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How do you process your bass tone??
- Thread starter Music_for_life
- Start date
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
Straight into a Genz Benz Shuttlemax 6. In my experience, a really good bass doesn't need to be 'processed' just like good wholesome food is not 'processed' lol.
Live: DI out the back, and some stage bleed over from the speakers (not miked).
Studio: A/B splitter (A to SansAmp RBI, but you should pick your favorite DI) (B to Amp) and then I mic the cab (take the time to find the sweet spot on the speaker being mic'd). In the studio you need to ensure that the 3 signals are all perfectly in sync. After that, I find the perfect mixture of the 3 signals for the song being recorded. I try my best to not use the SansAmp as much to ensure a more accurate interpretation live though.
The amp settings I use will remain unchanged (I do like a lot of compression on my amp for the record). My methods are simply that, but I hope this sparks something. I try not to use many effects in the studio either. The more I allow an engineer to tinker.......the more **** I have to purchase to duplicate that sound, and that gets old fast. However, if it really fills in a song nicely it may be worth the investment. Thank goodness I only have a chorus, distortion, delay and wah so far.
Studio: A/B splitter (A to SansAmp RBI, but you should pick your favorite DI) (B to Amp) and then I mic the cab (take the time to find the sweet spot on the speaker being mic'd). In the studio you need to ensure that the 3 signals are all perfectly in sync. After that, I find the perfect mixture of the 3 signals for the song being recorded. I try my best to not use the SansAmp as much to ensure a more accurate interpretation live though.
The amp settings I use will remain unchanged (I do like a lot of compression on my amp for the record). My methods are simply that, but I hope this sparks something. I try not to use many effects in the studio either. The more I allow an engineer to tinker.......the more **** I have to purchase to duplicate that sound, and that gets old fast. However, if it really fills in a song nicely it may be worth the investment. Thank goodness I only have a chorus, distortion, delay and wah so far.
I almost always use my post-eq di out, whether it be from the markbass lil mark, or the swr combo. maybe i'll throw a custom made orange squeeze clone in line between the amp out and a/d input if i want some light compression w added warm grit.
if i want a really phat, almost muddy reggae sound i might use a mic in front of the biggest speaker cab i can find (sm57 in front of a 15 has worked well), but usually just a flat eq on the markbass with a bit of their filter action out the DI
if i want a really phat, almost muddy reggae sound i might use a mic in front of the biggest speaker cab i can find (sm57 in front of a 15 has worked well), but usually just a flat eq on the markbass with a bit of their filter action out the DI
I also use the Reddi into an Apogee Duet. But, I sometimes will add a mic'ed signal from my Bass cab into a Great River MP-500NV preamp before the Duet, and blend the two signals to taste.
- Jul 30, 2006
- 2,315
- 453
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist:Regenerate Guitar Works Carvin, Micheal Kelly Guitars
From bass to an Avalon U5 and then into the Neve module or API. On occasion I will split the signal to an amp & cab but not usually.
Live: from bass to Radial Bassbone preamp to Hartke LH1000 & 2x10 neo Carvin Cab. Direct line off Bassbone to FOH.
Live: from bass to Radial Bassbone preamp to Hartke LH1000 & 2x10 neo Carvin Cab. Direct line off Bassbone to FOH.
I plug directly into an instrument input on my interface. It starts out painfully clean.
Once there... There are no rules. Anything goes, so long as it works for the song. One song will be compressor->amp+cabinet sim->eq->mix bus. The next might have no amp sim, but instead a channel strip->stereo processor->exciter->mix bus... Whatever takes my fancy at the time, in other words.
Things that give subtle distortions and saturation seem to figure in the chain a lot of the time.
Once there... There are no rules. Anything goes, so long as it works for the song. One song will be compressor->amp+cabinet sim->eq->mix bus. The next might have no amp sim, but instead a channel strip->stereo processor->exciter->mix bus... Whatever takes my fancy at the time, in other words.
Things that give subtle distortions and saturation seem to figure in the chain a lot of the time.
Depends on the situation.
If I'm recording just the bass, I put it through a tube mic pre (Usually an ART DI/O) and send it right to the recorder.
More options for after-the-fact stuff.
Dup the track, and aux send it to the fx/processors, or use the on-board stuff, etc.
For a room recording, I just set the bass levels on the house bass rig with the rest of the band, and let 'er rip.
For live multi-track, I'll usually DI.
Sometimes take a send from the amp head, (lifted XLR)
Depends on if I'm using a floor pre w/ FX or not.
If I'm recording just the bass, I put it through a tube mic pre (Usually an ART DI/O) and send it right to the recorder.
More options for after-the-fact stuff.
Dup the track, and aux send it to the fx/processors, or use the on-board stuff, etc.
