I'd personally get a good "true" DI and just reamp through your guitar rig, unless you don't want a clean signal to work with from the onset. The BDDI is a great live tool but I a/b'd it against my Radial JDI and the Radial sounded worlds better.
When I was tracking last, I went in clean through a Countryman 85 and reamped for grit through a Mesa Dual Rec/412 setup and ran some plug-ins for extra bite. Sounded great IMO:
Depending on what you already have for a guitar rig, that's always an option and that is how it's been done for decades. Barring the many-thousand dollar guitar rig, these make getting virtually the same results possible for the average bassist.
And it is always worthwhile having a clean DI sound available to you. The Radial series is a good shout there. Another option to look at is the MXR M80 or the Aguilar tone hammer- same basic idea as the BDDI, just a little different. I think they do cleans a little more clean but don't quote me on that.
The Bass Driver DI can be used as a transparent flat response DI by simply defeating the SansAmp circuit and leaving the tone controls at their null point or by leaving the pedal in bypass mode.
I would record straight into the board, using a nice DI or even a nice studio pre, like an Avalon 737sp or the like. You can then use compression and EQ to fatten up the tone. If you want more gain/OD you can re-amp those recorded tracks through a SansAmp. I would follow the advice that suggests always recording a clean DI/high-end pre track along with whatever else you do. Blending different bass sounds into one monolithic whole is a proven formula for studio success.
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The Bass Driver DI can be used as a transparent flat response DI by simply defeating the SansAmp circuit and leaving the tone controls at their null point or by leaving the pedal in bypass mode.
Indeed, but ... Shame not to utilize the sansamp circuits it sound so good!
I would record straight into the board, using a nice DI or even a nice studio pre, like an Avalon 737sp or the like. You can then use compression and EQ to fatten up the tone. If you want more gain/OD you can re-amp those recorded tracks through a SansAmp. I would follow the advice that suggests always recording a clean DI/high-end pre track along with whatever else you do. Blending different bass sounds into one monolithic whole is a proven formula for studio success.
Yerp.
You can always "subtract" what you don't need, but if you don't get it to the board in the first place you can't "add to".
This morning I'm been messing around with my Sansamp PBDDI and the Oxford. So, I've been standing on my knees by my pedal board trying some stuff.
First I've tried the PBDDI alone and with my EBS multicomp, thereafter I tried my new setup with both my PBDDI and my Oxford together. In the end I've tried my PBDDI with my Onkart Grombass distortion box. To my surprise I saw that I forgot my recorder on... so, while this recording is messy and not really planed as anything I thought that there are many different sounds which the Bass Driver is capable of with or without help... so here it is: http://soundcloud.com/duke21/forgotten
I can't count how many gigs I've done with just a bass, a tuner and my BDDI direct into the PA and nothing else.
For all its detractors, I still get compliments from people about my "awesome" tone. Mind you though, no comments about my ability!
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I can't count how many gigs I've done with just a bass, a tuner and my BDDI direct into the PA and nothing else.
For all its detractors, I still get compliments from people about my "awesome" tone. Mind you though, no comments about my ability!
Cool. not sure how that equates to a recorded signal where you can pick out and hear the most infinitely miniscule and minute details and problems/errors/noise/etc.. with your interface, though as much.
I've had very good experiences recording with the BDDI. I also really dig the RPM. They both color the tone quite a bit(I do however keep the sansamp blend pretty low). It sits very well in the mix however. I think ideally you would record 2 tracks, one with the Sansamp, and one with a clean DI.
I've had very good experiences recording with the BDDI. I also really dig the RPM. They both color the tone quite a bit(I do however keep the sansamp blend pretty low). It sits very well in the mix however. I think ideally you would record 2 tracks, one with the Sansamp, and one with a clean DI.
Keeping the blend pretty low is about what setting? I have mine on about half (12:00).
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Another vote for the Paradriver over the BDDI. I love them both but the Paradriver has the edge in terms of versatility.
We have just started our new demo and all im using is my Paradriver in to the desk. Using my rig just complicates things and colours the tone in a way that works live but not needed in the studio.
So far we haven't even needed to touch the desk EQ. The Paradriver seems to come alive once you start messing with the mid controls. In fact the one downside for me (live) is i do tend to mess more with the PD than the BDDI, which is more a set and forget box.
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Last edited by dave_bass5 : 11-27-2012 at 03:37 AM.
Keeping the blend pretty low is about what setting? I have mine on about half (12:00).
I keep it between 9:00-11:00. Any more and it is too colored to me. I only really use the Sansamp to add a bit of light distortion/warmth to recordings. Similar to what you would get from a lightly driven B15.
I keep it between 9:00-11:00. Any more and it is too colored to me. I only really use the Sansamp to add a bit of light distortion/warmth to recordings. Similar to what you would get from a lightly driven B15.
Thank you. Another data point to consider.
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I've tried or owned about every single direct box out there under $300. I've also recorded bass tracks in about a dozen studios over the years ranging from 4 track basements to multi million dollar studios with an entire room dedicated to bass gear.
There wasn't a single studio engineer I worked with who didn't respect the incredible sound a sansamp bass driver could make with literally 3 minutes of fidgeting. We didn't always use it, but it was used more often than any other pedal.
Its probably been used on more rock records than any other single pedal. It does one sound, and it does it nearly as good as a real miked Ampeg SVT. Maybe even better.
Most importantly, where ever you play live with a half decent PA you'll be asked to give a direct signal for the house mix. Giving the direct out from your amp head sounds MUCH different coming thru the house than through your cab, and thus will almost always sound like complete muddy garbage. By setting a splitter after your effects to both your amp and to your sansamp you'll get to choose and let the sound guy help zero in the right tone to work with the house speakers, and you'll be able to use your amp as a monitor essentially.
If your playing rock, you literally can buy a p bass, bass driver and a new set of strings and plug into a pa and sound better than most heads do under a grand. Its unlike any other pedal out there.
Also, I recently got a para driver, and its able to hit 90% of the bass Driver, with the added ability to dial in the mids to make it a no brainer upgrade if your willing to read a 10 page manual. It also records my electric and acoustic six stringers better than I can with my own mics and combo amps! So much of great amp sounds depend on good isolation, and for quick projects this thing is worth the price.
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