laying down the fretting fingers vs standing them on upright and electric.

[Whippet]

I am getting a electric upright and as I was reading up on fretting technique, I read that you need to fret with your fingers standing up, (perpendicular) instead of laying them down. I guess it's pressing with the tip vs pressing with the pad of the fingers.

I have heard that classical guitar players do this and I tried this with my fretless guitar this morning. It's a little more difficult but it isn't undoable.

The funny part is that it does sound different. Especially when you slide. It's almost as if there is less mwah when I stand them up.

Is this technique a must for electric bass playing? Why do upright players do this?
Is this a superior way of playing?
Is this desirable for fretless?
Why isn't fretting technique discussed my on youtube or talkbass, is it a minor issue becuase we're "supposed" to fret with our pads?

Thanks for all information in advance.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

We had a similar string going awhile back and I answered that I played with my tips. I then played something to see if I spoke correctly. I did not. I thought I did because I also play rhythm guitar and here we do use our tips. However through the years with the bass I do just use my pad.

I think the difference comes in with rhythm guitar you are fretting several strings to produce the chord so you do not want your pad slopping over in unwanted spaces. So you use the tips.

Fretless is less forgiving and tips would be best. Of course IMO.

 

[Whippet]

Ok I see and get your point about the fretless and 6 string guitars. . I'll try this method on the fretless for some time. But for some odd reason, the pads do seem to sound better when sliding.

 

[MonetBass]

As a player of upright (DB) and electric (fretted and fretless), I can tell you that my fingering technique is almost identical for all of them: between the tip and the pad. It works equally well for all of them.