Bass cabs vs DI

[Gtoboy]

For extra gnarly I run the bass through a guitar combo with just the right amount of overdrive to get medium break up. There aint no bottom so it's always in addition to DI. Blended together can work really well.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I do the blend of DI and mic in room technique too.

(I don't LPF or HPF anything, but it usually does end up working out that the DI handles low end, and the amp handles mids)

 

[easlern]

That’s a good idea with the guitar amp. Similarly, I like to use a bass pedal to get some crunch when it’s feeling kinda meh.

 

[cavedog101]

I have yet to find a DI on an amp that I like nearly as much as a passive DI with a transformer, or using the instrument inputs of a preamp I like with the appropriate amount of hardware compressor. If I do want an amp I will always use the 1967 B15 I have and close mic it with an SM7, use a Neumann U87 out about 2' AND take the DI too. Covers most everything.

 

[RFR]

On bass, my preferences are to always do a DI but with some kind of amplification as well. There's so much that can be done with the blending of the two
And there are so many different types of amps to use, from guitar to bass amps.

One of my favorite amps for bass is the lowly portable Pignose. It gives an awesome growl and has some 'octave' type overtones as well. At least mine does
it almost sounds like I'm running a fuzzface and octave pedal at the same time.

I think its key to be willing to experiment with different gear that you'd normally not associate with bass.

DI by itself is just boring.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Geez, so many different processes here. Everyone is doing something a bit different for something we all do. Gotsta have bass, but we're all doing it a bit differently. That's pretty cool.

To throw it out there, the DI/virtual Ampeg Pro(no cab)/TSE channel is working very nicely in my current project.

 

[andrushkiwt]

The cab is an important part of the sound imho, I wasn’t aware people recorded direct from amp.

That was my impression before I started this thread. Saw that video and thought I'd throw it out there to see how others were handling it. It's not really discussed much, especially compared to how much guitar tones are achieved.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

To be clear, I'm mostly recording one bassist through his Ampeg SCR-DI pedal, which gives it more of a cab tone than pure direct.

 

[ecc83]

We had a 15" 200W fane in a 6cuft reflex cab (gigged it a couple of times) driven from a Maplin 100W MOSFET amp but in a small bedroom "stoodio" it made every mortal thing rattle even at mild levels. DI into (then) Fast Track Pro was the only way.

Dave.

 

[Guitargodgt]

So many ways to skin a cat when it comes to rock/metal bass.

Been watching some professionals do it. Here is Nolly's (periphery) take on it:



I personally use a hardware bass preamp that goes direct, but I do some further processing.

---------- Update ----------

Here is Bergstrand mixing bass (Meshuggah).

 

[Guitargodgt]

Joey Sturgis using podfarm to do some bass stuff.



---------- Update ----------

Polyphia. The source tone was exceptionally good though.



---------- Update ----------

Brown of Monuments:

 

[Guitargodgt]

Ermin (mostly known for mastering, but also a really good mix engineer).

 

[JohnnyAmato]

Geez, so many different processes here. Everyone is doing something a bit different for something we all do. Gotsta have bass, but we're all doing it a bit differently. That's pretty cool.

To throw it out there, the DI/virtual Ampeg Pro(no cab)/TSE channel is working very nicely in my current project.

I'm still using my Digitech pedal board, the old GNX3000, for all my guitar and bass tones. I actually have two of them, one for live and one for recording. It has about 10 different bass heads and cabinets, I also have a bunch of amp/bass amp sims plugins, but whenever I A/B I just like the board better. I move around a bit on the board with the bass heads/cabs I use, but for the last 10 recordings or so I've stuck with the Fender Dual Showman through an Ash 4x10, which the manual says it's an '03 Ash ABM 410T, I just like how that pairing sounds. (For guitar tones I'm obviously all over the place)

I've been wanting to experiment with a DI box and print two tracks, one clean and one through the board, but haven't done it yet. I'm mainly using an '06 USA P-Bass, and I usually just high-pass around 70-80, and usually remove some rumble in the 150-400 range, just a few db's, depending on the mix. Then into the Slate VTM, Slate VCC, Slate FG-Stress or Waves CLA-2A (sometimes after a CLA-76 if the transients are too poppy) then the Waves MV2. I'll usually parallel compress the bass as well, depending on the song. Occasionally I'll send it some SansAmp or Avid Lo-Fi, again depending on the mix. I've been hearing good things about the Slate FG-73 on bass too, have it but haven't tried it on bass yet.

All this talk on cabs bringing in mud, makes want to try turning off the cabinet and just trying the Ash head by itself (board gives that option) and maybe I won't get that rumble I was talking about. Hmm, yea I'm trying it on the next recording

 

[andrushkiwt]

All this talk on cabs bringing in mud, makes want to try turning off the cabinet and just trying the Ash head by itself (board gives that option) and maybe I won't get that rumble I was talking about. Hmm, yea I'm trying it on the next recording

I mean, I haven't noticed any bass issues on your tracks, but if you're doing more EQ work than you listed, sure try it. Hey, have you tried any guitar amp sims? You usually record mic-amp, no?

 

[Ujn Hunter]

I used to just record DI through my interface... then I'd run that through a plug-in or two... Overloud's Mark Studio 2, maybe some CLA Bass etc... mixed in with the DI to taste. Then I got an Eleven Rack (which has more than 2 inputs) so I now record (possibly overkill) a DI, the Eleven Rack (Bass Amp/Cab Sim) & Sub/Drive channels through my Tech21 GED-2112 Sansamp... so that's 4 (!) bass tracks! Mix them to taste... but my latest track was just faders up with those 4 tracks and no plugins... seemed to sound pretty good to me. So I think the presets I was using in the Eleven Rack had a "virtual cab" emulation... and Overloud/CLA Bass also have options to use a "cab" I believe, but I've never mic'd up a real cab. Next time I might mic up my Guitar Combo w/ Bass running through it for 5 (!) bass tracks! Who the hell needs 5 bass tracks? Can you tell I'm a bass player?