recording bass with thumb technique

[davidmoore]

Hi All

My first post!
I wanted to ask your advise.
I,m not a virtuoso player in fact my main instrument is guitar.
However i do play naturally with my thumb.
I probably get the best feel this way although i can play with a pick and to some degree with my fingers.
The problem i have is that when i record with my thumb the sound is almost too thick( i use a Fender Jazz and Neve Di) and always needs some form of eqing.
The problem might be i,m thinking is that many of the old time bass players actually recorded through an amp and possibly more from a distance in terms of micing.
So is it this or my technique ??

Hope this makes some sort of sense

Thanks

[discreet]

Playing with the thumb is a valid technique. You could try playing closer to the bridge - that would go some way to reducing the 'thickness'. Or if you can, play with a pick. It's not unusual for recorded bass to need some EQ, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. If it sounds good, it IS good. Edit: Welcome to the forum. btw.

Edited December 31, 2014 by discreet

[davidmoore]

Thanks i.m also thinking my style might be better suited to a Fender precision??
Btw the music i play to is mainly acoustic based folk/singer songwriter stuff...

[Japhet]

You can roll a bit of the low end off on the guitar. If your sound is a bit 'thick' to start with I wouldn't think a Precision would be the best choice. A Jazz would do better in my opinion.

[discreet]

[quote name='davidmoore' timestamp='1420037052' post='2645053']
Thanks i.m also thinking my style might be better suited to a Fender precision??
[/quote]

You've made the prime error which has cost countless people on this forum great anguish, sleepless nights and many, many thousands of pounds: 'I'm not happy with the sound I'm getting, therefore I need a different bass.'

A P bass will give you more thump, if anything. Allow me to save you time, lots of money and avoid the risk of severe mental illness and possible exile to the shed: It's all in the fingers. Or the thumb, in your case.

Edited December 31, 2014 by discreet

[zero9]

You don't mention what strings you're using. Depending on your current strings, changing them may help find the tone you're looking for.

Also, a Jazz will allow you to just dial in the bridge pickup, which should give you a thinner tone.

Edited December 31, 2014 by zero9

[JamesBass]

Dial your tone up and give the bridge pickup a more favourable level. Also where on the bass are you playing? And are you Palm muting your strings?

[M@23]

Can you use your thumb nail at all? Which Neve pre are you using?!

[dmccombe7]

The more you use thumb to play the skin will naturally harden same as normal finger style and the tone changes from a dull deep sound to a slightly more solid harder tone. Someone mentioned using your nail which is something i do depending on band i'm with.
You can get thumb picks which might be an option that helps.
People have already mentioned changing pick up setting and adjusting tonal mix.

Dave

[Lozz196]

[quote name='zero9' timestamp='1420046040' post='2645166']
You don't mention what strings you're using. Depending on your current strings, changing them may help find the tone you're looking for.

Also, a Jazz will allow you to just dial in the bridge pickup, which should give you a thinner tone.
[/quote]

Same brand but a thinner gauge possibly. Certainly new strings should be crisper and sound less dead/thuddy.

[davidmoore]

thanks for the feedback !
for the person who asked i normally go into an ibp d.i and then into a neve 1073
Thanks

Edited January 1, 2015 by davidmoore

[Dan Dare]

I keep the thumb nail short, but use the edge of it on the string. Some great thumb bass playing on live film of Gary Moore and BB King doing "The thrill is gone" on YouTube. Lovely fat tone.