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getting levels correct recording bass
- Thread starter drewphishesp
- Start date
Wow you must be really old. Compression has been a recording staple since the ‘radio days’.
I mostly agree with your point, but some kind of compression is almost always used in recording.
Twisting some knobs can put the finishing touch on something. It doesn't work miracles and give you something that's not there. If it could we'd only need to get ourselves one of these:
You already have been given the answers you needed to fix the problem: (1) use compression on the DAW when recording - and - (2) work on your technique.
If you choose not to heed that advice that's your call. In which case nothing further needs be said.
Ah. That means we were all imagining the problem incorrectly. The "good and loud" parts were clearly not half as loud as we thought.
Not that that's gonna stop the "learn to play, noob" crowd from snarking on your playing technique...that they've never heard.
Not that that's gonna stop the "learn to play, noob" crowd from snarking on your playing technique...that they've never heard.
Respectfully, I think you have this wrong. If the recording has uncovered an issue with your playing, you should trust it and work on your dynamics. Make the simple quarter note stuff quieter and then turn up your amp overall to get back to the same level.
I think this thread is already over, but I would add that the wt550 DI is always post eq, and it's possible to eq your signal in such a way that the low notes overpower the higher ones.
Its just real funny to me that everyone jumped on technique right away and thinks they were a hundred percent right. Well you werent. I did not realize I had the bass booming on my active pre amp bass and two clicks to much on my preamp on the amp itself. This cause notes on the E and A string to boom and my runs on the d and g strings to be a bit more silent due to poor eqing. I flattened out the eq as well as sent just a little more volume into the DAW and everything is fine. no need for compression or anything just an eq problem.
So I must have worded my problem wrong to begin with.
Again I am not saying that my technique is perfect but I would have known if it was a technique issue and not asked the questions.
And also I want to be able to control my dynamics with my fingers and not have everything the same level. so some change in volume is ok and expected.
So I must have worded my problem wrong to begin with.
Again I am not saying that my technique is perfect but I would have known if it was a technique issue and not asked the questions.
And also I want to be able to control my dynamics with my fingers and not have everything the same level. so some change in volume is ok and expected.
Probably just worded wrong, seems like you've got everything figured out. Given you knew it wasn't compression or technique, what answer were you looking for?
MDBass
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Every working, recording bassist has good dynamic control with their hands, and they still all have compression used on their takes.
All of them. Even the best ever, like Jaco, still used a few dB of peak gain reduction.
Compression is a way to control/enhance the attack and sustain dymanics of a given performance, but it doesn't make seriously inconsistent playing sound perfect and even suddenly.
Glad you figured out that overboosting the low end is a pretty quick way to kill a bass di tone though
All of them. Even the best ever, like Jaco, still used a few dB of peak gain reduction.
Compression is a way to control/enhance the attack and sustain dymanics of a given performance, but it doesn't make seriously inconsistent playing sound perfect and even suddenly.
Glad you figured out that overboosting the low end is a pretty quick way to kill a bass di tone though
Glad you got your problem solved
It sounds like the problem was signal level into <recording thingy>
(You neglected completely to mention what your were recording into. )
As a general rule you want input to be as strong as possible before clipping occurs.
A few click son the volume may not be enough: push it as far up in volume as you can go before you clip, then dial it back a few (to allow for louder notes than you are testing with)
A rule of thumb I tend to use (not always) is to eq the bass to fill the hole left by cutting low mids out of the kick drum. So I cut some kick around maybe 340'ish hz, I boost a little bit (a little in this region goes a long way) around there in the bass.
Lot of comments on technique, but did I see anyone ask about into WHAT? Problem might be on the receiving side...
EDIT: ask not as, and also I apologize if I did not see it, but was this going into a console or a daw? OP later added that he "added a channel strip", so likely DAW.
And DAW interfaces can vary widely in quality ( both the AD converters and the software )... I will shut up now!
compression will help. but pay attention to your playing style - listening to your own recordings is a great critique
Well, it seems your recording did just that -- it helped you find out what worked and whatnot... You may want to get a compressor to play around with anyway, but this particular problem should be solved by practicing your technique and dynamics control.
The recordings don't lie, listening back to them, but your ears are easily fooled to hear what you want to hear while playing. It is a tough lesson, but true. Good for you that you found out, and keep recording yourself to learn even more.
