jimistone
long standing member
what is the best way to record bass...direct with effects going in....direct with no effects...micing a bass amp?
Bartman
I count on me
No best way
I don't think there is one "best way".
Whatever technique delivers the sound you are seeking is "the best".
I'm a guitar player that also happens to own a bass. I play the bass on some of my own material, though I am far from a bass player (I have not studied the instrument).
I don't own a bass amp so I go through my preamp, then direct in to my DAW. Sometimes I will compress while tracking, but I can play pretty even most of the time so I tend to try a little compression later.
DI for bass seems to be a way to cut out some of the variables (room, miking technique etc...) without losing the tonality and "air" that makes (IMHO) DI electric guitars sound sterile/wimpy.
Bart
I don't think there is one "best way".
Whatever technique delivers the sound you are seeking is "the best".
I'm a guitar player that also happens to own a bass. I play the bass on some of my own material, though I am far from a bass player (I have not studied the instrument).
I don't own a bass amp so I go through my preamp, then direct in to my DAW. Sometimes I will compress while tracking, but I can play pretty even most of the time so I tend to try a little compression later.
DI for bass seems to be a way to cut out some of the variables (room, miking technique etc...) without losing the tonality and "air" that makes (IMHO) DI electric guitars sound sterile/wimpy.
Bart
HangDawg
bUnGhOlIo
I'm going to get a groove tubes "The Brick". Not that it's the best, but I've heard it makes a real nice DI for bass, and not too bad of a mic pre either.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
No right or wrong way. I have a couple of methods I fall back on a lot. First, I generally track dry. No compression on the way in. I have a Hughes & Kettner B.A.T.T. tube bass preamp that's pretty cool as a DI. When I need more attitude I take a direct output from the bass player's amp but have him play with the cabs hooked up and playing LOUD. The amp and cab is moving a lot of air and is making the bass "light up". The growl comes through even though it's direct.
A
Adrenaline
New member
this is a cheap and easy way i have had good results with.
Run the bass directly to an eq, then the eq right into the mixer (or to the sound card). This has worked well for me if you've got a good sounding bass.
Run the bass directly to an eq, then the eq right into the mixer (or to the sound card). This has worked well for me if you've got a good sounding bass.
sile2001
_|_
As has been said...there is no "best". In every situation it depends on the style of music, the skill of the bassist, and what equipment is available. The best tone I've ever gotten from a bass (and it was pretty damn good) was when my friend ran his washburn 6 string into his Gallien-Kruger 15" combo amp which was then DI'ed into Motu 828mkii. Clean, punchy, everything we were looking for.
kid klash
The original Mr. Nice Guy
And yet another "direct" suggestion! 
The lowly ART Tube MP mic preamp ($50-$70) makes a darn good direct box for bass... nice, fat, present, "round" and punchy bass tracks that sit in the mix well.
Plug the bass into the Tube MP; dial in just enough input gain to make the clipping indicator blink "red" every once in a while; dial in the output gain to satisfy the digital recorder input/audio card input (as loud as you can get it without hitting 0db) and you're good to go. Works especially well with 4 string Precision and Jazz basses.
Season to taste. Serve hot.
The lowly ART Tube MP mic preamp ($50-$70) makes a darn good direct box for bass... nice, fat, present, "round" and punchy bass tracks that sit in the mix well.
Plug the bass into the Tube MP; dial in just enough input gain to make the clipping indicator blink "red" every once in a while; dial in the output gain to satisfy the digital recorder input/audio card input (as loud as you can get it without hitting 0db) and you're good to go. Works especially well with 4 string Precision and Jazz basses.
Season to taste. Serve hot.
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jimistone
long standing member
thanks guys.
I have a korg D1600 recorder a Joe Meek pre, and a EQ. I have a very talented bass player coming over tonight....the performance will be there. I just didn't know whether it was best to record the raw bass signal straight into the recorder and try to eq and compress later....or eq and compress going in.
I have a korg D1600 recorder a Joe Meek pre, and a EQ. I have a very talented bass player coming over tonight....the performance will be there. I just didn't know whether it was best to record the raw bass signal straight into the recorder and try to eq and compress later....or eq and compress going in.
sile2001
_|_
Wow..........I'm gonna have to try that out! I've been looking at getting one of the SansAmp Bass DI's (which admittedly would have more EQ and tone controls), but the Tube MP might be a very reasonable and cheaper substitute.kid klash said:And yet another "direct" suggestion!
The lowly ART Tube MP mic preamp ($50-$70) makes a darn good direct box for bass... nice fat, present, "round" and punchy bass tracks that sit in the mix well.
Plug the bass into the Tube MP; dial in just enough input gain to make the clipping indicator blink read every once in a while; dial in the output gain to satisfy the digital recorder input/audio card input (as loud as you can get it without hitting 0db) and you're good to go. Works especially well with 4 string Precision and Jazz basses.
