HELP! Recording Bass guitar at home
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Posted on Jun 04, 2002 09:53 am
Kaazmar
Member Since: Jun 04, 2002
(I need a response ASAP, preferably by late this afternoon if anyone knows the answer)
My band is doing a home recording to save money we don't have, and everhything recorded so far rocks, but we're having trouble getting an amazing bass sound. We are miking the amp, so how should we set everything up? What should we do with the amp, where/how far away should the mic be placed, etc? Please give me the details to getting a rockin bass sound with some low end and some punch, but not too much of either IF YOU KNOW HOW...thanks!!!
(sorry i posted this twice, I put it on the wrong message board first...I'm new here!)
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Jun 04, 2002 09:55 am Are you only miking the amp? there is part of the problem...does the bass have new strings? it will help add some good punch. Also, record 2 (maybe even 3) tracks of bass, get one track from the amp (I personally don't prefer that sound) and get a DI box (or, the amp may have a direct out as well, what kind of amp is it?) and record a second track directly from the bas with no amp in the chain coloring the sound.
Also, go to the recording tips and check out the article "Stupid EQ Tricks", it will help show you some frequencies to boost and cut accross the whole mix to keep instruments from getting in each others way in your mix.
The author of that article I know happens to also like putting a mic in front of the bass right where the neck meets the body to get some of the string snap and such, and it does work pretty well, though it is not my style.
If you don't have enough tracks to use 2 or 3 just for the bass, you may want to run all those sources into a mixer and mix them down to one track and record that. However, if you can do 2 or 3 seperate tracks it would be best becasue in the mixdown you can then tailor the sound to the best you like by boosting or cutting any particular signal involved with the bass.
By the way: "(I need a response ASAP, preferably by late this afternoon if anyone knows the answer)" ? What is that? Is your label gonna fire you if they don't get the recording today or what? ;-)
MSHARCMember
Since: Apr 05, 2002
Jun 04, 2002 10:06 am What dB said is spot on. I use direct in for most of my bass stuff, not to say that I am really a bass player and not as critical, but I think you might be happier with that sound. Also, the mic you use for the bass amp could be a big factor of why you aren't getting that punch. Also, where you place the mic is important too, not as much for bass as guitar, but still important. As a general rule, towrds the outside of the cone, more bass but muddier. Farther in, the more crispness but less bottom. Generally speaking. New strings will defintely help give more crispness and a nicer tone. But, if you don't have the time to spend hours just getting the bass to sound good, get the best you can with that way, try the direct in if you can, and then use your eq's to get more out of it. Hope it works for you.
Marc (da Sharc)
SonicoMember
Since: Apr 19, 2002
Jun 04, 2002 10:40 am Here is a trick that you can use to get an amazing bass sound (at least it works for me) using your PC for recording or editing.
1.- Record the bass signal direct, with no eq, no amp etc. Just a little compression.
2.- Use a compressor plug in to ride the remaining peaks it'll give more punch.
3.- Make a copy of your main bass track.
4.- Using an EQ plugin high pass the bass signal of your copied track.
5.- Send the copied track to an amp simulator like the one from cakewalk.
6.- Mix the to signal to taste.
This way you'll end with a punchy sound from the compressed Direct signal and with the rage and body from the amp, and beleive me, the sound from the amp simulator is amazing just don't feed it with low-content signal.
Hope this help!!
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jun 04, 2002 04:01 pm Wow, I am sorry to say that the first problem, as maybe dB infered is being in a hurry. In as much as amazing means so much to so many people it may take time to "tune" your sound. Some sound baffles to put around the amp if you are going to mic it might also come in handy. I listen to the signal coming in as I move mics, baffles, adjust pickups, amp, etc. I record and see how it translates, and continue to adjust from there. Sometimes I adjust finger technique per the results of the recording. And so much depends on the player. Is there reasonable control over the fretboard relitive to dynamics or are the dynamics all over the board. I personaly like the following signal chain. Bass plugged into amp adjusted to the sound I like. Tap the amp at the pre out to a DI box. I put a compresser / expander in the chain and use per results of test recordings. But my version of amazing bass is very tight precise, no bloom, no boom and as much detail as I can get. Not everybody's cup of tea.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jun 04, 2002 10:52 pm All of the above will work great. On the budget it sound's like your on, the duplicate track method is the best. Hopefully you can record direct. I use the layering process all the time to beef up bass track's. Sometime's a synth or even the thud of a deep down tuned kick will add the right bit of thump. It is all a matter of how you lay it all together.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jun 05, 2002 02:17 am Oh holly el torro poo poo!
Your thread prompted me to go back and read some liturature I downloaded some time ago. I be one of those encouragable bass player people and I too am haveing my trials and tribulations espicially with the upright. Well, things that didn't make much sense before are starting to ignite the light bulbs. We're up to maybe 25W or so now. (inside joke...just a while back my big light emiting discoveries where merly mood lighting) If you have an average home with say 12' spans you got trouble! A 100hz physical wave is 10' in length! No way you can isolate your amp from the room. The room is the amp in effect! Buzz over to Sure's website and download their series of PDF's on multitracing, sound reinforcement, miking techniques etc. Very good stuff. Especially the second time around for me anyway!
Jun 05, 2002 05:24 am that is another good reason to go direct, with some really big woofers (18" or so) on the low frequences it can take up to 15 to 18 feet the the frequency wave to fully develop. That is also why, when I used to perform I used to try to put my amp as far away from me as I could, if it was right next to me I could hardly hear it, but the guitarist could hear it very loudly...
Noize had a good point, doubling a direct injection is a great idea, I double guitars all the time, but rarely basses, I think I will start trying that too...
This guy said he needed advice by yesterday afternoon, he got a half-dozen great response and we never heard back from him?!?! I wonder if he ever even came back?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jun 05, 2002 09:22 am Yup, good point, however it was still great that he did so. I got a lot of good pointers. It also spurred me to go read something that obviously I never thought of reading for myself? Hehehe Ain't that just the way it works.
Jun 05, 2002 02:25 pm ya, actually with or without the instigator, this wound up being a pretty cool thread...I gotta try a couple things next time I record bass...
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jun 05, 2002 09:40 pm He possibly forgot how to get back here.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Jun 07, 2002 06:25 am Just another quick tid bit. Tried a recomendation form "Shure" on the upright. Wraped an Oktava 012 in foam and pinned it between the A and D strings just under the bridge with the capsule about 3 to 4 inches from the body. Capsule point up at where the bridge meets the body. Very nice sound! And no preceiveble room resonance. It just keeps gettin better!
