Scott McGill playing a Vigier fretless guitar

The guitar offers many technical challenges for the serious player/student. The more you dig into it and try to master it, the more elusive it can be before finally succumbing to your charms and giving you control. For those of us who are gluttons for punishment and simply cannot sit idly by and enjoy the fruits of our labors, there is one surefire way to throw yourself over the waterfall in a barrel… pick up and try to play a fretless guitar!

I don’t know how many of you have tried it, but it’s not exactly the easiest thing in the world. In fact, if you want to be able to play anything other than pseudo-sitar slides, dare I say it’s downright frustrating as hell.

For those players that are able to get a handle on the fretless guitar’s idiosyncrasies, it opens up a completely new territory to discover; the Wild West of the guitar, if I may say so. One player who has certainly done his homework and figured out how to control the beast is my guitar teacher and good friend Scott McGill. I’ve written about him before and reviewed his arpeggio book. When I decided to get my own fretless guitar (a Parker that I had modified) I went to Scott for advice on how to approach learning to play it without pulling my hair out. I thought some of the conversations we had would also be of interest to others interested in trying to play fretless guitar, but since I didn’t record our talks I had to do the next best thing and interview him. I’m pleased to finally be able to add him to the Fretterverse Artist Spotlight.

What made you decide to get into fretless guitar?

It seemed interesting to me and I always thought fretless bass was an interesting sound. I viewed it as a new way to challenge myself.

When you first started with it, did you listen to other fretless players?

No. Although I was aware that others played the instrument, I had not heard any material. There really is no tradition for the instrument as of yet.

What kind of music do you like to play on the fretless?

Music of my own making, Classical, and jazz. For me, traditional rock vocabulary is a waste of time on the fretless.

Godin Multiac Nylon Fretless Guitar

Does your approach to picking or your fingerings change when on a fretless guitar?

I’ve changed my left hand approach a bit. I’ve been using the 1^st, 2^nd, and 4^th fingers more and using the 3^rd finger more sparingly, similar to traditional contrabass technique. As for the picking hand, I have a more aggressive attack as the fretless has heavier strings than my fretted electric. My vibrato has changed since I started playing fretless as well.

Is it hard to switch back and forth from fretted to fretless guitars?

Yes. I have to take a little time to get used to fretted guitars after playing the fretless. My fretless has a wider neck, too, which has taken a little bit of getting used to.

Have you found your songwriting on the fretted guitar has changed as a result of playing so much fretless?

Yes, I tend to write specifically for the fretless. I view it as a different instrument altogether.

Let’s talk about the technical challenges. Obviously, good intonation is a huge hurdle…

Playing a note in tune is something guitarists can, for the most part, take for granted. Playing fretless means you have no such luxury and, like a violinist or cellist, you have to focus on just playing a single note in tune, let alone the more complicated material. It’s like starting over.

Chordal playing is also tough; how do you approach playing chords on a fretless guitar?

I make the chordal vocabulary fit the new instrument and that doesn’t necessarily mean “easier” chords as some very modern chord sounds can be played on the fretless. In instances you barre more and perhaps you add or leave out a note to stay in tune if necessary depending on the context or tempo. The angle of your hand makes all the difference with chords. I guess it’s a matter of finding something that’s pleasing to the ear and physically possible.

Good sustain is also hard to achieve. Do you find yourself relying on pedals and/or gear to get sustain-like effects, or do you just play less long notes?

As of late, I play without effects and just straight into an amp so the approach is more percussive. The lower strings on my guitar tend to sustain more than the higher ones. I have done recordings with the instrument where I use effects but for right now, I just focus on playing clean with just an amp and a cable.

Frettless O'Donnell Fusion Series

Was there anything else you found particularly difficult, or something that required you to look at the guitar differently?

Performing is quite a challenge because although it’s a guitar, it’s drastically different and challenging, especially if you’re improvising in front of an audience. Perhaps it’s a bit like being a saxophonist and playing flute live. It’s a part of the same instrumental family, but a different approach altogether. Playing fast passages on a fretless for me tends to be more difficult as you can’t just lightly dance off of the frets when playing rapidly. You have to press the string all the way down to make contact.

I’ve known you for a very long time and I know that, like me, you love to practice. What does your fretless practice routine consist of?

I use a similar plan. Scales, pieces, arpeggios, harmonics, improvising, chords, and writing section of music. I go to the fretless first when practicing as I figure if I can play something on that in tune, the fretted guitar won’t be quite as tough. It’s my favorite instrument right now. I’m working on a disc’s worth of material of classical pieces right now that includes the fretless guitar and I’d like to do another disc of all fretless guitar in the near future similar to “Awareness.” All of my discs from 2002 on include fretless guitar on them and I’d like that to continue and I am preparing to record more fretless material within a few weeks. I’d like to get involved in festivals and live performing a bit more too. I love the instrument and am having fun with it.

For more information on Scott’s recordings, you can visit his website. Another great website with plenty of information on fretless guitars is Unfretted.com.