• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Having trouble recording bass tracks in DAW

tothemax

tothemax

Supporting Member
Nov 1, 2013
1,467
1,706
Annapolis Area
#1
This afternoon I was working on a song, laid down drum rhythm tracks and guitar tracks but just couldn't get a bass track down. I was playing through a Rumble 40 v3, tried the built in DI and it did not sound good at all. My interface is a Tascam US 16x08 - direct really sounded like crap. I switched to the same mic setup I was using for the guitar tracks an SE X1 condenser mic in front of my Hot Rod Deluxe. The guitar tracks sounded good but the bass sounded horrible.
To be clear I haven't done a lot of quality recording, just quick and dirty tracks and mixes to work out arrangements. Today I was actually working to get some decent tracks down. I'm using Cakewalk for my DAW. In the past I've used a Digital Reference SM57 clone with my Ampeg BA-115 and had pretty good results for bass tracks. Today I wanted to use the Rumble, and the result was basically "Rumbly-mud". I figured that the condenser mic would work well.
Not sure what I was doing wrong...
 
#2
tothemax said:
This afternoon I was working on a song, laid down drum rhythm tracks and guitar tracks but just couldn't get a bass track down. I was playing through a Rumble 40 v3, tried the built in DI and it did not sound good at all. My interface is a Tascam US 16x08 - direct really sounded like crap. I switched to the same mic setup I was using for the guitar tracks an SE X1 condenser mic in front of my Hot Rod Deluxe. The guitar tracks sounded good but the bass sounded horrible.
To be clear I haven't done a lot of quality recording, just quick and dirty tracks and mixes to work out arrangements. Today I was actually working to get some decent tracks down. I'm using Cakewalk for my DAW. In the past I've used a Digital Reference SM57 clone with my Ampeg BA-115 and had pretty good results for bass tracks. Today I wanted to use the Rumble, and the result was basically "Rumbly-mud". I figured that the condenser mic would work well.
Not sure what I was doing wrong...
Click to expand...
What bass are you playing? How is it set up? What style of music?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarysharkface
#3
I was using my SS Franken bass (it has a P and a Stingray type pup with fairly new round wound strings), classic rock - Let it Rain - EC. Levels looked good, but really couldn't hear much in the headphones (over the amp bleed). Volume wasn't all that loud, I could hear the guitar and drum mix OK in the headphones, bass was barely apparent.
 
#5
When you say 'direct' with the Rumble - you're using the USB audio connection or the line out? Try them both. One of those should be more predictable and consistent than all the variables that using a mic involves. Check there's no unexpected effects or EQ on the Cakewalk track you're recording into. On the Rumble, try different presets and see if it's any better/worse with them.
 
#6
Is the amp you are recording in the room with you? If so, you might want to try not doing that.

The direct in on your preamp will usually be good enough to get the signal in. Getting the eq right is part of the process though.
 
#8
tothemax said:
I was using my SS Franken bass (it has a P and a Stingray type pup with fairly new round wound strings), classic rock - Let it Rain - EC. Levels looked good, but really couldn't hear much in the headphones (over the amp bleed). Volume wasn't all that loud, I could hear the guitar and drum mix OK in the headphones, bass was barely apparent.
Click to expand...
Here is what I'd do:
  • Set the tone on your bass to flat.
  • Plug directly from your bass into the LN9 of your interface and make sure it is switched to instrument.
  • Do some test recordings

They Rumble 40 is a decent practice amp, but I would first see if your bass itself is sending a good, clean signal. The 40 is not the strongest amp and the speaker is a bit small to get a good studio tone IMO. Are you using a lot of amp effects? If so, turn them off for now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassdeal
#9
Jeff Hughes said:
Is the amp you are recording in the room with you? If so, you might want to try not doing that.

The direct in on your preamp will usually be good enough to get the signal in. Getting the eq right is part of the process though.
Click to expand...
+1, especially if you are monitoring the other tracks open in the same room. You'd be setting yourself up for mush. That is why I'd go direct from bass into Tascam.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassdeal
#10
When I tried the Rumble built in DI, it was buzzy and sounded pretty terrible. I've never really used the Rumble DI out before. But I thought it's pretty basic, just connect an XLR cable from the DI out on the amp to a channel on my interface. In hindsight I'm thinking that plugging a cable into the headset jack of the amp may have helped by killing the speaker (and headphone bleed). It sounded like low end fuzz coming through the phones, when I set the level showing peaks, it sounded like fuzzy garbage - at that point I went to using a mic.

I had the SE X1 set up for on my guitar amp (which I recorded open in the room) and moved it over to the Rumble. While the sound was better than the DI, it wasn't very good. It was so low I turned on the contour switch on the amp and backed off the low EQ, no effects (on the amp or the DAW). It sounded terrible in the mix.

I was listening to the mix through the headphones from the Tascam, only the amp was live in the room. I usually try to record clean and then add effects when I'm mixing.

In the past I've had pretty good results with the SM57 clone mic'ing the Ampeg. I really haven't taken the time to work on getting really decent recording, just quick sessions and mixes.
 
Last edited:
#11
DI should sound nice and clean (assuming your original signal is nice and clean). I use cakewalk as well - no issues but you want to make sure your gain settings are good.

I'd take a nice clean sound either off a DI or direct into your interface - you can always run some amp sims or even reamp the bass track.
 
#12
I mentioned usb audio earlier - try that. It’s a great way to troubleshoot, bypassing interfaces, mic, etc, I use usb all the time with a Boss GT-1000 core and it works great.
 
#17
Will check/try all of the above tonight... thanks. Was having some fun playing around after hearing the Doobies and Peter Frampton's cover of "Let it rain" (not to mention it's been raining here for almost a week). At least it's not snow ;) Will bring my P-Bass in as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Basslice
#18
tothemax said:
This afternoon I was working on a song, laid down drum rhythm tracks and guitar tracks but just couldn't get a bass track down. I was playing through a Rumble 40 v3, tried the built in DI and it did not sound good at all. My interface is a Tascam US 16x08 - direct really sounded like crap. I switched to the same mic setup I was using for the guitar tracks an SE X1 condenser mic in front of my Hot Rod Deluxe. The guitar tracks sounded good but the bass sounded horrible.
To be clear I haven't done a lot of quality recording, just quick and dirty tracks and mixes to work out arrangements. Today I was actually working to get some decent tracks down. I'm using Cakewalk for my DAW. In the past I've used a Digital Reference SM57 clone with my Ampeg BA-115 and had pretty good results for bass tracks. Today I wanted to use the Rumble, and the result was basically "Rumbly-mud". I figured that the condenser mic would work well.
Not sure what I was doing wrong...
Click to expand...

If the bass doesn't sound good direct, it's not going to sound better mic'd imho. Get it sounding pretty much how you want it to sound direct, then after your settings are good you can move on to whatever amp or mic you want for color. If the bass timbre doesn't sound good direct, you can't really polish a turd with mics and models.

John
 
  • Like
Reactions: Basslice
#20
I played around with the Rumble 40 for a while tonight and never got a decent tone out of it. My R40 has few miles on it, so there might be something internally causing the issue. I fired up my Ampeg BA-115 and connected to the XLR line out and it was nice clean tone - used a cable in the headphone jack (to kill the speaker) and got some recording done. My recording techniques need some work, but it was cool to be able to use the line out feature.

Looking forward to going direct and trying a virtual amp.

One of these days I'll open up the Rumble and take a look at the line out connections, see if there is anything obvious. It still sounds fine through the speaker.

Appreciate the helpful responses...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Basslice

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back