Recording bass with distortion

[Goreliscious]

Heya, does anyone have any tips for recording bass cabs with a mic? I'll be using a SM57. I recorded our old bassist by DI because that's what he wanted but the results were crap - scratches and scrapes all over the show and sounded weak in general.

I've never recorded bass before with a mic but I'm guessing the mic placement principles are the same as guitar cab micing? The bassist is in B standard tuning (BEAD) and will be using distortion.

Cheers muchly

 

[rayc]

Split the signal & record DI as well as mic'ing the cab & yeah, pretty meuch standard mic position. then BLEND for the best of both worlds.
Now, you didn't mention distortion in the thread - just the title...Distortion DI can be a prob as it tends to be fizzy etc so even more reason to blend.
The other alternative is to do the DI without distortion & add that in your DAW with a VST or plug in etc. THAT WAY you have greater control over the result.

 

[Goreliscious]

I don't think the new bassist has a DI gadget. The old bassist had some little DI box thing which I haven't seen in the new bassist kit. Can you tell I know nothing about bass?

 

[grimtraveller]

Can you tell I know nothing about bass?

Like the sun setting over the oceans of the globe.....

The bassist is in B standard tuning (BEAD)

Wot, no G ?

 

[grimtraveller]

Now, you didn't mention distortion in the thread - just the title...

The bassist [is in B standard tuning (BEAD)] and will be using distortion

Rayc is right though, a blend of distorted cab and DI for body and definition is the way to go. Careful not to use alot of distortion on the bass though because it can sound like a fizzy mush of noise or make the amp sound like one of those old Turkish guys that used to sit on top of buses smoking strong ciggy after strong ciggy and coughing till the sun went down.

You can also just use an bass amp sim on your DI track to get the distortion as well. Try Ampeg SVX. It has some awesome sounding models.

This might be of some use in addition to what Rayc said.

 

[moresound]

I prefer fuzz bass myself!

 

[Bassman Brad]

Split the signal & record DI as well as mic'ing the cab & yeah, pretty meuch standard mic position. then BLEND for the best of both worlds.

I, too, recommend recording both the cab and direct - as a general rule - whenever recording bass. I never can tell until mixdown which one (or both) works best in the song.

The other alternative is to do the DI without distortion & add that in your DAW with a VST or plug in etc. THAT WAY you have greater control over the result.

Agreed. As far as I'm concerned, this is BY FAR the best way to get distortion on a bass track, record the bass clean with the DI and add distortion to taste in the DAW.

I don't think the new bassist has a DI gadget.

Most bass amps have a DI built-in. If you don't have one, you need to get one anyway, since there will be lots of stuff that you want to DI into your project.

 

[Seafroggys]

I have always recorded DI bass, but I recently been putting some light "tube" distortion plug-in on the signal to make it pop out of the mix more....you can't even hear the distortion with the rest of the music, its subtle. Its just there to help push the bass forward in the mix, and it works great.

 

[Bassman Brad]

I have always recorded DI bass, but I recently been putting some light "tube" distortion plug-in on the signal to make it pop out of the mix more....you can't even hear the distortion with the rest of the music, its subtle. Its just there to help push the bass forward in the mix, and it works great.

Yes, that's a nice technique. It actually works on a lot of instruments. A little distortion can really beef up a snare drum, for example.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

BEAD

Like the sun setting over the oceans of the globe.....

Wot, no G ?

I actually use that as my primary tuning to. G-strings are mostly just good for making "G-string" jokes.

+1 for picking up a DI box. If you're going to be recording, you'll want one for most instruments that use guitar cables. Pretty much any cheap DI will have a parallel out so you can run the XLR from the DI to you interface and the parallel out to the amp (which you then mic)

 

[killthepixelnow]

The more options, the better. Mic the amp and also thru a DI box. Then you can add distortion on your software over the clean signal or blend the distorted channel with the clean one.

 

[Murdersgalore]

Wot, no G ?

I do the same thing. Thicker gauge strings and reset the intonation and neck to accommodate them and tune BEAD. That way I can play along with either my down tuned baritone guitar, a seven string, pr a standard tuned guitar and for most music the extra string isn't needed .

 

[arcadeko]

I get killer bass sound - my secret?

plug the freakin bass into the mixing board and record -

crazy right... whatever - it works for me

 

[rfahey86]

Heya, does anyone have any tips for recording bass cabs with a mic? I'll be using a SM57. I recorded our old bassist by DI because that's what he wanted but the results were crap - scratches and scrapes all over the show and sounded weak in general.
Cheers muchly

Ditch the pick unless you are looking for the added attack. Bass normally sounds much better played by hand you can take care of the dynamics later. IMO

 

[foxje79]

Based on what I have read thus far on recording bass, I recently recorded bass tracks for a song from a Hartke 4x10" and 15" stacked cabinet and 5-string Musicman Stingray. I have tried recording the bass before using all of the techniques I have read about here (except for adding in DAW afterwards, good one). I have even used a Seinhesser E602 kick drum mic to record it. ALL OF THEM did not yeild me the kind results I wanted.
After reading about combining DI with micing the cabinet, here is what I did: I split the signal 3 ways. I ran a DI input, I mic'd the 4x10" cabinet using a large diaphragm condensor (away from the grill), and I mic'd the 15" with the Seinheisser E602. Using this technique gave me the most control over the bass sound I have ever had. It allows you to combine the mids and highs of the top cabinet with the mid-lows and lows of the bottom cab, and DI.
I also still ran into the distortion problem, inevitably, too. I will try the suggestion of backing off the distortion. I already had a hunch that the bass player was using too much.

 

[grimtraveller]

for most music the extra string isn't needed .

Ditch the pick unless you are looking for the added attack. Bass normally sounds much better played by hand

I must have been feeling pretty mellow back in 2011 when these posts were made {or I didn't see them} as I couldn't agree less and disagree more !

I split the signal 3 ways

One of my favourite bass recording methods ~ using a Palmers Y splitter box, I mic the amp, run the line out for some added growl and go DI straight from bass to DAW. Blend the signal to one track eventually and Bob's your uncle.