I think maybe I phrased that question wrong. I've recorded lots of bass. Usually with a 421 or an RE20 and a DI. I would say that is the "standard" as far as that goes. The tracks really aren't the problem as they both sound really good individually. In the mix they some how swell wildly in the mid range section. I need to figure out how to get it to stop interfering in the mix, so I guess I am asking what other instruments that folks might hear causing issues in the mix and what sort of blending people do between mics. I played with it last night again but it seems like the more I blend in the LDC with the hi-cut, the more it starts to sound like a toy.
@Witzendoz
Yeah, the phase was also my first thought but it isn't the issue surprisingly. I think 99% of the time this muddy sound comes from phasing issues but they are inline and I even threw a phase correcter on it just to check if I was going blind. I normally use a 421 and a dbx 160 but this project was done at a practice space and I went with what I had. I think an RE20 is pretty comparable to a 421 in some respects. I like to use direct in but it didn't sound right and the LDC just sounded a lot better in the room. That said, I think that is where some of the boominess is coming from and I like that big low end punch but I wish the mids hadn't suffered so much. Thanks for the tip though I appreciate you taking a listen.
@RecordingMaster
Oddly enough, I thought the same thing but I was thinking more about the bass on the Arcade Fire albums when I did it. I wanted that rubber band sound that has a lot of bounce and really just the tip of the string picking but it got a little thicker than I had hoped. I'll make it work even if it means just boosting at 800 riding a fader all the way through it. It's not killing the song for me by any means but it definitely has points where it is distracting... although once the vocals are on here it will be a lot less noticeable I think.
@miroslav
Yeah, in retrospect, I wish I had done both mics and a line in just to have it for comparisons. The direct wasn't sounding good but I made to classic mistake of leaving it out for no reason. I may try duplicating one of these tracks and feeding it to the Ampeg SVX plugin to try to simulate a direct line and then blend that. I hate using plugins for instrument tones but this may actually be one of the only "good" times to do it.
@Greg_L
I guess it depends on what you like. This kid hates detail bass. He doesn't want it to sound like metal bass (thin and detailed). He doesn't want it to sound like
rock bass (mid range and driven), he like the sort of muted ambient bass where the note is about all you get. So, I think I have that sort of but if I don't bring a little detail to it I'm gonna drive myself crazy and I think in the long run he'll eventually grow to wish it was there. So, I'm looking at the long haul here.
Thanks,
Ryan