Curious about the fretless guitar? This guide answers the most common questions beginning players have about the instrument.
Why learn the fretless guitar?
Is it worth the time and effort? After almost twenty years of playing fretless guitar, my answer is an emphatic yes. Here are six reasons why.
1. For the unique tone
the tone of the fretless classical guitar is softer and warmer than a fretted guitar and beautiful in a unique way. The notes seem to emerge and bloom in a way they don't on a standard guitar.
2. For expressive sliding and vibrato
The fretless fingerboard allows for a beautiful and emotional pure glissando. It is a very human-sounding glissando, closer to the human voice than a fretted guitar. The variety of vibrato is greater on a fretless guitar.
3. For the unlimited pitch options
Without frets you can play microtones or use microtonal inflections or ornaments. You can also explore other tuning systems outside of 12-tone equal temperament such as just intonation.
4. For exploring non-Western music
If you choose to, you can explore non-Western music such as middle-eastern makams, Indian ragas, and far-Eastern fretless plucked string music in a more authentic way than you can on a fretted guitar as all of these musical traditions employ fretless plucked stringed instruments (the oud, the sarod, and the guqin, for example).
5. For its creative possibilities
You will have an entire new palette of sounds, techniques, and possibilities to be inspired by, which can also be combined with western classical music composition, blues, or jazz improvisation. You want to expand your improvisations with new influences? You can do that. You want to write solo classical guitar pieces with elements on non-Western music? You can do that.
6. For the challenge:
The requirements on your ear, technique, and creativity will improve your musicianship, making you a better overall guitarist and musician.
How does removing the frets change the sound of the guitar?
The tone becomes darker and warmer than that of a standard guitar. Many players describe it as smooth, vocal, or slightly "fuzzy." This unique voice is one of the instrument's greatest strengths.
It slightly reduces sustain and volume. Since we are stopping the note with the soft pads of our fingertips instead of the hard metal frets some of the vibrational energy gets absorbed. (Having action that is too high will unnecessarily further reduce sustain. Make sure your action is not too high.) Also, soft left-hand callouses with also mute the sustain. Keep your callouses hard!
However, one can compensate for this issue in a variety of ways. For me, I often use an amplified sound mixed with the acoustic sound. The most common way to do this is to have a piezo pickup installed under the bridge. However, any system will work: piezo, piezo plus internal microphone, external microphone. I add reverb to the amplified sound. This, while not adding sustain to the instrument per se, allows the notes to linger longer. When done well it can create a beautiful effect.
Do I need experience playing standard guitar first?
Generally, yes.
The better your general guitar technique and musicianship, the easier the transition to fretless guitar will be. Fretless playing requires several skills that are often underdeveloped in beginning guitarists, including listening for accurate intonation on all notes, knowledge of the fingerboard, and a basic understanding of intervals and scales.
That said, learning fretless guitar is also an excellent way to improve your ear training. Many players find that fretless study dramatically improves their listening skills and overall musicianship.
How do I know where the notes are?
The notes are located exactly where the fret wires would normally be placed on a fretted guitar. Most fretless guitars include side markers or top-of-the-neck position markers to help with navigation.
Fortunately, the geometry of the fingerboard remains unchanged. Your muscle memory and left-hand spacing are still useful. The main adjustment is learning to place your fingers precisely where the fret wires would have been.
Learning the names and locations of all the notes on the fingerboard is extremely helpful. With practice, your ear and muscle memory will work together to guide your intonation.
Should I use fret markers?
I recommend them, and I use top-of-the-neck fret dots on positions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12. Some people use them on fewer positions, some use them on every position.
Additionally, many converted fretless guitars retain visible fret lines, while others use side dots or small markers along the edge of the fingerboard.
Do not think of fret markers as "cheating." They are valuable reference points, but you must still use your ear to place each note accurately.
Do I need perfect pitch to play fretless guitar?
No.
Most successful players of fretless instruments do not have perfect pitch. Violinists, cellists, and fretless bass players develop accurate intonation through ear training, muscle memory, and careful listening.
At first, you may find yourself checking your intonation constantly. Over time, your ears become more sensitive and your hands become more accurate.
One of the best ways to develop intonation is to practice with reference pitches. Open strings and drones provide a constant guide. When a note is out of tune, you will often hear a wavering or "beating" effect. As the note comes into tune, that beating diminishes or disappears.
If you can learn to hear when a note is out of tune, you can learn to play fretless guitar.
Why is the sustain less than on a standard guitar?
On a fretted guitar, the string terminates against a hard metal fret. On a fretless guitar, the string is stopped directly by the fingertip. Because skin is softer than metal, some of the string's energy is absorbed, resulting in reduced sustain.
The condition of your fingertips matters. Hard calluses generally produce better sustain than soft fingertips, especially on the first string.
However, the biggest killer of sustain is string action that is too high. I find this occurs when a standard guitar has been converted to a fretless but the action was not lowered.
To increase sustain (assuming your action is set to the right height and you have hard calluses), some players occasionally stop the string with the edge of the fingernail, a technique borrowed from the Indian sarod. This works particularly well on string 1. Tuning the instrument down a half step also slightly improves sustain.
What strings should I use?
This is largely a matter of personal preference.
