Help me! all the gear but i have no idea

[Bennetsgreen]

Hey guys just wondering what would be the best way to set up my rig to record with... here Is a list of everything Im using..

Momark head
Markbass 8x10 standard cab
Ehx black finger compressor
Tech 21 vt bass pedal
Demeter tube DI
Ev re-20 mic
Akg d112 mic

I'm really a newby at recording, I just wanna get a really good tone and I don't see why I can't with all this gear. Anyone that can help let me know!
If you need to hear what we sound like go here....
www.YouTube.com/Birdwiresound

[Bennetsgreen]

I'm also using a maton jb4 bass

[onionpuzzle]

first off, there is a big difference if you are "recording live" or "multitrack recording" ,,,also how many channels are you allowed ?

If recording live with a couple of mics, then simply get a good mix with the volumes of everyone else.

If you are recording "studio" then you don't need a big cabinet...going direct should be sufficient (w/ maybe a little compression)

Less is more.

[Denny Coon]

+1 on the running through a direct into the board and compressing. Or, if you have a great sounding bass like a Spector you may be able to even skip the direct

[Bennetsgreen]

This is just for single tracks in a home studio, when we use a recording studio I usually let the egineer do all the work but the last couple of times they have had no idea what they are doing with the bass and drums, so we are going to do it at home ourselves.. Does it make a huge difference that my amps power isn't valve?

[Bennetsgreen]

Also we are using a mac... Just wondering how I compress it after it goes into the desk? Wouldn't I be better off using the ehx compressor then into the vt pedal then into the DI?

[Bennetsgreen]

Bump?

[BestBass4Metal]

what kind of sound are you trying to get? Any famous bassists whose tone would somewhat resemble the tone you're going for?

For me I like an 80s hair metal sort of sound that is sort of defined by spector basses+ emg pickups + gk amps + compression , (and maybe chorus if you want a bit of a duff guns n roses thing) . I don't actually own a spector but that's the tone I like.

This is easilly accomplished going direct into the computer using a good digital modeling unit like the Line6 pod x3 on the gk amp setting with some compression going. I like to really add a lot of midrange in the eq, very few highs, and only a little bit of distortion.

Of course depending on what sound you're looking for the levels and amps and everything else might be different.

[onionpuzzle]

bottom line with any recording situation is be flexible, test different sounds, and listen back to the result on a car stereo before cutting all the tracks. It's easier to adjust settings before recording then having to "fix" them afterwards.

[seventhframe]

Originally Posted by Denny Coon

+1 on the running through a direct into the board and compressing. Or, if you have a great sounding bass like a Spector you may be able to even skip the direct

Agreed! I record with a Spector Forte-4 and micing it sounds better than direct! I also hardly ever compress, if I do, it's minimal.
But it might not be a bad idea to DI the bass as well as amp it, compress and find a mice balance between the two.

[AmpegB15]

When you are miking an amp in the studio, recording just the bass (i.e., not a whole band playing), would you recommend using a small cabinet, like a 100 watt 1x10 and driving it hard, or a larger cabinet? I know lead guitar is often recorded in the studio using small cabinets to get a more driven sound out of the speakers, so I'm wondering if the same would hold true for recording bass.

[seventhframe]

Originally Posted by AmpegB15

When you are miking an amp in the studio, recording just the bass (i.e., not a whole band playing), would you recommend using a small cabinet, like a 100 watt 1x10 and driving it hard, or a larger cabinet? I know lead guitar is often recorded in the studio using small cabinets to get a more driven sound out of the speakers, so I'm wondering if the same would hold true for recording bass.

Whatever cab sounds best for you I guess. Not sure it would matter seeing as you're mic'ing only one cone. Regardless you should drive your amp / cab to whatever sound you want to get out of it, or whatever sound you most like, then use the mic on one cone.

[Walty77]

Demeter tube DI is really exceptional kit--

Go from that to your interface--via the XLR MIC input, as opposed to the LINE input on the interface (A to D)--

you should be able to get a killing sound from that Demeter.

compression: you can always add it later but you can't take it away.

you listed your bass gear but didn't mention what you're using to get into the computer.

I will say this, you might like the sound better coming XLR out of a DI (demeter or your amp) going into an XLR MIC input of your interface, rather than plugging into a 1/4" guitar input or a line input. Most line amps on pro sumer or mid level gear aren't that great.

anyhow, start simple. and then go from there.

experiment. repeat. take notes.

it's cliche, but the sound is mostly in your hands.

the gear is secondary, and you have some really nice gear!

same goes with recording drums, start simple. tons to read about this online.