Those of you that have gone through full recording sessions, how do you approach this? Do you play your lines on some different instruments and listen back to what makes the most sense in the mix? Do you set it and forget it with your preferred instrument, knowing that a DI signal gives you enough options with re-amping and amp sims? Do you let the engineer make the call?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
How/when to pick a bass for tracking
- Thread starter alex1fly
- Start date
My experiences in real studios were when I had only one instrument to play, so there weren't choices to make.
I did record an album once (in the magnetic-tape era) with my Gretsch semi-hollow bass guitar. The engineer did cry some because I didn't have a Fender, but he dealt with it.
In making a CD in my home-recording studio, I did choose my instruments based on their sounds.
I did record an album once (in the magnetic-tape era) with my Gretsch semi-hollow bass guitar. The engineer did cry some because I didn't have a Fender, but he dealt with it.
In making a CD in my home-recording studio, I did choose my instruments based on their sounds.
Start with the one you think is most appropriate for the session. If it works then use it and move on. If it doesn’t work, try something different. It’s easy to get bogged down by an abundance of choices in the studio, but you’ll be better off picking something quickly and efficiently to keep the pace, mood, and vibe of the session in a good place. A slow session will wreck the end product far more than picking a bass that’s slightly suboptimal compared to another one you have available.
IMO/IME it really depends.
If I'm just a hired player, I ask what they want. At this point some clients are familiar with what I can do and just ask me to do my thing. If they don't, hopefully they give some idea of what they are hoping to hear and I do my best to give them that with the tools I have.
If it's my session and I know the room/gear, then I usually bring two basses to sessions. I'm a Jazz Bass player primarily so I bring one with dead/thumpy rounds and one with newer/bright rounds. I have other basses I can use, but they probably only make final tracks maybe 10% of the time.
Once your tracking, I just listen with the rest of the musicians, engineer and producer (if there is one) and jointly decide if the basses I have are working for the tracks.
Unless it's my specific track, I pretty much always defer to the rest of the stakeholders as far as sound/tone/coloration and any FX applied in the box.
My experience is that, if you're the hired guy, you have to be flexible, easy to work with and deliver the goods pretty quickly (if you want to be hired again).
If your paying, you get to do what you want as long as your money holds out.
I really enjoy session work, hope yours goes well.
If I'm just a hired player, I ask what they want. At this point some clients are familiar with what I can do and just ask me to do my thing. If they don't, hopefully they give some idea of what they are hoping to hear and I do my best to give them that with the tools I have.
If it's my session and I know the room/gear, then I usually bring two basses to sessions. I'm a Jazz Bass player primarily so I bring one with dead/thumpy rounds and one with newer/bright rounds. I have other basses I can use, but they probably only make final tracks maybe 10% of the time.
Once your tracking, I just listen with the rest of the musicians, engineer and producer (if there is one) and jointly decide if the basses I have are working for the tracks.
Unless it's my specific track, I pretty much always defer to the rest of the stakeholders as far as sound/tone/coloration and any FX applied in the box.
My experience is that, if you're the hired guy, you have to be flexible, easy to work with and deliver the goods pretty quickly (if you want to be hired again).
If your paying, you get to do what you want as long as your money holds out.
I really enjoy session work, hope yours goes well.
Last edited:
Well according to TalkBass lore the engineer or producer is going to hand you the house P bass.
If that’s your sound, totally cool. It’s a good sound. But if it’s not, you’re doing a disservice to your band.
If that’s your sound, totally cool. It’s a good sound. But if it’s not, you’re doing a disservice to your band.
When the producer is not a bassist and sends a link to a song and says "i love this bass sound!" and you hear it and it's obviously a fretless jazz bass, that's what you bring to the session. In the absence of specific suggestions or requests, bring the bass that feels the most comfortable in your hands.
i've never conducted a session or played a session where the EB choice was crucial. it always had to do with getting a "clean signal," playing in the style/groove, being efficient, etc. i'm pretty sure that if i can nail the parts correctly, the bass i choose will be appropriate.
What was recommended to me is having 3 basses. A P Bass setup for aggressive tones, another P Bass setup for Jameson type tones, and something completely different like a Dingwall or a Jazz 5 string, etc. Record 3 starting sounds, a dry track, a DI track with comp and EQ, and an effected sound through the pedal board. The dry track can be re-amped back through the DI or pedal board.
When I used to do studio work, I did not think much about gear. I brought the basses I was playing and comfortable with. The engineers and mixing engineers made it sound great. This was many years before I built my home studio. The Pros know what they are doing if they are any good.
Now at home, my engineering chops are not nearly so good and I audition different basses to get the sound I want. I often use either a J or P depending on the song and go direct more often than mic'd. That works with the style of music I am currently making.
Now at home, my engineering chops are not nearly so good and I audition different basses to get the sound I want. I often use either a J or P depending on the song and go direct more often than mic'd. That works with the style of music I am currently making.
I always show up with 3 basses. P w flats, a P with rounds, and something shorty/hollow with flats. Sometimes I'll bring my Jazz w rounds as well. But those first 3 are essential for me.
I know well enough by now what a given bass is gonna do, so my first choice is usually a keeper. Same goes for what techniques I choose--fingers, pick, muting, etc. After a while, you just know.
Always DI, and on (rarer and rarer) occasions also an amp tracked live. More often though any amp track is re-amped later--love that approach. Otherwise amp sims for any amp sound to be mixed w the DI.
I know well enough by now what a given bass is gonna do, so my first choice is usually a keeper. Same goes for what techniques I choose--fingers, pick, muting, etc. After a while, you just know.
Always DI, and on (rarer and rarer) occasions also an amp tracked live. More often though any amp track is re-amped later--love that approach. Otherwise amp sims for any amp sound to be mixed w the DI.
Last edited:
If it’s your band, bring what you play in that band.
I’ve had a mix of luck with engineers/ producers capturing my bands.
I only used a producer-supplied bass for an EP session once. He was also a good bass player and I trusted him. An 80’s Ibanez roadster II hh that sounded and recorded great. That said I wished I made him record mine despite this.
recording myself, I use my L-1000, Fretless j or Jack Cassady depending on the tune, usually di, sometimes thru an amp
I’ve had a mix of luck with engineers/ producers capturing my bands.
I only used a producer-supplied bass for an EP session once. He was also a good bass player and I trusted him. An 80’s Ibanez roadster II hh that sounded and recorded great. That said I wished I made him record mine despite this.
recording myself, I use my L-1000, Fretless j or Jack Cassady depending on the tune, usually di, sometimes thru an amp
I use a Fender Jazz most of my life. A 4001 / 4003 some and a P-Bass at times. One “album” I had a U5 DI, mic on 8 x 10 / SVT. So tone was mixed from those. Another was just the Avalon U5 and tone was taken / built from that signal.
So in a classic rock sound ( if my choice a more 90’s Alt rock tone ) that the producer and the $$ wanted, was easy to get from the Jazz basses, even tho the ones I used all had a different sound to them. I did use a 4003 on one
song, no problems as in the end no huge “what bass was on that song”.
So in a classic rock sound ( if my choice a more 90’s Alt rock tone ) that the producer and the $$ wanted, was easy to get from the Jazz basses, even tho the ones I used all had a different sound to them. I did use a 4003 on one
song, no problems as in the end no huge “what bass was on that song”.
Last edited:
I always bring a USA Jazz. In past years it was a '66, now I've got a '21. The engineer DI's me and takes care of the rest. At home, in my little bedroom setup, I DI into my interface, desktop, and Reaper.