Many players assume that flatwound strings are necessary to protect a fretless fingerboard. In my experience, this is not the case on a nylon-string fretless guitar with a hard fingerboard material such as ebony. I have used roundwound bass strings on fretless guitars for many years without significant wear issues. Some players prefer the tone of flatwounds or partially sanded basses (a compromise between the brightness of roundwounds and the reduced bass string string squeak of flatwounds).
Currently, I use and endorse Pitbull strings. They were founded in 2017 and are based in Turkey. They make a variety of types of classical guitar strings including nylon, carbon, and coated nylon. I like the coated nylon (the bass strings are coated with a polymer) because the basses are bright and punchy but the coating reduces bass-string squeak, which can be annoying on a fretless guitar. They keep their brightness for a long time. I use heavy tension.
Experiment with different string types and tensions until you find a sound and feel that suits your playing style.
How should I tune the fretless guitar?
Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) works perfectly well on a fretless guitar. However, many instruments respond beautifully when tuned lower.
Try tuning down a half step to E♭-A♭-D♭-G♭-B♭-E♭ or even a whole step lower to D-G-C-F-A-D. Lower tunings can produce slightly increased sustain, especially on string 1.
The fretless guitar is also particularly rewarding for alternate tunings. Common choices such as DADGAD or DGDGBD are excellent places to begin experimenting.
I have used many, many alternate tunings. My piece Proof of Existence uses C# G# E G# B D# for example.
Does fingerboard material matter?
There are two considerations for fingerboard material, sustain and protection from long-term wear and use.
Most classical guitars have ebony or rosewood fingerboards. Both are sufficiently hard woods, although ebony is harder and is considered a more premium wood for fingerboards. Ebony is what all violins, violas, cellos, and double-basses use. Ebony will provide the best protection from years of wear and use. I have found that both ebony and rosewood provide similar sustain and tone.
Some fretless electric guitars use different types metal or glass fingerboards, claiming that they not only affect sustain but tone also. These other fingerboard materials can be applied to a fretless classical guitar too but are not common. Ebony remains the standard premium wood for fretless classical guitar fingerboards.
Do I need to have a fingerboard that is epoxied?
I have found it is not necessary for fretless classical guitar to have a lacquer, polyurethane, or epoxy finish applied to the fingerboard to protect it from wear of the strings against the fingerboard. This is standard procedure for fretless electric basses and some people assume it applies to fretless classical guitar too. The only strings that could potentially cause string wear on fretless classical guitar are the roundwound bass strings. However, their sizes are much smaller than those of the bass. Some fretless guitar players use flatwound bass strings as a precaution though. This, of course will affect the tone, providing a darker, mellow sound (which may be preferable to you).
It is helpful to look to the world of the oud for more insight. Ouds traditionally have an unfinished ebony fingerboard. I have read accounts of ouds that eventually need to have their fingerboards sanded by a luthier to remove any dips or grooves after years and years of playing. However, after a decade of playing on my unfinished ebony fingerboard my fretless guitar shows no sign of damage or wear, and I play it a lot.
As such, you can have the fingerboard epoxied, if you wish. This will also provide a harder playing surface but will alter the resistance of the left hand fingers as they move across the fingerboard, depending on the thickness of the applied epoxy or varnish. It will provide protection from string wear for life, however.
What should I play as someone new to fretless guitar?
The most important perspective about what you choose to play on the fretless guitar is this:
The more fingers you place on the fingerboard at one time, the more challenging accurate intonation becomes. For this reason, beginners should start with playing single-note melodies.
Practice simple melodies in tune, both across multiple strings and along a single string. As your confidence grows, experiment with expressive slides and position shifts.
Then explore ornamentation. There are many different types of ornaments, from Western ornaments and embellishments like the trill and mordant to Turkish ornamental techniques such as çarpma and the Indian meend..
Once you are comfortable with single-note playing, begin introducing passages that require two fingers on the fingerboard at the same time. Or use the instrument as a single solo instrument to play melodies and improvisations.
How do you read music for fretless guitar?
Exactly the same way you read music for a standard guitar.
Standard notation works normally, and tablature works as well. Although the instrument has no frets, each note is still located where the corresponding fret would have been on a fretted guitar. A tablature indication of "5" still means the note is played where the fifth fret would normally be located.
Where can I buy a fretless guitar?
Is it worth the time and effort? After almost twenty years of playing fretless guitar, my answer is an emphatic yes. Here are six reasons why.
1. For the unique tone
the tone of the fretless classical guitar is softer and warmer than a fretted guitar and beautiful in a unique way. The notes seem to emerge and bloom in a way they don't on a standard guitar.
2. For expressive sliding and vibrato
The fretless fingerboard allows for a beautiful and emotional pure glissando. It is a very human-sounding glissando, closer to the human voice than a fretted guitar. The variety of vibrato is greater on a fretless guitar.
3. For the unlimited pitch options
Without frets you can play microtones or use microtonal inflections or ornaments. You can also explore other tuning systems outside of 12-tone equal temperament such as just intonation.
4. For exploring non-Western music
If you choose to, you can explore non-Western music such as middle-eastern makams, Indian ragas, and far-Eastern fretless plucked string music in a more authentic way than you can on a fretted guitar as all of these musical traditions employ fretless plucked stringed instruments (the oud, the sarod, and the guqin, for example).
