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Post by jcoutu1 on Jun 16, 2021 17:14:30 GMT -6
What is everyone using for tracking bass?
I'm currently using a Radial DI going into my Midas console.
Also, bass amp of the day into a Mesa Road Ready 6x10. SM7 into Daking channel strip.
I'm planning to swap the Daking over to the DI and upgrade the chain on the amp for something a little more aggressive.
What do you guys like?
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 16, 2021 17:31:20 GMT -6
I really like going DI in on LA610. Using the high shelf eq to bring out some string attack if I want it more aggressive, and some light to moderate compression. Sounds great and it’s supper consistent.
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Post by subspace on Jun 16, 2021 17:43:00 GMT -6
I've got an Ampeg B-25B and a B4R sitting here but have been tracking everything direct via a Countryman feeding the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic plug-in for the last 6 months, I like it better.
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Post by jmoose on Jun 16, 2021 17:54:40 GMT -6
I'm not real partial to any specific gear as long the mic and DI have identical paths. Use the same stuff on both...
So like a pair of 312's or 2 channels on the console run into matching compressors... pair of LA3A or that Focusrite Red you posted the other day. Pair of dbx 160? Doesn't matter too much for me. Identical channel paths for each sounds and feels more solid to me, both as a bass player and engineer.
Easier to dial in and less tendency to "fight" against the compression when both channels have the same reaction. As a player if there's too much compression and/or it "feels" bad to play I'm gonna dig in harder which just makes everything worse.
And I guess we could talk about things like slew rate, phase response etc as a factor..? Have just had better results using the same stuff. Not that stereo bass happens very often but its like overheads. Would anyone use completely different gear on the left vs right?
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 16, 2021 18:21:21 GMT -6
I’m going direct into UA 4-710. Full tube on the blend and not shy on the dirt. Built in 1176-lite on slow setting. Then I throw bx_bassman plug and either back through the 4-710 again to mix or through the AS opto.
I like gritty bass as you can see.
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Post by phdamage on Jun 16, 2021 18:27:38 GMT -6
I almost always use an early Blue Mouse (Latvian made, transformer version) into a Sebatron VMP-4000e sometimes with an added low boost.
most bands use my mid-70s SVT thru an 8x10. I often prefer my 2 1x15 cabs (15L loaded), but the SVT lives on top of the 8x10, so sometimes I'm just lazy. i usually have most players run through an early Rat pedal (LM308 chip) with a little bit of dirt on the way in.
i hate DIs, but have been using (Radial JDI) here and there on occasion to stick through an amp sim later in case the mic isn't cutting it. sometimes i'll just use it on cleaner parts, running through a UAD B15 sim.
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Post by gwlee7 on Jun 16, 2021 18:35:52 GMT -6
Been getting good tones from my bass player by having him send me a DI signal and then reramping him by inserting in this order Ampeg plug of choice > hardware AS 1176A > AS Opto > AS EQP/MEQ.
I have also gotten some great tones when I am playing by starting with the DI on my Daking and then hitting the rest of the chain minus the ampeg plug.
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Post by svart on Jun 16, 2021 18:46:07 GMT -6
Avalon U5 to capi 553f then 1176A.
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Post by matt@IAA on Jun 16, 2021 19:07:20 GMT -6
For the punk and rock I’ve heard you do I’d try some extremes
A picked pbass into direct on a 1073 driven hard can sound pretty dang good with a bit of EQ.
jbass into an svt, mic with a 421 into 1073 is hard to beat.
Crushing a gates comp can do fun stuff
Also fun to mic a bass amp and split to something like a Marshall head, blend to taste.
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Post by srb on Jun 16, 2021 19:19:53 GMT -6
Teegarden Fatboy > Avalon 2022 > A Designs PEQ > Crane Song Falcon.
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Post by rowmat on Jun 16, 2021 20:11:13 GMT -6
Reddi > Neve Class A > Sta Level = It’s over! The FAT lady has sung!
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Jun 16, 2021 20:13:38 GMT -6
Zod IDDI -> Tree Audio Branch, then DBX 160 via Flock Patch on the way out. Saturn 2 ITB for grit, if needed.
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Post by indiehouse on Jun 16, 2021 20:22:46 GMT -6
Zod IDDI -> Coil CA70S -> Chandler RS124. I usually use an amp sim ITB, but I might try taking the direct out of the DI into a Fractal.
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Post by svart on Jun 16, 2021 20:25:25 GMT -6
For the punk and rock I’ve heard you do I’d try some extremes A picked pbass into direct on a 1073 driven hard can sound pretty dang good with a bit of EQ. jbass into an svt, mic with a 421 into 1073 is hard to beat. Crushing a gates comp can do fun stuff Also fun to mic a bass amp and split to something like a Marshall head, blend to taste. The Avalon has an eq setting on it and I generally use it to cut mids around 800 and the 553 to boost the 2k and 10k. I hit the 1176A a bit hard and it's already a little crunchy before I knock 10+dB off of it. I'll be trying out the tube pre on it soon as well
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Post by thirdeye on Jun 16, 2021 21:01:11 GMT -6
DI choice could be U5, AudioScape Classic DI, Sans Amp Bass Driver, Radial JDI, Radial J48, or Countryman. Depends on the bass and what the bass player wants. Often I'll have the bass player plug-in to the U5, plug some cans into the U5 H/P out, and have them play around with it trying the different EQ settings. I'll let them make the choice on which EQ setting to use. If I use the Sans Amp, it's usually run fairly dirty in tandem with another DI, on a separate track. We also recently got a nice Fender P Bass for the studio, just in case.
