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best ways to record BASS?

C

celestialtrash

Aug 5, 2011
93
0
Westerly, RI
www.facebook.com
#1
My band will be hitting the studio within the next few weeks. We will be working in a pro studio with an engineer. Our plan is to lay down a 3 track EP as cleanly and crisp but as pro and quick as possible.

My question is: what are the best ways to record bass and achieve a warm, modern tone that will sit well in a mix. I don't want to sound too boomy or too clacky. I play with a pick.

Here's my setup:
EBMM Stingray 3 band
Yorkville xs 800 watt head
Acoustic 810
Ampeg ba-115 100 watt

Thanks!
 
#2
celestialtrash said:
My band will be hitting the studio within the next few weeks. We will be working in a pro studio with an engineer. Our plan is to lay down a 3 track EP as cleanly and crisp but as pro and quick as possible.

My question is: what are the best ways to record bass and achieve a warm, modern tone that will sit well in a mix. I don't want to sound too boomy or too clacky. I play with a pick.

Here's my setup:
EBMM Stingray 3 band
Yorkville xs 800 watt head
Acoustic 810
Amped ba-115 100 watt

Thanks!
Click to expand...
A pro studio is a studio with a pro engineer. He will know how to record bass. Do what he tells you and you'll be fine.
 
#3
I use the term "pro" loosely.. im saying they will have good gear and an experienced engineer who we are not too sure about yet. Tho I do know where your coming from. I was told to just set my levels to flat and let him do everything else.

Im basically just curious about how some of u have recorded in the past, and if my 100 watt ampeg would be enough power to avoid bringing the 810.
 
#6
celestialtrash said:
I use the term "pro" loosely.. im saying they will have good gear and an experienced engineer who we are not too sure about yet. Tho I do know where your coming from. I was told to just set my levels to flat and let him do everything else.

Im basically just curious about how some of u have recorded in the past, and if my 100 watt ampeg would be enough power to avoid bringing the 810.
Click to expand...

I see. Most engineers will record a direct signal from the bass with a direct box and they might also mic the bass amp. You should ask the engineer which amp/cab you should bring. The studio might have a great amp for recording. He might not want to use an amp at all, thats ok too.

If you're gonna be listening through headphones, that can be kind of weird at first. Every so often, make sure you're not playing harder or softer than you normally do. If you don't hear yourself well in the phones, you might play harder than normal and your technique will go south and you'll go sloppy. This can happen without you realizing it, it happens to me a lot.

Tune often.
don't drink.
Play simple but tight.
Bring your A game.
have fun.
 
#7
Every time I go to this studio to record, I go right into the board . They use an Ampeg Svt Pre but all I know is the results are great. This particular studio gets you a finished product in one session. I play the bass, sing and they do the rest.......:cool:
 
#8
Always interested in hearing how others "GET IT DONE"


This is my setup at home, where i do MOST of my work. I made a reference picture but ill name my setup. I know some of these factors are personal and will vary but as far as ACTUAL gear, its....

Bass-Pedalboard-REDDI-Chandler LTD1-DBX 160SL (Comp. 2-3db reduction. Slow attack, medium release.)-Aurora Lynx Converter

I couldnt be happier! If and WHEN i use a cab (Genz Benz) ill run it thru my Groove Tubes ViPre, mic'ed with Sennheiser MD421.

Ive got tons of final audio content that i can post if anyone needed or wanted that.

Mike X
9d0a2a10.jpg
 
#9
Let me give you an example of the most likely scenario......Hours will be spent on the drums. Endless stomping on the bass drum till it sounds like the space shuttle blasting off. Next will come the guitard arguing over 1cm difference in the position of the inevitable SM57 relative to the voice coil of his speaker.
When its your turn you will plug into some type of direct box...the engineer will ask you to play. You will get out Da Boop and he will mute your signal and say thank you......

If you have an idea of what you want your bass to sound like SPEAK UP! If your amp is part of the sound, insist on using it. DO what ever it takes to get across how you want it to sound. Be nice, be friendly, but do not back down. After all YOU are PAYING HIM to record YOU! YOUR SOUND. YOUR BAND.

Now relax and try and have fun in there!
Oh, post the results too when you're done!
We all want to hear you!
 
#10
If it's your first time recording, here's my recommendation: record at least one track with as many signals as you can- 1 straight from the DI, 1 or 2 mics, 1 out from the DI on your amp if it has a post eq. Then listen to them, see if you like one of them, or a mix of more than one, and go with that.

