Thoughts on sustaining bass?

[Ithilome]

I'm playing bass for a praise band. And one of the issues I've encountered is that occasionally I'll hit a portion of a song that could use a sustained note. I'll either repluck the note as subtly as possible, or pluck a 4th/5th above the note and go back down to it (depends on if that makes sense in the song or if it would be distracting).
Is this an issue others have encountered? How did you solve it?

Is this a technique issue or a gear/hardware issue? (I've been playing bass for a couple months now, you won't be hurting feelings by saying it's user error! Though I'd appreciate any tips for improvement)
Is it maybe not that big of deal?
Is there a pedal that can address this? The EHX Freeze pedal looked tempting (Electro-Harmonix Freeze Sound Retainer Pedal.) But perhaps adjusting a compressor pedal would provide enough sustain?

 

[WayneP]

Absent any outboard processing, sustain is largely a function of the instrument itself. Anyone with a collection of basses will tell you that some have better sustain than others. On top of that, a bass’s sustain will not be consistent everywhere on the neck.

Compression is a common remedy, but it only works with what it has to work with. As an extreme example, if a bass has sustain characteristics similar to an acoustic upright, you still ain’t gonna float any note a full measure of a slow song, or anything close to it. Compressors will also reduce dynamics and increase background noise when nothing is being played.

Assuming it works as advertised, the EH unit looks pretty nifty. Might be just the ticket for you.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

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[Killing Floor]

Compressor

 

[JKos]

There’s a new smaller version of the Freeze pedal now, too. Pico Deep Freeze | Sound Retainer / Sustainer - Electro-Harmonix

 

[Wasnex]

Choose a bass with more sustain. Use fresh round wound strings. Use a compressor.

In some instances you can lightly tap your fingers really fast close to the bridge saddles. It's sort of like a tympani roll.

 

[Zbysek]

IME, long sustained notes is not something expected from a bass guitar.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[walterw]

Is this a technique issue or a gear/hardware issue? (I've been playing bass for a couple months now, you won't be hurting feelings by saying it's user error! Though I'd appreciate any tips for improvement)
Is it maybe not that big of deal?

most of the time you should be more worried about not letting the notes ring out for too long

so yeah, not a big deal in normal situations; definitely no need for any kind of pedal unless you're trying to fake keyboard synth sounds or something

 

[Ithilome]

thanks for all the input!

 

[brianrost]

Is this an issue others have encountered? How did you solve it?

Use a bass with more sustain

I’ve actually clocked my Steinberger L2 and NS Radius CR5 sustaining notes for over 30 seconds. It’s almost too much sustain. Playing the last note at the end of a song, I have to mute it.

My Fenders only sustain about 10-15 seconds max. I use Wasnex’s “tympani roll” trick for those. I also use it for DB unless I feel like grabbing the bow

 

[sean_on_bass]

how much sustain are we talkin here? like how many bars at what tempo. i'm having trouble relating because i've never felt like the sustain of my bass was something that needed an enhancement, and i dont play basses with alot of sustain.

 

[2saddleslab]

All my basses, except the hollow bodies, have long sustain. It's easy to tame plus better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

 

[chadds]

Sustaining bass requires regular practice as well thinking about bass when you’re not holding one and considering yourself a musician that plays bass.

Also means not writing silly near derails on TB when you know the subject is note sustain.

I was in studio in the control room once with a first gen PRS bass. I held a note at the end of the take. The engineer asked me to do it again. Then he called another engineer in another tracking room to come in to hear it. 40 sec. sustain. While those basses are rare find a guitarist with a PRS to demonstrate.