Recording the Bass

[Spoombung]

Just wondering how you guys do it?

I've found mic-ing up the cab sounds 'rounder' but unfortunately a bit noisier (hiss & hum) but it's a big faff to do at home - and you have to have a good mic.

DI-ing is easier (you just plug it in) but on close listening it can sound dry, quacky, sterile and thin in the mids.

Any thoughts?

[crez5150]

I use both.... Especially for recording slap bass

[Spoombung]

[quote name='crez5150' post='699274' date='Jan 3 2010, 09:40 AM']I use both.... Especially for recording slap bass[/quote]


You mean in combination?

[niceguyhomer]

Just finished recording with the band using an Aguilar Tone Hammer straight into the desk - I'm really pleased with the sound and got some nice compliments off the sound engineer.

[crez5150]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='699277' date='Jan 3 2010, 09:43 AM']You mean in combination?[/quote]

Yes both on separate channels of the recording

[jamman]

I've done alot of recording and D-I-ing has always been my prefered choice. Always manage to get a great sound. Plus less kit to caryy to the studio bass, lead, sorted

[leftybassman392]

D.I. for me too. Miking bass cabs is kind of doing it the hard way (not to say you shouldn't of course). D.I. presents a 'clean' signal to the mixer that you can record & then add effects to your taste later. If in doubt do both and then mix & match at mixdown.

[Silent Fly]

I prefer a good quality DI.

If the sound lack of mids or the natural compression of the cab it can be added later.

[Cat Burrito]

I too have done a lot of recording & always used the DI option dating back 20yrs when I didn't really know much but all the various engineers preferred it. I was listening to some 15yr old demos last night & thinking just how good my bass sounded.

Edited January 3, 2010 by BurritoBass

[maxrossell]

It really depends on the mic-amp combination. I'll usually record the amp, but unless I've found a sound I really like I'll also take a DI and re-amp it later. Bass amps get noisy, but most of that will disappear in the mix anyway, and crystal-clear mixes are just f*cking boring if you ask me.

Re-amping seems to be one of those things that's gone by the board along with lots of other old studio techniques people used to swear by. Like taking the time to mic things properly.

[crez5150]

[quote name='maxrossell' post='699354' date='Jan 3 2010, 11:46 AM']It really depends on the mic-amp combination. I'll usually record the amp, but unless I've found a sound I really like I'll also take a DI and re-amp it later. Bass amps get noisy, but most of that will disappear in the mix anyway, and crystal-clear mixes are just f*cking boring if you ask me.

Re-amping seems to be one of those things that's gone by the board along with lots of other old studio techniques people used to swear by. Like taking the time to mic things properly.[/quote]

+1

[Hit&Run]

If I'm given a choice I like to record both; a slightly distorted DI signal from my Hartke VXL pedal, and a clean signal through a miked-up amp.

I use more of the miked up signal (probably 60 - 70%), but the DI gives it that extra je ne sais quoi.

[leftybassman392]

[quote name='maxrossell' post='699354' date='Jan 3 2010, 11:46 AM']It really depends on the mic-amp combination. I'll usually record the amp, but unless I've found a sound I really like I'll also take a DI and re-amp it later. Bass amps get noisy, but most of that will disappear in the mix anyway, and crystal-clear mixes are just f*cking boring if you ask me.

[b]Re-amping seems to be one of those things that's gone by the board along with lots of other old studio techniques people used to swear by[/b]. Like taking the time to mic things properly.[/quote]

Good point!

[Spoombung]

I really wish my little Roland Cube 30 had a decent recording output as I really like the sound of the amp - but the output is FAR too noisy to use. Shame.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='maxrossell' post='699354' date='Jan 3 2010, 11:46 AM']Re-amping seems to be one of those things that's gone by the board along with lots of other old studio techniques people used to swear by. Like taking the time to mic things properly.[/quote]

Never heard of 're-amping' before...

[leftybassman392]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='699481' date='Jan 3 2010, 01:33 PM']Never heard of 're-amping' before...[/quote]

Record the bass clean through DI onto your recording medium, and then run an output from the recorded channel to the input of your chosen amp & record the signal off the amp onto another channel. It has numerous advantages - not least that you can keep trying it with different amps to get the sound you want.

