adjusting eq when going from fingerstyle to pick

[Bob C]

This topic could also be discussed in the Basses, Amps, Pickups or Technique forums. But I guess we'll start here.

I only play with a pick on three or four songs a night. The thump really drops out of my sound, and I try to switch my onboard bass settings to adjust for this. I haven't really found a sweet spot, though.

I'm not trying to cover up the pick sound - just bring back the low mid punch. I play a Carvin LB70 with 3-band eq and a blend control. I've tried blending more toward the neck pickup, as well as turning up the mid control. Or turning down the treble.

I'm wondering if anyone out there addresses this challenge with an eq stomp box, compressor, boost or any other pedal solution. If you have technique suggestions, that's great too. I'm not that much of a pick player.

[IPS]

I also play with a pick occasionally. I use a sansamp BDDI programable and a BBE opto stomp, both always on. I have one of the 3 settings on the sansamp dedicated to my pick tone. You can simplify the setup by just using something like a Boss GEB-7, boost low mids and eq to taste.

[Bob C]

IPS,

Thanks. I was considering both of those options. I've also been reading up on pick technique a bit. I know I'm lacking in that area.

[sevenyearsdown]

Learn to pick towards the neck, and towards the bridge. There are just any many options in tonal variation in that respect as compared to fingers.

[Nick Kay]

Consider using a thicker pick and picking closer to the neck than you would whilst using fingers.

[scotch]

Originally Posted by sevenyearsdown

Learn to pick towards the neck, and towards the bridge. There are just any many options in tonal variation in that respect as compared to fingers.

Technique can go a long way to evening out your fingers vs pick tone.

I sometimes change techniques mid-song and use an Xotic Bass RC Booster for an instant tone 'switch'. When I switch to the pick, I engage the RC w/ a little extra gain dialed in, the treble cut a little and the bass boosted a little. It really helps to prevent my tone from going from thick-fingerstyle tone to instant Chris Squire 'tink'! I still get the "attack" and different phrase nuances of the pick, but I keep the punchy low-end that I like without too much "clack".

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

Consider using a thicker pick and picking closer to the neck than you would whilst using fingers.

Yeah, I was just reading that exact same thing on Carol Kaye's web site.

[moose23]

Tone rolled off(dunno how this works with your bass), heavy pick and play right next to the neck gives me plenty of low mids. Also dig hard into the strings.

[DosiYanarchy]

I read (possibly in Bass Guitar Magazine, or Bass Player) that the bass player from the Foo Fighters uses a boss EQ pedal to cut bass fequencies when he switches to finger-style.

certainly the easiest solution, possibly the laziest

[Bob C]

Yeah, that makes sense. Or boost when using a pick. I'm not sure which frequency to zero in on though. I've been just winging it for a while.

[bovine mind]

how much bass do you pick players boost? i'm a fan of dub and doomy thick swollen bass, but love the attack of a pick, so i boost quite a bit.

[scotch]

Originally Posted by bovine mind

how much bass do you pick players boost? i'm a fan of dub and doomy thick swollen bass, but love the attack of a pick, so i boost quite a bit.

Actually, I boost very little bass when switching to the pick. For me, I just try to get rid of the "twang" or "clack". Adding a little touch of bass does help to keep the volumes a little more even, though.

[bovine mind]

i find myself having trouble evening out the clack. largely due to my bass of choice - stingray. cutting treble and hi mids and raising the volume has helped a bit.