Bass & Guitar recording question

[Jazz Rock]

Hello there,

I've been playing with a bassist friend lately and we tried to record a few riffs with the set up I am using to record the guitar usually.

It was a bit of disaster! At first we couldn't here the bass on the recording. After moving the microphone and the amps here and there, we finally get to here the bass but the signal was clipping even though the bass wasn't loud at all. I thought it must be because of the mic and its frequency response, but let me know what you think:

We are using an audio-lapas DM-1200A plugged in an audio M Fasttrack connected thourgh a USB port to my laptop. It is working fairly well when I record just the guitar. Then I guess it isn't a particularly brilliant idea to record the bass and the guitar with the same pup but as I have only one mic connection on the fasttrack... I don't have much of a choice.

[Manji]

I've got a solution, but it'll involve buying another piece of hardware...

Basically, I use a Line 6 Toneport, which is a ridiculously good bit of kit.  It goes in the USB, you plug your guitar in, change the tone on a computer program, you play.  You can also do guitars by plugging a microphone in and pointing it at the amp.  And you can do bass by plugging the bass into the Toneport and changing the tone of the bass then recording directly, no need for amps or anything.  That way you get the direct bass signal, and no problems with frequency response.

Well, it's how I've recorded the bass for my band's first album, and it's sounding pretty sweet :D

[Jazz Rock]

Thanks Manji,

But I am not too keen on the digital option. I have a V-amp and it doesn't do it at all for me. Plus, if you are pluging directly the guitar into the computer, you are loosing all the interaction between your playing style and the amp response.

I have seen on the shure website, they have condenser mic with a pretty flat frequency curve response you can use an ambient sound take. Would this be a better option for me than my current mic, which ought to be a voice mic in the first place.

[HTH AMPS]

I think you need to mess with your current setup a bit more - there is no reason why the mic should clip unless the bass amp is VERY LOUD.

Try adjusting the gain on the mic channel for more headroom.  

I would have the guitar and bass amps arranged in an L-shape and put the mic in the middle.  Just move the mic around to get the right balance.  You will of course need to play with the amp volumes too.  You can easily change the balance of bass to guitar by moving the mic on/off axis with respect to each amp.

This is a technique I've used before with two guitar amps to blend tones, but there is no reason why it shouldn't work equally as well for guitar and bass.

 :twisted:

[opprobrium_9]

Thanks Manji,

But I am not too keen on the digital option. I have a V-amp and it doesn't do it at all for me. Plus, if you are pluging directly the guitar into the computer, you are loosing all the interaction between your playing style and the amp response.

I have seen on the shure website, they have condenser mic with a pretty flat frequency curve response you can use an ambient sound take. Would this be a better option for me than my current mic, which ought to be a voice mic in the first place.

I am not too familiar with the Toneport, nor do i intend to be, but i am however VERY familiar with Digidesign's Pro Tools M Box.  If the toneport is anything like the M Box, which from the little i have read it seems to be, then you have many more options than just doing a direct line in.  With the M Box you have a few options, depending on the model you have 2 or more Mic inputs, at least one MIDI input, and USB or firewire connection points.  This means you can still get your great valve sound and still go direct - direct through the mic input that is.  Just hook the mic to the DI box and play it live into the setup and you're off, valve tone and all!  It is a rather elementary setup actually.  And the M Box is not only a DI box but an analog to digital converter.  If you are sending stuff to your computer through the USB port you are getting a processed digital signal anyways, even if it was originally analog - it will undoubtedly be converted.  Pro Tools is great, i would recommend it, however, it does seem like you are already using some kind of audio processing program already...  Look into the M Box if you want to simplify things more than they are already (though you might be working with virtually the same DI equipment), Digidesign are a fairly good company and i generally trust their equipment because it has never failed for me.  This is of course one man's oppinion  

EDIT: Also, i almost forgot... the compressor is your friend!!!  USE IT!  If shite is clipping either turn down the channel level or compress the signal, it is as simple as that.  Do note, however, that over-compressing leads to brickwalling and VERY inorganic tones, and you will surely then have a processed signal you don't want.

[Transcend]

Thanks Manji,

But I am not too keen on the digital option. I have a V-amp and it doesn't do it at all for me. Plus, if you are pluging directly the guitar into the computer, you are loosing all the interaction between your playing style and the amp response.

I have seen on the shure website, they have condenser mic with a pretty flat frequency curve response you can use an ambient sound take. Would this be a better option for me than my current mic, which ought to be a voice mic in the first place.

I am not too familiar with the Toneport, nor do i intend to be, but i am however VERY familiar with Digidesign's Pro Tools M Box.  If the toneport is anything like the M Box, which from the little i have read it seems to be, then you have many more options than just doing a direct line in.  With the M Box you have a few options, depending on the model you have 2 or more Mic inputs, at least one MIDI input, and USB or firewire connection points.  This means you can still get your great valve sound and still go direct - direct through the mic input that is.  Just hook the mic to the DI box and play it live into the setup and you're off, valve tone and all!  It is a rather elementary setup actually.  And the M Box is not only a DI box but an analog to digital converter.  If you are sending stuff to your computer through the USB port you are getting a processed digital signal anyways, even if it was originally analog - it will undoubtedly be converted.  Pro Tools is great, i would recommend it, however, it does seem like you are already using some kind of audio processing program already...  Look into the M Box if you want to simplify things more than they are already (though you might be working with virtually the same DI equipment), Digidesign are a fairly good company and i generally trust their equipment because it has never failed for me.  This is of course one man's oppinion  

EDIT: Also, i almost forgot... the compressor is your friend!!!  USE IT!  If shitee is clipping either turn down the channel level or compress the signal, it is as simple as that.  Do note, however, that over-compressing leads to brickwalling and VERY inorganic tones, and you will surely then have a processed signal you don't want.

the toneport has a mic input and the higher end models have 2 + a midi keyboard