Getting Good Tight Bass guitar sounds?

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"HAY, HAY, HAY, HAY, KIDS" (sorry just seen simpsons)

To get the perfect Bass is probobly imposible but here is some food for thought.

Obviously you need a good bass player, with a good sounding bass. If you cant get this first part right, give up. You cant change an apple into an orange.

Now, normaly I put bass into a DI of some sort. Sansamp Bass Driver DI does the trick. But I have had some awsome results going strait into a Jomeek compresor (I'm sure any compressor might work). Also if i were to mic, i would run the bass into a DI, into a mixer, and finaly into a full size speaker (like ones used in conserts), then i would mic this similar to a bass drum. I find this gives a more real affect, like in a consert.

However if you are totaly happy with the sound you get from your bass amp, the best thing you can do is find a totaly flat mic, with a large frequency range.

Just my two cents, :)
Best to you all,

Cheers,
omnipotent :D

[This message has been edited by omnipotent (edited 06-16-2000).]
 
Your compression of the bass is probably heavily influenced by the nature of the bass itself. I have found that using a sidechain is a good way to get the bass sounding right. Unfortunately, the E string will carry more energy (as the compressor "reads" it), and it screws up the compression. Behringer makes some cheap compressor (I use the multicom) with "sidechain" available. I think it drops 100 or 250 Hz, and then decides how much to compress. Then it takes ALL of the signal (including the dropped frequencies) and compresses it accordingly. If you want to REALLY get compressed, try using the multicom in series. Four compressors on one track can really....screw up your noise-to-signal ratio!

hehe.

hope this helps
 
Forgot to mention one other idea for your sitaution. It sounds like you've found a good sound by direct input. Why don't you split your bass signal at the bass itself and then send 1/2 to DI, and 1/2 to amp? You'll need to double your gain at the mixer/recorder if you do this without a preamp. Maybe this helps.
 
You could also try something really sick:

I've run the Bass guitar Pre-Amp out througha 4-way Crossover-split the signal into 4 different frequency ranges-and then you can Compress them separately-and even Pan the ranges differently if you want-but watchout for any possible phasing. As long as you keep the signals Mono-you should be fine.

Tim
 
I think that's a GREAT idea. At work (radio station) we run into a crossover/compressor for 4 bands: low, mid, presence, and high. Have no idea what it costs. Have no idea what it's called. A mastering rack, maybe.

If you want to try this cheap, rent a Finalizer for a weekend. I've never done it, but I sure damn well want to!
 
hey everyone...
just wanted to check back in and let ya know i got my bass pod the other day. i havent really had alot of time to play with it but it seems pretty cool. definitley not as exciting as the guitar pod. besides my P bass needs new strings REALLY bad so until i do that i dont think that the bass pod will sound as good as it is supposed to
 
I've found that the very lowest bass frequencies can overwhelm the sound of the instrument and even reduce the ability to hear the bass line in the mix. To alleviate the problem, I usually cut (with a shelving curve) at least 6-7 db at around 50 Hz. Then I boost a few dbs at either 400 Hz, 800 Hz or 1.5 kHz to give the bass presence at lower volumes. I usually track it dry via DI and bounce it with compression (usually 4:1 ratio and attack and release based on the song itself).

Good luck!
 
Hi,
I've read a lot about DI's. Also about them being active or not. I haven't red wich signal is used to put in the DI.
A DI technique I use with my passive one(don't have another, sorry). I take the(2'nd)speaker output and put it into the Speaker-in of the DI.

The balanced line-out of the DI signal gets a little compressed (Yamaha) and goes into my digital recorder. I also had good results recording with a mike from a Peavey guitar amp. Every part in the recording is important.

I like using both signals. Depending on the song I mix more Mike or more DI signal. I lower the 70 Hrz & 200 Hrz frequency on my amp. Can't use that sound for life playing. Ther I upper these Freq.zones. For "Live recording" I only go over the DI.

For strings I use: RotoSound long scale.
I hope I have added something usefull. :D
Best regards to you all.
An old Washburn Bass Player.

[This message has been edited by Hano (edited 06-26-2000).]
 
noones mentioned making sure the pickup is setup correctly - you may need to backoff the lower strings, also you might try dampening the strings by threading a piece of felt or cloth through the strings close to the bridge
 
Some great tips, many of which I've used succesfully over the years. I'd like stress what some others have already said. First, unless your environment is conducive to bass freqs. i.e. a large treated room, go direct (D.I.). I always cut the low freqs. when tracking (50-250 hz depending on where the boominess is), it's easier to add bottom end in after when needed than to brighten the highs in terms of noise. If you're going for the phat sound then bass is often the dominant instrument and you may want to track it big and disregard the previous statement. Remember that you can only fit so much into the lower registers before things become muddy. This is really obvious when you are soloing instruments and they sound fine, a nice punchy clean bass etc. but un-solo and mud. In this case you must cut freqs. on other instruments including kick, piano, synths (a big muddier) etc. It's surprising how much a bass can make a thin kick sound bigger when mixed properly. Conversly, if you want a thick kick, then thin the bass. I also will monitor my bass with headphones because I get a lot of build-up in my control room of low freqs. That's basically how I track. For mixing I ALWAYS split the bass signal with any kind of dividing unit (software types C-4) or x-over and feed two channels of my console. Mess with the x-over setting if it's variable and find a good setting. I then insert a compressor on the low channel (and sometimes the high at a different setting). Be concious of polarity/phasing situations at this point, it should be obvious, the low end will sound quite tinny. This way, the lower and punchier notes don't suck down the entire signal in the mix. Use some light EQ on the high channel for taste if you like. By using two channels, you also have the option of boosting or lowering the bottom end with a fader as opposed to drastic EQ. I don't have any magic comp. settings as the ear is the final judge. This is the method I've used in variations for years and I've had some very nice compliments on my mixes. The bass will sound bigger and warmer and sit in the mix very well. For the dance, hip-hop crowd, this may not be what you want, in which case as I said earlier, find the dominant sound and EQ to that. Hope this helps. I've also been messing with a Bass Pod for the last couple of days. I've been routing bass tracks that have already been recorded back through it and into the console. It's interesting, the fuzz bass is very cool. Gotta try the guitar Pod.
 
jeeeeez hildy...i cant read all that!!!!....dont forget u guys if ur micing a 300 watt cabinet in ur living room its gonna sound like shiiyat...thats probably why some a these guys prefer d.i
make sure the room ur cabinet is in is deader than cobain. then mix the mic with the d.i. ---worrrr
 
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