Pedal help for a pedal noob

Hi guys I need help figureing something out with my pedal board I have a zoom B1-on multi effect pedal I use to create patches. I want to create A patch that will make each note “Pop”. what effects would I use to go about That?

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@howard can probably help with that

Hmmm…it’s hard to know what you mean without an example. Is there a song you are thinking of that has what you are going for?

not sure about a song, but what i want is sort of like a staccato where you get a really percussive hit that "pop"s and then little to no trail off

There may be a playing technique answer to this that you need to consider also, but to strictly answer your question as far as effects go without thinking about what you are doing . . .

A “gate” is the type of effect where the audio output level is kept down until it hears a sound above a certain threshold. It then stays open for as long as the sound lasts and then begins to lower the output level after a specified amount of time (release time).

You want to set a gate threshold so that it’s closed when you aren’t playing and triggered when you are. You want this a bit on the higher side because after your first percussive hit, you want the trailing sound to be below the threshold. You don’t want it so high, that you aren’t getting all your percussive hits through.

You then want a very short release time.

If it doesn’t trail off for long enough, increase the release time slightly.

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It sounds like compression maybe…mixed with technique. So maybe a limiter pedal or a compressor pedal.

Popping is a technique in slap bass that produces that sound. Instead of just brushing the string with your finger, you pull on the string from behind it a bit and let the tension of the string snap it back at the fret board. The fretting hand will also mute strings to prevent note sustain (creating the staccato effect) and make the style percussive and staccato.

I think that may be the opposite effect of what’s desired here. Compression brings up the tail.

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Yeah, it’s mixed with technique though. Lots of slap bass is compressed. You want the violent impact (pop) to be strong and defined as it exists, but it is then muted by technique. But again without an example to hear, it is hard to know exactly what the sound being described is.

Ah, I see where you are going with this. Yes, I also suspect the answer to this may possibly be different than how the question was asked.

Is this what you mean by “popping”? Check out the main riff starting at around 0:22

If so, it is mainly in the fingers, and the fact that he plays way back towards the bridge and also probably has most tone coming from the bridge pickup. But, other than that, mostly technique :grin:

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For example the first higher note on this one (and subsequent throughout the song) has a staccato “pop” sound. Is this what you mean?

I would do this with either a transient shaper or an envelope filter. I don’t know of any good pedals for either.

I’m using a transient shaper for this now to pump up the attack and ramp down the sustain on part of a guitar track.

Hmm, not sure the envelope filters on the B1on would be up for this - ideally you would want a full ADSR envelope. Most bass pedals will probably be focused on the funky quacky woop woop sound. Which is not bad in any way :slight_smile:

Still, try playing with the envelope filters on your B1on. Using them lightly you might be able to get them to punch up the attack a bit and lower the sustain.

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