Recording Bass/options.

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detuned6

Metal dude
I has axsis to a bass next week, to lay down a bass track for 2 songs - Can i go straight from bass(Ibanez w/ active pickups) into line level imput on my Behringer mixer, out into a comp, into recording channel. I dont have a preamp right now (only the behringer). Will the active pickups fry up my mixer preamp??? or do i need a direct box (dont have this either) before i hit the mixer pre???

I would like to record the bass tracks without having to go out and buy a DI or preamp next week.
 
detuned6 said:
I has axsis to a bass next week, to lay down a bass track for 2 songs - Can i go straight from bass(Ibanez w/ active pickups) into line level imput on my Behringer mixer, out into a comp, into recording channel. I dont have a preamp right now (only the behringer). Will the active pickups fry up my mixer preamp??? or do i need a direct box (dont have this either) before i hit the mixer pre???

I would like to record the bass tracks without having to go out and buy a DI or preamp next week.
Click to expand...

There are several techniques I use when recording bass,and depending on the music style I use 1 of the most common ways to
record is bass to DI to board! I use a hype-ed up Fender Jazz into my Country-man DI (Thx Gidge) straight to the board.I use a
small dose of comping and keep EQ flat. Depending on my particular program material, If I require the percussive-style of bass playing, I'll roll off frequencies of 75hz(to maintain that clear
syncopated rhythm of playing) and boost mids and hi's about 5-6 dbs.
When I require that boom-bottom punch of bass, I'll use the mic'd
amp technique with a twist;
I'll plug my bass into POD to a Peavy bass-amp and mic cab using
3 different mic's (of course to 3 tracks) . A SMack 58, A RODE-NT 1
and AKG-C1000 (sound wierd huh!?) but directing the mic's towards the cab at 45 degree angles from each other, and using each mic's respective individual sound characteristics,all 3 panned
and a small amount of EQ tweakingto give an overwhelming bass bottom for a song (I do a lotta' funk-jazz) I get a COMPLETE bass filled spectrum ! Try it you mite be pleasantly suprised!


Overall, experimentation is the key in these 2 applications and others! Eventually you will find the right bass-taste to your liking!
Good-Luck
Mr.Q
 
Oh, 1 more thing1 I've noticed sometimes that when I plug my friends Ibanez SR300DX bass to board w/o DI, I need to boost trim WAY UP!! Your active p/u's will do nothing to the pre's so give it a go and keep your EQ flat to see how the track sounds with the bass!
 
I usually get my best bass results from a DI into a compressor on bass. But I have run straight into a mixer(mackie 1202) and put a comp on the insert with decent results. My theory is that the cleaner you get a bass into the mix the better. Unless of course you want a totally distorted sound and then do whatever it takes to mess up that sound to your liking. My favorite comp on a bass is an Alesis Nanocompressor, which I know is totally sacreligious, but it just seems to work for most of the stuff I do. BTW, I record mostly punk and quasi-country. Just thought I'd try to justify the nanocomp before everybody tries to blow me out of the water.
 
baldguy, i feel ya, im using a 3630 (lets get out of here before the others get here)
 
Hmmm.... a Nano and a 3630...............

Man... you guys should know better!

Yikes!

;)


Bruce
 
bruce, i should know better , i got my 3630 5 years ago, maybe i should get dbx i whanted from the start but did not save enough cash on that warm & hot day 5 years ago.
 
detuned6 said:
baldguy, i feel ya, im using a 3630 (lets get out of here before the others get here)
Click to expand...

The 3630 was the 1st compressor I ever owned (and thx to Cuzzin Brucie Blue Bear I now own the RNC, along with the Composer,MultiCom,AutoCom and a DBX) and running my bass thru the 3630 only served 1 purpose; WIERD as all h#ll bass efx!!!
Honestly the 3630 produces way too many sound artifacts to be effectively used as a serious comp for bass! I usually run mine thru either the Composer or the RNC which both perform effectively well. However, I comp very lil allowing my hyped bass
performance shine thru without hitting peaks & dig distortion!
 
I know it won't make any difference to you guys but I just feel like I've got to justify myself.:) I've got a RNC too and I like it alot. I only use the Nanocomp when I'm going for an intentionally frazzled, purposefully crappy bass sound...which for some reason I just like sometimes. There...I feel better now.
 
man, fhew, i got to get another compressor. not only does it color the signal a bit but the comments are sharp as a knife.
 
if this is just for laying down 2 tracks , i wouldnt go out an spend $$$....unless this is a very important 2 tracks...in that case id use the $$$ to rent KILLER gear......

anyways, just go into the Behringer and skip the compressor as it will hurt more than help....

if you are just a gear slut and need to spend gear, try a J-Station or Countryman DI box........J-Station has a pretty decent compressor and great effects included and can be used for bass or guitar ($149).....
 
detuned6

Don't waste your money on the dbx unless you want it for live sound. I have fond it useless for recording. maybe mine is the economy model though? DBX project 1 dual compressor gate.
 
MrQ's suggestion of using a DI box is important. The DI box is designed to match the impedence of your bass with the mike input impedence of your console.

Check it out at theCountryman site

cheers
John
 
Got a question

What is the most obvious thing I would notice when not using a di box as opposed to using one? I have always ran straight into the board. (forgive my ignorance)



F. S.
 
As I understand it a bass is designed to go into a high impedence input i.e. bass amp. A mic input in a console is low impedence whereas a line input is high impedence so it depends which input you are in.

The result of not using a DI into a mike input is a loss of low end.

Any techos out there who can answer this better??

cheers
John
 
The line inputs on my Behringer 2004a seem to be pre, preamp so you can plug low level high z bass and gtrs directly into them. This is on the preamp channels only. I tried it yesterday at our family christmas jam. I needed to get out of a jam when they wanted to plug in both the bass and the gtr and I only had one di.

The line inputs have all the gain of the mic inputs and are high z so there isn't any reason for it not to work good. I just have to make sure I turn the gain way down when pluging line level stuff in their. This mixer needs pads bad. I do alot of work with people using consumer keyboards that have a poor line out and even when I put it through a DI I have to tell them to turn down the output down to like 1.

To be safe I turned the gain down all the way and got my brother to turn his gutiar's active pickup 1/2 way up and then I pfled the channel and turned the gain knob up untill I got a signel. It sounded good on my montiors which we were basicly useing as a PA (eek!!!).

Every one loved how they sounded on my new studio projects C1 microphone. :)

Well back to the family fun, I had my gear setup at my grandmothers yesterday, now everyone is coming up here today and they me to setup all my gear again. Bah I'm sick of seting up and tearing down my gear.
 
In a VERY small nutshell, instruments are much higher impedence than line level high impedence, as much as ten times higher.
 
I'm digging threw the manual for the 2004a trying to find the input inpedance for the line inputs. No luck yet... It seems to be working fine with lots of gain and headroom(on that note maybe it isnt', these mixers have no gain or headroom...).
 
Mic inputs about 1 to 1.5 K ohms
Line inputs about 10 k ohms
Instrument amps up to a meg ohm
 
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