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Low Recording Level - help!

H

HaplessHopeful

Oct 15, 2024
5
1
#1
I am looking for some advice on recording bass. My setup is a Sterling by Music Man Stingray 5 with active pickups going into a Komplete Audio 6 interface and recording using software/DAW.

Whenever I do this, the output level is very low and as I turn the gain up it changes very little, up until it reaches about the halfway point on the interface and the sound disappears completely - i.e. no sound is output, the meter lights do not light at all (and at best the first of 5 will light up at the lower levels). I have tried changing the volume on the bass itself but this makes no difference.

I am unsure what to do - unfortunately the low output recordings are difficult to use as when I run it through amp software or increase the gain using other software I get a fair bit of noise. There is no difference between different pieces of software, either. I have tried plugging the lead into either of the outputs on the front, and I get the same result each time, so at least the interface is consistent which leads me to believe it is not a problem with it (indeed, recording mics/guitars otherwise has always been without issue).

I had wondered whether a pre-amp or DI box would help, but I am a bit clueless so would appreciate any and all advice!
 
#2
sounds like you don't have the audio interface selected as your recording device in your DAW. no other scenario would give you the no-difference-in-levels-when-you-turn-things-up-and-down thing... like if you turn the volume knob on the bass up and down and it makes no difference -- you're not recording the signal from the cable coming out of your bass...
 
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#3
The interface is certainly inputting into the DAW (and I have checked other software like audacity and amplitube standalone, too). To clarify, there is output when the gain pot is from 0 to about 50% (and it increases slightly between the two), then no output whatsoever thereafter.
 
#4
you said "I have tried changing the volume on the bass itself but this makes no difference." is this true or not? if this is true, you are not recording the signal coming from your bass. if this is happening with your bass only and no other instrument, i would check your bass through an amp and make sure the bass itself doesn't have a dead battery or some such.
 
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#5
Apologies, what I meant is that it makes no difference when the interface gain pot is past the 50% point - same result regardless of position of the volume pot on the bass. There is a signal coming out of the bass, it is just very weak, and then disappears when I try to boost it past 50% on the interface gain pot.
 
#6
hi and welcome to talkbass!

it sounds like a bad gain pot on your interface to me, this might happen. if yes, other mics and guitars that have more level, will also disappear when past the half of the gain pot in the same input. try this then try the other input. also try the line/inst switch in both positions.

a DI box or a pre+DI might help (and is a solid investment anyway), but frankly a MusicMan should't be very quiet, so first goes the troubleshooting.
 
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#8
Thanks - guitars and mics are fine - can crank the gain as high as I like/need - and I've tried both line/inst switch positions to no avail!

It seems to be hitting at about -30 max. Measurements like this aren't my strong suit so I've attached a measurement and a waveform (the first part is me strumming a note and sweeping the gain pot up and down, then the others are me playing and changing pickup positions in the gaps) which will hopefully illustrate it better. Some pickup positions (the non-split coil ones, I believe) come out slightly distorted when played with the gain pot about 40-50%.

In the interest of not being an idiot, I just changed the battery in my bass - no change, unfortunately.
 

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#9
The -30 displayed in Metric A/B is LUFS, not dbfs. The dbfs is represented as true peak in Metric A/B, so you're tracking at a level of roughly -23 dbfs. That's low, but it's not unusably low. You're still ~120db or so above the noise floor. I'd try and address what's going on with your interface hardware, but in the meantime you can add gain in the box all the way to 0 dbfs without any audible changes aside from the increase in amplitude.
 
#10
On further inspection, it seems that the connection to the battery is loose - one side clicks in nicely, but the other just kind of sits on top of the battery so I am not convinced it is working and is perhaps the source of my issue. I have just removed the battery and used it through the interface without - cranking the gain works a treat (and is actually too much in some pickup positions!). Unable to use the bass/treble knobs but that is not an issue for me, it sounds good as is and I can process in-the-box. Think I'll take it to a shop to be looked at at some point, but I'm glad it is usable in the meantime!
 
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#11
glad you figured it out! but i'd advise against trying to record something too hot in a digital recording environment. on tape, sure, tape compression makes an audible difference. the only thing maxing levels does in the digital realm is remove headroom and makes it likely that if you play harder or if the string hits the pickup you'll clip the input stage and have to re-record or edit around the sonic ugliness that produces. there is going to be no difference in the final product if your bass signal is -24 dbfs vs -10dbfs. it just means you'll need to turn the fader up higher when you mix.
 
#13
HaplessHopeful said:
I am looking for some advice on recording bass. My setup is a Sterling by Music Man Stingray 5 with active pickups going into a Komplete Audio 6 interface and recording using software/DAW.

Whenever I do this, the output level is very low and as I turn the gain up it changes very little, up until it reaches about the halfway point on the interface and the sound disappears completely - i.e. no sound is output, the meter lights do not light at all (and at best the first of 5 will light up at the lower levels). I have tried changing the volume on the bass itself but this makes no difference.

I am unsure what to do - unfortunately the low output recordings are difficult to use as when I run it through amp software or increase the gain using other software I get a fair bit of noise. There is no difference between different pieces of software, either. I have tried plugging the lead into either of the outputs on the front, and I get the same result each time, so at least the interface is consistent which leads me to believe it is not a problem with it (indeed, recording mics/guitars otherwise has always been without issue).

I had wondered whether a pre-amp or DI box would help, but I am a bit clueless so would appreciate any and all advice!
Click to expand...
Does your audio interface have any kind of a pad that might be engaged. The button for that on mine simply says "mic / Inst." If yours has something like that, set it in the position that gives you the most volume. Is the signal from the bass low when you run it through an amp? If it's OK there, does your amp have a line out or an XLR out. If so, I recommend that you play through the amp, then from the amp into your audio interface. If not, try running through a simple preamp to boost the volume, then into the audio interface. Be careful not to overdrive the front end of your interface where it will distort. Boost it just enough to get the level you need. And remember, when recording digitally, your record level should be peaking at around (-6) dB. It's better not to record digitally up to zero, as any inadvertent digital distortion will be ugly.
 
#14
Were the guitars your tried going into the interface as DI?

If mics and other guitars are working via the interface DI, I would suspect the issue is related to the bass

Hope you figure it out soon. Recording can be very frustrating
 
#15
jglunt said:
Does your audio interface have any kind of a pad that might be engaged. The button for that on mine simply says "mic / Inst."
Click to expand...
I have a v1 Komplete Audio 6 interface and it does have such pad buttons. I don’t know if the OP has the v1 KA6 or the newer v2 version. I will say that mine has a few mechanical quirks like the 1/2 or 3/4 button below the headphone volume knob can be touchy and occasionally cause the headphones to go mono or cut out if the button gets bumped or jiggled but not fully depressed.

The v2 had line/inst pad buttons that are different and I have no experience with them. I don’t have much to add as I’ve never had the OP’s issue. All I can say is that my KA6 can occasionally do annoying or frustrating things, but it’s generally been a good reliable interface for quite a while.
 

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