What are you using to record bass?

[J Moose]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

I always take a DI right off the bass and drop a mic on the amp... usually NOT the same type of mic that's on the kick drum. Maybe even 2-3 mics if the rig is biamped. Sometimes, rarely... but sometimes we'll forgo the amp & use a SansAmp or other distortion box into a second DI. Always good DI's too... $50 music store passive boxes will suck all the bottom end & tone away.

Occasionally the bass will get split a few ways... pre & post FX... maybe send a line to a Boogie or Marshall head... guitar head and mic up that cab.

I'm always checking the phase relationships too... always!

Comes time to mix, usually its a blend of all that... but sometimes just the DI, or just the amp will sound "best" in context with everything else.

Compression helps a bunch too... especially for a modern rock thing, and ALWAYS have new strings!

 

[StillLearnin']

Re: What are you using to record bass?

I always take a DI right off the bass and drop a mic on the amp... usually NOT the same type of mic that's on the kick drum. Maybe even 2-3 mics if the rig is biamped. Sometimes, rarely... but sometimes we'll forgo the amp & use a SansAmp or other distortion box into a second DI. Always good DI's too... $50 music store passive boxes will suck all the bottom end & tone away.

Occasionally the bass will get split a few ways... pre & post FX... maybe send a line to a Boogie or Marshall head... guitar head and mic up that cab.

I'm always checking the phase relationships too... always!

Comes time to mix, usually its a blend of all that... but sometimes just the DI, or just the amp will sound "best" in context with everything else.

Compression helps a bunch too... especially for a modern rock thing, and ALWAYS have new strings!

Thanks Moose!

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

I have been using my POD 2.0 for guitar, works great for me. Grind it and use the onboard comp, and it sits real nicely for me.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

I'm a big fan of going with a good DI box. The one I use unfortunately Ampeg discontinued, it's the SVT-DI (tube DI box). If you can pick one up, they're great to have and it's given me a punchy, clear tone right off the bat with little to no effort needed.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

I'll second the recommendation for the IK Ampeg SVX bass amp sim plugin. Of course you still need your direct bass to be recorded through a decent direct box, mixer channel or outboard channel strip with an instrument input. But if your direct track is clean, Ampeg SVX sound great on it. It sits well in a mix and has that classic bass tone.

I've also found that running a decent bass through a decent amp and mic'ing it (decent mic, decent channel strip of course) makes for a nice full but tight bass tone.

Before I used those two approaches, I was recording bass direct through a Sansamp rack unit (essentially a PSA-1 I think, but without the ability to store settings). That sounded OK but could be a little loose on the low end which made it not sit well in a mix. I also tried a Sansamp Bass Driver. That sounds great between the bass and amp, and might work great at gigs, but I was never completely happy with the sound of it when recording direct either.

Miking my bass amp and running a direct track recorded through a JoeMeek VC1q through Ampeg SVX has given me the best results so far. I get a nice tight low end and it needs far less processing to "fix it in the mix".

 

[StillLearnin']

Re: What are you using to record bass?

Thanks for all the suggestions - I'm going to give this Line 6 POD Pro a twirl and see what it can deliver. I have a feeling I'll probably be mic'ing something up before I'm done with this quest - maybe not though. A bass player I know is loaning me a SansAmp DI to try also. I'll have a better idea of how this is gonna turn out in about a week or so.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

For a standalone direct recording device, I've always had great result using Line6 Bass Pod but SansAmp stuff is great for the purpose, too. If an amp is needed, I like to keep it really simple: a mic /Shure Beta52/ and a line /One-Way DI box/ signal, then both signals running through a dedicated TLA tube compressor/preamp. I check/compensate phase issues if necessary and add a little spice with EQ and some additional compression if needed.

 

[StillLearnin']

Re: What are you using to record bass?

For a standalone direct recording device, I've always had great result using Line6 Bass Pod but SansAmp stuff is great for the purpose, too. If an amp is needed, I like to keep it really simple: a mic /Shure Beta52/ and a line /One-Way DI box/ signal, then both signals running through a dedicated TLA tube compressor/preamp. I check/compensate phase issues if necessary and add a little spice with EQ and some additional compression if needed.

Thanks - where in Hungary are you from? I spent some time in Budapest last year - loved it!

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

Thanks - where in Hungary are you from? I spent some time in Budapest last year - loved it!

Approx. 35 kms south from BP. If you click it up on Google map, you can find Lake Velencei. That's where I live

 

[Gunner]

Re: What are you using to record bass?

Most of the time I run DI and apply compression in the mix. Occasionally I'd use the SVT patch in my J-station, but always felt the low E string dominates no matter what I do to even it out. I run Guitar Rig and Amplitude also, but lately going DI has given the best results/mixed in best with little to no post eq required.