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I have had this problem for years. A compressor is a great tool/quick fix other than, as suggested single finger technique which I use myself. I worked on it for many years and in my case I could never get the tone the same until I incorporated compression. in fact, I switched to pick playing to resolve it for some years, prior to discovery compression in the recording studio.
Make sure your nails are clipped. If you have one hanging out there longer than the others, it will make contact with the string and give a brighter attack.
Other than that, it does take practice to get all three fingers sharing the same dynamics, and control of it.
Other than that, it does take practice to get all three fingers sharing the same dynamics, and control of it.
A few things... Develop calluses on your ring/middle fingers by practice *and* I actually file down the callous on my index finger with an emory board! This helps even the attack(I blame the heavy calloused index on playing upright and using traditional technique)...
Also, don't worry about compression if your new to bass!!
Also, don't worry about compression if your new to bass!!
Playing with just middle and ring finger(if that's what you mean) sounds REALLY awkward to me! I'd advise you focus on good, solid 2-finger plucking with the first and middle finger for the most part. Anyhow, consistent finger plucking just takes a lot of practice, keep at it, you'll get it. Experiment with strap height, and the angle of the bass and how it affects your plucking hand. Just keep playing, even unplugged when you're sitting around watching TV, etc. Just play all the time!
You're absolutely right in your feeling on the compressor. Definitely don't use a compressor thinking it'll fix this technique issue. A compressor isn't for masking bad technique. Plus, it WON'T really fix it--your inconsistent notes still won't sound even in timbre (though you might be able to squash your signal to death so that the bass is just a lifeless smudge down in the mix
). If you're compressing/limiting hard enough to even out that kind of issue volume-wise, then you're really sucking the life out of it, plus it'll eliminate your control over your dynamics. Get to where you play nice and consistent with just your hands and the bass. Then you can touch the signal with a little tasty compression in the mix to get the bass to gel nicely while still feeling "alive". If you run a bunch of heavy compression in line and that's the signal you're hearing, then you're "playing to the compressor", and your technique is never gonna improve.
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Unless your nails extend to your very finger tip, proper technique would make it a moot point. Unless they are that long and even then, I don't see them playing such a big role in attack. Attack is the sound as a result of the force applied more than it is the result of what material (fingers, pick, drumstick) said force is applied with. It could be argued that what material is striking the strings plays a bigger role in the resulting decay, not the same as attack, so it's a fine line. Worth thinking about.
I thought it was something like that in addition to and the callouses. I haven't been playing bass for 50 years so I doubt if mine are heavy but there is definitely more hard skin on the tip and side of my index finger. I haven't ever had any comments from others about the inconsistency of tone so it's probably not that noticeable in the mix. I'm not a heavy plucker so when I use my power amp setup I usually set that on full and play lightly because it is extremely quiet noise wise and I don't have to dig in unless the track calls for it. On other combo heads they are not quiet enough to allow me that luxury so I do play a little harder then.
I feel old now: when did bass-players start to use three fingers of their right hand. I always thought the ring-finger was just invented by the protestants for marriage purposes. It is the most stupid and ungifted finger we have and it can't move independant from the 2. and 4. finger. Robert Schuhmann ruined his career as a piano player trying to make his third finger as intelligent as the first and second. Gave us one of the greatest composers of the romantic era... (partly a myth, I know, but I like that myth).
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As said a good compressor helps in just about every bass playing situation, so not a bad idea to invest in one.
I now use a Zoom MS-60B, so as a multi-stomp it's main function for me is a tuner, but the compressers in it, yes compressors as it has more than one, are great for the price and a nice Introduction to the world of compressors.
As for evening out your tone and attack, i differ from the usual advice on work to get both fingers sounding the same, work on the attack, not the tone, do not sweat it to much on making them sound the same, work on making the attack (volume) even and the rest will fall in place....fingers are supposed to sound slightly different, if the did not then it is no better than a programmed or sequenced bass, and all bass players would sound the same, so what you embrace is an even attack and then a syncopated attack within the nuances of your plucking...that is your "voice", your sound, your style that is what will define you...regardless of bass hour style will be recognised by how you play not so much how you sound.
With that in mind practice muted notes, get your muted notes sounding even without the distraction of tone, if you get them souding even doing this then the rest will fall in place easier when you play for real.
I now use a Zoom MS-60B, so as a multi-stomp it's main function for me is a tuner, but the compressers in it, yes compressors as it has more than one, are great for the price and a nice Introduction to the world of compressors.
As for evening out your tone and attack, i differ from the usual advice on work to get both fingers sounding the same, work on the attack, not the tone, do not sweat it to much on making them sound the same, work on making the attack (volume) even and the rest will fall in place....fingers are supposed to sound slightly different, if the did not then it is no better than a programmed or sequenced bass, and all bass players would sound the same, so what you embrace is an even attack and then a syncopated attack within the nuances of your plucking...that is your "voice", your sound, your style that is what will define you...regardless of bass hour style will be recognised by how you play not so much how you sound.
With that in mind practice muted notes, get your muted notes sounding even without the distraction of tone, if you get them souding even doing this then the rest will fall in place easier when you play for real.
I did the quiet songs with my thumb yesterday afternoon at rehearsal and that worked for me but to be honest within the context of the band playing the songs the difference wasn't that noticeable and no-one mentioned anything.
But your advice is welcomed and I have been practicing though I think from what I have been doing on that so far the difference is due to the skin being harder on my index finger compared to the others rather than my technique as such so even when I play as delicately as possible the tone is still brighter from my index than my other fingers.
If I was in your position, I'd experiment with as many different things as possible. My calluses are pretty even on my fingers so I don't have the same issue you have. But messing around with different thumb position, wrist angle, and even how you change your strap can change how your fingers interface with the strings, and change the tone you get from your fingers. I personally have spent more time than I'd care to admit doing nothing more than messing around with how I pluck and fret notes in order to get the tone I want.
