Hadrien Feraud’s Playing on “Demure” Is a Lesson in Fretless Control
Hadrien Feraud is in the studio with Ruslan Sirota, playing through “Demure” on his fretless 5 string Jabba Mayones signature bass. The whole thing has a relaxed feel, but the playing is anything but casual. The phrasing, touch, and control are on another level.
Ruslan keeps things moving on keys while Hadrien glides between melody, groove, and those moments that make you rewind immediately. This is a good reminder that Hadrien hears the instrument differently than most of us. Absolute monster player.
No Treble CEO Jody Miller is a Chicago-based bassist, guitarist, engineer, and producer best known for his bass gear demo videos and as the co-host of The Bass Nerds podcast.
Is it really impossible to play a fretless buddy just as well as a fretted one? What’s with that “meowing”? Is it really so difficult to play like Jack Bruce, Tony Levin, Tony Franklin, Michael Manring, Steve di Giorgio, Dominique “Forest” Lapointe? Even Benoît de Segonzac’s upright sounds harsher and more rock-like.
Yes, monsieur Ferraud is a great musician, no doubts. But he’s mistaken in spreading the prejudices that fretless buddies are only capable of purring. And a modern listener would be hard-pressed to endure even five minutes of this tiresome “meowing.” It’s hardly surprising, then, that the era of the fretless bass is gone forever.