Getting that rattling bass tone?
- Thread starter mirflee
- Start date
bryan_kilco
Member
While I don't own any high end DI boxes or pre amps, I'll go ahead and say "Yes" to the above question.
But I imagine that anything in the middle end range won't have (much) of a noticeable difference. It's most likely when you get into the $1-5k range that you get the benefits of better pres etc.
Though I do recall a recent test where a $300 Behringer held up to some $2-3k preamps........
But I imagine that anything in the middle end range won't have (much) of a noticeable difference. It's most likely when you get into the $1-5k range that you get the benefits of better pres etc.
Though I do recall a recent test where a $300 Behringer held up to some $2-3k preamps........
hurdy
Sup
My first bass was a squire and it sounded like horseshit. Especially for the tones I was trying to achieve. Maybe for rock and punk it would be okay though. Or maybe it was my shit bass skillz lolz (I actually play guitar not bass)
Nimvi
Member
Heh, yea never underestimate how much you progress over time! When thinking of my first guitar and distortion pedal, all I can remember is that it sounded like utter shit.
I've pulled both of them out of the bag a year ago just for fun, and it turned out they weren't so bad at all. I was just too much of a rookie back then to use them to their full potential. It's still no 6505, but it's good to know your tools.
I haven't used those basses btw, so can't give an opinion there. But this experience did teach me a lesson.
egan.
daylightdies.com
I think cheap basses are really hit or miss which is why (in addition to taste,etc.) some guys evangelize a certain model while other guys demonize them. When you get down to the sub-$300 range I think QC consists of making sure it makes noise.
I've little doubt there are some squires that are as good as their fender counter part and I also have no doubt there is some absolute garbage out there.
I've little doubt there are some squires that are as good as their fender counter part and I also have no doubt there is some absolute garbage out there.
LiberaScientia
Cat Dad
this, tbh. I've got a Squier Affinity with a set of Irongear pups in it, and it's great, wouldn't ever consider getting rid of it, but I've played other Affinitys, and they were shite. Although I guess I'm biased towards mine cause I've had it since I was 12
JakeAC5253
Frozen Sun Audio
- Nov 19, 2010
- 936
- 1
- 18
If 12 o'clock on the filter is too harsh, wouldn't 1-3 o'clock be harsher? I've never tried the R47 on bass DI, but I'm familiar with the circuit and the filter knob is just a variable high shunt a-la Tubescreamer tone knob so I'm confused...?
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
I find single coil pickups generally provide more of a 'twangy' tone rather than guttural or rattling. If you hit them too hard or (god forbid) touch the pickup they tend to fart out quite epically.
Important part is the woods. Alder and Maple as tone woods are key. After that you want to be using brand new steel strings on your bass. Not nickel. Steel. After that you want pickups that have good tonal balance, perhaps with a natural cut around the lower midrange frequencies. Then you want to pound it like it's just turned 18. It should sound like an absolute mess in the room. Just fret noise, plucking noise, pick noise whatever. It's not supposed to sound pretty acoustically. Punish it. Absolutely destroy it with your right hand.
90% of the tone in these cases comes right from the source - right from that DI.
The rest is just about shaping that clang (which should be very clear and evident even in the raw DI) with whichever amps and/or distortion units you prefer.
Important part is the woods. Alder and Maple as tone woods are key. After that you want to be using brand new steel strings on your bass. Not nickel. Steel. After that you want pickups that have good tonal balance, perhaps with a natural cut around the lower midrange frequencies. Then you want to pound it like it's just turned 18. It should sound like an absolute mess in the room. Just fret noise, plucking noise, pick noise whatever. It's not supposed to sound pretty acoustically. Punish it. Absolutely destroy it with your right hand.
90% of the tone in these cases comes right from the source - right from that DI.
The rest is just about shaping that clang (which should be very clear and evident even in the raw DI) with whichever amps and/or distortion units you prefer.
Nimvi
Member
Jup, for some reason the filter moves to the left when you turn the knob to the right on this thing. Not just on the emulator btw. I have a RAT-pedal and it does the exact same thing.
Reminds me of the first time I tried an 1176 emulation, and wondering why it wasn't as fast as I expected it to be...
Nuno Filipe
You talkin' to me?
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
If we're going for maximum clang on the Spector, I dime the highs. Otherwise all flat.
I used to EQ the bass a bit on the way in with the Millennia, but I find with the Spector it's not necessary. Usually is with 99% of basses though.
mstone564
Member
- Jan 21, 2010
- 753
- 0
- 16
Spectors are like be all end all basses.
Have a Legend 6 string and old NS-2000 5 string and both are awesome on the way in.
Try to make a split with DI and Waves GTR Thunder amp to get the strings to rattel, use the DI to dig up the subfreqs (Rbass), then sum them together to a LA3A 7-10 dB GR or a Disterssor for a more plastic and flat sound. I have a hard time to hear the sound of the DI signal due the low resolution.
- Feb 19, 2007
- 83
- 0
- 6
I really appreciate the thoughts put into this thread. I might give some of the ideas a go soon.
Anyway, the bass I'm using to track is the Fender Aerodyne Jazz with a Maple neck. Should be decent enough to get that rattle. I'm running it through my Focusrite 8i6 for pre-production.
I was thinking, what's a DI use for in this process since I've seen a lot of people use it before their pre-amps. Color tone? Signal conversion? I might be wrong but I've only used my S-Direct DI for my high output guitars.
Many thanks for the responses, really helps!
Anyway, the bass I'm using to track is the Fender Aerodyne Jazz with a Maple neck. Should be decent enough to get that rattle. I'm running it through my Focusrite 8i6 for pre-production.
I was thinking, what's a DI use for in this process since I've seen a lot of people use it before their pre-amps. Color tone? Signal conversion? I might be wrong but I've only used my S-Direct DI for my high output guitars.
Many thanks for the responses, really helps!
FrankTheSmith
Member
- Apr 20, 2013
- 494
- 9
- 18
I like the TSE BOD 2 and Waves CLA Bass. They both almost instantly make a bass sound good. But I think new strings is THE most important thing.
Sloan
Sounds like shit!
shaggysi0
Darkened Dreams Studios
New steel strings. DI and distortion channel (sometimes an amp channel too with dynamics left intact blended in underneath). For distortion I use X30 into an Ampeg 8x10 AH107 impulse. Tracks filtered/EQ/compressed to taste, the low track compressed hard. Buss it all, more compression/EQ maybe some saturation and multiband then a limiter. I slam it to the point the meter doesn't move almost. I can always automate dynamics back in.
I highly recommend anything sans amp too. I had a BDDI, loved it.
Gonna try the R47 into an impulse, not something I've done yet.
Dave's distortion tone on ZB1 is great too.
I highly recommend anything sans amp too. I had a BDDI, loved it.
Gonna try the R47 into an impulse, not something I've done yet.
Dave's distortion tone on ZB1 is great too.
