Getting a good recorded bass signal

[Rycebag]

I was wondering what are some ways you might suggest for getting a solid recorded bass signal as far as mic's/DI? we are going in to the studio soon and will be recording everything live and maybe some overdubs after. Also curious on approaches to record overdriven bass tones? Amp micing/DI/pedals and blending them? I really enjoyed all the bass tracks on the paramore like "anklebiters" "aint it fun" and I liked that "future" track. reminded me a lot of Failure. I recently went down a mars volta rabbit hole and ended up getting a bunch of fuzz pedals. on my pedal board I'm using a emma compressor pedal > Boss oc-2>Fulltone Bassdrive> Pharaoh Fuzz. Anyway, forgive me if you've already answered a question like this on the forum and if you've had would be stoked to get a link to any thread.

jah bless

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Yeah this has been covered a bunch. Search "Amp recording" or "mic amp" or "microphone" or "recording" in this forum and you'll turn up a lot.

Just get a decent DI, then a good amp sound. Make sure they are both in phase with eachother after recording (just line up the waveforms) and you should be good if the gear is ok.

As far as overdriven tones, I like to blend something not too dark from the dynamic family like 421, 57, SM7 or RE20 with a ribbon like an AEA N22, R84, or 44. Get the cut and slice from the dynamic, get the pillow from the ribbon. EQ the dynamic mic to accentuate the "fizz" and "slice" of your overdriven sound, mixed with the thickness of the ribbon. Time align those very carefully. Get a good DI signal to blend, and you're done. This exact setup is what you'll hear on the latest Paramore stuff released next week, the last M83 album Junk, and the recent Jimmy Eat World album "Integrity Blues". The JEW album in particular has that sort of constantly driven thing that I think I recorded pretty well.

 

[Rycebag]

Yeah this has been covered a bunch. Search "Amp recording" or "mic amp" or "microphone" or "recording" in this forum and you'll turn up a lot.

Just get a decent DI, then a good amp sound. Make sure they are both in phase with eachother after recording (just line up the waveforms) and you should be good if the gear is ok.

As far as overdriven tones, I like to blend something not too dark from the dynamic family like 421, 57, SM7 or RE20 with a ribbon like an AEA N22, R84, or 44. Get the cut and slice from the dynamic, get the pillow from the ribbon. EQ the dynamic mic to accentuate the "fizz" and "slice" of your overdriven sound, mixed with the thickness of the ribbon. Time align those very carefully. Get a good DI signal to blend, and you're done. This exact setup is what you'll hear on the latest Paramore stuff released next week, the last M83 album Junk, and the recent Jimmy Eat World album "Integrity Blues". The JEW album in particular has that sort of constantly driven thing that I think I recorded pretty well.

Thanks JMJ! I have a mesa big block 750 amp & 2 mesa 1x12 speakers that I stack together so I'm pumped to try it out on that. The studio has a mesa 400+ as well that I wouldn't mind hooking the 1x12's up to. Do you ever run a compressor pedal while recording bass live or do you use outboard compressors?

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Thanks JMJ! I have a mesa big block 750 amp & 2 mesa 1x12 speakers that I stack together so I'm pumped to try it out on that. The studio has a mesa 400+ as well that I wouldn't mind hooking the 1x12's up to. Do you ever run a compressor pedal while recording bass live or do you use outboard compressors?

Outboard only when necessary, and I don't want to hear it working.

 

[Rycebag]

Outboard only when necessary, and I don't want to hear it working.

Nice. Just heard that song "told you so" today on Spotify. Your killin on bass and the way the drums roll in on the chorus with that guitar part is Fire. You ever record a Mesa 400+ with 12" cabs? I searched this forum and I'm super interested in the 2x15 rig you have