Recording Electric Bass

[mikesorensen06]

What are my options for recording electric bass and what type of sound will I receive?

Cheers,
Mike

 

[guitaristic]

You can mic the amp or you can record it using a DI box. I'd recommend the former over the latter.

You have the possibility of getting a good sound, as long as you put in the $$$ and time.

 

[mjbphotos]

What equipment do you have (besides the bass)? Computer recording or stand-alone recorder? Audio interface?

Your question is kind of like 'what are my options for driving a car? How fast can I go?'

 

[aaronmcoleman]

Mic the cab

DI

Mic the guitar (probably the worst option)

Amp sims

Combinations of the above

And that's just recording. Mixing can give you a lot of your sound through compression and EQ. I've recorded a cab, DI, and sims and cant tell you what I did on a particular song because a ton of the sound is in the mixing for me.

 

[grimtraveller]

What are my options for recording electric bass and what type of sound will I receive?

Your options are plentiful but no one can tell you the type of sound you'll receive. We don't know what bass you'll be recording, the amp you have or DI box, what you'll be recording onto, effects, whether you'll overdrive or distort the bass, whether your strings are round or flatwound, new or worn, slapping, plucking or picking, whether you'll be more in the high or lower notes, whether you'll combine amp and DI sounds and then blend........these and other variables make a huge difference, not to mention as Aaron did, that much of the sound can be sculpted after the recording is actually done.

 

[ecktronic]

Use a number of mics on the cabinet speaker and DI.

G