fretloze

Fretloze is the French term for fretless, describing musical instruments whose fingerboard lacks metal frets. In practice, fretless instruments allow continuous pitch variation along the string, enabling microtonal slides and more nuanced expressive bending. The concept is used across several instrument families and is valued for its expanded tonal palette, even as it demands greater precision from the player.

The term comes from the noun fret, with the suffix indicating absence. In French-language contexts, fretloze typically refers to instruments whose fingerboard is smooth and unfretted, though the idea is widely recognized in English as fretless. The design emphasizes a clear reference pitch through technique, intonation, and sometimes electronic or mechanical aids rather than fixed fret positions.

On fretless instruments, intonation relies on exact finger placement, string tension, and scale length. Players often listen closely to pitch alignment and may use markers along the edge of the fingerboard or rely on established landmarks on the neck. Vibrato, glissando, and microtonal inflections become more prominent, making setup and maintenance (such as action and neck relief) particularly important to control unwanted buzzing or dead spots.

Commonly used on basses and guitars, fretless design is also inherent in many bowed string instruments (such as violins and cellos) where the fingerboard remains unfretted by tradition. Notable fretless players include Jaco Pastorius, recognized for pioneering fretless bass technique; Mick Karn, known for his expressive fretless bass work; and Victor Wooten, who explores a wide expressive range on fretless bass. The fretless approach continues to influence contemporary fusion, world music, and experimental genres.

See also: fret, fretless instrument, microtonality.