2009

When these settings are used, you’ll find that the sound has become softer and very thin.
In fact, it’s somewhat reminiscent of a clavinet.
To compensate for this side effect with the Body EQ
1 Activate the Body EQ and add a healthy portion of bottom end to the sound by setting
the Low parameter to 0.60. Mid should be set to 0.33.
2 Set the High knob to −0.45 as the sound is now so bright that rolling off a few of the
highs can’t hurt.
3 Now bring the volume into line. If you adjust the Level knob to 2.5 dB, nothing should
be distorting. If this isn’t the case, try reducing some more of the bottom end with the
Low knob.
4 Save this setting asPick Open Roundwound.
Emulating Bass Guitar Damping in Sculpture
Playing with a pick is often combined with a damping technique that employs the ball
of the thumb. The right hand, which also holds the pick, should physically lie on top of
the strings at the bridge. This technique results in the sound having less overtone content
but becoming more percussive and punchy at the same time. You can variably control
the timbre of the sound through the angle and pressure of your hand while playing.
Object 3 will be used to emulate the virtual ball of the thumb in this example. The Timbre
parameter determines the kind of damping that occurs, and Variation dictates the length
of the string section that is being dampened.
To emulate bass guitar damping
1 Set the Object 3 type to Damp.
2 Set Object 3’s Strength parameter to 0.50.
3 Move Object 3 a little bit to the right in the Pickup display (to position 0.95) to simulate
the width and position of the ball of the thumb lying on the bridge.
4 Set Timbre to its minimum value (−1.00) to achieve a very soft damping effect.
5 Set the Variation parameter to its maximum value of 1.00.
You’ll note a metallic ringing that occurs during the attack phase and still can be heard
in the octave above E0.
6 To suppress the ringing, move the small green diamond on the Material Pad to a position
directly under the ball. In doing so, you’ve just increased the Inner Loss value for the low
key range.
Note: To place the diamond exactly under the ball, you can click it while pressing the
Option key.
7 Save this setting asPick Bass Half Muted.
408 Chapter 14 Sculpture