BluRay Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hey up! I wonder if anyone here can give me some pointers. I'm trying my hand at some home recording - and its proving way more difficult that I thought to get the tone I'm after. I play alt rock - bright, slightly growly bass - but not too overdriven. I'm happy with my live sound - admittedly its pushing some air, which helps!, and my playing is ok (says me ) so its not a turd polishing situation. But I'm just not translating the live tone into the machine. The stingray sounds either too clicky, or too flat or too boomy. Its a bitch to eq. Does anyone have any tips on how I can get better results out of my gear: Korg D8 recorder Stingray 4hh (3band) - I have other bases - but I'm determind tame the ray! Ashdown ABM evo 111 Zoom B2 (although I haven't been using it) So far I've been using the ABM preamp DI-ed to the Korg. I do have a mic - but live near a noisy road, so preferring to DI from the amp. The Korg can handle 2 inputs at a time - but double tracking hasn't gone well so far - maybe a combing issue. I suppose I could save up for a Sansamp (or something like it) - but I wondered if anyone has got good results with similar gear - and how you set about it. Cheers dudes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombboy Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 What is often harsh sounding on it's own may well sit good in the mix. Experiment post recording with compressors and eq (cut rather than boost). Perseverence is the answer here as your gear is spot on. Keep going and you'll hit the jackpot. It's taken me nearly two years to get my sound how I like it on tape!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironside1966 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 (edited) Remember you are not going to get the physical movement of air with standard studio monitors so be realistic. Experiment with mic placement, try moving the microphone further away, and try facing a second microphone at the port. Try using saturation plug-in (they are not only for distortion) As the last post said it is what works in the context of a mix not in isolation. Edited May 30, 2010 by ironside1966 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 I use a POD for home recording. Forget trying to replicate your live sound in a home enviroment, I plug into the POD and it is much easier. It's not perfect but it's a lot easier and quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomKent Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Line out of the Ashdown, couple of mics in front (kick mic as well), and mix it. It's hard to get a room sound when you DI unless you monitor the room too. Try the micing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baskesman Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 I think there are specific microphones that do not (or in a lesser extend) record the surrounding (car) noises, but only the direct sound of your speakers. If you can put the mic as close to your cab, streetnoise might have less interferences in the recording? just like burrito, I also use an amp moduler to records at home, because of recording at night when the family is at sleep... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluRay Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Thanks Guys! Your advice is spot on. Unfortunately the easy-option processor (Zoom B2 in my case), wasn't doing it for me at all - maybe I need to spend more time twiddling with it. But I've got improved results (so far) with the recommended dual approach: line out from the ABM plus a mic (more mics would be ideal but I've only got two live inputs on my recorder). From initial experiments, the mic sounded best right up against a 10, and slightly offset. Yeah, its comes out boomy and bit weird on its own, but - when mixed with the direct signal, takes the unwanted edge off and fills out the sound quite nicely. Progress indeed. Suprisingly the road noise doesn't come through on the mic at all - although its not imervious to my 7 year old son "being Dr Who" in the background. I've been forced to delay further attempts until (and I quote...) the Cybermen scum have been wiped from the face of the Universe. This may take some time! Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackLondon Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 As people mentioned before with amp sims you can always get a pod farm and use it to get your sound, it works really good if you spend some time tweaking it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluRay Posted June 1, 2010 Author Share Posted June 1, 2010 Many thanks - the Pod Farm looks ace (....I detect early onset GAS). But I'll first have to save up to upgrade my PC and recording gear - which isn't suitable for DAW at all. Also, to be honest, I sort of enjoy using the hardware, as I stare gloomily at a PC all week at work. So I'm on a mission to get a reasonable sound out of my existing gear...I figured that I "should" be able to get something down with an ABM, Stingray, 2 line inputs and a condensor mic. I suspect I will cave in and upgrade to DAW / Pod farm at around the 50th attempt, or when my neighbours start to threaten me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackLondon Posted June 1, 2010 Share Posted June 1, 2010 [shameless plug] All your worries sorted out here > [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=89602"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=89602[/url] [end of shameless plug] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluRay Posted June 2, 2010 Author Share Posted June 2, 2010 stop it, you'll get me in trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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