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If could only have 3 pedals for recording

#42
Not the OP, but I’m in a similar boat.

Seeing a lot of recommendations for using plug-ins... I was planning on sequencing tracks with an older version of FL studio, and recording with Audacity. I use an older Tascam US-122L USB interface.

I like FL studio, and think it’s well suited for what I want, but not sure if I should buy a better recording software (I like Audacity but don’t know if its effects (such as compression or reverb) are good or not compared to others) or if maybe I should buy a better USB interface.

Note, my laptop is pretty old and may not run very demanding software that well.
 
#44
Matthew_84 said:
Not the OP, but I’m in a similar boat.

Seeing a lot of recommendations for using plug-ins... I was planning on sequencing tracks with an older version of FL studio, and recording with Audacity. I use an older Tascam US-122L USB interface.

I like FL studio, and think it’s well suited for what I want, but not sure if I should buy a better recording software (I like Audacity but don’t know if its effects (such as compression or reverb) are good or not compared to others) or if maybe I should buy a better USB interface.

Note, my laptop is pretty old and may not run very demanding software that well.
Click to expand...

The effects in Audacity are not very good, IMO. And the interface is quite rudimentary. I only use Audacity for giving some final touches to the mix and exporting the audio file as MP3 or FLAC.

You might want to try out Presonus Studio One. There is a free version (Studio One Prime) which is not very hardware-demanding. The free version comes with some decent plugins and amp simulator. I use the Artist version that came with my soundcard and have found no reason to upgrade:

Studio One | PreSonus Shop
 
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#45
Alfonso Alba said:
The effects in Audacity are not very good, IMO. And the interface is quite rudimentary. I only use Audacity for giving some final touches to the mix and exporting the audio file as MP3 or FLAC.

You might want to try out Presonus Studio One. There is a free version (Studio One Prime) which is not very hardware-demanding. The free version comes with some decent plugins and amp simulator. I use the Artist version that came with my soundcard and have found no reason to upgrade:

Studio One | PreSonus Shop
Click to expand...
Great! Thank you!

Edit to add: looked into it and didn’t realize it was a sequencer as well. That’s awesome. I’ll look into the different versions and see if it makes sense to buy another version.
 
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#46
If your idea is just direct input from bass and to process to the track, there are several options but many of these largely depend on your technique..... For example, if you play with a lighter touch/finesse and deliver your notes pretty consistently (to the point that you technically don't need a compressor), your best option is just a tube pre ( and the 12AX7 will give you a very natural compression).....if you play more aggressive with fingers, slap, but still deliver consistently, a compressor used as a limiter and perhaps a BBE, etc. If you play more inconsistent, I'd may suggest other things..... Kinda difficult to make recommendations without knowing how you play

As far as whatever you get and you are under a budget constraint, I am amazed about the effects quality of many Behringer pedals despite what hear-say says about them..... plenty of YouTubes of Behringer effects out there that have impressed me ( I own some for guitar).... best of luck
 
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#48
I always use my Sansamp Paradriver when recording bass and lately I've added a cheap, passive Livewire DI box so I can blend a clean sound with a more overdriven Sansamp sound. Occasionally, I'll throw my Kokko Compressor into the chain because it helps get a more consistent sound, no really loud notes that clip next to notes that are too quiet to hear, but that's usually just when I'm trying to rush and end up with poor technique.
 
#49
Hardbassjunkie said:
I am recording bass and I would like to keep things cheap and simple. Right now I am just plugging my bass into an interface and editing the tone and EQing on garage band. I been told that have pedals will improve the sound. I'm pretty happy with what I can do an garage band but I'm always looking to improve things.

I only want to get three pedals. I want to keep it simple and not pay hundreds for a pedal chain. I'll use a piece of wood. What three specific pedals would you guys use? And what order would you out them in? There is a Boss compression sustainer cs-3 for $70 and a CS-2 for $100 I'm thinking of.

I'm asking for suggestions that are budget friendly ($150 or less) but not super cheap and crappy. I currently have an MXR bass di plus as a preamp but do I need it if i can EQ on garageband?
Click to expand...

If you don't want to pay hundreds for a pedal chain and you don't even know what to archieve with a pedal and you've just beeing told that pedals improve your sound (the one who told you this is an idiot!) you should just do one thing: Don't use any pedal! It's like you are a cook and tell us that someone told you that your meals would improve if you add about 3 spices to them. And you ask other cooks, that you want to add about 3 spices to all your meals - the only "condition sine qua non" is that they are as cheap as possible. Without even telling us what meals you are cooking. It's a desaster. I don't use any pedals when recording - with the exception of a H9 if I want one of the effects. For compression I use outboard gear when recording and a pedal live. The H9 is about 800,-, the compression pedal I use live is about 300,-. Most budget pedals just make your sound worse and sometimes you might accept this if - IF! - you're after a special effect. Bt if you don't even know what effects you want, they just add unwanted noise and worsen your signal.
 
