I find amazing about standard violins is how useless the tuning pegs are, coming from guitar.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Yes i suggest having the friction pegs replaced with mechanical pegs

[@briancollins6853]

Cool! I really enjoy it when you talk about your instrument and your music. You have a great voice. Do you sing or do voice over work?

[@JRCSalter]

I think the real question for me would be, why don't violins have frets in general? How can you tell where to place your fingers when you don't have exact positions like on a guitar or piano? As someone who has absolutely no sense of music, this has always confused me.

[@henrituhola]

Muscle memory. Also you listen yourself while playing.

[@PsyphaX09]

You were badass with TSFH in Wacken. 🤘

[@epicspacetroll1399]

Nice overview on the violin frets 🎻 👍

[@maranma-bb8wg]

This is really interesting!!! 💚💚💚Thanks for sharing 😊😊😊

[@prschuster]

I'm in awe of anyone who can play fretless. I need the frets, because that's how I learned guitar.

[@robertkrawitz8237]

Very interesting. I'm an occasional strictly amateur violist (which I find easier to play, size-wise, than the violin -- I have a 16.5" viola). The idea of a harness to hold the instrument in place, taking the load off my neck and left shoulder, is extremely appealing. I'd also be interested in learning some rock/metal on the instrument. I've seen some great renditions of e. g. The Trooper on viola and various other strings (there was a great mostly-Viper string ensemble version from a few years ago that Mark was part of); unfortunately, I can't play by ear, but that's a separate issue.

[@hieronymous7]

Thank you for this video! When I started watching your videos, I wondered if they were frets or lines. Having played fretless bass on and off, I figured they were lines, but kept flip-flopping - I think they're lines. Nah, they're frets. Did I go back to thinking lines? Well now I know! Do they make electric violins with lines?

[@guitar_noodle]

Guitars are the same. By default bc of the frets it’s not perfectly intonated either. However, there is a new innovation in frets called “true temperament”. It looks funky bc the frets are purposely crooked for better intonation. Maybe they could put it on a violin as well

[@nasapayrollsystem8701]

Question ..why not then take the frets out , but still have white lines .. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? Fretless , but you can see . And put your finger exactly on the line .. A friend of mine did that with a bass .. he's happy with it ..

[@Keeby.]

best idea i can think of is because your intonation would be more off then it would be if you had frets if you couldnt hear yourself

[@nasapayrollsystem8701]

Why ... the intonation should be correct putting your finger exactly on the line... Visually.. Also... it's hard to play any instrument if you cant actually hear it.. Thats a different problem really

[@newyorknight]

Cool! Keep playing and enjoy🎶🎵🎶🔥