Snappy and punchy attack - how to get it?

[RJ]

These kinds of conversations can go in circles. IMO we don't have enough info to be helpful. The adjectives you're using are subjective. My snappy and punchy might not the be the same as yours.

What gear are you using? Do you have any sound samples or a recording you can share as an example of how you'd like to sound?

Edit - I missed your video, which is helpful to an extent. I'm still curious to hear an example of what you're after though.

IME, Your right hand technique needs adjustment.

A typewriter style like you're using can work well when playing near the fretboard for a slap-like zing.

Otherwise playing nearer the bridge with different technique, like has been mentioned a bunch already.

 

[Freddy T]

Hey OP, cool vid. You've got great skills, and plenty of attack in your hands to work with. I think the key to the sound your after is in your striking hand. In the vid you're coming down really hard from a distance onto the string causing "clacks" on top of the notes. I think this is why there isn't clear definition on the front of the note. Your timing on the note is good but the strike seems inefficient and a bit wild - yet cool - don't get me wrong! I think you could work on attacking it cleanly so the note is clear and vibrates well from the start. I would suggest, just for practice and to change up your striking habit, playing the same tune by pulling on the string like a "slap/popper" would because it will stop you from winding up from up top, and it will force your fingers to be in position on (or under) the string before the note. Also the dual action of pulling up with the wrist following by the up-flick of the finger is super efficient and gets a great clear tone up front regardless of whether you play it softly or loudly. I think this will help you get the sound and feel of that really clear, efficient, up front attack in your hands and ears. Only other thing I would suggest is to practice more staccato feel or ghost notes with your fretting hand because right now it's all legatto which is nice and fluid, but it also makes the notes sound like each one is blending into the next. If you want more definition at the front of a note you need to make more space (silence) after the one preceeding it.

 

[friedlbug]

Your second line refers to songs or recordings with that snappy attack; this might be a silly question, but you're not referring to a bassist playing with a drummer, are you? My favorite bass recordings often feature a bassist perfectly in time with the kick drum, where they sound glued together like the drum is playing the bass notes or the drum is the attack of the bass note. Of course I know that the beat is right there, but I still subconsciously mix them up enough to hear the drums in the bass tone.

 

[Leigh Semmens]

Grow your fingernails on your playing hand and use them as a "pick"

 

[Chrisk-K]

DR Hi-Beams

 

[heavyfunkmachin]

Your second line refers to songs or recordings with that snappy attack; this might be a silly question, but you're not referring to a bassist playing with a drummer, are you? My favorite bass recordings often feature a bassist perfectly in time with the kick drum, where they sound glued together like the drum is playing the bass notes or the drum is the attack of the bass note. Of course I know that the beat is right there, but I still subconsciously mix them up enough to hear the drums in the bass tone.

I know, and love, the tone you're talking about! Perhaps a good way to describe it would be to find a way to add a bit of that "drum head beater snap" to the attack of each note

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

If you want to just throw money at it get a mesa m9 carbine head that should give you all the fast punch and attack you could need

 

[colicab]

I've had success with both of these, with the latter having a little white noise to it:

 

[Hypocrite]

You need more power. With the exact same bass, pedals, settings, and playing style, I get weak, thin tone out of my dinky practice amp unless I crank it, I get a good solid "Goldilocks" tone from my interface and monitors/headphones, and more punch than you could shake a stick at through my Ashdown 4x10 combo or my GK MB800 + 8x10.
IME, compression and high pass filtering helps a lot with keeping your signal under control, but don't necessarily add much to your actual tone. The right strings in the right gauge with the right setup (for me, D'Addario ProSteels 130 or DR Lo-Riders 130, A standard tuning, very low action) will go a very long way to getting that punch, but when it all comes down to it, you need to be playing through the right rig at the right volume.

 

[heavyfunkmachin]

You need more power. With the exact same bass, pedals, settings, and playing style, I get weak, thin tone out of my dinky practice amp unless I crank it, I get a good solid "Goldilocks" tone from my interface and monitors/headphones, and more punch than you could shake a stick at through my Ashdown 4x10 combo or my GK MB800 + 8x10.
IME, compression and high pass filtering helps a lot with keeping your signal under control, but don't necessarily add much to your actual tone. The right strings in the right gauge with the right setup (for me, D'Addario ProSteels 130 or DR Lo-Riders 130, A standard tuning, very low action) will go a very long way to getting that punch, but when it all comes down to it, you need to be playing through the right rig at the right volume.

Thanks, but I am really covered power-wise: 500 watts into a barefaced cab, I'm searching for a slight attack envelope change, I could play louder but that's not what I'm after. I'm going to try a becos compressor at different places in the chain and see how that goes… also considering the EHX steel leather, I just wished you could "tune" or shift the frequencies being "expanded"

 

[heavyfunkmachin]

Quick update: I tried the steel leather, useless pedal to me, just adds clackity clank (you can get that with an eq or preamp) with no attack envelope shipping whatsoever.

 

[Hypocrite]

Quick update: I tried the steel leather, useless pedal to me, just adds clackity clank (you can get that with an eq or preamp) with no attack envelope shipping whatsoever.

I was looking at the Steel Leather years ago, thought being that it could make fingerstyle sound like a pick. I dropped it after a bunch of unconvincing reviews and demos

 

[heavyfunkmachin]

Quick update: got myself a Becos CompIQ mini and, pending final test with full band, I got what I wanted!

slow attack, hard knee, 8:1 compression gives me that "pop" note attack, than blend with dry sound at 50% to make it more natural but still punch trough.

Placed after dirts and VT bass To avoid overdriven sounds smoothing the attack, but before reverbs and delays, seems to work great!!

 

[Zbysek]

Quick update: I tried the steel leather, useless pedal to me, just adds clackity clank (you can get that with an eq or preamp) with no attack envelope shipping whatsoever.

That has been my experience with this pedal as well...