Fretting

Fretting is the technique of pressing a string against a fret on a fretted string instrument to shorten the vibrating length of the string and raise its pitch. Frets are thin metal bars embedded along the fingerboard, spaced according to a scale length and tuning system. When a string is pressed directly behind a fret, the vibrating length ends at that fret, producing a pitch that corresponds to the instrument’s scale and temperament.

The placement and condition of frets influence intonation and playability. In modern instruments, frets are typically made of nickel-silver or other alloys and are fixed to the fingerboard. The pitch produced by fretting follows a geometric pattern governed by the scale length and the equal-temperament system used on the instrument. Worn, cupped, crowned, or misaligned frets can cause intonation errors, buzzing, or dead notes, and may require dressing, leveling, crowning, or replacement. Proper setup also involves adjusting the neck relief, action, and truss rod to ensure accurate fretting and comfortable play.

Fretted instruments include the guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, and many traditional instruments. Some instruments, such as the violin family instruments and several ancestral lutes, are fretless and produce continuous pitch changes across the fingerboard. Fretting techniques vary with instrument and style, including single-note accuracy, chord shapes, and partial or full-barre fingerings. The development and standardization of fretting have significantly influenced tuning, repertoire, and playability in many musical traditions.