Tips on Recording Bass (Without Amp or DI Box)

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squibble94

squibble94

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Hey Guys

I assume many of you have the same problem as I do. LACK OF MONEY! :laughings: I have a solution to making bass sound good in a mix without using an Amp or a DI Box. I've heard great mixes, but the bass sounds like it was plugged into a mixer/interface and left alone after it was recorded. This process is completely free if you have a DAW.

Step 1: Download this VST (FreeAmp3 Full) and put it into your DAW. http://frettedsynth.home.att.net/

Step 2: Plug bass into your mixer/interface and record your part.

Step 3: Apply the FA3_Full plug in to your bass track.

Step 4: Mess with the settings. This usually sounds okay. The settings in the picture fit my bass well for most of my mixes.

Step 5: In your FX Bin after FA3_Full, apply an equalizer plugin. EQ to taste (generally you want to take out the high frequencies)

Step 6: After the EQ in you FX Bin, add a Compressor. Use whatever settings you like. I use Boost 11.

NOTES: This may not sound right with every bass pickup! Bass should be somewhat quiet in the mix. If you listen to professional mixes, the very low frequencies of the actual song are taken out.
Keep in mind, these are only tips.
 

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In case you don't realize it...if you CAN just plug your instrument into your DAW interface (if it has an input meant for instruments)...that is still a DI.

You are going through a lot to get a bass sound.
I just plug into a DI and hit record. There's no need to apply all that processing just to get a decent sound.
Not to mention....that is one drastic EQ curve!!! You have almost 15dB cut at 263Hz, then you jump all the way back at 328Hz. :eek:

I doubt your settings will work on anything. I would say that EQ curve is the result of some audio/frequency problem.
 
So no matter what I want my bass to sound like, if I follow these instructions I'll be happy?
 
I plug my bass (either a Warwick (active) or a Martin (passive) depending on the type of song) straight into the firepod.

I rarely use EQ on it.

If my playing is a bit lumpy I sometimes use compression.

I like "finger/pick sounds" and I like the "super low frequencies".
 
I know it may look really bad, but it sounds fine. The Amp Modeler adds a DI Box type effect. It cleans up the signal. The bass sounds terrible on its own, but in a mix it sounds a lot better than with the clicky sounds when you plug it straight into an interface. I'll post a short mix a little later to show you how it sounds.
 
miroslav said:
I gotta' say...that's a new one for me...modeling a DI Box! :)

So....what exactly IS a "DI Box type effect"...??? :confused:
Click to expand...




.Well I bet if the 180 phase reverse is engaged on the Di we'll know what that Di box type effect is going to be!!



:cool:
 
DI Box effect...

The best I can describe it is a warmer sound than just plugged straight in. I might just take out the EQ part since I've just been getting bad comments about it.
 
OK...but you're getting that "warmer" sound because of your plug-ins.

Most DI boxes simply convert instrument level to line level...they don't necessarily do anything to the sound that would be an effect....
...though if you use a preamp w/DI capabilities, and it has EQ filters and whatnot, and you applied them too when going DI....
...but that's a different beast.

Main point here...there's really no such thing as "DI effect" that I am aware of. I think that's something you're just coming up via the plugs and how you are routing your signal.
If you say you applied a "DI effect"...it won't really mean anything IMO.
 
Some DI's give a better signal than others. Perhaps that's the "effect".
 
Different guitar cables can also impact your signal...but you don't call it an "effect".

I'm just saying that when you talk about applying an "effect"...it's usually something more defined and via some sort of processing....
...otherwise you would call everything an "effect".
When the humidity/temp changes the tone of your guitar...you wouldn't really apply that as an effect or call it one. :)

Maybe it sounds like hair-splitting or nitpicking, but there IS specific terminology used in recording, and a lot of it gets misused and abused, along with the actual understanding of how some things work...
...and it's getting worse thanks to the viral way things spread on the Internet.
 
miroslav said:
Different guitar cables can also impact your signal...but you don't call it an "effect".

I'm just saying that when you talk about applying an "effect"...it's usually something more defined and via some sort of processing....
...otherwise you would call everything an "effect".
When the humidity/temp changes the tone of your guitar...you wouldn't really apply that as an effect or call it one. :)

Maybe it sounds like hair-splitting or nitpicking, but there IS specific terminology used in recording, and a lot of it gets misused and abused, along with the actual understanding of how some things work...
...and it's getting worse thanks to the viral way things spread on the Internet.
Click to expand...

Okay, Disregard the "DI Box Effect." You're diving too deep into this. All I am saying is that this will generally make your bass sound better.
 
Sorry...you’re the one making the statements, I'm just trying to understand what/where/how. :)

And you are wrong in saying that your method will make any bass guitar sound better.
Maybe it works for you, for your song, for your equipment, for your mix...
...but there is NO ONE SETTING that we can all use for every situation.

Again, not nitpicking...but just step back and think about what you are doing with your "XYZ effect" and what you are saying about its use/application...
...and you will see my point. ;)

Maybe.....?

How about this....you put up a before and after, so we can actually hear this bass "XYZ effect", otherwise just taking about it and showing plug-in settings doesn't really do much to prove your point about the quality of the bass track.
 
i'll be sure to credit squibble94 on the liner notes. thanks.

s
 
I usually run my bass straight into a Groove Tube Brick or an Avalon U5. I rarely if ever need to EQ my bass channel. I always use a passive pickup bass such as a P bass or a P bass clone.
 
have to say,,,miroslav is right...

to say that any one thing, or sequence of things will make someones bass sound better is outrageous...given the range of basses, preamps, cables and desired sounds...


i might want a clean fat bass to go in a funky jamiroquai song, or a thinner bass with more high end and a chorus effect to go in a gnr song..

don't take me wrong though,,,,you've come here with good intentions and that's appreciated!
i thought that was important to mention, cos regardless of how useful/useless your idea is,,,,,no one thanked you for tryin!
 
Steenamaroo said:
have to say,,,miroslav is right...

to say that any one thing, or sequence of things will make someones bass sound better is outrageous...given the range of basses, preamps, cables and desired sounds...


i might want a clean fat bass to go in a funky jamiroquai song, or a thinner bass with more high end and a chorus effect to go in a gnr song..

don't take me wrong though,,,,you've come here with good intentions and that's appreciated!
i thought that was important to mention, cos regardless of how useful/useless your idea is,,,,,no one thanked you for tryin!
Click to expand...

:D Thanks a lot! I know this won't work with every bass. But I've tried it with several basses and it sounded pretty decent.


I actually changed the original post a lot, so I think it sounds a bit more innocent now.
 
Glad to see some one was paying attention. :)

It was a typo...the real point of my post was that DI boxes don't generally do anything to the signal to create any type of effect...they just convert it.

Though in the end...what comes out of the mic pre is line level.
 
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