Popping sound when recording bass

[Leknin]

Hey,

I'm recording bass through DI and I can't get rid of this weird sound it makes the moment the pick/finger lets go off the string when playing. The string touches neither pick ups or the fretboard.

I've already tried:

• different picks (even a leather one)
• playing with fingers
• changing cables
• setting the pickups higher/lower
• setting the volume on the bass higher/lower
• setting the gain higher/lower in DAW and the audio interface.
• different amp sims (it can be heard even on the raw DI recording though, just not as much)
• changing buffer size from 256 spls to 512 spls in DAW

My setup is:

Vintage V4 SB Bass -> Samson MD1 Pro DI -> Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD -> Reaper DAW -> Tonex amp sims

I've included a short recording starting with the full sound (3 layers, different AMP sims) and followed by the raw DI sound.

Anyone got a clue? Thanks.

L.

 

[rob aylestone]

The Di at the end sound normal - Are you sure your amp sim isn't adding what sounds like gated reverb?

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Around 1/5 of the way through we hear some reverb noise
I aggree with Rob, double check what is going on with your effects.

 

[spantini]

I heard some crackling @ :19 thru :25 - - Just to eliminate a couple of possibilities, I would make sure your interface buffer size matches that of your DAW. Then make sure the interface is plugged into the computer's USB 2.0 port - not a 3.0 port.

 

[Eric Malone]

I have no idea what sound is the issue here.

I do hear a harmonic going on when you move off the fretboard, that can be annoying. Aside from that it sounds like a bass guitar, played with a pick.

Do you mean the 'click' sound each time you hit the string? More prominent in the first half of your audio (processed, bad compressor settings engaged?) then the last half. Again, sounds like a bass guitar played with a pick. Especially when you play the whole notes, I hear a percussive 'click', but not on every one, so I can only think a technique issue? (pick angle, attack etc.)

I wish I understood exactly what the sound is, that is bothering you.

EL

 

[Leknin]

Thanks for the replies, I've removed all the FX (gate, comp and reverb) and the problem is still present. I checked the buffer size settings and it's the same. The interface is connected to the right port. I've attached a second recording where it can be heard better (without FX, just AMP sim).

I think Eric described it in his reply. It's like an air popping at the very beginning of some notes (especially the second and the third in the recording). It can be even seen as a little wave before the third note (image attached). Removing it doesn't solve the issue completely though and it's not present before every problematic note.

I play the bass with a pick flat on the string if that makes sense. No angle or anything. It persists no matter if I play hard or as soft a possible. The strings are rather old if that makes a difference (I know it's generally advised to change them frequently but I'm on a budget and the bass sounds tonally good enough for me at the moment).

L.

 

[rob aylestone]

The second half is clean - so I doubt it is the bass, but whatever you are doing to the signal on the first half.

 

[Leknin]

The second half is clean - so I doubt it is the bass, but whatever you are doing to the signal on the first half.

I will try to fiddle with the amp sims then. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[TalismanRich]

I'm confused as to where you got the pic of the wave form. Looking at both of your files, they are nothing even close to flat topped. Yet that is what you are showing there. Did you lower the level when you exported your files?

Those flat topped peaks mean you are over driving the input. Drop your level until there are only normal wave forms, and they don't hit the ceiling.

 

[Leknin]

I'm confused as to where you got the pic of the wave form. Looking at both of your files, they are nothing even close to flat topped. Yet that is what you are showing there. Did you lower the level when you exported your files?

Those flat topped peaks mean you are over driving the input. Drop your level until there are only normal wave forms, and they don't hit the ceiling.

You can make the waves look larger (zoom in) in Reaper, when you are looking for details. They don't hit the ceiling in reality.

 

[TalismanRich]

OK, that clears up my confusion. I know about the SHIFT (Arrow) function, since I've been Reaper for years. I didn't know that was what you had done.

I don't hear any "slap" or "pop" from the raw DI signal. It sounds pretty much like a normal bass transient peak followed by the ringing. I hear distortions in the amp sims, but I don't know anything about the sims you're using.

 

[grimtraveller]

I agree with Rob and Rich - the raw sound doesn't have the after-effects of the affected sound. A question from the curious - are you a bass player generally ?

 

[Papanate]

Anyone got a clue? Thanks..

Yes . you are overloading one or more the interfaces on the way it - and your fingers or pick are accentuating the probelm

 

[mixsit]

The second half is clean - so I doubt it is the bass, but whatever you are doing to the signal on the first half.

The first half are familiar sounds of compression [quite large amounts..] kicking in..

 

[Leknin]

I agree with Rob and Rich - the raw sound doesn't have the after-effects of the affected sound. A question from the curious - are you a bass player generally ?

Not really, I play it only for recording purposes. That's why I am worried about my technique.

 

[Leknin]

Yes . you are overloading one or more the interfaces on the way it - and your fingers or pick are accentuating the probelm

What do you mean by that, please? I have my levels/gains set quite low, nothing peaking.

 

[Leknin]

The first half are familiar sounds of compression [quite large amounts..] kicking in..

Is it possible the distortion of the amp does it? There's no separate compression used in the second file I've sent.

 

[rob aylestone]

If you record the bass direct it does not have the sound. We can hear that. It means the sound you do not like is generated after the guitar and the technique you use just enhances whatever is causing it. I guess the next step is to try a totally different effects system and see if that is clean. Have you a different plug in you can try, but equally, swap or remove anything between bass and speakers one by one to identify which stage is causing it.

 

[TimOD]

Yeah, the first half sounds like compression artefacts, while the second recording doesn't feature those snaps and clicks. It sounds very clean. I think it's the amp sim and FX amplifying the pick attack sounds. I play guitar, but I record plenty of bass, and I have heard that sound in the first recording many times. I've got the bass going directly in, hitting a compressor (an ART Pro VLA 2) with a 4:1 ratio, with attack and release about "medium,: 6-8 dB of gain reduction. (Settings I copied from some book or article I read that was a suggestion for bass. It works.) After the compressor it goes into Samplitude. I might add some compression again to the recorded track, but it's very light, if it's added at all. The only other FX is EQ, and Slate's mix bus, on the "Trident" setting. I'm always careful with the gain staging on the Slate. Sometimes I want that pick sound, so I might really hit the strings hard with the pick, but usually I just try to be careful to not go crazy with my pick attack. I rarely get one take that's good all the way through, so my technique has to be consistent as I can get it! I play with my fingers sometimes too, depending on the song. That's a different sound for sure.