5. For its creative possibilities
You will have an entire new palette of sounds, techniques, and possibilities to be inspired by, which can also be combined with western classical music composition, blues, or jazz improvisation. You want to expand your improvisations with new influences? You can do that. You want to write solo classical guitar pieces with elements on non-Western music? You can do that.
6. For the challenge:
The requirements on your ear, technique, and creativity will improve your musicianship, making you a better overall guitarist and musician.
How does removing the frets change the sound of the guitar?
The tone becomes darker and warmer than that of a standard guitar. Many players describe it as smooth, vocal, or slightly "fuzzy." This unique voice is one of the instrument's greatest strengths.
It slightly reduces sustain and volume. Since we are stopping the note with the soft pads of our fingertips instead of the hard metal frets some of the vibrational energy gets absorbed. (Having action that is too high will unnecessarily further reduce sustain. Make sure your action is not too high.) Also, soft left-hand callouses with also mute the sustain. Keep your callouses hard!
However, one can compensate for this issue in a variety of ways. For me, I often use an amplified sound mixed with the acoustic sound. The most common way to do this is to have a piezo pickup installed under the bridge. However, any system will work: piezo, piezo plus internal microphone, external microphone. I add reverb to the amplified sound. This, while not adding sustain to the instrument per se, allows the notes to linger longer. When done well it can create a beautiful effect.
Do I need experience playing standard guitar first?
Generally, yes.
The better your general guitar technique and musicianship, the easier the transition to fretless guitar will be. Fretless playing requires several skills that are often underdeveloped in beginning guitarists, including listening for accurate intonation on all notes, knowledge of the fingerboard, and a basic understanding of intervals and scales.
That said, learning fretless guitar is also an excellent way to improve your ear training. Many players find that fretless study dramatically improves their listening skills and overall musicianship.
How do I know where the notes are?
The notes are located exactly where the fret wires would normally be placed on a fretted guitar. Most fretless guitars include side markers or top-of-the-neck position markers to help with navigation.
Fortunately, the geometry of the fingerboard remains unchanged. Your muscle memory and left-hand spacing are still useful. The main adjustment is learning to place your fingers precisely where the fret wires would have been.
Learning the names and locations of all the notes on the fingerboard is extremely helpful. With practice, your ear and muscle memory will work together to guide your intonation.
Should I use fret markers?
I recommend them, and I use top-of-the-neck fret dots on positions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12. Some people use them on fewer positions, some use them on every position.
Additionally, many converted fretless guitars retain visible fret lines, while others use side dots or small markers along the edge of the fingerboard.
Do not think of fret markers as "cheating." They are valuable reference points, but you must still use your ear to place each note accurately.
Do I need perfect pitch to play fretless guitar?
No.
Most successful players of fretless instruments do not have perfect pitch. Violinists, cellists, and fretless bass players develop accurate intonation through ear training, muscle memory, and careful listening.
At first, you may find yourself checking your intonation constantly. Over time, your ears become more sensitive and your hands become more accurate.
One of the best ways to develop intonation is to practice with reference pitches. Open strings and drones provide a constant guide. When a note is out of tune, you will often hear a wavering or "beating" effect. As the note comes into tune, that beating diminishes or disappears.
If you can learn to hear when a note is out of tune, you can learn to play fretless guitar.
Why is the sustain less than on a standard guitar?
On a fretted guitar, the string terminates against a hard metal fret. On a fretless guitar, the string is stopped directly by the fingertip. Because skin is softer than metal, some of the string's energy is absorbed, resulting in reduced sustain.
The condition of your fingertips matters. Hard calluses generally produce better sustain than soft fingertips, especially on the first string.
However, the biggest killer of sustain is string action that is too high. I find this occurs when a standard guitar has been converted to a fretless but the action was not lowered.
To increase sustain (assuming your action is set to the right height and you have hard calluses), some players occasionally stop the string with the edge of the fingernail, a technique borrowed from the Indian sarod. This works particularly well on string 1. Tuning the instrument down a half step also slightly improves sustain.
What strings should I use?
This is largely a matter of personal preference.
Many players assume that flatwound strings are necessary to protect a fretless fingerboard. In my experience, this is not the case on a nylon-string fretless guitar with a hard fingerboard material such as ebony. I have used roundwound bass strings on fretless guitars for many years without significant wear issues. Some players prefer the tone of flatwounds or partially sanded basses (a compromise between the brightness of roundwounds and the reduced bass string string squeak of flatwounds).
Currently, I use and endorse Pitbull strings. They were founded in 2017 and are based in Turkey. They make a variety of types of classical guitar strings including nylon, carbon, and coated nylon. I like the coated nylon (the bass strings are coated with a polymer) because the basses are bright and punchy but the coating reduces bass-string squeak, which can be annoying on a fretless guitar. They keep their brightness for a long time. I use heavy tension.
Experiment with different string types and tensions until you find a sound and feel that suits your playing style.
How should I tune the fretless guitar?
Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) works perfectly well on a fretless guitar. However, many instruments respond beautifully when tuned lower.
Try tuning down a half step to E♭-A♭-D♭-G♭-B♭-E♭ or even a whole step lower to D-G-C-F-A-D. Lower tunings can produce slightly increased sustain, especially on string 1.
The fretless guitar is also particularly rewarding for alternate tunings. Common choices such as DADGAD or DGDGBD are excellent places to begin experimenting.
