How do I record bass properly?

[cshawns]

my band is recording in a friends home studio, and the last time we recorded bass, we just did direct line from the bass into the mixer.
now, i know you're supposed to Mic guitar amps. is that what we should do with bass? be cause when we did a direct input it really didnt work well.

someone please just tell me exactly what do to to record bass well.

 

[nevome]

If his bass amp has a line out, or a send for an FX loop. the tone shaping the amp provides should make it easier for you to get a desireable tone.

You can mic a bass amp, usualy with something like a kick drum mic, but I found I usualy end up just muting the mic track anyway.

 

[cshawns]

so i guess do a mic and a line out of the amp, and get what sounds good.

he has the best bass amp out there, the ampeg full stack and all that haha, so i think it should have the features we need.

thanks

 

[FALKEN]

oh yeah..ampeg full stack...just throw a mic on it bud.

 

[slidey]

oh yeah..ampeg full stack...just throw a mic on it bud.

damn straight & if you have the inputs use a DI (box) as well....................I would anyway as a matter of course, but that's me...........

BTW where does he live??..................I feel a robbery coming on

 

[Dogbreath]

another vote for both here. If nothin else, you've got options at mixdown. I usually do both and then blend em to taste.

 

[PhiloBeddoe]

I hope I'm not hijacking this thread, but this is basically the same question and I have a similar situation. If the author doesn't like me interrupting, please tell me and I'll start another thread.

I'm recording a full Ampeg SVT rig and have already recorded it with two mics (AKG D112, AT4033) and through a Sansamp direct.

I didn't know what would work best and basically I have too many options now.

Does anyone have specific methods for how to blend them? It seems like if I just bring up a mic and the direct together, I get mud very quickly. It's just too much. Yet there's either enough punchy bottom with the mic alone and not enough growl with the direct alone.

I've tried highpassing the mic and lowpassing the direct at 100 and 200Hz, but it doesn't sound too natural.

 

[Dr Biscuits]

It really does depend on what sound you're after, but what I like to do when working with mic/direct is work with the mic'ed bass track first and foremost, and then bring up just enough of the direct to catch any missing definition.... if you're having trouble, the first place I would start is by chosing one of the mic's and going with it along with a touch of direct rather than trying to blend all 3 signals... just my 1c - of course the sound you're going for may dictate doing the exact opposite

 

[Ironklad Audio]

Does anyone have specific methods for how to blend them? It seems like if I just bring up a mic and the direct together, I get mud very quickly. It's just too much. Yet there's either enough punchy bottom with the mic alone and not enough growl with the direct alone.

I've tried highpassing the mic and lowpassing the direct at 100 and 200Hz, but it doesn't sound too natural.

when mixing a DI'd and mic'ed signal for bass, i usually like to use the separate tracks to bring out different frequency ranges - such as using the DI for the clean low-end, and using the mic track to get the punch/attack

 

[giraffe]

Does anyone have specific methods for how to blend them? It seems like if I just bring up a mic and the direct together, I get mud very quickly. It's just too much. Yet there's either enough punchy bottom with the mic alone and not enough growl with the direct alone.

I've tried highpassing the mic and lowpassing the direct at 100 and 200Hz, but it doesn't sound too natural.

don't bother using all three unless you see clear, definite, and immediate reasons to do so.
you're possibly experiencing phase issues that cause the change in tone when you bring up both. check, and if necessary, align the two tracks you want so that things are all happening at the same time.

even though you tracked three, remember you may only end up using one.
i'd use the best sounding mic in that situation, di tracks often seem to have more bass, but in my experience it's in less desirable places. like 150-200 Hz.
this makes it sound more powerful, but in a mix it often won't get the heck out of the way of other instruments.

 

[giraffe]

he has the best bass amp out there, the ampeg full stack and all that haha, so i think it should have the features we need.

thanks

shit, a decent mic on that thing. (assumeing he just doesn't set his tone to sound crappy which is a deffinate possibility) should rock.

got a mic worth useing?

 

[PhiloBeddoe]

don't bother using all three unless you see clear, definite, and immediate reasons to do so.

Great to hear this. The KISS method works for me. So far I'm leaning toward just using the D112 alone. All three was never an option. That's insanity.

you're possibly experiencing phase issues that cause the change in tone when you bring up both. check, and if necessary, align the two tracks you want so that things are all happening at the same time.

I have been doing this alignment, but I still hear subtle phasey things when blending. Good to hear someone else say these things. Obviously the waveforms are not identical between a DI and mic, so there's going to be some junk going on.

i'd use the best sounding mic in that situation, di tracks often seem to have more bass, but in my experience it's in less desirable places. like 150-200 Hz.

Wow, great to hear that too. I've been reaching for eq every time in that range. I think the DI would be a workable and clean option, but it just doesn't have the character that the bass player and I want.

Thanks for the great response!

 

[giraffe]

in a worst case scenario a di is a acceptable way out of a bad situation.
i always take one, and often use it at least a little.

 

[jonnyc]

I prefer a good DI only for the fact that my room is way less than stellar and mic'ing a bass cab would probably lead to a lot of buildup and ugliness.

 

[giraffe]

acyually, on my own, personal stuff i use a bass sans amp di.
but not because i don't think i could get a better tone out of an amp,
because it requires so much less set-up and dickin' around to get going.

(read: lazy)

 

[Matt123]

he has the best bass amp out there, the ampeg full stack and all that

Who is this guy, Jaco Pastorius?? I couldn't help it xD

 

[musicstew]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with recording bass direct.

Even if you place a microphone on an amp you should still record a separate direct track.

Direct bass recording is something that many well know bass players prefer.

-Stew

 

[gecko zzed]

More often than not I record bass by going through a DI. This method has not let me down in terms of being able to get a clean, workable signal.

That's not necessarily to say that what I get is wonderful, only that it is better than what I've got using mikes. The benefit, though, is no bass spill onto other tracks and vice versa.

 

[jmxdrummer]

I usually use a direct box for all bass tracks. I plug the line out of the bass amp to the di box which then goes into my mic preamp. I would only mic the bass amp if the bassist has a real good bass amp.

peace

 

[Chibi Nappa]

90% of the time I find a 1/4 inch cord straight from the bass to a hi-z input on your preamp works just fine.

If that doesn't work for this particular bass, cycle through your other options.