3.5

529MainStage Instruments
3. 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 as Pick Open Roundwound.
Emulate 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 is 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.
1. In MainStage, set the Object3 type to Damp.
2. Set Object3 Strength to 0.50.
3. Move Object3 a little 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.
A metallic ringing 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 as Pick Bass Half Muted.
Simulate harmonics created by fingers lightly touching the strings in Sculpture
Harmonics are single partials (overtones) of the overall sound. They can be heard by
damping certain points along the string. This is done by lightly laying the fingers of the
left hand (assuming a right-handed bass player) on the string—not pressing down—before
the note is articulated. The first overtone, the octave, is achieved by placing your finger
at the exact middle of the string—in effect separating the string into two halves. The next
overtone is the fifth above the octave, and the position of your finger should divide the
string into a ratio of one-third to two-thirds. The next overtone separates the string into
proportions of one-quarter to three-quarters, and so on.
1. In MainStage, Object3 is used as a damper. Choose the Damp type.
2. Adjust Object3 Timbre to a value of 1.00.
3. Adjust Variation to its initial value of 0.00 by clicking the Variation slider while holding
down the Option key.
4. Move Object3 to the exact middle (0.50) of the Pickup display. Play the keyboard, and
you’ll hear the first overtone as a harmonic.