I have used many, many alternate tunings. My piece Proof of Existence uses C# G# E G# B D# for example.
Does fingerboard material matter?
There are two considerations for fingerboard material, sustain and protection from long-term wear and use.
Most classical guitars have ebony or rosewood fingerboards. Both are sufficiently hard woods, although ebony is harder and is considered a more premium wood for fingerboards. Ebony is what all violins, violas, cellos, and double-basses use. Ebony will provide the best protection from years of wear and use. I have found that both ebony and rosewood provide similar sustain and tone.
Some fretless electric guitars use different types metal or glass fingerboards, claiming that they not only affect sustain but tone also. These other fingerboard materials can be applied to a fretless classical guitar too but are not common. Ebony remains the standard premium wood for fretless classical guitar fingerboards.
Do I need to have a fingerboard that is epoxied?
I have found it is not necessary for fretless classical guitar to have a lacquer, polyurethane, or epoxy finish applied to the fingerboard to protect it from wear of the strings against the fingerboard. This is standard procedure for fretless electric basses and some people assume it applies to fretless classical guitar too. The only strings that could potentially cause string wear on fretless classical guitar are the roundwound bass strings. However, their sizes are much smaller than those of the bass. Some fretless guitar players use flatwound bass strings as a precaution though. This, of course will affect the tone, providing a darker, mellow sound (which may be preferable to you).
It is helpful to look to the world of the oud for more insight. Ouds traditionally have an unfinished ebony fingerboard. I have read accounts of ouds that eventually need to have their fingerboards sanded by a luthier to remove any dips or grooves after years and years of playing. However, after a decade of playing on my unfinished ebony fingerboard my fretless guitar shows no sign of damage or wear, and I play it a lot.
As such, you can have the fingerboard epoxied, if you wish. This will also provide a harder playing surface but will alter the resistance of the left hand fingers as they move across the fingerboard, depending on the thickness of the applied epoxy or varnish. It will provide protection from string wear for life, however.
What should I play as someone new to fretless guitar?
The most important perspective about what you choose to play on the fretless guitar is this:
The more fingers you place on the fingerboard at one time, the more challenging accurate intonation becomes. For this reason, beginners should start with playing single-note melodies.
Practice simple melodies in tune, both across multiple strings and along a single string. As your confidence grows, experiment with expressive slides and position shifts.
Then explore ornamentation. There are many different types of ornaments, from Western ornaments and embellishments like the trill and mordant to Turkish ornamental techniques such as çarpma and the Indian meend..
Once you are comfortable with single-note playing, begin introducing passages that require two fingers on the fingerboard at the same time. Or use the instrument as a single solo instrument to play melodies and improvisations.
How do you read music for fretless guitar?
Exactly the same way you read music for a standard guitar.
Standard notation works normally, and tablature works as well. Although the instrument has no frets, each note is still located where the corresponding fret would have been on a fretted guitar. A tablature indication of "5" still means the note is played where the fifth fret would normally be located.
Where can I buy a fretless guitar?
Twenty years ago it was much more difficult to get a fretless classical guitar. You either had to convert one (or have a guitar luthier convert one) or commission a luthier to custom build one for you. However, these days there are a number of affordable commercial models available online.
Five years ago I partnered with Altamira Guitars, through my company G&G Guitars, to produce fretless versions of their standard classical guitar models, based on my recommendations. G&G Guitars (a business partnership of myself and guitarist Mak Grgic) is the official and exclusive reseller of Altamira fretless classical guitars. I stand behind these guitars 100%. I play Altamira fretless guitars exclusively and am impressed not only by the quality of their guitars but by the willingness of the company to work with myself in bringing these guitars to market and realizing there is an unmet need for fretless guitars. At G&G Guitars you can purchase directly or pre-order an Altamira fretless classical guitar. All Altamira fretless guitars have a truss rod, which also adds to neck stability and have solid wood tops, even the entry level models.
Five years ago I partnered with Altamira Guitars, through my company G&G Guitars, to produce fretless versions of their standard classical guitar models, based on my recommendations. G&G Guitars (a business partnership of myself and guitarist Mak Grgic) is the official and exclusive reseller of Altamira fretless classical guitars. I stand behind these guitars 100%. I play Altamira fretless guitars exclusively and am impressed not only by the quality of their guitars but by the willingness of the company to work with myself in bringing these guitars to market and realizing there is an unmet need for fretless guitars. At G&G Guitars you can purchase directly or pre-order an Altamira fretless classical guitar. All Altamira fretless guitars have a truss rod, which also adds to neck stability and have solid wood tops, even the entry level models.
Can I convert a standard guitar to a fretless guitar?
In short, yes. However, it must be done correctly or it will sound bad, be difficult to play, and have no sustain.
I have seen both great conversions and complete disasters. In this video luthier Beau Hannam walks you through everything you need to know: How To Convert a Guitar To A Fretless
Correct string action, or the height of the strings from the fingerboard, is vitally important. Too high and it will be difficult to fret notes and sustain will be reduced. Too low and there will be buzzing on notes. This is especially pronounced on a fretless neck if the fingerboard is not perfectly flat. In general, string action is measured in two places, at the nut and at the 12th fret. Since the fretless guitar no longer has frets I will refer to the second measurement as where the neck meets the body, which is the 12th fret on most classical guitars, cutaways notwithstanding.
