Trying to get decent bass sound from computer

[simonc61]

Since my services were dispensed by my last band I have become a bedroom bass guitarist. I don't have a practise amp so all my playing is through Logic on my Mac, via a Presonus audio interface. I'm having real trouble getting a decent bass sound, even through the various bass instruments in Logic - which is surprising considering the cost of the software.

I'm just wondering what other BC'ers use for home practise/recording etc, whether I'd be better off using some sort of preamp rather than leaving it to the software?

[JapanAxe]

It would be useful to know what is wrong with your sound at present. Not enough body?Distortion? What speakers are you using with your Mac?

[Mr. Foxen]

What is the impedance of the input you are using?

[Dingus]

I use a Korg Pandora PX4 D to record on my computer via Audacity and get superb and very flexible results . Lots of sounds and features available and I couldn't be happier with the results . The Korg only costs about £90 and is a great tool for practising at home as well as recording .

[simonc61]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1353174449' post='1872447']
What is the impedance of the input you are using?
[/quote]
According to the bumph here http://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-USB it's 1200 ohms (balanced)

[simonc61]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1353174245' post='1872444']
It would be useful to know what is wrong with your sound at present. Not enough body?Distortion? What speakers are you using with your Mac?
[/quote]

I don't have any speakers, or monitors, at this time so I'm using Audio Technika ATH-M50 headphones. Sound-wise, just generally a very thin, unsatisfying sound which sometimes veers towards distortion

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='simonc61' timestamp='1353177549' post='1872501']
According to the bumph here [url="http://www.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-USB"]http://www.presonus....ts/AudioBox-USB[/url] it's 1200 ohms (balanced)
[/quote]

That will likely be an issue. Pickups need a higher impedance to work right, guitar amp inputs are generally in the region of 1 MΩ. And going higher tends to make things sound better (which is the idea of impedance buffers like the Zvex super hard on).

Edited November 17, 2012 by Mr. Foxen

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='simonc61' timestamp='1353177759' post='1872506']


I don't have any speakers, or monitors, at this time so I'm using Audio Technika ATH-M50 headphones. Sound-wise, just generally a very thin, unsatisfying sound which sometimes veers towards distortion
[/quote]

IMHO , you need a pair of studio monitors plus decent headphones.Plus a USB interface like line 6 ux1 or similar to put it all together.

Edited November 17, 2012 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[LawrenceH]

Use a DI box to sort out the impedance mismatch, those active Behringer ones are probably the most cost-effective solution

[paul_5]

The danger with using computers as practice amps is that you may begin to compensate for the latency in the system and play everything ahead of the beat. At that point you're nearly every guitarist i've played with ;-).
You'd be better off with an EHX headphone amp-£40ish will get you and they're great little pieces of kit.

[simonc61]

Thanks all, looks like I should have kept the Hartke Bass attack (and my KRK monitors ) . At the price they're going for the Behringer BDI 21 now looks my best bet for what I want to do.

Edited November 18, 2012 by simonc61

[daz]

my bass sounded very weedy on my computer speakers till I got a decent set of speakers with a bass boost box(Creative i - Trigue). Now it all sounds brilliant. Cant believe i put up with anything less now. (i plug in via my Zoom B2.1u via its USB interface. and record with Audacity.)

Edited November 19, 2012 by daz

[Twigman]

I use a preamp on the input to bring it up to line level input to my RME HDSP9632 soundcard, into Sonar X2 and through IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX plugin amp sim then out through my KRK Rokit6 active monitors.

I can get a wonderful bass sound like that.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Twigman

[51m0n]

Mine sound fab....

Decent bass, decent interface (RME UCX) decent monitors. Job done...

[Seb_C]

A preamp or DI box will help you. Logic is definitely NOT the issue; between the included amp simulators, EQs, compressors and the impulse response reverb (not for use as a reverb, but to load impulse responses of speaker cabinets - plenty of free IRs around which give great speaker simualtion results) you can get GREAT sounds from Logic.

Do you have any effects pedals? Using one a makeshift DI box may help, too.

[Twigman]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1353264583' post='1873036']
The danger with using computers as practice amps is that you may begin to compensate for the latency in the system
[/quote]
With a decent interface latency is not an issue.

[simonc61]

[quote name='Seb_C' timestamp='1353515760' post='1875508']
A preamp or DI box will help you. Logic is definitely NOT the issue; between the included amp simulators, EQs, compressors and the impulse response reverb (not for use as a reverb, but to load impulse responses of speaker cabinets - plenty of free IRs around which give great speaker simualtion results) you can get GREAT sounds from Logic.

Do you have any effects pedals? Using one a makeshift DI box may help, too.
[/quote]

Thanks Seb, I was discussing this just last night with a sound engineer friend. I'm going to look out for a cheap DI box and try that out. I wish I'd kept my KRK Rokits now but there you go. We both agreed that you should NEVER sell an item of musical equipment, unless you're really up against the wall - you always come to regret it (as I do with several items I've sold recently).

I WILL find those decent bass sounds in Logic!

[daz]

After I have recorded to my computer (via my Zoom B2.1u) the playback (via a decent set of speakers including a sub) seems to sound even [i]better [/i]than it does coming straight from my cab.

[geofio]

i record my rickenbacker through a line 6 bass pod great tone and lots of output. works for me.