Recording Bass on DAW : direct Box and Preamps ?

magico · Post by **magico** » Tue May 28, 2002 12:26 am

Hi to all,
I would like to know if a bass can be recorded using a preamp/direct box. I've seen many people plug the bass directly on line inputs, but i wouldn't do this myself (i feel the sound difference).
I know i can plug a guitar in a direct box, but how about a bass ?
sorry if this is dumb question, but i want to have the best signal from the start.
Thanks in advance

Michu · Post by **Michu** » Tue May 28, 2002 1:10 am

recording bass thru DI is quite common. result is very nice and clean, especially when you put good compressor on it.
you may not feel right when you listen to yourself from monitors not from amp. but but if it doesn't compromise your playing then recorded result should be ok.

[edit]
how do you record bass now? do you mike a cab or do you record from direct out on your amp?
i use mostly Sansamp PSA-1 but recordings thru my tiny Midiman Audiobuddy have nice cleanness and smoothness and the thingie is dead quiet.
i got used to how bass sounds on NS10

, but i know, this just isn't right...
[/edit]

cheers

michu

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[ This Message was edited by: Michu on 2002-05-28 02:19 ]

magico · Post by **magico** » Tue May 28, 2002 2:33 am

Thanks for your answer.
Well, i used to record bass from an amp but that was long time ago, when recording were not digital.
Now i have a friend who want to record some tune in my sytem. I cannot use an amp for neigborhood reasons. Moreover, i'm not shure i'll get a better sound with a bass amp+mic (noise from the outside etc, mic placement etc).
The solution of recording direct from the bass seems better for me (direct meaning there no microphone between the bass and the recording system).
My concern is to get a good signal, that can be easily worked after recording.

[ This Message was edited by: magico on 2002-05-28 03:35 ]

Post by **garyb** » Tue May 28, 2002 8:22 am

using a di is very common even with million dollar budgets.micing works well too.(if noise is a problem use a small amp. the mic doesn't know the difference!)

magico · Post by **magico** » Tue May 28, 2002 9:57 am

good !

B3n · Post by **B3n** » Tue May 28, 2002 11:20 am

If you can spare the cash, these are supposed to be pretty good..

http://www.digitalvillage.co.uk/aproduc ... uctID=1633

magico · Post by **magico** » Tue May 28, 2002 4:41 pm

cool, i already have one ! (MQ3, external version).
so i have everything needed and i didn't know !
http://www.joemeek.net/joemeek/index.htm

[ This Message was edited by: magico on 2002-05-28 17:44 ]

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Tue May 28, 2002 5:30 pm

I have been D.I.ing my bass straight to the desk for 20 years, whether in a big studio or at home.

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Tue May 28, 2002 9:27 pm

I’ve been learning a lot about recording Bass sounds those last few months cos I’ve been recording a lot myself, and the last takes are much better than the ones I did a while ago.

Recording Bass it’s an important part of my recording routine cos I’m a bassist and being my main instrument, I pay lots of attention to it. I use a JoeMeek ProChannel - short for VC3 - and the sound is fantastic. To the level line itself, I would always add some compression. I add compression through the Stereo Compressor S in Pulsar, and the sound is absolutely FANTASTIC!

Then I do all the different touches to the recorded sound, as needed, adding FXs to the wav already recorded. So then I add more deepness or just make it to sound solid or skeletal, or whatever… as needed.

Of course, there is an important fact here too! Your Bass! My bass has especially powerful pickups, I would say, extremely powerful pickups! They have been handmade and are similar to the DiMarzio ones, but far more magnetic cos they have double reel and a preamp is included within, so the signal is already very high at the source. I’ve never heard any bass to have such a high potent signal as mine, and this makes a great difference when recording, particularly because with little power, I can achieve a strong signal and that means exceptionally little hum and hiss AND MANY MORE HARMONICS... My beloved Guitarbass it’s a handmade Washburn Series1000, it use to belong to a professional session bassist who has more than 12 great basses and a “Lutier” that transform them as he wants. I can’t help to say I’m completely in love with this instrument! I can’t understand why he left it, maybe cos he has 12 instruments? Perhaps!

Something is certain: if you are looking for a good sounding bass, you MUST use ***COMPRESSION*** from the source.

I know that the best solution is in fact, to get a POD Bass, from Line6, this is the best recording tool for basses, but it’s a bit expensive. I don’t remember well, but I think it’s about 400$.

Well, that’s it, I guess I used this post to splash my passion about basses, sorry!

bosone · Post by **bosone** » Tue May 28, 2002 10:53 pm

this topic is interesting...
i usually record the bass parts of my songs using the "tube preamp simulation" of Guitar POD 2.0
i often use a lot of compression (i think 4/1 but can be a little less, don't remeber)
i agree to the fact that using compression enhaces a lot the recording, because you "smooth" all the peaks and you can obtain a more "leveled" sound.
which are your ompression settings?

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Wed May 29, 2002 10:24 am

I use the E-Bass preset of the Pulsar Compressor S, but with “12” points of gain… very high, yes. The Input Gain of the JoeMeek at 45, the Compression to just two, cos I like it to be nevertheless responsive, the release to 0, the Enhancer or Drive to 5, the Q to 4, the Enhancer to 7 or 8, and the Out Volume to 9. This gives me THE sound.

subhuman · Post by **subhuman** » Wed May 29, 2002 12:34 pm

Check out this awesome link for micpres, mics, etc.

Valuable infos!

http://www.rane.com/note148.html

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Thu May 30, 2002 10:39 am

Cool info Sub, thanks...