When measuring use a ruler with 32ths of an inch and measure from the fretboard to the bottom of the string. The measurement at the neck/body point should be 3-4 32nds of an inch for the trebles and 4-5 32nds of an inch for the basses. Going lower or higher makes your guitar susceptible to the aforementioned problems. That being said, too high action is almost always the problem for conversions as the person simply removed the frets without lowering the action to compensate for the distance from the fretboard the crown of the fret provided. This will entail lowering the nut and the saddle of the guitar.
A second option I have seen for conversions is to have a fretless fingerboard glued on top of an existing refretted fretboard or have the existing fretboard removed and replaced with a fretless fingerboard. This can work great. There are even guitars with removable fretboards. The same issues of setting the action applies though.
In short, yes. However, it must be done correctly or it will sound bad, be difficult to play, and have no sustain.
I have seen both great conversions and complete disasters. In this video luthier Beau Hannam walks you through everything you need to know: How To Convert a Guitar To A Fretless
Correct string action, or the height of the strings from the fingerboard, is vitally important. Too high and it will be difficult to fret notes and sustain will be reduced. Too low and there will be buzzing on notes. This is especially pronounced on a fretless neck if the fingerboard is not perfectly flat. In general, string action is measured in two places, at the nut and at the 12th fret. Since the fretless guitar no longer has frets I will refer to the second measurement as where the neck meets the body, which is the 12th fret on most classical guitars, cutaways notwithstanding.
When measuring use a ruler with 32ths of an inch and measure from the fretboard to the bottom of the string. The measurement at the neck/body point should be 3-4 32nds of an inch for the trebles and 4-5 32nds of an inch for the basses. Going lower or higher makes your guitar susceptible to the aforementioned problems. That being said, too high action is almost always the problem for conversions as the person simply removed the frets without lowering the action to compensate for the distance from the fretboard the crown of the fret provided. This will entail lowering the nut and the saddle of the guitar.
A second option I have seen for conversions is to have a fretless fingerboard glued on top of an existing refretted fretboard or have the existing fretboard removed and replaced with a fretless fingerboard. This can work great. There are even guitars with removable fretboards. The same issues of setting the action applies though.
How can I improve my intonation?
Improving your ability to hear intervals is one of the most important aspects of fretless playing.
Some effective exercises include:
Like any musical skill, intonation improves through focused practice and repetition. My video below goes into more detail.
Improving your ability to hear intervals is one of the most important aspects of fretless playing.
Some effective exercises include:
- Practice scales and melodies slowly against a drone, either an open bass string on the guitar, or a YouTube video (there are lots of them as it is standard practice for double-bassists, cellists, violists, violinists).
- Practe scales very slowly with an electronic tuner that shows 100 cent divisions of the note.
- Play with your eyes closed to focus your attention on listening.
- Imagine the note in your inner ear before you play it.
- Compare fingered notes against open strings whenever possible as the open string is always in tune and acts as a reference pitch.
Like any musical skill, intonation improves through focused practice and repetition. My video below goes into more detail.
Is vibrato the same on fretless guitar?
No, unlike standard fretted guitar where vibrato is either pushing the string up and down (the standard electric guitar vibrato) or pulling and pushing the string (the standard classical guitar vibrato) on fretless guitar it is produced by either rocking the fingertip (similar to a cello vibrato) or by sliding the finger on the string. My video below describes fretless guitar vibrato in more detail.
No, unlike standard fretted guitar where vibrato is either pushing the string up and down (the standard electric guitar vibrato) or pulling and pushing the string (the standard classical guitar vibrato) on fretless guitar it is produced by either rocking the fingertip (similar to a cello vibrato) or by sliding the finger on the string. My video below describes fretless guitar vibrato in more detail.
Can I play chords on fretless guitar?
Yes! Physically, chords are no harder to play on a fretless guitar than a standard guitar. However, playing them with accurate intonation can very much be more difficult. This will be determined by two factors:
1. The number of left-hand fingers required to be on the fingerboard.
A chord requiring only one finger (and two or more open strings) is simple to play in tune. A chord requiring two fingers (and one or more open strings) is also standard and beautiful. A chord with three or four fingers on the fingerboard is harder to intonate well, is more advanced, and used less frequently. This means an open-string C major chord, a beginner chord on the standard guitar, is far more difficult to play well on a fretless guitar.
2. The left-hand finger shape.
Certain two-finger left-hand shapes are easier to play in tune than others. The only shape that is not practical to intonate well is having two fingers on the same "fret position" on adjacent strings. Unfortunately, this is a common finger shape for barre chords and even open string chords like A, am, E, em.
This means on fretless guitar you need to approach chords differently than on a standard guitar. Rather than forcing familiar chord shapes to work, explore the left-hand shapes and voicings that naturally suit the instrument. You will learn what is most idiomatic and beautiful for the instrument.
Here is a video where I go into more depth. I play a short piece at the start. I have included the music (in standard notation and tablature) below
Yes! Physically, chords are no harder to play on a fretless guitar than a standard guitar. However, playing them with accurate intonation can very much be more difficult. This will be determined by two factors:
1. The number of left-hand fingers required to be on the fingerboard.
A chord requiring only one finger (and two or more open strings) is simple to play in tune. A chord requiring two fingers (and one or more open strings) is also standard and beautiful. A chord with three or four fingers on the fingerboard is harder to intonate well, is more advanced, and used less frequently. This means an open-string C major chord, a beginner chord on the standard guitar, is far more difficult to play well on a fretless guitar.
