Unorthodox Bass Recording

McKeon908

New member
Hey everyone,
I've completed the drum tracks of the songs I've started and I'm ready to track bass. I'm no bass player and I don't own a bass. That being said, I don't want any specific stand-out tone for the bass tracks. I kind of just want a very bassy sound that blends well with distinguishable notes with little overtones. If any of you listen to Acoustic Alchemy, that's the type of sound I guess I'm thinking of; like the bass part could be busy and interesting but it blends well because there's little overtones. For the sake of convenience, I was wondering if I could use a whammy pedal to detune my guitar an octave, plug it in DI and use some amp plug ins to achieve this bass sound. I've tried it out and it's difficult to tell if it works, given it's not in the context of a produced song. If this works, any advice on how to pull it off well? And if I need to just go out and borrow a bass, any tips for tracking a bass DI will be gladly appreciated. Sorry for my awkward wording, and thanks in advance!
 
Never been a fan of tuning down a guitar with a pedal to simulate a bass. It just never sounds right. Acoustic Alchemy brings back some old memories. Relistening now, the bass has a very refined sound and is pretty much due to the player.

It really is so much better to use a bass. You can find a decent one for cheap, look at the Yamahas. Or borrow one if you can. Run it direct in, use a limiter to keep transients tamed and don't be afraid to EQ the heck out of it. You'll get something close, but playing technique is the key to a good tone.

Good luck and welcome to the site.
 
Never been a fan of tuning down a guitar with a pedal to simulate a bass. It just never sounds right. Acoustic Alchemy brings back some old memories. Relistening now, the bass has a very refined sound and is pretty much due to the player.

It really is so much better to use a bass. You can find a decent one for cheap, look at the Yamahas. Or borrow one if you can. Run it direct in, use a limiter to keep transients tamed and don't be afraid to EQ the heck out of it. You'll get something close, but playing technique is the key to a good tone.

Good luck and welcome to the site.


Thanks. I prefer the feel of a bass guitar when tracking bass as well. I've heard similar things about the pitch shifted guitar. Trying It, it sounded like some frequencies were missing but I just thought there might be a way to make it work for the sake of convenience, but I'll be able to pick up a bass for recording soon. From what I've heard, some cheaper basses will work well for these purposes.
 
Guitars & Basses >> Stagg

They make some decently inexpensive basses. I'm still using one for my recordings. Cost me around $200, but there's cheaper. They seem well-built, from my experience. And yeah...get a real bass. There are several octaves that guitar can't reach.
 
You didn't say what you're recording to, but if it has real varispeed, you can sometimes get a very convincing bass tone if you record a guitar and then slow it down so it plays back half as fast and an octave down. That usually means you speed up the backing tracks to double time, record, and then slow it back down, so kind of only works if you can actually play it twice as fast as it's supposed to be. If it's really fast already, that can be a real challenge.
 
+1 on getting a real bass.

To get that super-mellow sound with little definition, I'd recommend:
1. Finger pick to reduce the transients you're introducing in playing.
2. DI it - amps tend to introduce mid-range compression, distortion, etc. All of which sounds good but will emphasize transients.
3. Scoop the mid range.
 
I'm a bass player, so I'd advise getting even just a cheap bass--but you could also track a synth bass line with free software.
 
I did the software 'down an octave' thing to start out, never liked the results. Go to Guitar Center, 'buy' a bass. record your stuff, then take it back for cash as part of the 30 day guarantee!
 
I did the software 'down an octave' thing to start out, never liked the results. Go to Guitar Center, 'buy' a bass. record your stuff, then take it back for cash as part of the 30 day guarantee!

Don't do the Nashville Rental! It cheats the sales folks out of their commissions. You can find instruments for cheap enough, or borrow one from a friend or something!
 
Yeah, don't do that. Just buy yourself a bass. Inexpensive gear has gotten so good. Why mess with a pedal? You don't even need an amp, just plug right in.
 
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