Also, it's always better to "under" eq, and not use compression, since those can be added later.
 
#13
celestialtrash said:
In the end, I will most likely line right in through my ampeg if I have to since it has a direct and leave my levels flat.
Click to expand...

Is this a legit studio, or someone's "studio" in their house? In either case, they should have a good DI on hand that will more than likely yield a better result than your amp's DI.

I would expect them at the very least to a Countryman Type 85, a Radial JDI, or a Radial J48...or all three. If not, I would be weary.
 
#14
Ive done my fair share of recording in "local" small studios. I always got the sound I wanted using a combination of amps, and direct signals. That all ended the day I went into a professional studio with a grammy award winning producer.
I had the sound I wanted dialed in on my Tech21 VT pedal, and he even let me run two channels. One with the VT the other direct thru a demeter DI. Well we wound up using the Demeter DI channel, and he then added the SVT patch on the computer . I have to say, it sounded great. What I am gettign at is that if this is really a pro place, then you just lay your tracks and leave the rest to them.
The only time I would differ that opinion is if you have paid for the session yourself, and this is "your" band, and you have to have "your" sound, then have it your way. just my two cents.
 
#16
klaus486 said:
Let me give you an example of the most likely scenario......Hours will be spent on the drums. Endless stomping on the bass drum till it sounds like the space shuttle blasting off. Next will come the guitard arguing over 1cm difference in the position of the inevitable SM57 relative to the voice coil of his speaker.
When its your turn you will plug into some type of direct box...the engineer will ask you to play. You will get out Da Boop and he will mute your signal and say thank you......

If you have an idea of what you want your bass to sound like SPEAK UP! If your amp is part of the sound, insist on using it. DO what ever it takes to get across how you want it to sound. Be nice, be friendly, but do not back down. After all YOU are PAYING HIM to record YOU! YOUR SOUND. YOUR BAND.
Click to expand...


Yep, that's right...LOL!!!!:D
 
#17
MikeXbass said:
Always interested in hearing how others "GET IT DONE"


This is my setup at home, where i do MOST of my work. I made a reference picture but ill name my setup. I know some of these factors are personal and will vary but as far as ACTUAL gear, its....

Bass-Pedalboard-REDDI-Chandler LTD1-DBX 160SL (Comp. 2-3db reduction. Slow attack, medium release.)-Aurora Lynx Converter

I couldnt be happier! If and WHEN i use a cab (Genz Benz) ill run it thru my Groove Tubes ViPre, mic'ed with Sennheiser MD421.

Ive got tons of final audio content that i can post if anyone needed or wanted that.

Mike X
9d0a2a10.jpg
Click to expand...

Sweet! what bass is that?

Whenever i record i put my bass in direct. Leaving all EQs flat with no effects, unless i need some for certain songs.
i sometimes out in a tiny bass Notch on my bass's preamp, but i usually just go back and forth in the blend through my beautiful EMG or Yamaha pickups.
 
#18
For better or worse I usually do what the engineer tells me to do, which is usually a combination of DI with amp/cab mic. If I had to pick my personal favorite end result it probably came about a year back from some kind of Avalon pre into board/software plus a Markbass Little Tube 800 (DI) into 2x10 (mic). Unfortunately we had issues with the drum mixing/studio in general and those two said recordings will probably never see the light of day. Sometimes I wish I would have kept that Markbass head...

My band's most recent session last month ended up DI only - will see how that turns out soon.

I have a history of playing heavier rock/stupid metal (it makes me happy), so I don't think I've ever walked away from a studio session thinking "god damn that was the sweetest bass tone ever", nor "sweet Jesus that sounded like ass in a box". Usually ends up "yeah that works....nice of them to give me 20 minutes before insisting on starting guitars." - which is why I continue to pay attention when threads like this pop up.

Good luck.
 
#20
Clearwave said:
I see. Most engineers will record a direct signal from the bass with a direct box and they might also mic the bass amp. You should ask the engineer which amp/cab you should bring. The studio might have a great amp for recording. He might not want to use an amp at all, thats ok too.

If you're gonna be listening through headphones, that can be kind of weird at first. Every so often, make sure you're not playing harder or softer than you normally do. If you don't hear yourself well in the phones, you might play harder than normal and your technique will go south and you'll go sloppy. This can happen without you realizing it, it happens to me a lot.

Tune often.
don't drink.
Play simple but tight.
Bring your A game.
have fun.
Click to expand...

+1 to all of this.....
 

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