How to get pops to cut through in fingerstyle playing

[PotsdamBass8]

I’m having a hard time getting a sound that works well for fingerstyle, generally Pop style (the type of music…), and allows pops to cut through. Think of Hit Me Baby One More Time. I have a quad cortex so I pretty much have access to any types of adjustments, any ideas? If it’s a matter of compression, what kinds of settings should I have? I usually use a compressor always on as a tone fattener, but I can add more in the QC if that’s what’s needed.

Thanks in advance!

 

[onda'bass]

Yes, a compressor will help tighten things up, but I think that is more an EQ issue. Addd some high mids & treble or cut the bass a bit.

 

[red_rhino]

Not sure what "Pop style" is exactly. Are you referring to finger plucking, or a specific music genre?

Yes, a compressor will help tighten things up, but I think that is more an EQ issue. Addd some high mids & treble or cut the bass a bit.

That was going to be my suggestion as well. I'm using light-ish compression (2:1 - 4:1) with some clean blend and a tilt-eq boosted at 250hz or 900hz depending on the overall tone I'm looking for. I'm not boosting lows much on my bass, and have my mids boosted around 500hz. I get a really good "pop" playing with fingers or plucking, and a nice cutting slap tone.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

Not sure what "Pop style" is exactly. Are you referring to finger plucking, or a specific music genre?



That was going to be my suggestion as well. I'm using light-ish compression (2:1 - 4:1) with some clean blend and a tilt-eq boosted at 250hz or 900hz depending on the overall tone I'm looking for. I'm not boosting lows much on my bass, and have my mids boosted around 500hz. I get a really good "pop" playing with fingers or plucking, and a nice cutting slap tone.

What I mean is playing finger style primarily but then popping a note sporadically. When I say pop style, I mean like Pop(ular) Music.

 

[sunbeast]

If you want “pops” to pop out, then try a slower compression attack time. This will allow your initial transient to come through before the compressor smashes it.

 

[Wasnex]

There are a lot of factors that impact the way a pop sounds. Also there are lots of different pop sounds.

Factors:

1. Transient response, frequency response and frequency response contour. This relates to the amp and speaker, and how they are adjusted.
2. Compression. This has a dynamic impact on the transient response and frequency response contour.
3. Bass. This includes string length (scale), pickup type, pickup placement.
4. Setup. This include type of strings, how fresh they are, neck relief, and how high the action is. It also include pickup height.
5. Technique. Where and how you pluck the string. It also relate to how and where you mute the string. IMHO, Muting is pretty important for the specific sound you are after.

Adjusting any of these factors will impact the way a pop sounds. It would be easier to offer specific advice if we could hear the sound you are getting.

 

[Wasnex]

Not sure what "Pop style" is exactly. Are you referring to finger plucking, or a specific music genre?

Listen to the recording. The bass adds a little octave pop on the up beat of pretty much every other bar.

 

[dbflats]

Not one of the key issues -folks have covered those above-but sometimes a little chorus or flange makes for kinda cool popped notes .

 

[FullumMusic]

Usually pops are way hotter in the mix than every other part of the bass-line. This makes me think your signal is way over-compressed and killing any of the volume increase, attack, and transients of the pop. Might not be exactly what's going on. Without hearing what you're hearing i can't say for sure. But, it sounds like over-compression is squashing the life/volume out of the pops.

 

[MrLenny1]

Try boosting lows and highs cut back mids and loose the compressor.
I'll assume your using round wounds.

 

[Bassmec]

Usually pops are way hotter in the mix than every other part of the bass-line. This makes me think your signal is way over-compressed and killing any of the volume increase, attack, and transients of the pop. Might not be exactly what's going on. Without hearing what you're hearing i can't say for sure. But, it sounds like over-compression is squashing the life/volume out of the pops.

Yup!, I find it’s better to let the pops through the compressor threshold attack time, just to distort the pre amp exactly the right amount to generate high frequency content spikes by squaring the waveform tops. But as not all compressors are created equal in that regard, that might not be possible to dial in for the original poster. I tend to cheat by having a pickup and onboard pre amp that you can weld with.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I’m having a hard time getting a sound that works well for fingerstyle, generally Pop style (the type of music…), and allows pops to cut through. Think of Hit Me Baby One More Time. I have a quad cortex so I pretty much have access to any types of adjustments, any ideas? If it’s a matter of compression, what kinds of settings should I have? I usually use a compressor always on as a tone fattener, but I can add more in the QC if that’s what’s needed.

Thanks in advance!

this is something that has intrigued me over the course of my playing career. I think the number one factor is the bass itself. Yes, you can tweak the eq or mess around with different amplifiers, and it certainly helps to possess really good playing technique. Also it helps if your bass has a really really good setup. but I believe it starts and ends with the instrument. My US made Laklands, especially my 4460 and 4464 absolutely deliver that really funky fingerstyle octave 'pop' with so little effort. Absolutely no additional EQ'ing or compression necessary. Conversely, I sold all 4 StingRay basses I had because the G strings were so weak. It drove me nuts.

 

[SDC1-ClickClack]

How to get pops to cut through in fingerstyle playing

Have Mom ask him. She can usually get Pops to do anything.

 

[logdrum]

How to get pops to cut through in fingerstyle playing?​

The last time I asked my pops the same thing, I was disciplined with his suspenders.

 

[the baint]

Yup!, I find it’s better to let the pops through the compressor threshold attack time, just to distort the pre amp exactly the right amount to generate high frequency content spikes by squaring the waveform tops. But as not all compressors are created equal in that regard, that might not be possible to dial in for the original poster. I tend to cheat by having a pickup and onboard pre amp that you can weld with.View attachment 7121986

You’re most definitely going to have to veer off topic to tell us about this bass.

 

[faulknersj]

So many factors here. What kind of bass and rig? What does your pickup blend look like? Are you playing closer to the bridge or the neck?

Any videos or recordings so we can hear you in the mix with a band?

 

[Wasnex]

If you like little tasty thumps and pops with finger-style, take a listen.

 

[Gorilla Monsoon]

Up plucking pops? For me, it requires i nearly mute. You cant hear your up picking?

 

[PotsdamBass8]

Thanks for all the feedback! I should say that the pops sound fine when I’m playing by myself, they’re just not cutting through as loud in the mix. I’ll experiment with using less compression or a slower attack and see if that helps. It’s a short scale bass, and dynamics are a little bit more limited on the louder end with those (I find), so that may be making a difference. I haven’t played a long scale bass in a while so I can’t remember if I’ve had the same problem in the past on those.

I’ll see if I can make a recording, that might help.

 

[Parzival]

Live mix or recorded mix?