Recording direct, need compressor?

[THERAKED1]

Hello all, I have a small home recording set-up including a Toneport UX2 and SHS4. Initially, I was using the preset tones provided with the Gearbox software that came with the TP, but just recently I decided to try running straight from my bass amp, a Yorkville xm100c, and bypassing the Gearbox software. I like the tone that I'm getting, but the volume from string to string is all outta-whack, the larger the string, the greater the volume. I'm relatively new to bass playing, but I've read somewhere that a compressor effect might help to smooth out the peaks in volume. Gearbox does have a compressor effect, but I'm not sure if it's specifically for guitar or if it'll work for the bass. Also, I'm not sure where to start with setting the levels of the effect. Anyone have a good starting point or a general rule of thumb that I should follow?

 

[monkeyfinger]

You should definitely put a limiter just before the computer input. This will handle any attack transients that might cause distortion. Digital distortion never sounds good. Avoid it at all costs. However this will not make your strings sound even. That is fixed by setting up the bass properly, adjusting the eq of the pre-amp correctly and most importantly, good technique. The later is the most important.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

... However this will not make your strings sound even. ...

Depending on how low a threshold, and how high a ratio you have set, that becomes a very untrue statement.

 

[monkeyfinger]

Sure, if you set the threshhold to -40db or lower.