For a room recording, I just set the bass levels on the house bass rig with the rest of the band, and let 'er rip.
For live multi-track, I'll usually DI.
Sometimes take a send from the amp head, (lifted XLR)
Depends on if I'm using a floor pre w/ FX or not.
For clarification, as pointed out in another thread, DI is a technique, not a device.
If the instrument's passive output matches the interface instrument input, "DI" in this case means nothing more than using a properly-working cable.
Eliminating extraneous external hardware is a positive goal.
My bass into usually my small combo amp, have it turned down fairly low with a Carvin CTM 100 tube mic a couple inches in front of it, plus take the DI out of the amp (pre-EQ), Usually the mic gets the warm, natural sounding low end while the DI gets more of the attack, mix the two to my liking. If I know I'm going to use distortion in the song, I also run my bass through my Big Muff with the dry out into the amp and the distorted out right into the recording rig. Mix the distortion in as I want.
As far as mixing in Pro Tools, I'll usually have some basic compression on it (Waves C1 Compressor), and usually a parallel compression track as well. If all is well I'll rarely use EQ on it.
As far as mixing in Pro Tools, I'll usually have some basic compression on it (Waves C1 Compressor), and usually a parallel compression track as well. If all is well I'll rarely use EQ on it.
- Nov 13, 2012
- 57
- 8
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Dingwall; Darkglass; Fractal Audio; Circle K
I produce rock and metal so this is pretty specific to heavily overdriven tones. I always blend together a mixture of clean and distorted signals to get the balance of midrange grit/aggression and clean fundamental that I'm after. My recent tracking signal chain is as follows:
- Bass into Darkglass B7K set for a grindy and aggressive overdrive.
- Wet output runs to one channel of a Vintech 273 pre, with some reduction at both the high and and low end using the shelving EQ.
- Parallel (dry) output is run into a Chandler Germanium preamp with the "Thick" switch engaged for a fat and rich DI tone.
- I patch a parallel send from the Germanium output to a Empirical Labs Distressor (compressor), and compress it hard (usually peaking around 10dB of reduction) at a 4:1 ratio, medium attack, fast release.
When it comes to mixing, the heavily compressed Distressor channel is used to form the basis of the low end, since it is very even in volume - in my sort of productions I need the low end to be really consistent or the bottom of the mix falls out.
The uncompressed DI is usually routed into Ampeg's SVX plugin for a slightly pushed amp sound (I like the SVT-CL and SVT-4 PRO amp types). I bypass the cabinet section in SVX, instead preferring to use the Ampeg SVT 8x10 impulses made by Redwirez, often choosing a 421 up close on the speaker cap, and a Coles 4038 much further back for some ambience.
I'll generally suck more low end out of B7K track, pinpoint and surgically cut any nasty resonances/whistles that are a exacerbated by the distortion, then route it to an instrument bus along with the other two bass channels I'm running. At this point you have to check phase coherence to make sure you're not cancelling low end when you combine the signals (the SVX plugin always inverts the polarity of the signal so I always find I have to compensate by flipping it back with a plugin).
At the instrument bus I'll then apply processing to the three signals together. Usually a lot of 1-2kHz needs to be boosted to get the bass to hold its own against a wall of distorted guitars. This has to be judged in the context of the mix, it may well sound too abrasive when solo'd but just right in the mix. I also will sculpt the lower mids and low mids to prevent nasty peaks, but mainly to fit around the kick drum (I'll also be doing the same on the kick drum channel so the bass and kick can coexist happily). Next I'll often pull up a multiband compressor, engage only the low band (usually 100Hz and down), squash it really hard then make up the gain - this will even out the low end response further. Depending on the player/bass the low mids and/or pick attack region could need evening out too, which the multiband can take care of happily with its remaining frequency bands.
I use console emulation software by Slate Digital on all channels in the DAW, and occasionally will put a tape emulator last in the chain on the bass bus to thicken and saturate the sound as well as taking care of any errant transients.
The end result comes out like this (this is with my Dingwall Afterburner, played by me with a pick):
[SOUNDCLOUD]https://soundcloud.com/nolly/ryan-nolly-song-1/s-iG813[/SOUNDCLOUD]
For other projects I've done recently I've swapped the B7K for the Vintage Microtubes and used a DI splitter to achieve a similar routing. I'll also occasionally choose to use a software guitar amp simulator to distort the signal rather than a pedal on the way in.
For more mellow music I'll forego a lot of the more surgical processing, though I still like to use an overdrive pedal set much cleaner (around a light crunch sort of sound) to enhance the definition of the tone. I typically don't mic up amps since the room you set your cab in will play such a large part in the low end response - usually it comes out rather lumpy and uneven, though this can be filtered out and augmented with the DI track. I have had good results surrounding the cab with bass trapping though.