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#50
Tuner.
A nice drive or pre-amp pedal for some taste, preferably one with D.I.

I find with recording that less is more, you can always apply compression, EQ and effects later - unless you're paying for it, in that case get it done as fast as you can.
One thing to note;
Use headphones whilst recording. You'll be surprised how it helps to clean up your technique and make you play tighter.
 
#51
1) Upgrade to Logic

Logics Bass amp designer has a copy of a U5 Alvalon DI, it is awesome! You can blend it with the amp or just use it on its own. An actual Avalon costs about £600, but Logic’s software emulation is very good. I would checkout Line 6 HX Stomp for recording, might suit your needs, but upgrade to Logic and you’re pretty much sorted, anyway. For live work, pedals can be easily tweaked on the fly, which maybe a lot easier than scrolling down a multiple choice menu of a multi-fx device.

FYI, I’ve made a simple pedal up with A Tc Electronic Spectradrive, (buffer, eq, clean boost drive toneprint, compressor), into a Vortex mini flanger, (can also do chorus via toneprint), Flashback delay mini, Hof mini. The TC mini pedals were from EBay, and their quality is very good.
I considered a HX Stomp, (which I still might get), but being able to ‘fine tune’ the fx on the fly, was the decider. I Also have a Digitech Jamman solo XT, which is great fun, but this board is more intended for home and live use, not recording, as Ill use Logic for that.
 
#52
Hardbassjunkie said:
So this is like an all in one?
Click to expand...
No, it’s not a pedal in the traditional sense. It’s like having a tube amp into a cabinet with two microphones. Each has multiple options including the ability to move the mics’ positions. The result is a much more realistic recording of your bass.

Last night we recorded our rehearsal with it; guitar, drums vocals and bass. Vocals, guitar and bass go through the PA, but I also go through my Hartke HyDrive 410 through a Quilter BB800 set flat (we don’t use a sub woofer in rehearsal). We have a pretty nice space, with very good acoustics and just put a condenser microphone in the middle of the room. The clarity of the bass was outstanding, I’ve never heard it articulated so well in a “live” setting. Previous to this we would record directly through the PA monitor, which was the reason I originally bought the C.A.B. M.

The best way to see what it does is to check out some YouTube videos,
and while most are for guitar, it works just as well on bass. IMHO it’s the best way to track your bass, but it sounds every bit as good live. It’s the only piece of gear, besides my bass, that I bring to rehearsal then back home to practice with.
 
#54
In a recording environment on the computer you should have access to hundreds of effects

for bass i think modulation or filters.
depends on Genre or what your doing.
Computer based synth pedals and envelope filters


EH small stone

for old school chorus

EH small clone

Dunlop Bass Wah

and whatever Boss delay you prefer

again depends on genre everyone likes a little distortion or fuzz
 
#55
Matthew_84 said:
Not the OP, but I’m in a similar boat.

Seeing a lot of recommendations for using plug-ins... I was planning on sequencing tracks with an older version of FL studio, and recording with Audacity. I use an older Tascam US-122L USB interface.

I like FL studio, and think it’s well suited for what I want, but not sure if I should buy a better recording software (I like Audacity but don’t know if its effects (such as compression or reverb) are good or not compared to others) or if maybe I should buy a better USB interface.

Note, my laptop is pretty old and may not run very demanding software that well.
Click to expand...

Reaper is an amazing free DAW that got everything you need in great quality, though after 30, or is it 60 days, of trial you'll have to wait 10 seconds or so after start up to access it unless you buy, but otherwise still full featured, and it is very cheap, so if you don't want to wait a bit before you can use it every time you start it up, or you think it's fair paying the little amount of money to the people offering this great DAW for free including effects, pay the little amount they ask.

I both got both Reaper and Cubase, but honestly I personally much prefer Reaper.

Lots of great free VST effects around too you could add to it's library of stock effects if you need more.

Reaper (really amazing free full feautured DAW, including great VST effects): REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

A good place to start for free VST effects: Invalid Link Removed

Note that not all effects on the free VST page are equally great, some of them frankly sucks, but there are a lot of truly great ones too that fully can compete with even quite expensive VST effects on the market, and hey they are free, so you don't loose anything if you are unlucky and download a VST that might not be all that great.

