Bass guitar sound

Y

Yoosto

New member
Hi all,

I'm quite new at recording and mixing so I would like to hear some suggestion from you regarding the bass guitar sound.

Recently the guitar player of my band invested in a home studio so we started to record some new stuff. I always had a problem with my bass guitar because I could never get the right sound I want out of it. I have a Squier Classic Vibe '60s jazz bass with Seymour Duncan SJB-3 pickups. The sound that I'm longing for should sound something like this: (link from youtube) /watch?v=35XV8UAdBMU

So I know he's using a different bass (Mark Hoppus jazz bass w/ inverted precision pickups) and a different amp than me. But still I can't seem to find a similar tone. His sound is quite defined but with lots of bass. I recorded through a tube preamp and when I'm working on it, it comes out either too trebly or too deep. I just can't find a right ratio of definition and bass. I'm not sure if there is a double bass track with different sounds recorded on this song I posted.

So what are your opinions and do you have any suggestions on how to get a similar tone out of my bass like on this track I posted. I greatly appreciate any comment! :)

P.S. I'm also using Studio One Artist, for whom it may concern. :thumbs up:

Cheers!
 
How are you recording? DI, mic'd up? The bass in the recording sounded like it was being played with a pick. I'm not a bassist, but I'd guess there's some reverb, chorus, EQ, and compression going on there too.
 
I'm recording through the DI box. I'm also using a pick and always put some compression on and play with the EQ but haven't tried reverb and chorus yet. Will try that, thanks! But I think that sound mainly depends on a good EQ setting which I just can't seem to figure out.
 
It sounds like a combination of DI and a tube amp, probably more amp than DI. I don't hear any reverb or chorus, but definitely compression and EQ. Also, remember your tone will change according to where you pick the strings, i.e. near the neck or closer to the bridge and anywhere in between. Try boosting the low end around 50-100, and the high end around 2-3k, and if that doesn't sound right, cut the mids around 300-500 3-6 db, even 9 if necessary.

Bassically, Michael
 
That sounds like the fallowing although I can't comment on the bass amp he used.

1. Steel wound strings.
2. Both pickups on.
3. Tone all the way up.
4. Used a hard pick.
 
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Seriously,
for efficiency, economy and tone use a Behringer BDI21. It's stupidly cheap but does a terrific job at cloning the Sansamp.
There's a fair bit of pick in that tone and not really much bass end. There's also a couple of strings happening.
Round wound def, lots of treble.
Try using some EQ at 3Khz to boost your definition.
It's not a terribly attractive bass sound but it would work in the mix - actually it's doesn't sound too great when the whole band is pumping.
Noted how the top end drops off as it progresses - tiredness?
 
Was away for some time so I didn't reply. I tried most of your suggestions and I'm getting closer. Thanks! Here's a sample what it sound like now. Maybe you could give me more suggestion based on this actual sample. :) Soundcloud: /domagoj-justament/mixdown-bass
 
I like the tone, but the compressor settings could use some tweaking. Set the Attack (your setting is cutting off some of the attack making it sound choppy) and Release around 40-50ms and raise the Threshold a little so it doesn't compress too much, try to keep it around 6 db, maybe 8 db max of reduction.

Bassically, Michael
 
Michael4bass said:
I like the tone, but the compressor settings could use some tweaking. Set the Attack (your setting is cutting off some of the attack making it sound choppy) and Release around 40-50ms and raise the Threshold a little so it doesn't compress too much, try to keep it around 6 db, maybe 8 db max of reduction.

Bassically, Michael
Click to expand...

Thank you. Will try that and post what I got. :)
 
I can't get the OP's clip to show.
But that original bass! I don't know if it is compressed to hell or if it is the ghastly MP3/MP4 mashing that is responsible but why so freakin' loud!!? The clip is slamming my 2496 meters off the top of the monitor.

HTF are peeps supposed to make any kind of valid judgement of readers sound clips if they have no dynamics and "could" be clipping the converters somewhere in the repro' chain?


Dave.
 
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