[thejim]

Being of a philosophical bent, I have been pondering the existential question:

CAN SOMEONE TREAD THE FRETLESS PATH IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE?

In our musical paths we have chosen to go fretless, but what does this really mean to YOU?

I chose to go fretless as it makes me feel more in control of my music. If I make a fuck up -it is just me and a blank piece of wood- nothing else can be blamed. It is a harder path, but one which can take you in many new directions. Still finite possibilities, (I tried an infinite fingerboard once, nearly had someone's eye out with it), but so much more potential to do something new and challenging. Perhaps I should have stuck with minor pentatonics and joined a pub rock band .....

In life, can we go fretless?

I think fretless driving could be a bad idea, I seem to remember someone telling me those lines on the tarmac were there for a good reason... I forget.

Who has some ideas of fretless philosophy being applicable to their everyday life?

If you don't reply you are all a bunch of Kants.

[gazmungus]

thejim, on Jun 9 2005, 01:11 PM, said:

If you don't reply you are all a bunch of Kants.

Well that's me included.....

but I replied (DOH!)

I've tried the fretless filosofy in many parts of my being

for example 'shitless', 'whitless', 'pantless', 'faceless', 'mindless', 'sexless', 'drugless' & 'clean shaven'...

it itches lots but it's all good fun

_
gary

still and always a kant

[Kukulcan]

fretless pants?

[thejim]

I should imagine frets in pants would be an extremely uncomfortable experience. If you sat down too fast you could give yourself a Princess Margeret.

[jahloon]

I was particularly fond of crutchless earmuffs, but the thought of fretless panties has got me all hot and bothered. :ph34r:

[thejim]

I had some crotchless slippers once. they were pink and had pompoms on the toes. I do miss them so. They were abducted by an evil consortium of mooses and badgers, probably something to do with the masons. Just goes to show, you can't trust anyone these days.

[jahloon]

thejim, on Jun 10 2005, 10:42 AM, said:

I had some crotchless slippers once. they were pink and had pompoms on the toes. I do miss them so. They were abducted by an evil consortium of mooses and badgers, probably something to do with the masons. Just goes to show, you can't trust anyone these days.

Bet you looked a treat in them...

[thejim]

I cut a dash in them to be sure.

[jahloon]

Back to THE FRETLESS PATH - is that the freedom to think and listen differently?

Is it the freedom to walk on the grass and not care?

Is it the will to create something markedly different?

Is it the will to bend the rules, or even write new ones?

Is it the belief that we are on a musical brink, where all will change and nothing remain the same?

Frets / Fences / Walls / Barriers / Slots / Ruts / Rails / Rules

???

[Kai]

jahloon, on Jun 10 2005, 06:23 PM, said:

Back to THE FRETLESS PATH - is that the freedom to think and listen differently?

Is it the freedom to walk on the grass and not care?

Is it the will to create something markedly different?

Is it the will to bend the rules, or even write new ones?

Is it the belief that we are on a musical brink, where all will change and nothing remain the same?

Frets / Fences / Walls / Barriers / Slots / Ruts / Rails / Rules

???

Well, if we're getting philosophical here -

Stravinsky said "Discipline is freedom" meaning that once you have a structure to work with, it frees your energy from having to come up with that initial structure, so that you can put that energy into creating whatever you will within that structure (Indian music is a great example of this principle - the discipline of the raga provides the structure within which you have great improvisational freedom.)

Think of the bad wankfest jams you may have participated in where no-one could gel into a structure, so the jam never went anywhere...

Conversely, you can also say "freedom is discipline" - with the freedom, you are thrown back solely onto your own devices to come up with the structures you will need in order to create anything.

So:

fretless is both the freedom to choose anything and the discipline that you have to find within yourself to create structure as a result of having that freedom - there is no external person or thing (i.e., frets) to create the structure for you.

So you could say fretless means being totally responsible for yourself. No excuses.

[thejim]

Very much so, an analogy would be to say that 'a bad workman always blames his tools' but when you get rid of frets you get rid of the 'tools' that any sane guitarist would use to stay in a comfort zone of tonality. Fretless guitar is so hands on compared to fretted guitar. Just you, the strings and a blank canvas. I love it.

I take on board the idea of freedom and structure- how many self taught musicians do you know who can do their party piece wanky solo and that is about it? Conversely, how many classically trained musicians do you know who panic if you take away their sheet of music?

The best musicians I have had the pleasure of playing with have all been classically trained but have managed to see the bigger picture so well that they can improvise freely and use all the tools at their disposal. But they are in the minority.

[thejim]

Perhaps the world would be a better place if we all played pink guitars.

[gazmungus]

jahloon, on Jun 10 2005, 11:23 PM, said:

Is it the freedom to walk on the grass and not care?

I'll hope you'll not be doin' that in them crotchless slippers

you're bound to step in dogshit!

_
gary

not feeling very philosophical this morning...

[jahloon]

thejim, on Jun 11 2005, 03:20 PM, said:

Perhaps the world would be a better place if we all played pink guitars.

I could just about play a pink guitar but would have to draw the line at the pink oboe.

--j