2. The left-hand finger shape.
Certain two-finger left-hand shapes are easier to play in tune than others. The only shape that is not practical to intonate well is having two fingers on the same "fret position" on adjacent strings. Unfortunately, this is a common finger shape for barre chords and even open string chords like A, am, E, em.
This means on fretless guitar you need to approach chords differently than on a standard guitar. Rather than forcing familiar chord shapes to work, explore the left-hand shapes and voicings that naturally suit the instrument. You will learn what is most idiomatic and beautiful for the instrument.
Here is a video where I go into more depth. I play a short piece at the start. I have included the music (in standard notation and tablature) below
| chord_etude_in_g.pdf |
Fretless classical guitar versus fretless electric guitar. What are the differences?
Fretless electric and fretless classical guitars both have their own unique appeal. However, the fretless classical guitar is more of a radical departure from the standard classical guitar than the fretless electric guitar is from the standard electric guitar. The mechanics of the instrument have historically tied the music of the classical guitar to 12TET more than those of the electric guitar. Standard electric guitar has three already-in-place mechanical elements/techniques that allow for the same pure glissandos of a fretless guitar.
1. The whammy bar. Whether a player uses it for dive-bombs (à la Eddie Van Halen) or more subtly (à la Jeff Beck or Steve Vai), the tremolo arm allows for the electric guitar to produce pure pitch movement down or up (with a smaller pitch range) as a fretless electric.
2. The bottleneck slide. This allows pure glissandos. It can be used for large glissandos or subtly (à la Derek Trucks) to create vocal-like, nuanced melodies.
3. String bending. This also creates a pure raising of a pitch. It is obviously limited in how much the pitch can be raised, but subtle microtone bends are commonplace (1/4-step bends on the minor 3rd of a blues scale, for example).
This does not take into account fretless electric guitar techniques not achievable on a standard electric guitar such as the unlimited use of temperaments outside of 12TET, custom microtonal scales, microtonal chords, glissed harmonics, or wind instrument-like glissando effects that can be achieved with an e-bow or infinite sustain pickup.
This is not a critique of the fretless electric guitar but, rather, a comparison between it and the fretless classical guitar where no whammy bar exists, bends are almost never used, and a bottleneck slide is only used as an experimental technique. I find Turkish fretless electric guitar players interesting in their use of Turkish makam-based, fluid, microtonal-infused one-string ornamentation in their playing. The same goes for guitarists playing Indian ragas up and down one string. I feel the fretless electric guitar excels most when these styles are incorporated into the player's vocabulary, as well as when a player can dive deep into experimental avant-garde microtonal musical territory in a musical way.
Fretless electric and fretless classical guitars both have their own unique appeal. However, the fretless classical guitar is more of a radical departure from the standard classical guitar than the fretless electric guitar is from the standard electric guitar. The mechanics of the instrument have historically tied the music of the classical guitar to 12TET more than those of the electric guitar. Standard electric guitar has three already-in-place mechanical elements/techniques that allow for the same pure glissandos of a fretless guitar.
1. The whammy bar. Whether a player uses it for dive-bombs (à la Eddie Van Halen) or more subtly (à la Jeff Beck or Steve Vai), the tremolo arm allows for the electric guitar to produce pure pitch movement down or up (with a smaller pitch range) as a fretless electric.
2. The bottleneck slide. This allows pure glissandos. It can be used for large glissandos or subtly (à la Derek Trucks) to create vocal-like, nuanced melodies.
3. String bending. This also creates a pure raising of a pitch. It is obviously limited in how much the pitch can be raised, but subtle microtone bends are commonplace (1/4-step bends on the minor 3rd of a blues scale, for example).
This does not take into account fretless electric guitar techniques not achievable on a standard electric guitar such as the unlimited use of temperaments outside of 12TET, custom microtonal scales, microtonal chords, glissed harmonics, or wind instrument-like glissando effects that can be achieved with an e-bow or infinite sustain pickup.
This is not a critique of the fretless electric guitar but, rather, a comparison between it and the fretless classical guitar where no whammy bar exists, bends are almost never used, and a bottleneck slide is only used as an experimental technique. I find Turkish fretless electric guitar players interesting in their use of Turkish makam-based, fluid, microtonal-infused one-string ornamentation in their playing. The same goes for guitarists playing Indian ragas up and down one string. I feel the fretless electric guitar excels most when these styles are incorporated into the player's vocabulary, as well as when a player can dive deep into experimental avant-garde microtonal musical territory in a musical way.
When was the fretless guitar invented?
The short answer is that the fretless classical guitar was invented in 1976. A more in-depth answer below.
Nylon-string fretless instruments:
The fretless classical (nylon-string acoustic) guitar was invented by Turkish musician Erkan Oğur in 1976, who converted a standard classical guitar to a fretless to allow him to play microtones found in traditional Turkish music. However, the concept of a plucked string instrument goes back thousands of years and exists in many cultures. The oud is the most famous example of a fretless plucked string instrument that uses nylon strings (historically gut and/or silk strings). It was invented thousands of years ago and is still popular throughout the Middle East and other areas of the world today. Other examples include the Chinese guqin and sanxian, Japanese shamisen and sanshin, and the fretless banjo.
