Where the bass players at?

[jjjimi84]

I am hoping to do some videos for my favorite instrument, the bass guitar.

But I have some questions for all of you bass players…..

First up, how do you want the audio recorded? When I record bass I mix it up and will do a blend of d.i. and/or mic’d. For actual bass players (not fake ones like me) what do you prefer?

Secondly, what kind of content would you like see/hear?

I really want to make some good content and show some bass love. Maybe even show off my Frankenstein bass

 

[Barry]

Sounds interesting, I've only dipped my toe into it, so I'll be watching this thread!

 

[Matmosphere]

I’d love to see some bass stuff! Though it will be difficult to top watching Fernando plays bass on Instagram.

When you say DI does that mean through a direct box, or literally plugged into a scarlet or something like that?

I used to use a direct box live and sometimes for recording. I was happy with the result, but I wasn’t using a lot in the way of effects back then so that may change the calculus.

I would honestly say a mix of direct and mic would be good.

As far as content, one thing that would be nice to see is comparisons with say a standard pedal (tube-screamer, Muff, whatever) and one modded to work better with bass.

The internet is seriously lacking in decent videos for this kind of thing. I think Davie504 is kind of funny, and he can play very well, but I’m not into that style of stuff and I feel like most bass stuff is in the vein. I would rather see some more straight up punk/indie kind of stuff.

But I’m weird like that. I only play guitar with my fingers and I only play bass with a pick.

 

[Feral Feline]

I love that you only play guitar with fingers and bass with a pick!


JJJimi84, I'd say if you've got a decent bass amp then surely mic it up! Variety is the spice of bass-life, so some DI only, mic only and a mix would be great.

+1 to demonstrating guitar pedals on bass vs modded-for-bass guitar pedals. Of course, bass specific pedals would be awersome.

Just the fact that you're going to do something/anything with bass in mind is a super plus.

Variety again: Pick, fingers, maybe a little slap — whole notes, 16ths, single note runs and chords, dust off the neck past the 12th fret... not slap-fest, not a doom-orgy — mix up the musical styles!


Diversity, that's what I'd enjoy the most.

 

[jjjimi84]

Okay i love the ideas so far. For recording I run into a di box that goes into the interface and is split from the di to the amp from the amp it goes to a two notes torpedo. Torpedo goes into the cabinet and also into the interface for a fake cabinet. Everything just gets blended around in the daw and some of it gets used.

As for playing its going to be my kind of mish mash of half assery. I cant slap but will work on that.

There will be pedal demos and my next big series (later in the year) is all about playing direct.

I am totally going to run my bass into a ton of effects.

 

[peccary]

I like the suggestions so far. I'd say that whichever way you record it would be best to keep the EQ flat and to be sure to mention it if you need to boost/cut anything to make the pedals play nice with bass. I guess I mean that I shouldn't have to crank the bass on my amp to keep the pedal from falling out of the mix.

If you have a P and a J that would cover a lot of ground for most people. I personally don't like active pups for bass but lots do, so if you have a variety available it could be helpful to hear on different pickup styles, but that is asking a lot.

 

[jjjimi84]

I got a passive p/j fender bass and an active prs kingfisher running into a tc rh450 with a 2x10.

anyone delay with bass? Melts my heart

 

[andare]

I'd appreciate demos of PedalPCB pedals for bass as there's not a lot of those. Dirt, especially low gain grit pedals. I get by with my Rumble on-board OD but I'd like more options.

 

[Mentaltossflycoon]

I delay with bass, yes. On your worry about lacking slap skills, I feel like that's mostly necessary when demoing compression and envelope filters and even then I don't find it all that helpful in demos as those effects are so much about feel. I feel like slap is over represented in bass demos but perhaps I'm just biased. Though some of those dudes on basstheworld.com slap tastefully.

 

[Stickman393]

Aye.

I would say that I'm about as fake of a bass player as I am on guitar. Which is to say, I'm not even sure I exist.

Listen...I'm starting to think that I may actually just be a hastily scribbled drawing. Huh.

But yes...bass. DI in has always been my go-to...easier to control in that scenario.

 

[Popnfreshbass]

I’m right here!

Mix of DI and mic is the best way to go. Best of both worlds. I guess the biggest thing is just don’t slap through the whole video. I know its fun as shit to do, but it’s not applicable to like 99% of music. A lot of youtube bass players are guilty of this

 

[jjjimi84]

I’m right here!

Mix of DI and mic is the best way to go. Best of both worlds. I guess the biggest thing is just don’t slap through the whole video. I know its fun as shit to do, but it’s not applicable to like 99% of music. A lot of youtube bass players are guilty of this

I think you may be upset at my lack of slapping as in the none slapping I plan on doing.

I like and appreciate the technique but have never found a way to make it sound anything more than that. I like trying to create music not technique, which is another way to say I cant do therefore my head cannot hear the music associated with it.

I love the players from the sixties and seventies and will do my best to represent that plus a healthy dose of alternative rock and what not. I am thinking about a way to bring in some drums too. That way no one can identify my shitty timing

 

[uranium_jones]

I played bass here and there from 2006 to 2020. I really treated it like a melodic instrument and never practiced keeping a beat. I had a Bass Pod XT and that was it. I do know that you need a good blend of mic and DI but that's it. I had just discovered flatwound when I decided to say screw this, I'm not going to be in a band again anyway, so I might as well go back to guitar.