How do you record bass
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@quork Jan 2022
I rented a bass and amp for the.month of FAWMbuary. It came with a 15 watt practice amp with no line out. I’m curious to hear recommendations on the best way to record it. I know I can experiment to see what sounds best/sits in the mix, but I figure the FAWMunity can give me a leg up. My options are:
- DI into my audio interface
- DI into my Art Pro MPA preamp
- Mic the amp
- run it through the bass effects and amp modeling sim of my Line 6 Pod Go multi effects pedal
- a combination of DI’ing and miking -
@elesimo Jan 2022
If you have a mic, and it came with an amp, I'd go with option #3 and mic the amp.
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@guatecoop Jan 2022
Hmmm….this is a tricky one for me. My first inclination is to say do it all, since (assuming) you haven’t had the chance to up until this point. Each approach is different for sure! You probably will find that you like most of them for very different reasons. Should be fun!
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@quork Jan 2022
I like the way you all think. What better time than FAWM to experiment and learn?
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@gubna Jan 2022
Generally, I go direct into my interface and daw. It has a bunch of sounds for bass and guitar (or whatever). But mic'ing can be good too.
I would say being a bass player, I'm too lazy to mic a bass cabinet when I can go direct.
And I would say, if you have the time this weekend, experiment and try some tests out. -
@siebass Jan 2022
Deeeeee-Rekt! I go straight into my audio interface, like many others. I know what settings I like in logic to make it sound the way I want (blend of teeny amount of razor bass or 1176 blackface compressor distortion; mixed with decent amount of modern bass and clean or di cab/amps). I've gotten used to it on my P-bass and I get consistent tone that I like. Good luck!
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@quork Jan 2022
One more question. The bass has an active pick-up. Does that change the equation? Are there things I should know? In your opinion is active or passive preferable?
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@siebass Jan 2022
@quork they just sound different; active is louder. From what little wisdom I've read, but not used (so take with a grain or spoon of salt), if you use a DI, Active DI + Passive Bass works well, and Passive DI + Active Bass works well. Other than that, you'll probably need a lower input level on your interface for the active bass as compared to passive, as it'll likely be louder. I defer to other folks who know more, though.
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@tseaver Jan 2022
Mandatory disclaimer: "I am not a bass player: this is not musical advice. Past performances are in no way indicative of future talent......"
I particularly like my cheapo "Stage Right" DI box (not bass-specific at all) for bass, because it lets me record the same performance both DI *and* from my bass amp (via a mic).
Given that I play bass like a guitar player: I find that mixing those two tracks together (with different plugins / settings) can get me a lot closer to the bass sound in my head than I'm capable of recording either way alone. -
@standup Jan 2022
I am about 50/50 on miking an amp or going direct. I’m a bass player first and foremost. Both work, if you have time take the mic signal AND direct and blend them.
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@quork Jan 2022
Quick experiments. The DI into the tube preamp sounds good, way better than through the multi effects pedal. Next I’ll go direct to the audio interface then mic the cheapo fender amp. It occurs to me I don’t have the ability to record two inputs simultaneously.
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@zecoop Jan 2022
It definitely varies for me. I love the sound of my Traynor YBA-1 that i got as my primary bass amp in 1983. It has an attenuator of sorts on the back so I can crank it up and get thicker sounds without a ton of volume. I'll mic my 4x10 in that setup.
But I also have a number of nice Tech 21 bass DI as well a Line 6 Bass PodXT that I have had for 19 years that I use to record direct.
How I mic (and which bass I use) really depends on the song. -
@tseaver Jan 2022
@quork
> It occurs to me I don’t have the ability to record two inputs simultaneously.
That is what the DI "pedal" I have does for me: it lets me split the "direct" signal (going out through an XLR cable to my audio interface) and the "through" signal (going out through another 1/4" guitar cable to my amp).
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=600125 -
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@pbtaylorjr Jan 2022
I’ve been doing DI for 15+ years. These days I run it through either Logic Pro’s “amp” plugins or ezmix by Toontrack. I don’t think I’ve actually ever tried a mic and amp in all this time…
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@mikeb Jan 2022
I DI my bass 100% of the time. I have an Ampeg amp sim (free one) that doesn't do much for the sound, but use PodFarm most of the time with their 'Silverface bass' amp.
I would not bother miking a 15 watt practice amp - it probably has an 8" speaker, which is just NOT going to produce the low bass notes well. And depending on Your mic, it may not do well with the low notes and suffer from proximity effect too.
I've got one of those little amps (it's a Kustom), and also a bulky 75 watt Fender Rumble bass amp, which has great tone - for live use. Never even contemplated rolling it out to record bass Maybe I will try it this FAWM!
On my 2nd album, I did a track where I plugged my bass into my Line 6 amp, and used a very FXed sound setting for a 'bass solo' intro, using the DI out from the amp. You can hear it here: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com/track/the-beast-within
Edited to fix all the typos! -
@dasbinky Jan 2022
I'm now tempted to try the one method not mentioned here: miking the strings like its an acoustic guitar. Feels like a solid plan.
I almost always go direct into my interface and use VST amps. Always gives me what I want to hear. -
@fourzeroes Jan 2022
DI the bass. It's what James Jamerson (whose birthday it is today) did.
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@tinear Jan 2022
Same set up I use for guitar - Bass > Strymon Iridium/HX Stomp > Audio Interface
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@beyondthelimes Jan 2022
@siebass My recco too. I go into a Joe Meek channel strip and then into the DAW. I often do a "fake" DI/amp set-up, where I double the track and use an amp sim on one and use the other dry; eq'ing the dry more towards the mids and the sim channel for more body. And always gotta add some 1176 in there!
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@stevenwesleyguiles Jan 2022
Direct into the SansAmp bass driver for YEARS.
Love the sound.
But I'm a simple man with boring, simple tastes. -
@datsch Jan 2022
Various Top Tips:
1. write the vocal melody with the bass
2. flip the phase if you DI and mic at the same time
3. DI through an overdrive pedal with the drive set low and the bass's volume rolled down a bit too
4. mic the strings and pluck along the fingerboard for a double bass sound
5. muck around with the eq in post, try a 20db boost at 50, or 100 or 500Hz and see how you like it. Or High pass it for a tinny sound.
6. passive is a purer tone, but active gets you cool sounds more quickly
7. use a hardware compressor on the way in to prevent overs if you like to wallop the strings. Otherwise just keep an eye out to avoid digital distortion though with bass, you can away with a lot ... :-)