Amp varies, whatever the bass player brings usually, or our house Ampeg with 8 x 10" cabinet or single 15" cabinet. Sometimes we'll run a dirty amp in tandem, on a separate track. Mic on the cabinet/s varies, but sometimes Beta 52s, or 421s or even various LDCs.
Preamps vary. My rule of thumb is API if I want it to poke out a little or our Neve style (Vintech, Seventh Circle) if we want it to lay back into the drums more.
Compressors vary, could be Distressors, 76 clones, 3A clones, 2A clones, dbx 160x, Heritage 609A, etc. I'll usually try to keep the chains the same on the DIs and mics.
Sometimes before the A/D I'll run the bass channels through a Radial Phazer Bank to see if I can make it a little beefier.
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Post by notneeson on Jun 16, 2021 22:13:52 GMT -6
Radial DI into Quad Eight most of the time. 610s are really nice on bass too, I usually use an external DI there too. And agree on the Marshall thing, ever since someone brought a Plexi in for bass I’ve been a fan.
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Post by jmoose on Jun 16, 2021 22:45:15 GMT -6
I don't always take a DI and sometimes there are 3 tracks of bass. Really depends on the situation.
Often with rock stuff & pedals a clean DI sound has no musical relevance to what's actually happening. If it's fuzz bass I'll put 2 mics on the amp... like a 57 & condenser blend to taste. No DI there.
If the player has a bunch of pedals I might take a pre board DI or split the signal in some other way.
Pedals & especially envelope filters can get really weird... player steps on the filter and all the bottom end drops out. That's where I need a non effected signal to blend against. Also where the identical path really shines, having the same compression slope etc.
Other players sound great with only a DI. Almost always ask if they have a preference on DI vs mic. Couple bass players I know carry their own hi fi box like a Reddi.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jun 16, 2021 22:58:26 GMT -6
I hate to say it but I keep getting better sounds with the IK Multimedia Ampeg series of bass amp plug-ins than the sounds good bass players send me from their fancy high end rigs.
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Post by drumsound on Jun 17, 2021 0:29:45 GMT -6
I've been using A DI into my Useful Arts pre a lot with a Purple Action. I had the Useful DI here, and it's nice too, especially with the EQ engages. The Hi shelf can really make a bass sing.
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Post by allbuttonmode on Jun 17, 2021 2:46:13 GMT -6
Bass through UA Solo 610 and out to Ampeg B15. Or a guitar amp, depending on the end goal.
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Post by Guitar on Jun 17, 2021 3:31:38 GMT -6
I will sing the song of my own DWA DI, the 'wolfbox' it's my secret weapon. There's a few other folks on RGO using my DI's also. Tastesliketape, Malkit, Dreamsambas, John Eppstein. Prices have gone up on the transformers I use since people have spotted my builds, or so it would seem.
So it's the DWA DI -> CAPI VP312 mic pre with CA-0252 op amp and Cinemag input transformer. Stupid simple, I just love it.
Typically no amp sim, just virtual rack gear and plugins for tone shaping.
Lately as an alternative I've been appreciating the inputs of my MOTU Ultralite MK 5. They make amp sims sound real to me, clear and tight. Transparent is my new mojo, when the big rig is not convenient.
Good luck in the past with JDI -> SCA N72 for metal. UA 610 of course was good. DI input of the API 312 also gets a mention.
For miking a bass amp it would either be a PL20 (RE20), M88TG, or the DIY ELAM 251 style microphone (Claire) in supercardioid. Sometimes an e906 is fine too. But it's the wolfbox 95% of the time for the past 2 years.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jun 17, 2021 6:35:01 GMT -6
I'm surprised by the number of you that don't track any amp at all.
I'll either end up with a blend of DI and Amp or I'll just use Amp. Almost never just DI.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jun 17, 2021 6:47:20 GMT -6
I've found no plug-in really sounds just like the hardware with one exception. I actually had one of the amps IK Multimedia modeled and compared them. They were indistinguishable, except the plug-in gratefully had no noisy hum.
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Post by nomatic on Jun 17, 2021 6:55:49 GMT -6
Teegarden Audio Fat Boy rack into a Audioscape Opto. B 15 B into a Tul F47 into a Hendyamps channel
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Post by EmRR on Jun 17, 2021 7:11:54 GMT -6
I pretty much hate DI's 90% of the time, but lately (me playing) have used a JLM FET DI into an Altec 436 / EMI RS124, and it's pretty great. If you want to sound like Paul McCartney. And I do. Because I'm lefty. That makes no sense.......
Incoming bands it's almost always a 414B-ULS on a cabinet. Like ole' famous whatzisname british guy.
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