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I agree with Frenchy's assessment (and hysterical). For the most part, he's spot on.
Fretted and fretless are 2 different animals as far as I'm concerned, and do require a different approach and technique. Bad intonation is like nails on a chalkboard for me. But good intonation is only one part of the equation to playing a fretless.
Years ago when I first took up fretless, I prided myself on making sure I played in tune. I had a lined fretless neck on my '77 J, so that helped. I used the bass on a recording session for a song I thought would sound perfect with that sound. So I do the session and I nailed it...or so I thought. Producer, bandmates, engineer, etc. are all paying me compliments on my playing. The producer says, "You played that bass so well, I can't even tell it's a fretless in the mix." It was then I knew I had a lot to learn about playing fretless.
It's SO much more than just playing in tune. At least I had that part down. What I didn't have was the development of my own voice/style or an understanding of how to conjure up those gorgeous fretless tones we commonly associate with the instrument. I played it like a fretted bass - pluck a note, move on to the next one - and the result was a fretted bass sound, albeit with less immediate attack. You can't be too "linear" in your thinking on a fretless. You've got to think "looser" and relaxed, but not so much so that you're overshooting notes. The beauty of a fretless lies in it's expressiveness and how you manipulate notes via tremolo, glissando, etc., as is the case with any fretless stringed instrument from violin, cello, etc. Notes slowly blossom and can drastically change in attack and tone depending on where you play along the plucking field; A good setup is essential. If theres even a minute variance in my fussy Wal's setup, the ability to conjure up those tones with ease and comfort is lost. Also, not all fretless basses are created equal, and depending on the sound(s) or style you're going for can vary as much as fretted basses. My Wal will "mwah" if you so much as look at it; Likewise, I also own a fretless P strung with tape wounds, which I use when I want more of an upright tone with less note blossom/more thump. Playing-wise, Jaco played very hard and back near the bridge for the most part, giving his sound better perceived intonation and a tight focused attack on those quick pizzicato-style runs he's famous for. Jaco, I guess you could say, was all about precision. He was an early influence on me (and still is); Mick Karn, another bass hero who influenced me later, you might consider the antithesis of Jaco. His style was based more on a looser, free flowing "rubbery" approach that focused on emphasizing the deeper mwah swell more by plucking closer to the neck, with more emphasis on those "exaggerated" glissandos and slides that bring forth the voice of a fretless.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck! It's challenging but for me, arguably the most fun I have playing bass and certainly the instrument I feel most expressive on.
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