Each instrument has its own unique set of obstacles to over come. I’m going to concern this post with non-fretted instruments verses fretted instruments. One of the goals of a fretted instrument such as a guitar or mandolin, is to learn where the notes are on the fret board. The wonderful thing about fretted instruments is when you know where the notes are and you place your finger behind that fret, and if the instrument is tuned properly and is of good construction, you’ll produce the pitched assigned to that string and fret. Depending on the instrument and the desired pitch the spacing behind the fret can be more or less an inch and a half to one quarter inch or less. The beauty of this fret and space is that as long as your finger is placed behind the fret in the allotted space you will produce a true pitch (again as long as the instrument is tuned properly and of proper construction). With non-fretted (fretless) instruments we do not have that luxury. To produce true pitch the finger must be placed in exactly the right spot to produce the desired pitch. This creates for the musician of fretless instruments the need to be able to recognize true pitch. Ear training is an essential element to playing a fretless instrument (really any instrument).

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick