Fret

A covenant is a survey on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument that usually leads over the entire width of the fingerboard. In most modern Western instruments, the frets are set into the fingerboard rods of metal. For historical and non- Western instruments from the frets string or intestines are bound cross around his neck, hence the name "covenant" comes from.

While playing, the strings are pressed with the fingers on the fretboard. The frets serve as supports for the fretted strings. Due to the positions of the frets so sounds can be played at fixed intervals. At today's sound system of Western music, the octave is divided into twelve semitones. Here the frets are usually positioned so that they conform to these half-tones in the same stage mood. But there are also diatonic fretted instruments and instruments from other musical cultures with other federal, state intervals that produce different tone steps.

General Description

Frets string or intestine are typical of lutes and viols. Until about the mid-19th century also frets made ​​of wood or ivory were in use.

Today, most fretted instruments such as guitar, mandolin and banjo feature embedded in the fretboard frets from German silver or nickel -silver alloy. They are transversely incorporated to the fretboard in previously sawn slots and run, with a few exceptions, over its entire width. The distances between them taper towards corpus ( cf. intonation ). There are societies in different strengths. With a mandolin or ukulele for example, the frets according to the thickness of the neck is thinner than a guitar with a bass guitar they are thicker.

Special

In addition to instruments in which the attachment of the covenants made ​​in Halbtonabständen, there are also instruments where the frets have other distances, such as diatonic string instruments such as the dulcimer, which occur half-and whole-tone steps, instruments with quarter tone frets, as well as instruments of Eastern music traditions, like the Turkish saz, the Arab Buzuq or the persian- Indian sitar.

For instruments with gut frets individual frets can be moved and tilted between pieces to set the mood of the instrument in different tuning systems.

Weird frets

The system of the so-called slanted frets (English: slant = crooked, oblique; fret = fret), sometimes also fanned frets, is already in the 16th century when Orpheoreon, according to a similar instrument of the Renaissance to watch. Modern instrument makers have taken up the idea again and experiment with it. The frets are not, as usual, at right angles to the length of the fingerboard, special oblique to him. Ergonomic reasons here seem to play a role, as well as the clear full sound, especially in the bass.

Throated fingerboard

When scalloped fretboard (English: caving = scallop, cut out; = fretboard fretboard) is the wood of the fingerboard between the frets worn concave. Ensures that the fingers are not in contact with the fretboard, but are only lightly on the strings. This allows for a differentiated tone, vibrato, and a slightly pulling ( bending ) of the tones. The Indian sitar has a similar fretboard. Some guitarists claim that they can thereby play faster.

Partial fretted instruments

This rare feature is usually made ​​only on special request of a musician, although some manufacturers also offer models with partial Frets. This variant allows with the sound of both a tool and also without frets. It usually lacks the frets at the top of the fingerboard.

Others

Especially for instruments with steel strings, such as the electric guitar or acoustic guitar, it comes after long playing to wear at the points of the frets where the strings have contact with them. In advanced stage leading to Tonunreinheit and possibly noise. The frets concerned must be replaced. Covenant renewals can be executed by any instrument maker professionally.

A vexing phenomenon that the Schnarrens or chirp of individual strings, appears again and again with fretted instruments. This can have several causes: 1 The action is too low, so that the distance between the string and fret is too low. 2 The frets have themselves not absolutely the same height. A dressing the same is then necessary. 3 The neck is not aligned properly. Again, everyone knows instrument maker professional help.

Confederation lots Instruments

Many stringed instruments have no frets, such as the representatives of the violin family. However, frets were common until the 18th century In cello and double bass. In some styles of popular music (jazz, rock music ) of the fretless Fretless Bass used. This requires the player from a higher level of precision in order to meet the notes on the fingerboard exactly. In addition, the sound of the instrument changes; the sound is " purring " as described " singing " or "soft".