Best way to record bass guitar?

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guitarguy101

New member
I'm either going to DI or use one of my mics. Either way, they'll be running into a US-600 Tascam interface. Currently, I have 2 SM-57s, a Sterling LDC, and a Sterling Pencil Condenser. My questions is: what set up should I use? DI, SM-57, or what? I'll be recording a Fender Aerodyne bass running through a smallish amp (unless I DI.)
Which would sound better? I'm running into Garageband, which doesn't have awesome amps (especially for bass).
 
It really depends on the bass, the amp, and mostly, the performance. I find my best tone is found with a nice Bass preamp/DI box. But there are situations when micing a cabinet gives better results. Keep in mind, this does not mean that micing a 10" practice amp in a bathroom will sound good. Or maybe?........Naw...

In order to get good tone from micing a bass amp, IMO, involves a whole lot of having a room that will allow you to do so. Unlike close mic'd guitars, an untreated room seems to make bass guitar seem very undefined, and muddy. Mostly because a small room is not a good place for an instrument that is throwing out a buttload of low frequencies.

Direct is the best way around a poorly treated room, and in fact, even with a treated room (as I have), will give great results in combination with the mic'd signal. I always use a direct signal, but mostly one through a good bass preamp designed for the task.

Sansamp and Eden make some really great sounding DI/Bass preamps.
 
That SVX actually sounds quite good! Well worth the cost. I just purchased an EDEN Bass DI/pre, and found it much easier to dial in a tone on the way in, as well as split out a direct signal to use later. It almost seems silly sometimes, to mic a bass amp, but there are times when it is absolutely necessary. I always record them all. Usually, the direct, and preamp line in get used the most. In my experiences, sometimes, the mic is an awesome enhancement. More than not, the preamp/direct line is the best. Bass guitar sims are much easier to get good tone, than distorted guitar sims. As long as you have the inputs, record one of each, then the mix will tell you which is best.
 
Greetings,

I almost always use a basic D.I. and I keep the setting rather tame. Then I can reamp the signal (with my Radial) into a cab or just send the bass out through my monitors and put a mic somewhere in the room where the bass sounds the best. Then I blend to taste and that is pretty much all I need.
 
guitarguy101 said:
Best way to record bass guitar?
My questions is: what set up should I use? DI, SM-57, or what?
Which would sound better?
Click to expand...
No one can say. This is one of the great "variables" questions. What's your style of bass playing, thumbs, fingers or pick ? What sort of settings do you favour, bright and twangy, mellow and subtle, deep and bassy or fretlessesque ? Are you a thwacker or a stroker ? Are you mainly a root note player, just following the rhythm guitar or keeping it sparse and simple, or are you a quasi lead bassist ? Are you a counter melody type or a trills and flourishes kind of player ? What kind of songs is the bass fitting into ? Heavy rock ? Death metal ? Easy listening ? Reggae / Soul ? Old style rock'n'roll or R&B ? Retro ? Grunge ? Punk ? A mixture of all of the above ? Jazz ? Pop ? Is the bass going to be mixed upfront or further back ? Are you an actual bassist or a guitarist/keyboardist/trumpeter that can sort of find your way around a bass if need be ?
EZ Willis once said "it's only the bass. The tone of the bass is not going to make or break a song". Probably not, but there exist almost as many bass tones as guitar ones in my opinion and as such, more than one way to record it. Sometimes, I'll just mic the amp, sometimes I'll go DI. Other times I'll combine the two. And at other times still, I'll combine the two with a third sound from the line out of the amp. I've even been known to simultaneously mike two amps on different settings and use them.
 
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