[maxrossell]

[quote name='leftybassman392' post='699487' date='Jan 3 2010, 01:39 PM']Record the bass clean through DI onto your recording medium, and then run an output from the recorded channel to the input of your chosen amp & record the signal off the amp onto another channel. It has numerous advantages - not least that you can keep trying it with different amps to get the sound you want.[/quote]

Spot on. It's a good little mixing trick, bearing in mind that you don't always want the musicians milling around when you're trying to find a good amp sound, but you have to have them around to actually cut the track, so the simplest thing is to get a dry signal on tape and put it back out of the desk into an amp later, when the musicians have all gone off to snort coke off a model's bare breasts or whatever.

[crez5150]

One thing to mention is that you can use this method for a host of different instruments.... I've had some great recordings with Drums played back into a room via a PA and then recorded this.... great for capturing different ambiences.

[chris_b]

When recording or going through FOH I always DI from my amp and post EQ so the desk gets [i]my[/i] sound, such as it is! I've had quite a few arguments with engineers about this but, in the end, they usually agree the bass sounds good.

[BassHertz]

I use a Behringer Bass V-Amp Pro. It has all the EQ compression and amp simulation you need, it also allows you to use one putput as a dry DI signal and the other output equalized with amp simulation so you can record both signal simultaneously and mix them as required.

[mrcrow]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='699273' date='Jan 3 2010, 09:39 AM']Just wondering how you guys do it?

I've found mic-ing up the cab sounds 'rounder' but unfortunately a bit noisier (hiss & hum) but it's a big faff to do at home - and you have to have a good mic.

DI-ing is easier (you just plug it in) but on close listening it can sound dry, quacky, sterile and thin in the mids.

Any thoughts?[/quote]

i used a mic...got some air in the recording..ambience etc...it was a fender P with rw and came over just like an urb

[originalfunkbrother]

[quote name='leftybassman392' post='699487' date='Jan 3 2010, 01:39 PM']Record the bass clean through DI onto your recording medium, and then run an output from the recorded channel to the input of your chosen amp & record the signal off the amp onto another channel. It has numerous advantages - not least that you can keep trying it with different amps to get the sound you want.[/quote]



Please explain re-amping, it sounds like a great technique but sadly I have gotten lost in transalation.

[WinterMute]

Depending on the players rig, I'll often take a DI from the bass, a DI from the amp's pre-amp output (a lot of amps have a DI output these days) and I'll mic the cab too, the variation that affords in the mix is well worth the effort.

I will always re-align the mic'ed track with the DI tracks, because it'll be slightly late and the phase change will rob you of some LF, just a case of dragging the mic audio forward by a few milliseconds in Protools.

[bigjohn]

Mic'ed and DI for me.

I like recording with my Ampeg B3158 (that's in the for sale forum - shamless plug ) When I've used that I've had one mic on the 8", one on the 15" and one DI.

It's a great recording rig.

[leftybassman392]

[quote name='funkygreega' post='699787' date='Jan 3 2010, 06:27 PM']Please explain re-amping, it sounds like a great technique but sadly I have gotten lost in transalation.[/quote]

Sorry for the delay:-

Basic procedure is as follows (many variations)...

[indent]Step 1: Connect your bass to a channel input of your recording equipment using D.I. with no effects (usually called 'clean' or 'dry' signal). Play the bass line as required for the song and record it. You now have a recording of the exact sound the bass is making.

Step 2: Connect the output of the recorded channel from the recording device to the input jack of your chosen bass amplifier. Connect the output of the amplifier to an unused channel (or channels) of the recording equipment. When you play back the recording the bass amplifier treats it as if it were you playing the bass live. If you decide you like the sound you simply rewind the recorder and record the sound onto the new channel. If not, change the amplifier settings and go again. If you still don't like it you can change the amplifier and repeat the process as often as you like.[/indent]


As I said above, this is a basic description. Part of the skill of a recording engineer is to use it creatively to obtain the required sound. There are some very good examples in some of the posts above.


I'm afraid that's as simple as I can put it. Hopefully it makes sense.

Edited January 4, 2010 by leftybassman392