Recording bass guitar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kyle McCormick
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Kyle McCormick

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what ways do you guys record bass guitar? right now i have to use melodyne and record the track on guitar convert it to midi and use that to create the bass track. im thinking of switching to using a midi keyboard.
 
Yep, use a bass guitar if that's the sound you want. If you don't own or play one (like me) find someone who does. What you're talking about is a bass synth, which is fine for some genres.

J
 
Greg_L said:
Have you tried a bass guitar? They work well. :D
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I hate to say it, but shoot, even the $90 bass guitar I borrow from my woman from time to time (something she bought when she was like, 12) works better than Melodyne'ing a guitar.
Considering how much Melodyne costs, I'm sure you can afford $90 SOMEHOW to get an actual bass. xD
 
MrWrenchey said:
I hate to say it, but shoot, even the $90 bass guitar I borrow from my woman from time to time (something she bought when she was like, 12) works better than Melodyne'ing a guitar.
Considering how much Melodyne costs, I'm sure you can afford $90 SOMEHOW to get an actual bass. xD
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I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut...

And yes, buy or borrow a bass guitar. Just don't steal one.
 
Look on craigslist for a Squire P or J bass. They're around $275-300 new, so you should be able to find a used one for $100-150.

Bassically, Michael
 
Now then Kyle,
You are probably thinking "Yeah! I CAN buy a cheap bass but then I have to get a bass amp rig!"

Not so. Many will say, with much justification, that the very best way to record 6string electric git' is by micing up a good amp. But this is not an option given to many of us, many do not have a good sounding rig (I do) but even so we can't crank it most of the time (I can't). MUCH worse is the nuisance value of a bass guitar grunting away next door! Fortunately it is usually far better to record bass "Direct Injected" into the High Z inputs of an AI.

Not only do you need a very good bass rig for it to record well but you need it in a decent room...And even THEN! Every bloody thing in the room rattles and is unerringly picked up by the mic!

So yes, pick up a sub $100 bass (like my "plywood" Precision. Well! Past ten feet the punters couldn't tell and it for sure SOUNDED ok!) and stuff it into a HZ input.

Dave.
 
It probably hasn't been mentioned yet but I go with an actual Bass Guitar. Every time.
 
Track Rat said:
It probably hasn't been mentioned yet but I go with an actual Bass Guitar. Every time.
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Nope. You're the first! And what genious suggestion!:facepalm:

What I don't quite understand is why you're using Melodyne to convert to MIDI rather than to just pitch shift down an octave. Isn't that a big part of what it's supposed to do?

I've gotten some interesting results in the past using various means of pitch shifting to fake bass. Usually started out as a demo track when I didn't have a bass handy, but sometimes it turns out so cool that it gets kept, even if it doesn't sound much like a real bass guitar. Hell, if you distort it enough...

IF you're not looking for that snappy, zingy, "modern" bass sound with more treble than any guitar amp can reproduce AND your recording platform has at least 2x varispeed capability AND you can play the thing reasonably well at doubletime THEN you could record it at doubletime and then varispeed down to normal speed (turn off any "preserve pitch" options) and a lot of people will be hard pressed to tell that it's not a relatively dark bass guitar.
 
ashcat_lt said:
Nope. You're the first! And what genious suggestion!:facepalm:

What I don't quite understand is why you're using Melodyne to convert to MIDI rather than to just pitch shift down an octave. Isn't that a big part of what it's supposed to do?

I've gotten some interesting results in the past using various means of pitch shifting to fake bass. Usually started out as a demo track when I didn't have a bass handy, but sometimes it turns out so cool that it gets kept, even if it doesn't sound much like a real bass guitar. Hell, if you distort it enough...

IF you're not looking for that snappy, zingy, "modern" bass sound with more treble than any guitar amp can reproduce AND your recording platform has at least 2x varispeed capability AND you can play the thing reasonably well at doubletime THEN you could record it at doubletime and then varispeed down to normal speed (turn off any "preserve pitch" options) and a lot of people will be hard pressed to tell that it's not a relatively dark bass guitar.
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Or....... you can record using a real bass and a bass amp/DI box. The time it took ashcat to explain all that mess and for you to actually set that mess up, record that mess and then edit that mess, you could plug in a real bass via DI box and you're ready to go and get your recording done in half that.
 
scorpio01169 said:
Or....... you can record using a real bass and a bass amp/DI box. The time it took ashcat to explain all that mess and for you to actually set that mess up, record that mess and then edit that mess, you could plug in a real bass via DI box and you're ready to go and get your recording done in half that.
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Dude, you missed the whole point. Its the journey, not the destination.
 
DM60 said:
Dude, you missed the whole point. Its the journey, not the destination.
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LOL! Is it? Sometimes I wish my journey didn't take so long. But then, I play bass and drums. No wonder I never got anywhere....

He he he...
 
Kyle McCormick said:
right now i have to use melodyne and record the track on guitar convert it to midi and use that to create the bass track. im thinking of switching to using a midi keyboard.
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As a bass player, this made me choke on my coffee. Melodyne, Keyboard bass :mad:

Alan.
 
This is what "technology" and home recording has brought us to. People turning simple concepts into total clusterfucks. No one wants to do anything the normal, basic, tried-and-true way anymore. Everyone thinks they have to fake and manipulate one thing into something else. Just plug a fucking bass into a DI and press record. That alone will sound better than all the other monkey-fucking-a-football shit mentioned in this thread.
 
scorpio01169 said:
Or....... you can record using a real bass and a bass amp/DI box. The time it took ashcat to explain all that mess and for you to actually set that mess up, record that mess and then edit that mess, you could plug in a real bass via DI box and you're ready to go and get your recording done in half that.
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The time it took to read all this bullshit, save up money, go buy a bass and DI...

I just need something to fill that space, and don't really give a fuck what is normal.
 
OP will not buy a bass as he is simply here to tell you that he can make bass sounds using his geetar and pirated software. He's not looking for suggestions he's looking for compliments on his technological wizardry. Applaud the genius!
 
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