The NastyDLA, free delay VST effect, the Bass Lanscapes, free exiter VST effect, and the R47, RAT distortion emulation free VST effect, are some of my absolute favorite, not only free VST effects, but favorite VST effects overall, free or payed for.

NastyDLA (free amazing delay with a lot of features and a great analog feel): Invalid Link Removed

Bass Lansscapes (free really great exiter, and not just for bass insstruments, works really well with other types of instruments too): Invalid Link Removed

R47 (free amazing RAT distortion emulation that just sounds great, better than the real thing in my opinion): Invalid Link Removed

Valhalla Room (note: costs 50$, but well worth it) is another amazing, but payed for, VST effect, that is among my absolute favorites, might be the greatest reverb VST effect on the market.

Valhalla Room (payed for, but really amazing and really versatile reverb effect, might be the greatest on the market, costs 50$ though, but totally worth it too): Valhalla Room: Room Reverb Plugin | Valhalla DSP Plugins

Finally there's the ReaPitch, free pitch shifter VST effect, which is my absolute favorite pitch shifter VST effect, and which is included in the free download of Reaper.

ReaPitch can be downloaded for free separately too though, if for some strange reason you would want to run another DAW than Reaper.

ReaPitch (and other free VST effects, included in Reaper, but which can be downloaded separately for use in other DAWs, ReaPitch is an amazing free pitch shifter VST effect): REAPER | ReaPlugs
 
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#56
As someone who avidly works inside of a DAW and loves outboard gear, just use plugins. They are so much easier, usually cheaper, and DAWs come with a bunch already that are more than usable for beginners. If you need more, Waves has sales all the time where you could pick up a handful of great effects for the price of one decent stompbox. I would only go outboard if there was a reason you could not get a software version.

I know for myself I tend to create "in the box" and then figure out how to replicate it later with the outboard effects I have on hand.
 
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#57
JohnArnson said:
Reaper is an amazing free DAW that got everything you need in great quality, though after 30, or is it 60 days, of trial you'll have to wait 10 seconds or so after start up to access it unless you buy, but otherwise still full featured, and it is very cheap, so if you don't want to wait a bit before you can use it every time you start it up, or you think it's fair paying the little amount of money to the people offering this great DAW for free including effects, pay the little amount they ask.

I both got both Reaper and Cubase, but honestly I personally much prefer Reaper.

Lots of great free VST effects around too you could add to it's library of stock effects if you need more.

Reaper (really amazing free full feautured DAW, including great VST effects): REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits

A good place to start for free VST effects: Invalid Link Removed

Note that not all effects on the free VST page are equally great, some of them frankly sucks, but there are a lot of truly great ones too that fully can compete with even quite expensive VST effects on the market, and hey they are free, so you don't loose anything if you are unlucky and download a VST that might not be all that great.

The NastyDLA, free delay VST effect, the Bass Lanscapes, free exiter VST effect, and the R47, RAT distortion emulation free VST effect, are some of my absolute favorite, not only free VST effects, but favorite VST effects overall, free or payed for.

NastyDLA (free amazing delay with a lot of features and a great analog feel): Invalid Link Removed

Bass Lansscapes (free really great exiter, and not just for bass insstruments, works really well with other types of instruments too): Invalid Link Removed

R47 (free amazing RAT distortion emulation that just sounds great, better than the real thing in my opinion): Invalid Link Removed

Valhalla Room (note: costs 50$, but well worth it) is another amazing, but payed for, VST effect, that is among my absolute favorites, might be the greatest reverb VST effect on the market.

Valhalla Room (payed for, but really amazing and really versatile reverb effect, might be the greatest on the market, costs 50$ though, but totally worth it too): Valhalla Room: Room Reverb Plugin | Valhalla DSP Plugins

Finally there's the ReaPitch, free pitch shifter VST effect, which is my absolute favorite pitch shifter VST effect, and which is included in the free download of Reaper.

ReaPitch can be downloaded for free separately too though, if for some strange reason you would want to run another DAW than Reaper.

ReaPitch (and other free VST effects, included in Reaper, but which can be downloaded separately for use in other DAWs, ReaPitch is an amazing free pitch shifter VST effect): REAPER | ReaPlugs
Click to expand...
Wow, thanks for the tips and detailed write up! I appreciate it!

I’ll get reaper and all these VSTs you mentioned. Thanks again!
 
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#58
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