What are you using to record Bass?

[Gearjoneser]

Just wondering what has gotten the best results for you?

What bass/pickups do you use?

Do you use a DI, amp/mic, modeler, tube mic pre?

What compressor?

 

[vinterland]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

Well theres a million ways to record bass and everyone will tell you theirs is best. I recorded one a while ago with a DI into a focusrite pre/compressor and it sounded great. It was a fender bass though I can't tell you the model. Often times a DI will do just fine with a good compressor in the chain, but sometimes if they have a great amp the amp will do much better. I've also stuck a Sennheiser MD-421 on a couple of bass cabs and it sounded good as well. Also an AKG D12E sounded suprisingly good as well, though a little EQ was needed.

 

[RGN]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

GJ- Check out my latest clip in Tips and Clips. That is my Warwick bass into a POD XT, straight into the computer. I used the tube pre-amp setting. My Warwick has passive pickups and they sound great to me. I love that bass. To me, the ONLY was to record bass is direct. You can get any number of great DI/preamps. Sadowsky makes a killer one. There are a lot of great $300-$500 tube DIs that will make bass sound superb straight into the board. I don't see why anyone would want to mic a bass amp these days.

 

[Alvin Lee Fan]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

Since I don't play bass as my main instrument, I don't have much of a setup. I use a J-Station, which has three bass amp models in it, to record and practice with. Works great for me!

 

[Stevo]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I use acid loops for bass.. it's halfast, like my playing lol..

 

[some_dude]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I DI strait into a tube amp emulator. The emulator seems to add enough compression on it's own that I don't add any myself.

DI gives a fuller range of the sound spectrum (particularily in the bottom end) when compared to micing an amp....where when micing you're limited by the responce of the speakers and the responce of the mic.

If I could, I'd DI and mic a good tube amp/cab and mix the results.....

.....and if I did more recording I'd invest in a bass pre that's designed for DI recording rather than use a digital emulation.

Mine is hardly a professional opinion by any means, but that's what I've figured out thus far.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I've used my mic preamp, my (guitar) V-Amp 2, direct to the soundcard (with and without applying models after the fact in software), mic'd my SWR Workingman's Combo...I've gotten both good and bad results from each at different times. It usually has more to do with chasing down a particular sound than anything else.

Right now I've trying to chase down a fake uprigtht sound with an old Peavey P-bass copy, a set of flatwounds and some slapback echo...

 

[ErikH]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I used to use a bass direct with nothing else, just he bass. Since I sold it, I now rely on the bass sounds from the Dr. Rhythm Section. It's old but it works.

 

[aleclee]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

Tube DI with compression added at the board.

 

[J Moose]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

It depends on the player and what everything sounds like, what kinda mood we're in and what's around.

Usually I'll take a DI and put a mic on the amp and send 'em to different tracks. There's almost always some compression on each one, usually an 1176LN, LA2 or 3A, dbx 160VU's are kinda cool if I need something fast but they thin out the bottom end too much for my liking. The Dememter VTCL-2a is great if I need a little bit of leveling but it kinda sucks for anything where I need to control excessive dynamics. Sometime the Joemeek box is just killer on the DI track...there's this cool agressive midrange that seems to articulate lines really well and it stays tight & focused.

Anywhoo...the DI is usually a GT Ditto or some kinda box like the Demeter or an Avalon, the Ampeg SVT DI sounds great too...really woody. The mic could be anything but as of late I've been going for small diaphragm condensors, I used an AT4031 recently and that sounded amazingly big on the guys SVT. But depending on what we're after sometimes I'll take two DI's, one clean and the other is through a Sansamp pedal. In the mix I'll usually pick one track or the other and go with that rather then blending them and getting into all kinds of weird phasey issues.

But really, if the player is wailing on a P-bass with flatwounds that's a WHOLE different sound then some cat doing crazy lines & sweeps on a 6-string Modulus so I use different gear to get a different sound.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I do the same as RGN, except sometimes I'll use the Hiwatt model on the XT. I can get very good results from either.

 

[AmirH]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I've gotten fantastic results going direct from the vamp2 with the bass cab selected with a j-bass. Bump up the eq from around 120-200, compress generously and embrace the full bass goodness.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

i use midi guitar, triggering a roland xv-5050 spdif'd right into the sound card...sounds wonderful.

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I use my guitar port. But B4 the signal hits my sound card I run it thru my 4 track where I add compression via my Alesis Nano comp. Compression/Limiting is the key to recording bass IMHO. You have to get a even volume from the E to G string.

 

[TonyBar3]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

Anybody have any experience with the Tech21 Sansamp Bass DI Box? One of my friends used it a few years back and absoloutely loved it.

 

[seafoamer]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

I use a wash-tub, a stick, and some spare wire.

 

[xerxes]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

Since I don't play bass as my main instrument, I don't have much of a setup. I use a J-Station, which has three bass amp models in it, to record and practice with. Works great for me!

i also have a j-station...what are the bass models?

 

[pinto79]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

For my SD Compilation submission, I ran my stock Peavey Millenium V bass via Wireless to my Line6 AX2 using the JC-120 model and 4x12 model with a splash of reverb, delay and chorus, and minimal compression. Then it ran through 2 Behringer DI-100's (Stereo), into my Mixer and then to the sound card of my computer. Quite open sounding with a good amount of string clank.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

It depends. Usually I run through my Aphex 207 preamp and then through a DBX compressor and eq.

Can't to that for demos with live drums though because I need the preamp for mics so I'll probably run off of the bass players line out on his amp.

I plan on trying a combo of DI and mics on the bass rig but I hear there are timing issues that may need correcting.

DI is ok but a tube preamp really does add depth and warmth.

 

[Tom M]

Re: What are you using to record Bass?

When my band recorded our demo over the summer, I ran my basses (both stock) through my Mesa Walkabout head, set for a fairly clean but thick sound. The Jazz bass would get more gain because the pickups are lower output than the G&L. I disconnected from my cabs because that seemed to influence the sound, and just ran the DI into a 16 track mixer set flat, then into my laptop. The only thing I did in production was a bit of compression and cut some of the boominess from the low end. The rest came straight from the amp.

I tried micing with a 57 and a 58 but I couldn't get anything to sound "fast" enough.