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Slap Bass Effect

I have to do a couple sounds that need to have a little slap bass......is there an effect that could do the trick?.........I can do it with adjusting the knobs on my bass or gear.......not trying to be lazy.....but it is just for a couple of parts in a song..........
 
I am playing finger style........I can slap but the way I would have to adjust everything while on stage might take some time. We do more of a smooth jazz style but have one or two songs kicked up........with a little funk but we play at really low volumes......
 
For a more percussive sound, I like to scoop around 1kHz (a bit lower will do the trick as well, from 500Hz), and then boost a bit (3db ~ 6dB) 100Hz and around 8dB at 2,8kHz ~ 3kHz.

Cutting 1k will give a nice percussive feel, specially when attacking the strings hard (pick and slap) while cutting a bit lower (500Hz ~ 750Hz) usually provides a rounder, warmer feel, in my opinion, better suited for percussive, but softer fingering (fast heavy metal metal for example).

Best Regards!

Doug.
 
If this is being recorded there are several keyboards that have different "slap effects" but TTBoMK there isn't anything for a Bass but the technique itself: why would anyone sink the effort into something the Bassist could simply accomplish?

If you DO have a Keyboardist he could run the Bass line and retain it: mixing it into the recording through your channel. Most likely it would sound like %$#& when compared to the real thing unless it's simply an accent or fast single bar in front of what you may be doing. I wouldn't use it as an ending or anywhere it would call attention.
 
IMO, there's no need to EQ differently for slap at all. Especially if you are just going to slap a few bars here and there.

What you are asking is a bit strange IMO. Just play fingerstyle, pluck hard and it will be fairly close as already mentioned. Or suck it up and learn how to slap, it's not that hard. OR let the keyboard player play those parts.