unfretted
9.9
A string instrument with no metal bars on its fingerboard
- adjective
- /ʌnˈfrɛtɪd/
- Specialized
:
sin trastes
- In the concert, she showcased her talent on an unfretted guitar, allowing for intricate finger slides.
Examples
-
The letter "a" placed above the top line of tablature indicates that the highest pitched string is to sound "open"—that is, unfretted.
Academic text (2011) -
The musician played the melody on an unfretted instrument, producing a smooth, continuous sound.
-
An unfretted violin allows for the performer to slide between notes seamlessly, creating a unique musical expression.
Synonyms
1
7.2
A string instrument without raised metal bars on its neck
is the same meaning but uses a different adjective form
Antonyms
fretted
- Specialized
8.1
An instrument with metal bars on the neck that show where to put fingers to play notes
Surface Forms
unfretted positive
Morphology
Etymology
Unfretted is formed from un- meaning 'not' and fret meaning a 'raised bar' on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument. So an unfretted instrument has no frets, which is why players must press their fingers very precisely to get the right notes.