Electric bass recording '15

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vvv
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Electric bass recording '15

Post by vvv » Fri May 15, 2015 4:44 pm

Again just trying to get a sense of current practices, what are all y'all doing re getting electric bass down?

I've been defaulting to a The Brick into a dbx160XT, sometimes using an 1176 clone as the pre into the 160, sometimes using a Meek VC3Q on it's own, rarely using other pre's or comps as I think those 3 are my fave combo's.

Recording in my bedio, about 1/4 of the time or less, I'll use a Marlboro-12B amp in combination with the DI (typically the The Brick/160), and I find that the DI is mebbe 10-25% of the mixed signal, but I really don't miss the amp if I don't use it. And when I'm done mixing, I actually feel like my bass tracks sound pretty similar, amp or not!

Other than effects (the occasional subtle chorus, say) I use pass filters and very rare EQ in the box - I never use amp simulators.

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Post by Drone » Sat May 16, 2015 7:32 am

I like my bass like I like my coffee/women/your-mom dirty and covered in fuzz.

I mix dirty DI and an old tube amp sound recorded thru a kick mic a couple of feet back. I also take a feed from a processor I run it thru.

I usually end up using mostly the mic, with a little bit of DI for presence, and add some processor to taste.
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Post by digitaldrummer » Sat May 16, 2015 10:34 am

you tried the DI on that PM1000 yet? you can get a "nice" sound if you keep the guitar's volume/output in check or if you want that Sly and the Family Stone sound, drive it hard.

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Post by digitaldrummer » Sat May 16, 2015 10:38 am

crap, I just realized that one didn't have a DI. We'll there's one in the for sale that does. :-)
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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Sat May 16, 2015 10:38 am

i usually just go p bass-di-dav pre-computer.

almost always end up compressing it. sometimes ITB (presswerk or blockfish), sometimes OTB (distressor or 1968).

sometimes reamp it through either an old polytone bass amp or a deluxe reverb. sometimes out to a yamaha cs-10 synth if i want some filter sweep stuff.

if i know i want distortion i usually record a track of mesa studio preamp+pedals in addition to the clean di.

once in a great while i'll use the sansamp bass rbi. usually though i find that thing sounds great solo'd, but isn't happening in a full mix.

if i'm playing heavy dub bass, naturally i use the dub pedal:

Image

and almost invariably end up shelving all that extra low end down when i mix. haha.

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Post by drumsound » Sat May 16, 2015 11:41 am

I've been super utilitarian lately and have been using a DI onto the console and the Purple Action. Easy Peasy.

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Post by vvv » Sat May 16, 2015 12:23 pm

digitaldrummer wrote:crap, I just realized that one didn't have a DI. We'll there's one in the for sale that does. :-)
Made me look for a DI on mine! :lol:

Mebbe I'll run thru a DI box, or, I just remembered, I have a Hohner B2BFL with a XLR out ...

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Post by MoreSpaceEcho » Sat May 16, 2015 12:54 pm

DOD envelope follower, on the bill laswell setting.

basically with the sensitivity all the way down, the envelope follower never opens up, so there's no auto wah type stuff, and all you get is MASSIVE DUB.

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Post by kslight » Sat May 16, 2015 3:48 pm

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:DOD envelope follower, on the bill laswell setting.

basically with the sensitivity all the way down, the envelope follower never opens up, so there's no auto wah type stuff, and all you get is MASSIVE DUB.
Oh I have one of those..though mine has the wet dry blend control..

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Post by ott0bot » Sat May 16, 2015 3:58 pm

digitaldrummer wrote:you tried the DI on that PM1000 yet? you can get a "nice" sound if you keep the guitar's volume/output in check or if you want that Sly and the Family Stone sound, drive it hard.

Mike
Yes...the unit I have of yours is the full channel strip with DI, and it's great for bass. I usually run it into an RNLA next. I also try to track a live amp mic'd up with an re20 or md421-II when possible & blend. Usually use a few plug ins, for some grit - Massey tapehead or Sound Toys little radiator. Then eq correction to blend with then kick or to keep from stepping over other things. whatever eq works...been using the Neve URS for a while.

Now that I have a UA Apollo I'll be trying some new things with the unison pres.

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Post by A.David.MacKinnon » Sat May 16, 2015 7:21 pm

Im I the only one who hates DI bass? I always take one as a safety and almost always just dump that track at mix time. I'll take a nice bass into a nice amp any day of the week. Mic it with an M88 or 421 or d12 or RE15 into a pre with transformer ins and outs (a custom McCurdy is my go to) into an LA3A or 1176 or some variation of those two boxes. If bleed is an issue I sometimes use the Radial amp DI (JDX I think).

DI always sounds clicky with way too much high end, crazy dynamic spikes and an over all gross tone. I've got tools to address all of those issues but a good amp solves everything in one go and lets me use those tools on something else.

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Post by kslight » Sat May 16, 2015 8:01 pm

A.David.MacKinnon wrote:Im I the only one who hates DI bass? I always take one as a safety and almost always just dump that track at mix time. I'll take a nice bass into a nice amp any day of the week. Mic it with an M88 or 421 or d12 or RE15 into a pre with transformer ins and outs (a custom McCurdy is my go to) into an LA3A or 1176 or some variation of those two boxes. If bleed is an issue I sometimes use the Radial amp DI (JDX I think).

DI always sounds clicky with way too much high end, crazy dynamic spikes and an over all gross tone. I've got tools to address all of those issues but a good amp solves everything in one go and lets me use those tools on something else.
Really depends on the song, the role the bass plays, flats/rounds, etc?

I do find "straight up" DI bass usually pretty boring, and I'm usually not doing that, if I am going direct I am often going through whatever additional processing to get where I need to go.

But I do like recording the amp when appropriate.

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Post by Snarl 12/8 » Sun May 17, 2015 12:23 am

I hate my d112 on kick, but really dig it on bass cab.
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Post by vvv » Sun May 17, 2015 8:12 am

So, mic's:

My fave on bass amp is the RE320 into a clean pre - sounds like the rig. I'll do compression with a dbx, or in the box with limiting.

Fo'got to mention, a dbx 163X can be good, all by it's half-rack self.
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Post by drumsound » Sun May 17, 2015 12:00 pm

A.David.MacKinnon wrote:Im I the only one who hates DI bass? I always take one as a safety and almost always just dump that track at mix time. I'll take a nice bass into a nice amp any day of the week. Mic it with an M88 or 421 or d12 or RE15 into a pre with transformer ins and outs (a custom McCurdy is my go to) into an LA3A or 1176 or some variation of those two boxes. If bleed is an issue I sometimes use the Radial amp DI (JDX I think).

DI always sounds clicky with way too much high end, crazy dynamic spikes and an over all gross tone. I've got tools to address all of those issues but a good amp solves everything in one go and lets me use those tools on something else.
I often find DI nice and consistent, tonally. I don't hate using amps, and have gotten great sounds with amps. I did DI and amp for years (and still do) and I noticed I'd often use the DI as the main sound, and the amp as the supplement. I also feel like (and maybe I'm wrong) that I can do more to the sound with a DI.

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