Recording bass

[Pete]

Awesome Barney. I'll definitely hit you up next time I'm in melbourne!

[HA_DA_JA]

So do you think these new active basses have too much range then the P and J basses?
I mean do you usually take a lot of the high's out when mixing in bass in a song with multiple instruments?

[Barney Loveland]

Re- active/newer basses, I don't have a blanket idea when mixing eg. take out highs. I guess when I think about it, it just needs better skills, more attention to whats working with or against drums/guitars/keys et al and maybe needing some more niche carving if that makes sense. The older sounds are more familiar. Some of the newer basses do sound amazing, they are just bigger than ben hur sounding, how is that going to fit in your mix. As always song,arrangement,instrumentation dependant.

(then there's the whole reason/debate why some of these bass', amps, pres, have +-20dB eq boosts - so it sounds better on the show room floor.....)

[HA_DA_JA]

good point on the Active eq on modern basses. Yes mine has +/-18db on one of my favourite Laklands. Though I only trickle a little cut and boost on it.
When I play P's or J's everything is just set to flat out and then use the amp to tailor the sound.

[Barney Loveland]

Need to say as well that P and J bass' aren't perfect all the time! They may need cut and boosting depending on player, bass, track et al. Don't want to create another mythical must have internet legend.

[spandex man]

Usually use a Giles into a UA 1176. Then the Digi Sansamp plugin does all the rest, i really really love that thing. On amps i like M88's into anything.

For upright, MKH40 sounds pretty great. Rockabilly/Psychobilly bass is a bit different though. I did a psychobilly band a few months ago which was the upright bass split from the pickups (he had one on the bridge and one on the neck, i think) into a Countyman DI and a box that HPF EVERYTHING below about 3khz, then the link of the Countryman was split again into a Marshall valve bass head, which was split to a Marshall 4x12 bass cab and an 8x10 bass cab. This was mainly done because we had the gear and the time, at mixdown i killed the 4x12 cab and ended up using the plain DI with a sharp high and low pass filter to give me only the 60-80hz range, added the other DI track for click and then snuck in some of the 8x10 for a little tone. I think i compressed the anus out of it with the 1176 or Distressor too. Cause seriously - dynamic range can suck it.

I was working at a different studio a few weeks ago where i used s a JDI into a Chandler TG Channel into a UREI 1176, that sounded quite big (and dare i say...warm). I wasnt a huge fan of the UREI though, i think im just used to the UA reissue.

[mylesgm]

and who IS spandex man?

[spandex man]

He may be Troy Nababan, who posts infrequently and forgets to add a signature...

I here he has a massive dong, too....

[Ben M]

SPANDEX MAN can't reveal his true identity. T'rock would never be safe again!

[mylesgm]

I hear he has a massive dong, too....

But its really just a cucumber wrapped in foil right?

[Ben M]

armadillo

[mylesgm]

Love pump.

[spandex man]

You guys, way to go turning a simple conversation about my enormous member into something dirty....

[HA_DA_JA]

Well I took the plunge and bought IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX bass software. No bass amps allowed in the bedroom.
I really am digging the B-15 flip top. It sounds so Vintage. There is one preset there when played on the old 71 jazz where it sounds exactly like the bass of the theme song "Hey Hey Hey its Fat Albert"
Now they dont make shows like that anymore.
I guess Barney would be loving his real deal B-15.

[danander11]

I hear he has a massive dong, too....

But its really just a cucumber wrapped in foil right?

Nah. it's a bacon explosion...

[Barney Loveland]

I finally put a mic infront of the B15. Well I can now say I understand. Even at low volume it sounded larger than life, took the cans off to listen to compare with recorded sound and wow.

[Hookemeister]

Not much talk about strings here.... or how the bass is setup.

If that ain't right then it's going to be a lot harder to pull a good sound.

and finally... the most important part... the player.

I've seen 2 bass players using the same setup, same bass, playing the same chart and the difference in sound was like chalk and cheese.

[HA_DA_JA]

Any suggestions on trying strings. I have always used roundwounds to give a bright sound for live playing. I have tried flatwound and they were too dead for live playing but never got around too using them for recording. I am going for an RNB sound.

[kalkman]

Any suggestions on trying strings. I have always used roundwounds to give a bright sound for live playing. I have tried flatwound and they were too dead for live playing but never got around too using them for recording. I am going for an RNB sound.

everyone on talkbass seems to love flatwounds but i just hated them - i think Pete K here digs em though?
i ended up with half-rounds - bit less grind/twang than the roundwounds, without the 'dullness' (for lack of a better word) of the flatwounds. give em a shot!

[kalkman]

I finally put a mic infront of the B15. Well I can now say I understand. Even at low volume it sounded larger than life, took the cans off to listen to compare with recorded sound and wow.

hey barney, is your cab an old buzzy/rattly one? I think i recall Rick suggesting this was part of the 'magic' of recording a fliptop. interested in your take on this

[justin]

last dozen or so sessions I've been dragging my beat up old EV 15L box into the studio and chucking a beyer m380 in the middle of the speaker.

good times.

[The Tasmanian]

Yeah I agree - the Beyer M380 and TGX50 are about the best bass cabinet mics on earth.

[fremantlerecords]

I like the sound of a valve bass amp turned up LOUD with a valve mic in front of it. D112 or 57 is not bad either. I tend to give it 8 to 12 inches from the bottom left or top left speaker in the cab.