Why the Double Bass Fingerboard Has No Frets

If you have ever played (or listened closely to) a double bass, you have probably noticed something right away: there are no metal frets. That “smooth” feel is not an accident. On a non-fretted, unfretted instrument, your left hand is not just pressing down notes. That can feel intimidating at first, but it’s also what makes the double bass such a deep and expressive instrument once you get comfortable living on the fretboard (or more accurately, the fingerboard).

According to research, the double bass is typically notated one octave higher than it sounds because so much of its range sits below the staff.  A fretless bass guitar has a smooth neck without frets, which allows for fluid slides but requires more precision for accurate intonation.   Those two ideas explain a lot about why the upright bass experience feels different from fretted instruments.

Why the double bass is unfretted

1) Expression lives between the notes

On a fretted instrument, the pitch “clicks” into a grid. On the double bass, pitch can move continuously. That means you can shape vibrato more freely, slide into notes with a true glissando, and adjust intonation depending on musical context. In other words, your ear becomes part of the instrument. Musical instruments capable of continuous pitch movement include unfretted string instruments like violin-family instruments and the double bass. 

2) Slides, vibrato, and tone color can feel more continuous

A non-fretted surface can allow smoother glissando and more flexible vibrato. It can also help you land notes in a way that feels “sung,” especially when your goal is a connected line rather than a percussive attack. This does not guarantee better expression, but many players find that fretless work encourages deeper listening and more intentional phrasing.

3) It supports arco playing in a practical way

If you play with the bow, the double bass often rewards smooth contact and sustained sound. A fretted design could introduce extra buzz points and “hard stops” that may get in the way of a clean bowed tone. The traditional design of the double bass assumes you will control pitch with your ear, while the bow reveals what is really happening.

So why not just add frets?

This question shows up a lot in musician forums, and I understand why. Frets feel like a shortcut to “being in tune.” But the tradeoff is real. Frets can make some things easier, yet they can also limit the very flexibility that makes bowed strings special. Classical string instruments like the violin, viola, cello, and double bass developed around the idea that players can adjust pitch for context. In real music, the “best” pitch may depend on harmony, blend, style, and even the room.

Also, from a reading standpoint, the double bass already uses special conventions to make the part easier to read. Based on the double bass notation tradition, bass parts are generally written an octave higher than they sound, which helps keep the music readable without a pile of ledger lines.   So rather than changing the instrument with frets, the system historically solved the readability issue through notation.

What this can mean for your practice

You could use open strings, a drone, a piano note, or a tuner app as a constant pitch center. When your ear has a “home base,” your hand often learns faster. This is especially helpful for slow scales, arpeggios, and shifting drills.

On non-fretted instruments, one of the biggest wins is learning the fingerboard as a set of patterns. You can treat a scale or a passage like a physical shape that repeats in different keys. This may reduce the feeling that you are “guessing” every note.

Pizzicato can hide small pitch problems, especially in fast passages. Bowed long tones can reveal the exact center of the pitch. If you have access to arco practice, it may speed up your feedback loop.

Instead of repeating a whole phrase, isolate the shift:

• start note
• motion
• landing note

Then repeat slowly until the landing feels calm. Over time, speed can increase, but accuracy often improves when the movement stays relaxed.

Final thoughts

A non-fretted instrument like the double bass can feel demanding, but it can also feel freeing. It asks you to listen deeply, commit to sound, and treat pitch as something you shape rather than something you simply press. If you are learning, give yourself patience. With consistent, thoughtful practice, your hands may start to trust the fingerboard more, and your sound could become more confident and expressive over time.

If you want a simple way to build confidence on a non-fretted fingerboard without getting overwhelmed, The Exercise Book may be a great companion. It is a digital collection of short, accessible pieces for the double bass that are easier to learn. Each piece is concise, melodic, and highly playable, which can make it perfect for daily practice, quick study, or even a casual performance.

If you want music that you may master quickly and still feel proud to play, you can find it below. Thank you for reading, and I look forward to sharing more with you.