String/frets contacts in the electric bass sound: Simulations and experiments

Abstract

For particular playing techniques such as “pop” or “slap” in the electric bass guitar, the string collides with frets, producing a percussive sound used in different music styles. The string/frets contacts introduce a nonlinearity which is investigated both numerically and experimentally in this paper. A physical model, based on a modal description of the string, is implemented with an unconditionally stable scheme. Simulations including a string/structure coupling and the two polarisations of the string are confronted to controlled experiments, showing a good agreement for increasing amplitudes of initial conditions. A parametric study is then conducted numerically in order to highlight the influence of physical parameters on the transient behaviour and raises questions related to tuning and playing issues.