Season to taste. Serve hot.
gtrman_66
New member
The bass player on the project I just finished was using an SWR "Stella" preamp. It had a clean channel and one that would get dirty too. I recorded a track of each so the mix engineer could mix and match any combination of the two desired. Best bass sound I have ever recorded bar none.
R
riantide
New member
It totally depends on the quality of the instrument. I've heard great bass tones come from a great instrument wielded by a great player straight into a pre and into the DAW, no funny business. I also really like the sound of an amp, if you can get a good cab to run into.
Try running an amp and a direct signal at the same time, you can get a lot to play with in mixdown.
But I have to say, as much as it pains me, the very best bass tones I've been a part of have been through a Bass POD. Those things are unreal. SansAmp Bass Drivers are really out of this world as well, very transparent.
Try running an amp and a direct signal at the same time, you can get a lot to play with in mixdown.
But I have to say, as much as it pains me, the very best bass tones I've been a part of have been through a Bass POD. Those things are unreal. SansAmp Bass Drivers are really out of this world as well, very transparent.
J
Jack Real
New member
kid klash said:And yet another "direct" suggestion!
The lowly ART Tube MP mic preamp ($50-$70) makes a darn good direct box for bass... nice fat, present, "round" and punchy bass tracks that sit in the mix well.
Plug the bass into the Tube MP; dial in just enough input gain to make the clipping indicator blink read every once in a while; dial in the output gain to satisfy the digital recorder input/audio card input (as loud as you can get it without hitting 0db) and you're good to go. Works especially well with 4 string Precision and Jazz basses.
Season to taste. Serve hot.
Hi
This is exactly what I'm doing to record my dry bass. Then, I send the signal to a Korg Pandora PX4B effect device to have compression, amp and effects. At the mix phase, are you applying any compression or effects to your recorded bass or do you use the signal as it is ?
Thanks,
Jack Real.
kid klash
The original Mr. Nice Guy
Jack Real said:
It depends on the player, the instrument, and style, but for the most part, no comp or effects. If the player has good technique and the bass is properly set up and has a smooth and consistant output (no notes or strings are louder or softer than the others), I haven't needed to apply any compression.
MadAudio
Damned if I do
So how did it go?
ecktronic
Mixing and Mastering.
Using a DI is the easy option and can pretty much guarantee decent results if you know what you are doing and have a semi decent bass guitar and player, and pre amp, and bass amp. (i used a PEAVEY!! amp and got good results!!!) Play with the amp EQ and dont forget to play with the bass guitar tone knobs also as these are important to getting the sound you want.
Using a mic will produce some air and can add warmth to the sound if a good amp, and mic, and placement of mic, and room are used. Place the amp on the edge of a table if micing incase you get any unwanted extra bass refelections from the floor. You can do both techniques at the same time so you have the choice at el mix down. I use DI alone as i get the results i am looking for with just DI.
Using a mic will produce some air and can add warmth to the sound if a good amp, and mic, and placement of mic, and room are used. Place the amp on the edge of a table if micing incase you get any unwanted extra bass refelections from the floor. You can do both techniques at the same time so you have the choice at el mix down. I use DI alone as i get the results i am looking for with just DI.
MadAudio
Damned if I do
Bump! Really, I want to know. How did the recording come out?MadAudio said:
S
SubA
Member
I recently got an AMI TAB V71 and use it in conjunction with a mic'd bass cab. Absolutely beautiful! http://www.mercenary.com/tadiprv7.html
I've got an ART dual MP and have used it as a DI. It definitely is fat and round as Kid Klash mentions, but there just isn't any presence or definition.
I've got an ART dual MP and have used it as a DI. It definitely is fat and round as Kid Klash mentions, but there just isn't any presence or definition.
L
Laurence
New member
I record bass by taking a DI straight out to the desk and by putting an AKD 112 bass mike about 5inches from the top left corner of the speaker cab. I then compress the signal through the aux send/return on the desk before recording the singnal(about 4:1 ratio) and then compress again whilst mixing down. You get a really full meaty sound with both high and low end cutting through which hits you mid chest region!!jimistone said:
You can then add any effects.
kid klash
The original Mr. Nice Guy
SubA said:
That's news to me! The little ART Tube MP has yielded amazing presence and definition on lots of bass tracks I've been involved with. They have sort of a cult following because of it. The bass and strings have a lot to do with the overall definition and character of the track too, as does the person playing.
Listen to "No Strings Attached" or "It's You" as an example of big, round, defined and present passive Precision bass tracks recorded with an ART Tube MP as a direct box, going straight into a stack of blackface ADATs :
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/executives
But hey... since I've got a Dual MP too, I'll try it on the next project to see if I notice a difference. In theory, the Dual MP should be as good or better than the Tube MP because of the larger power supply and shielding. You might want to check and replace your tubes. Anyway, it works for me.
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