Super simple bass guitar playing/recording question

[Ayrex]

hey guys, new to the forum here (flame suit on) and while I plan on spending lots of time here, I have one quick question off the bat:

(I have searched and searched but really don't have a correct answer for myself yet)

I am trying to figure out the chain into my recording interface should it go:

Guitar>PreAmp/Compressor>Amp>Mixer>PC

or: Guitar>Preamp/Compressor>Mixer>PC

or Guitar>Mixer>Preamp/Compressor>PC

also...what is your opinion on me using my 15W Bass Amp in my recording chain if I have a preamp? Thanks. Glad to have found this forum and I'm reading the stickies now FRANKS!

 

[Ayrex]

Hey been checking out the forum, this place is great and the stickies are helpful..but I still haven't answered my own question yet. Thought I might post some links to my gear in-case anyone wants to browse them, thanks

Guitar- http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...g&matchtype=&gclid=CKSLuPP9xL0CFclDMgodBCQA-w

Pedal/PreAmp- [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Amp- [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Mixer- Invalid Link Removed

Recording Interface- Invalid Link Removed

 

[gmarcus]

Keep it simple. I'd try guitar right into the interface then work the rest of the sound after the fact in the pc.

 

[gmarcus]

A tech21 VTbass before the interface works really well in my experience

 

[Dave W]

Keep it simple. I'd try guitar right into the interface then work the rest of the sound after the fact in the pc.

+1

And I would not use your bass amp in the recording chain.

 

[Ayrex]

Ok thanks for the replies. I can appreciate the keeping it simple part, but I'm confused..doesn't the sound need to be amp'd? Without it amp'd it's just recording the buzzing of the string, no? I imagine a very dull and lifeless sounding recording going Guitar>Interface..can you straighten me out? Do you run it into a VST of sorts??

 

[ddeloach]

...I'm confused..doesn't the sound need to be amp'd?

You will amp it in software-- Personally I like Amplitube, which has a variety of bass amps and effects available, though I also own Guitar Rig 5 which also has some nice tones available. Doing your amp simulation "in the box" gives you an infinite variety of tones without having to sell your organs to buy the real ones, with the advantage of not having to deal with the expense and noise of mic'ing an amp in the typical home studio.

So by going directly into your sound interface, you get a quiet recording of the raw bass that you can then play with to your heart's content using the amp sim of your choice.

 

[Ayrex]

Ok this all makes so much more sense now great thanks! I have guitar rig that was included with my Sonar and haven't ever really known what it was for...appreciate the help!

 

[Danomo]

I agree with the others, just use your recording interface, the included amp sim is Guitar Rig LE 3 (maybe a later version is available to download for free) which has pretty limited Bass amp and effects choices, but still... Try them out before you go investing more $.

I have a Line 6 UX1, and it has some nice bass amps and effects in POD Farm, unfortunately, they only work when the device is connected (full version upgrade doubles the price of the interface), so even when editing tracks you've laid down already, it has to be connected (often a requirement of bundled software for recording interfaces).
Amplitube is also nice (I have a bundled Fender licence) though if you have a windows 8 machine, it's hard to get the screen to "fit" on your screen properly (for some reason, there is no window scroll bar in Win8). It displays fine on earlier version of windows.