Recording Bass Guitar with Reaper

[Rivek]

This is the most frustrating thing I have ever encountered. I'm not sure if it's the bass I'm using, the preamp, I don't know.

I'm running a Yamaha bass, not sure of the model, through a Crate bass combo as a replacement for a DI box, into Reaper. Recording the bass just gives me the signal from the combo itself, so I have to play insanely softly even with the gain on the amp turned down to barely registering to keep the signal from clipping.

I did this same thing with guitar on a small guitar combo, and it worked beautifully. Not only could I play as hard or as soft as I wanted, but my monitor output during recording had my FX chain active. However, with the bass, the monitor output is just the clean signal, and the FX chain isn't becoming active until after I record. I try to use FX to make it hearable in the mix (Eq, already carved space for it from the guitars and drums, compressor, etc.) but nothing is working.

Somebody help me. What can I do to get a decent recording of a bass guitar? I come to you as a broken man. F'ing bass.

[po!]

is the wav actually clipping (going past 0dB) or is the sound just distorting even though it's lower than 0dB? you might wanna check the input levels on the soundcard

are you using the correct output jack on the amp?

is your bass active or passive? if it's active, is there an "active" input on your amp?

[SnappleMan]

This is the most frustrating thing I have ever encountered. I'm not sure if it's the bass I'm using, the preamp, I don't know.

I'm running a Yamaha bass, not sure of the model, through a Crate bass combo as a replacement for a DI box, into Reaper. Recording the bass just gives me the signal from the combo itself, so I have to play insanely softly even with the gain on the amp turned down to barely registering to keep the signal from clipping.

I did this same thing with guitar on a small guitar combo, and it worked beautifully. Not only could I play as hard or as soft as I wanted, but my monitor output during recording had my FX chain active. However, with the bass, the monitor output is just the clean signal, and the FX chain isn't becoming active until after I record. I try to use FX to make it hearable in the mix (Eq, already carved space for it from the guitars and drums, compressor, etc.) but nothing is working.

Somebody help me. What can I do to get a decent recording of a bass guitar? I come to you as a broken man. F'ing bass.

Wait, what? You're going amp->soundcard? The fuck is wrong with you, that's NOT how to record properly. Unless the amp has a clearly marked LINE OUT jack, you do NOT want to record it that way, you'll blow out your soundcard! get a cheap DI box, $30 can get you a decent one on Musicians Friend.

If you MUST record without a DI box, go right into the soundcard from your bass, it'll sound much better than through the amp output. Generally I've found that basses sound best recorded totally dry, the DI signal is always my main bass channel, anything I add is sent to an FX track and kept relatively low. Again, I can't stress it enough, get a DI box. And avoid those "SUPER TUBE DI BOX WITH A REAL TUBE INSIDE FOR WARMTH!!!!!" they always add a shit ton of noise.

[audio fidelity]

I can't stress it enough, get a DI box. And avoid those "SUPER TUBE DI BOX WITH A REAL TUBE INSIDE FOR WARMTH!!!!!" they always add a shit ton of noise.

huh...so i guess that ampeg one is no good? never tried it.

but yeah snapple's got it. your amp isn't going to cut it and never use the di's out of em...ever....ha.- unless you want a really bad tone. a di (radial, countryman, aphex) or using guitar rig 3 or ampeg svx plugs are going to be the best alternative to buying a rig and using a mic.

[SnappleMan]

huh...so i guess that ampeg one is no good? never tried it.

but yeah snapple's got it. your amp isn't going to cut it and never use the di's out of em...ever....ha.- unless you want a really bad tone. a di (radial, countryman, aphex) or using guitar rig 3 or ampeg svx plugs are going to be the best alternative to buying a rig and using a mic.

You try to find me anything that's an Ampeg tube preamp for around $30 and I'll suck your dick once a day for the rest of my life.

[Rivek]

Unless the amp has a clearly marked LINE OUT jack,

It does. Chill.

If you MUST record without a DI box, go right into the soundcard from your bass, it'll sound much better than through the amp output. Generally I've found that basses sound best recorded totally dry, the DI signal is always my main bass channel, anything I add is sent to an FX track and kept relatively low. Again, I can't stress it enough, get a DI box. And avoid those "SUPER TUBE DI BOX WITH A REAL TUBE INSIDE FOR WARMTH!!!!!" they always add a shit ton of noise.

See, I'd like to go straight to the soundcard without any kind of preamp, but every time I do something like that it carries a lot of noise from the impedance mismatch.

[Jens Wulvik]

See, I'd like to go straight to the soundcard without any kind of preamp, but every time I do something like that it carries a lot of noise from the impedance mismatch.

Yea, that's because you simply can't do that, unless your soundcard has a HiZ-input. Stop trying to do something that simply just don't work!

[SnappleMan]

Yea, that's because you simply can't do that, unless your soundcard has a HiZ-input. Stop trying to do something that simply just don't work!

Theoretically, the line out should be a low impedance balanced signal meant to go right into a line in jack. There are two issues here, either that's a CAB OUT, SPEAKER OUT, or just play OUT jack meant to go into a bigger cab, or he's going into the mic input on his soundcard with mic boost on or whatever other fagotry his onboard soundcard came with.

[Jens Wulvik]

Theoretically, the line out should be a low impedance balanced signal meant to go right into a line in jack. There are two issues here, either that's a CAB OUT, SPEAKER OUT, or just play OUT jack meant to go into a bigger cab, or he's going into the mic input on his soundcard with mic boost on or whatever other fagotry his onboard soundcard came with.

That's true. I was actually talking about going direct from the bass guitar, which usually is the easiest way for a good bass sound. A preamp with an HiZ-input doesn't cost a lot of money, and it would make your recordings much better and easier.

[SnappleMan]

That's true. I was actually talking about going direct from the bass guitar, which usually is the easiest way for a good bass sound. A preamp with an HiZ-input doesn't cost a lot of money, and it would make your recordings much better and easier.

Personally I think that's the best way to do it. Even with average pickups you get the best recorded tone out of the bass.

[Rivek]

Yea, that's because you simply can't do that, unless your soundcard has a HiZ-input. Stop trying to do something that simply just don't work!

Actually as it turns out I did that yesterday without any such HiZ-in.

And it sounds fine.

[Jens Wulvik]

Actually as it turns out I did that yesterday without any such HiZ-in.

And it sounds fine.

Have you tried to compare it with a HiZ-input? And did you record directly from your bass guitar?