Steel-string fretless instruments:
Fretless plucked string instruments that use steel strings include the Indian sarod, the Turkish cümbüş, the pedal steel and lap steel guitar, and bottleneck slide guitar technique on a standard guitar (frets being used only as visual markers). The Indian sarod is an instrument featuring steel strings and a metal fingerboard. It is at least 200 years old. The Turkish cümbüş, invented in 1930, also features steel strings and a sound reminiscent of the American banjo but with the ability to create microtonal notes and slides.
Lap steel guitar and pedal steel guitar, while not a fretless guitar per se, are used essentially as fretless instruments, with a steel bar sliding across steel strings, allowing for a pure glissando. The invention of the acoustic lap steel guitar is attributed to Hawaiian guitarist Joseph Kekuku in 1889. Around the same time, experiments in bottleneck slide guitar techniques were being used in Mississippi delta blues music. Bottleneck slide technique, most likely, was an extension of the playing technique used for the one-string diddley bow, a homemade West African folk instrument dating back to the 18th century and adapted by enslaved people in the rural South of the US in the 19th century.
Fretless electric guitar:
Experiments with fretless electric guitars date back to 1946 by experimental composer Harry Partch who removed the frets of a standard electric guitar to enable him to play his system of microtonality on the guitar (he modified a steel string acoustic guitar to fretless earlier, in 1934). George Harrison of the Beatles owned and used a fretless electric guitar in 1967 made as a commercial experiment by the company Bartell Guitars. Frank Zappa also owned and used a fretless electric guitar in the 1970's. While still unusual, as time went on more guitarists experimented with fretless electric guitar, with Guthrie Govan being a well-known current example.
So fretless guitar is a relatively new idea but the concept of a plucked string instrument with a fretless fingerboard is an ancient one, and one found in many musical cultures and styles of music throughout the world.
The short answer is that the fretless classical guitar was invented in 1976. A more in-depth answer below.
Nylon-string fretless instruments:
The fretless classical (nylon-string acoustic) guitar was invented by Turkish musician Erkan Oğur in 1976, who converted a standard classical guitar to a fretless to allow him to play microtones found in traditional Turkish music. However, the concept of a plucked string instrument goes back thousands of years and exists in many cultures. The oud is the most famous example of a fretless plucked string instrument that uses nylon strings (historically gut and/or silk strings). It was invented thousands of years ago and is still popular throughout the Middle East and other areas of the world today. Other examples include the Chinese guqin and sanxian, Japanese shamisen and sanshin, and the fretless banjo.
Steel-string fretless instruments:
Fretless plucked string instruments that use steel strings include the Indian sarod, the Turkish cümbüş, the pedal steel and lap steel guitar, and bottleneck slide guitar technique on a standard guitar (frets being used only as visual markers). The Indian sarod is an instrument featuring steel strings and a metal fingerboard. It is at least 200 years old. The Turkish cümbüş, invented in 1930, also features steel strings and a sound reminiscent of the American banjo but with the ability to create microtonal notes and slides.
Lap steel guitar and pedal steel guitar, while not a fretless guitar per se, are used essentially as fretless instruments, with a steel bar sliding across steel strings, allowing for a pure glissando. The invention of the acoustic lap steel guitar is attributed to Hawaiian guitarist Joseph Kekuku in 1889. Around the same time, experiments in bottleneck slide guitar techniques were being used in Mississippi delta blues music. Bottleneck slide technique, most likely, was an extension of the playing technique used for the one-string diddley bow, a homemade West African folk instrument dating back to the 18th century and adapted by enslaved people in the rural South of the US in the 19th century.
Fretless electric guitar:
Experiments with fretless electric guitars date back to 1946 by experimental composer Harry Partch who removed the frets of a standard electric guitar to enable him to play his system of microtonality on the guitar (he modified a steel string acoustic guitar to fretless earlier, in 1934). George Harrison of the Beatles owned and used a fretless electric guitar in 1967 made as a commercial experiment by the company Bartell Guitars. Frank Zappa also owned and used a fretless electric guitar in the 1970's. While still unusual, as time went on more guitarists experimented with fretless electric guitar, with Guthrie Govan being a well-known current example.
So fretless guitar is a relatively new idea but the concept of a plucked string instrument with a fretless fingerboard is an ancient one, and one found in many musical cultures and styles of music throughout the world.
Can you use the fretless guitar to play Hindustani and Carnatic music of India?
Yes, ragas sound great on fretless guitar. However, fretless steel-string acoustic or fretless electric guitars are closest in timbre to India's most well-known plucked string instruments—the sitar, sarod, and veena—which all use steel strings. While some ornamentations (called gamakas), like the long glide (meend), work beautifully on all fretless guitars, others benefit from the brighter timbre and extra sustain (when played on the left hand nail, sarod style) of steel strings.
The same nylon-string vs. steel-string timbral issue arises with fretless guitar and American blues music, as blues guitar is traditionally associated with steel-string acoustic and electric guitar, not the nylon string guitar.
Yes, ragas sound great on fretless guitar. However, fretless steel-string acoustic or fretless electric guitars are closest in timbre to India's most well-known plucked string instruments—the sitar, sarod, and veena—which all use steel strings. While some ornamentations (called gamakas), like the long glide (meend), work beautifully on all fretless guitars, others benefit from the brighter timbre and extra sustain (when played on the left hand nail, sarod style) of steel strings.
