This thread is spurred by some interesting posts in the 7-string guitar thread...
How do you guys record and mix the bass guitar? What kind of signal path do you set up for different applications, comression pre- and post-recording, etc...
Most of my bass recording experience has been with my band's bassist, so I know very little about how it's done "in the real world".
You see, the guy plays a very unorthodox style. It's very lead like, playing more like a counter-point guitar than a standard metal bass that mostly provides the lower end for the guitars.
Which presents me with a lot of difficulties:
- the guitars are standard-tuned 7-strings, so they descend more into the "bass's range", making it difficult to mix properly;
- he plays 5-string with a lead-like style so he ascends to the "guitars' range", which make it harder still to mix;
- he plays pick, fingers, slap, and tapping, which makes it hard to set the compression levels and eq'ing;
- it's fretless, which gives it properties that I'm simply not too familiar with in my listening experience (other than Steve DiGiorgio, Sean Malone, and Lars Norberg, whom the bassist in question resembles);
- and... the music is very technical, yet thoroughly heavy, so it seems almost impossible to get the right amount of heaviness in the sound (low end) along with the necessary amount of clarity for the more intricate and detailed parts
Just wondering...
My set-up is his custom Carvin with eq set flat (5-string fretless, walnut body/ebony fingerboard, active Carvin electronics [ neck/bridge pickips, in-bridge piezo, ] ) > direct into Presonus's MP20, with Behringer Composer inserted (compressing ~6:1 ratio) > Motu 2408mk3 > Cubase SX.
I mix with Audio Technica M30 headphones and M-Audio BX5 monitors (which are horrible)
cheers!
How do you guys record and mix the bass guitar? What kind of signal path do you set up for different applications, comression pre- and post-recording, etc...
Most of my bass recording experience has been with my band's bassist, so I know very little about how it's done "in the real world".
You see, the guy plays a very unorthodox style. It's very lead like, playing more like a counter-point guitar than a standard metal bass that mostly provides the lower end for the guitars.
Which presents me with a lot of difficulties:
- the guitars are standard-tuned 7-strings, so they descend more into the "bass's range", making it difficult to mix properly;
- he plays 5-string with a lead-like style so he ascends to the "guitars' range", which make it harder still to mix;
- he plays pick, fingers, slap, and tapping, which makes it hard to set the compression levels and eq'ing;
- it's fretless, which gives it properties that I'm simply not too familiar with in my listening experience (other than Steve DiGiorgio, Sean Malone, and Lars Norberg, whom the bassist in question resembles);
- and... the music is very technical, yet thoroughly heavy, so it seems almost impossible to get the right amount of heaviness in the sound (low end) along with the necessary amount of clarity for the more intricate and detailed parts
Just wondering...
My set-up is his custom Carvin with eq set flat (5-string fretless, walnut body/ebony fingerboard, active Carvin electronics [ neck/bridge pickips, in-bridge piezo, ] ) > direct into Presonus's MP20, with Behringer Composer inserted (compressing ~6:1 ratio) > Motu 2408mk3 > Cubase SX.
I mix with Audio Technica M30 headphones and M-Audio BX5 monitors (which are horrible)
cheers!
