I get a lot of questions about “ MWAH” on fretless bass, so I put this article together for my blog.
THE MECHANICS OF MWAH
At its core, mwah comes from the bass string subtly rattling against the fingerboard. Instead of a hard “fretted” stop, the string vibrates in such a way that it lightly kisses the board during its sustain. This interaction is what creates that singing, vocal-like tone.
Several factors enhance this:
String angle: The more parallel the string is to the neck, the more contact you get. Fingerboard hardness: Denser woods transmit the vibration better and keep the sustain alive. Overall sustain: A resonant instrument will naturally make mwah bloom.
RIGHT-HAND TECHNIQUE: WHERE YOU PLUCK MATTERS
If you want maximum mwah, pluck closer to the neck. This isn’t just a stylistic choice — it’s physics:
String vibration pattern: Plucking near the neck excites the string farther from its fixed bridge point, creating a wider vibration arc that favors the fundamental and low harmonics. Tone result: This gives the mwah a warmer, more sustained, and more “singing” quality. Contrast: Plucking near the bridge emphasizes higher harmonics, producing a tighter, brighter, and more defined sound.
SETUP: ACTION & TRUSS ROD
The right setup is crucial:
Minimal relief: Flatten the neck as much as possible without causing unplayable buzz. Low action: Keeps the string close to the fingerboard so it can interact and “sing.” Balance is key: Too little relief or too low action can cause dead spots or inconsistent mwah across the fingerboard. Take your time adjusting, or have a skilled tech do it.
STRING CHOICE
For mwah, I’ve had the best results with roundwound strings. They generally offer more sustain and harmonic richness than flats, letting the mwah ring out longer. That said, they will mark your fingerboard faster, so be prepared for maintenance if you go this route, especially if your fingerboard is one of the softer woods.
Thank you for all of the recent engagement on the videos and albums. I really appreciate it. I’ve had a lot of questions about effects. Here are the effects I use on the studio floor, which is always getting rewired. The signal chain is mostly stereo and looks like this: Bass -> Boomerang looper -> Ola Chorus -> Strymon timeline delay -> big sky reverb -> DI -> Tascam model12/UA volt (recording). A parallel effects chain for drones and “string” backing is bass -> octaver -> volume pedal -> EHX freeze -> strymon blue sky -> model 12/volt (recording). Hope that helps!
Maybe the only truth and the only solution is love. Maybe we’ve all been duped. Maybe the anger we feel isn’t ours. Maybe we’ve just been fed a constant stream of information that has re-wired our neural pathways to a profitable disposition of polarization and anger. And maybe the damage can be undone by sitting quietly...
It's a difficult time but we are all in this together. I wanted to share an album (at no cost) that some friends have told me helps them with relaxation and sleep: damiancoccio.bandcamp.com/album/peace-project
Damian Coccio
I get a lot of questions about “ MWAH” on fretless bass, so I put this article together for my blog.
THE MECHANICS OF MWAH
At its core, mwah comes from the bass string subtly rattling against the fingerboard. Instead of a hard “fretted” stop, the string vibrates in such a way that it lightly kisses the board during its sustain. This interaction is what creates that singing, vocal-like tone.
Several factors enhance this:
String angle: The more parallel the string is to the neck, the more contact you get.
Fingerboard hardness: Denser woods transmit the vibration better and keep the sustain alive.
Overall sustain: A resonant instrument will naturally make mwah bloom.
RIGHT-HAND TECHNIQUE: WHERE YOU PLUCK MATTERS
If you want maximum mwah, pluck closer to the neck. This isn’t just a stylistic choice — it’s physics:
String vibration pattern: Plucking near the neck excites the string farther from its fixed bridge point, creating a wider vibration arc that favors the fundamental and low harmonics.
Tone result: This gives the mwah a warmer, more sustained, and more “singing” quality.
Contrast: Plucking near the bridge emphasizes higher harmonics, producing a tighter, brighter, and more defined sound.
SETUP: ACTION & TRUSS ROD
The right setup is crucial:
Minimal relief: Flatten the neck as much as possible without causing unplayable buzz.
Low action: Keeps the string close to the fingerboard so it can interact and “sing.”
Balance is key: Too little relief or too low action can cause dead spots or inconsistent mwah across the fingerboard. Take your time adjusting, or have a skilled tech do it.
STRING CHOICE
For mwah, I’ve had the best results with roundwound strings. They generally offer more sustain and harmonic richness than flats, letting the mwah ring out longer. That said, they will mark your fingerboard faster, so be prepared for maintenance if you go this route, especially if your fingerboard is one of the softer woods.
3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 230
View 17 replies
Damian Coccio
Thank you for all of the recent engagement on the videos and albums. I really appreciate it. I’ve had a lot of questions about effects. Here are the effects I use on the studio floor, which is always getting rewired. The signal chain is mostly stereo and looks like this: Bass -> Boomerang looper -> Ola Chorus -> Strymon timeline delay -> big sky reverb -> DI -> Tascam model12/UA volt (recording). A parallel effects chain for drones and “string” backing is bass -> octaver -> volume pedal -> EHX freeze -> strymon blue sky -> model 12/volt (recording). Hope that helps!
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 181
View 14 replies
Damian Coccio
The Fretless and Tongue Drum
#tonguedrum #handpandrum
4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 115
View 8 replies
Damian Coccio
I sincerely appreciate your subscription. I’m working on a lot of ideas & songs for the new album. What would you like to see more of in 2026?
1 month ago | [YT] | 54
View 7 replies
Damian Coccio
My new solo bass album is released to Bandcamp & iTunes! Featuring the sounds of fretless, fretted and live looping. iTunes:
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/damian-coccio/id9409436…
Bandcamp:
damiancoccio.bandcamp.com
5 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 43
View 7 replies
Damian Coccio
Maybe the only truth and the only solution is love. Maybe we’ve all been duped. Maybe the anger we feel isn’t ours. Maybe we’ve just been fed a constant stream of information that has re-wired our neural pathways to a profitable disposition of polarization and anger. And maybe the damage can be undone by sitting quietly...
5 years ago | [YT] | 39
View 8 replies
Damian Coccio
It's a difficult time but we are all in this together. I wanted to share an album (at no cost) that some friends have told me helps them with relaxation and sleep: damiancoccio.bandcamp.com/album/peace-project
5 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 34
View 9 replies