- Bass into Darkglass B7K set for a grindy and aggressive overdrive.
- Wet output runs to one channel of a Vintech 273 pre, with some reduction at both the high and and low end using the shelving EQ.
- Parallel (dry) output is run into a Chandler Germanium preamp with the "Thick" switch engaged for a fat and rich DI tone.
- I patch a parallel send from the Germanium output to a Empirical Labs Distressor (compressor), and compress it hard (usually peaking around 10dB of reduction) at a 4:1 ratio, medium attack, fast release.
When it comes to mixing, the heavily compressed Distressor channel is used to form the basis of the low end, since it is very even in volume - in my sort of productions I need the low end to be really consistent or the bottom of the mix falls out.
The uncompressed DI is usually routed into Ampeg's SVX plugin for a slightly pushed amp sound (I like the SVT-CL and SVT-4 PRO amp types). I bypass the cabinet section in SVX, instead preferring to use the Ampeg SVT 8x10 impulses made by Redwirez, often choosing a 421 up close on the speaker cap, and a Coles 4038 much further back for some ambience.
I'll generally suck more low end out of B7K track, pinpoint and surgically cut any nasty resonances/whistles that are a exacerbated by the distortion, then route it to an instrument bus along with the other two bass channels I'm running. At this point you have to check phase coherence to make sure you're not cancelling low end when you combine the signals (the SVX plugin always inverts the polarity of the signal so I always find I have to compensate by flipping it back with a plugin).
At the instrument bus I'll then apply processing to the three signals together. Usually a lot of 1-2kHz needs to be boosted to get the bass to hold its own against a wall of distorted guitars. This has to be judged in the context of the mix, it may well sound too abrasive when solo'd but just right in the mix. I also will sculpt the lower mids and low mids to prevent nasty peaks, but mainly to fit around the kick drum (I'll also be doing the same on the kick drum channel so the bass and kick can coexist happily). Next I'll often pull up a multiband compressor, engage only the low band (usually 100Hz and down), squash it really hard then make up the gain - this will even out the low end response further. Depending on the player/bass the low mids and/or pick attack region could need evening out too, which the multiband can take care of happily with its remaining frequency bands.
I use console emulation software by Slate Digital on all channels in the DAW, and occasionally will put a tape emulator last in the chain on the bass bus to thicken and saturate the sound as well as taking care of any errant transients.
The end result comes out like this (this is with my Dingwall Afterburner, played by me with a pick):
[SOUNDCLOUD]https://soundcloud.com/nolly/ryan-nolly-song-1/s-iG813[/SOUNDCLOUD]
For other projects I've done recently I've swapped the B7K for the Vintage Microtubes and used a DI splitter to achieve a similar routing. I'll also occasionally choose to use a software guitar amp simulator to distort the signal rather than a pedal on the way in.
For more mellow music I'll forego a lot of the more surgical processing, though I still like to use an overdrive pedal set much cleaner (around a light crunch sort of sound) to enhance the definition of the tone. I typically don't mic up amps since the room you set your cab in will play such a large part in the low end response - usually it comes out rather lumpy and uneven, though this can be filtered out and augmented with the DI track. I have had good results surrounding the cab with bass trapping though.
Holy crap that's Nolly. I'll be damned. Anyway, my budget setup is a Zoom B3 direct into my PC, but soon I'm getting a mic so I can use my TC Electronic BG250 and see how that sounds. I'm still working with it. I pretty much record straight into Audacity and it all works out.
My setup is small and fairly simple. I run through a 7 band EQ pedal and passive DI box into a small mixer with a very simple digital/audio interface into my PC. That's the hardware. I have Audacity and PreSonus Studio One, so any effects, extra EQ, or other processing I decide on is software based.
Wow, thanks for that insight into your approach Nolly! How do you set the pickup balance on your basses, if you don't mind me asking?
As for what I've been doing (low budget home recordings ATM), I've been sending my basses through an Aguilar TLC, and darkglass b3k into garage band, where I use an amp sim and EQ. Works for me- I don't do much besides YouTube covers and some really low-fi recordings with the band.
As for what I've been doing (low budget home recordings ATM), I've been sending my basses through an Aguilar TLC, and darkglass b3k into garage band, where I use an amp sim and EQ. Works for me- I don't do much besides YouTube covers and some really low-fi recordings with the band.
- Nov 13, 2012
- 57
- 8
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Dingwall; Darkglass; Fractal Audio; Circle K
No worries
On the Afterburner, I almost always use the bridge and middle pickups in series for a really fat humbucker sound.
My Combustions had the pickups in parallel so I set the bridge volume on full and the neck ever so slightly rolled back (until you hear the mids start to roar). However I just changed the wiring to be in series on those too so I'll see what that sounds like when I get a chance to hear it.
