How do you guys process DI electric bass guitar when doing studio work?

Branshen · January 2020

Right now, my process is to record direct and add in some cab emulation in the box. The main problem is that it sounds like DI bass without any "air".

Wondering what other people are doing to get good bass tones.

Hardware digital amp sim, ala kemper/helix?
Software amp sim?
Pure DI?
DI with some special preamp?
Micing a real amp?
A blend of these?

WiresDreamDisasters · January 2020

Honestly, if I'm not recording a cab with real mics, then I just throw a NeuralDSP Darkglass plugin on it and call it done!

guitarfishbay · January 2020

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Honestly, if I'm not recording a cab with real mics, then I just throw a NeuralDSP Darkglass plugin on it and call it done!

Yep, same!

I usually use an Ownhammer Ampeg IR but other than that the tone is coming from the DG plug most of the time.

Cirrus · January 2020

Don't have much experience with the newer VST stuff, but personally always recorded or re-amped through a real amp & cab - preferably a 1x15 + Electrovoice RE20 unless it needed to be really fast & articulate. Then for distortion, I'd re-amp the same signal but through my guitar pedalboard and look for something that cut bass & added real grit and character, which I'd ride through the song. Two things always amazed me;

1; how absolutely nasty the distorted track could sound in isolation while still being cool in the mix

2; how little distortion is needed when the bass is exposed, and how much is needed when the arrangement is dense.

Oh, if you do the split - signal distortion thing, you'll almost always need to pick your poison re; phase coherence - slide the dist track around a sample at a time and listen for where it sounds thickest and richest.

octatonic · January 2020

I hardly record with bass cabs these days.

I DI with either an API 512, Phoenix DRS1R or Groove Tubes ViPre.
I tend to use hardware EQ's and compressors.
Favourite EQ on bass is SSL black 242 or brown 02, favourite compressor is the Distressor.

If I want an amp sim then Axe FX III or Kemper.

Branshen · January 2020

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Honestly, if I'm not recording a cab with real mics, then I just throw a NeuralDSP Darkglass plugin on it and call it done!

Had a look at this. Very interesting. Looks more suited for heavier tones though. All the demos are in a metal style..

Branshen · January 2020

Thanks all for the feedback. Great to read about the range of diverse approaches that everyone is using.

One thing is certain, and that is a DI signal is not the bottleneck. I reckon I'll have to listen to my sound and play around abit.

guitarfishbay · January 2020

Branshen said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Honestly, if I'm not recording a cab with real mics, then I just throw a NeuralDSP Darkglass plugin on it and call it done!

Had a look at this. Very interesting. Looks more suited for heavier tones though. All the demos are in a metal style..

Try the demo, and give the Vintage pedal a go. At lower gain settings it can sound nice and warm. I think it covers most sounds, you might also want to grab TSE BOD, which is free and kind of sounds like a Sansamp but not quite as clanky

Branshen · January 2020

guitarfishbay said:

Branshen said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Honestly, if I'm not recording a cab with real mics, then I just throw a NeuralDSP Darkglass plugin on it and call it done!

Had a look at this. Very interesting. Looks more suited for heavier tones though. All the demos are in a metal style..

Try the demo, and give the Vintage pedal a go. At lower gain settings it can sound nice and warm. I think it covers most sounds, you might also want to grab TSE BOD, which is free and kind of sounds like a Sansamp but not quite as clanky

Cheers. I think I will have a go at testing those 2 out.

Branshen · January 2020

As a bit of reference. This is where I've gotten with bass sounds.

Keefy · January 2020

I have achieved my best recorded bass sounds by taking the DI output from one of my gigging bass amps.

(1) Demeter VTBP800D: Valve preamp via Jensen audio transformer.

(2) Ampeg PF50T: All valve head with tapping from output transformer and inbuilt 8 ohm dummy load.

Either of those would be a rather spendy solution for a guitarist laying down bass tracks at home, but I can also recommend:

(3) Power amp and cab IRs in Two Notes Torpedo CAB pedal (also available as Wall of Sound software).

(4) Behringer BDDI pedal - dirt cheap Sansamp knockoff, modded with a single resistor to remove the mid scoop.

Bod · January 2020

I use Kuassa Cerberus for most of my bass sounds. If I'm going for a saturated bass sound I'll use a multiband distortion plugin like FabFilter Saturn (which is awesome for slapping on EVERYTHING - one of my favourite plugins)

Stuckfast · January 2020

I do like the Softube Bass Amp Room plug-in.

pintspiller · January 2020

I have used Behringer BDI of late and got a Two Notes Captur a week ago and it does sound better.

It's worth the investment if you get one at the right price. I got a used one on eBay for £100. I imagine prices for used might come down as I think there's a new version from NAMM

Branshen · January 2020

Brilliant. Lotsa great suggestions to trial/test. I'm sure one (or a few of them) would do the trick.

Fez · January 2020

I use the bass patches in Ezmix or an amp sim from amplitube.

stuartryanmusic · January 2020

I use a Kemper and some outboard these days along with Softube's Tube Tech compressor plug in. Their bass amp room is great though, that was my go to for a long time

Branshen · January 2020

stuartryanmusic said:

I use a Kemper and some outboard these days along with Softube's Tube Tech compressor plug in. Their bass amp room is great though, that was my go to for a long time

I've just recalled that the "amp" and "cabinet" module in ableton live suite was developed with softube. So I suspect I have a variation of bass amp room with my DAW! I've dabbled with it but I guess I better invest the time and learn it well..

thegummy · January 2020

Bod said:

I use Kuassa Cerberus for most of my bass sounds. If I'm going for a saturated bass sound I'll use a multiband distortion plugin like FabFilter Saturn (which is awesome for slapping on EVERYTHING - one of my favourite plugins)

I used Saturn on bass just yesterday and it sounded amazing. Was actually 2 instances of the plugin, one with a tube mode and one with a tape mode. Really did sound great.

Usually I'll use Amplitube Ampeg if I'm not just using DI by itself but always in parallel with the DI signal. I think bass sounds good DI (a lot of the best records over the years have had DI bass only) and I personally wouldn't want it to have any air to the sound or anything like that.

PolarityMan · January 2020

I normally do the split high and lows thing, I like to run both through different amp sims, the lows clean and the highs distorted.

Fretwired · January 2020

Pure DI then reamp with Amplitube.

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How do you guys process DI electric bass guitar when doing studio work?

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