Recording setup

[Ryan Mohr]

This is what I am planning on recording with eventually with my band. Squier P Bass/SX J Bass -> EHX Black Finger Compressor -> Tech 21 VT Bass -> other pedals -> Whirlwind IMP2 DI direct out -> Gepco microphone cable -> Line 6 TonePort UX1 -> computer USB input. Are there any weak links in this setup?

[fretlessrock]

yeah... what's everybody else recording into?

[Alcyon]

don't think so, sounds like a cool chain though. i like your choice of pedals. how is the black finger working out for you? i want a VT Bass as well

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by fretlessrock

yeah... what's everybody else recording into?

Well we record our parts separate into audacity, so my guitarist is micing his amp, singer is singing into a condenser, and the drummer has a kick mic as well as several overheads.

[fretlessrock]

Got it. It was the "with my band" part that had me confused. It sounds like a lot of gear, but it should work fine. Have you A/B'd the mic and instrument inputs on the Toneport? I usually will go DI to mic pre if the pre is good. But on lower end gear I try to have as few pieces in the signal chain as possible. ... actually, I always try to have the fewest pieces of gear between the bass and the input.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by fretlessrock

But on lower end gear I try to have as few pieces in the signal chain as possible.

+Many. Alternatively, put the DI in front of all your other boxes, running the XLR DI signal directly to the pre-amp and using the 1/4" out from the DI to drive the other boxes in your normal signal chain--finally taking the last output from that signal chain to another pre-amp channel. Record DI and processed bass to separate channels, and blend to taste during mixing.

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by derrico1

+Many. Alternatively, put the DI in front of all your other boxes, running the XLR DI signal directly to the pre-amp and using the 1/4" out from the DI to drive the other boxes in your normal signal chain--finally taking the last output from that signal chain to another pre-amp channel. Record DI and processed bass to separate channels, and blend to taste during mixing.

Thanks that sounds good, so I would use both the mic and instrument inputs on the TonePort?

[JonathanD]

Take anything out of the chain that you are not using for the song/part. It will help keep your noise floor down.

ANd yes, he is suggesting you use both the 1/4 and the mic and record them to 2 channels if possible. This will give you options on mixing your dry and wet signals which will improve your sound 10 fold in the mix. If you are only running wet it sometimes does not translate well.

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by JonathanD

Take anything out of the chain that you are not using for the song/part. It will help keep your noise floor down.

ANd yes, he is suggesting you use both the 1/4 and the mic and record them to 2 channels if possible. This will give you options on mixing your dry and wet signals which will improve your sound 10 fold in the mix. If you are only running wet it sometimes does not translate well.

Thanks

[Ryan Mohr]

So my chain would look like this Bass -> Direct Box -> XLR mic input
-> Direct Box -> pedals -> 1/4" instrument input

[Ryan Mohr]

How could I incorporate a Behringer mixer into this setup or would that be overkill.