The same nylon-string vs. steel-string timbral issue arises with fretless guitar and American blues music, as blues guitar is traditionally associated with steel-string acoustic and electric guitar, not the nylon string guitar.
Where is fretless guitar headed?
To understand where it’s going, you have to look at where it started. The fretless classical guitar was invented in Turkey, so its roots are deeply tied to that culture. The pioneers who showed how beautifully the instrument could emulate the fluid, microtonal nuances of Turkish music. When played this way, it’s essentially a solo melodic voice that mirrors the ornate vocal melodies of Turkish music. The fretless classical guitar also easily acts as a substitute for the oud, allowing the player to access the musical traditions of the oud on a guitar, whether these are Turkish, Arabic, or Persian. What unites all of these styles, other than general regional proximity, is that they rely on maqamat-based, non-12-TET microtonal systems.
From the very beginning, though, Eastern players were experimenting with fusing it with Western musical styles. It is well-adapted for injecting an Eastern flavor into Western jazz, and it has this beautiful, naturally symbiotic relationship with Spanish flamenco techniques, for example.
Until recently, though, there were not many examples of the fretless classical guitar being used to play Western solo classical guitar style music, it being used mainly for single-line experimental music. Why? Because the intonation challenges are difficult when you try to play multi-part music with complex harmonic ideas, which is foundational to the Western classical guitar tradition. I set out to prove that it could be done, and was a musically legitimate pursuit. Of course, fusing the vocabulary of the West with Eastern microtonal maqamat-based systems and styles is the exact same synergistic musical impulse that the fretless guitar players from the East have, but coming from the opposite direction.
So, where is it all going? The future of the fretless classical guitar will show a further fusion of these elements, and many others from around the world. You could call it the "internationalization" of the instrument. Depending on who is playing or composing, and their musical and cultural backgrounds, it will lean into certain musical identities and styles more than others. We aren't quite there yet—we're still in the discovery stage while fretless players work out the technical and musical hurdles—but it will get there over time. And that’s what excites me most. I feel it's vital that this instrument isn't seen as musically or culturally exclusive. Instead, it should be viewed as a tool for guitar players and composers wanting to pursue an expanded and expressive cross-cultural musical voice on guitar.
To understand where it’s going, you have to look at where it started. The fretless classical guitar was invented in Turkey, so its roots are deeply tied to that culture. The pioneers who showed how beautifully the instrument could emulate the fluid, microtonal nuances of Turkish music. When played this way, it’s essentially a solo melodic voice that mirrors the ornate vocal melodies of Turkish music. The fretless classical guitar also easily acts as a substitute for the oud, allowing the player to access the musical traditions of the oud on a guitar, whether these are Turkish, Arabic, or Persian. What unites all of these styles, other than general regional proximity, is that they rely on maqamat-based, non-12-TET microtonal systems.
From the very beginning, though, Eastern players were experimenting with fusing it with Western musical styles. It is well-adapted for injecting an Eastern flavor into Western jazz, and it has this beautiful, naturally symbiotic relationship with Spanish flamenco techniques, for example.
Until recently, though, there were not many examples of the fretless classical guitar being used to play Western solo classical guitar style music, it being used mainly for single-line experimental music. Why? Because the intonation challenges are difficult when you try to play multi-part music with complex harmonic ideas, which is foundational to the Western classical guitar tradition. I set out to prove that it could be done, and was a musically legitimate pursuit. Of course, fusing the vocabulary of the West with Eastern microtonal maqamat-based systems and styles is the exact same synergistic musical impulse that the fretless guitar players from the East have, but coming from the opposite direction.
So, where is it all going? The future of the fretless classical guitar will show a further fusion of these elements, and many others from around the world. You could call it the "internationalization" of the instrument. Depending on who is playing or composing, and their musical and cultural backgrounds, it will lean into certain musical identities and styles more than others. We aren't quite there yet—we're still in the discovery stage while fretless players work out the technical and musical hurdles—but it will get there over time. And that’s what excites me most. I feel it's vital that this instrument isn't seen as musically or culturally exclusive. Instead, it should be viewed as a tool for guitar players and composers wanting to pursue an expanded and expressive cross-cultural musical voice on guitar.
Where can I find more instructional material for fretless classical guitar?
While there are more instructional videos and online resources than there were a decade ago, there is still no comprehensive method for learning the fretless classical guitar. To help fill that gap, I am currently writing The Buzz Gravelle Fretless Classical Guitar Method, a progressive multi-media method book designed for guitarists wanting to learn to play fretless guitar. It will cover everything from basic intonation and technique to advanced repertoire, with professionally recorded audio examples and companion videos demonstrating key techniques. Check back here for updates on its release.
While there are more instructional videos and online resources than there were a decade ago, there is still no comprehensive method for learning the fretless classical guitar. To help fill that gap, I am currently writing The Buzz Gravelle Fretless Classical Guitar Method, a progressive multi-media method book designed for guitarists wanting to learn to play fretless guitar. It will cover everything from basic intonation and technique to advanced repertoire, with professionally recorded audio examples and companion videos demonstrating key techniques. Check back here for updates on its release.
