Hi I am new here, came over from BOCFans (and connected on facebook).

After reading a few things here I though you might have a suggestion or two.
I am doing some home recording on the PC using a couple of different products mainly Tascam US-428.

I find I am not getting a good bass sound, it doesn't have much body and boosting it just messes it too much.

Do you have any small pre-amp type recommendations , is that what I should be looking at ?

Given that family and neighbourhood situations don't really allow for miking amps.

Thanks
Andrew

get the ART tube preamp. It's cheap, under $100, and it sounds very good. Bass is tough because you actually have to do the opposite of what you think you should do to get it to sound right. When the bass starts dying in the mix, most people boost the low end. This is incorrect. Most speakers can't accurately produce frequencies below 100 Hz. By boosting the low frequencies, you're making the speakers work harder with no audible results, and you end up making things sound worse. When I run into this problem, I actually start removing the low end, and boosting the low mids. If you lower your sound below 100 hz and boost it in the 120 - 250 Hz range, you'll actually hear a difference.

Another thing. Unless you're the world's greatest bassist, compression is essential. I usually squash the hell out of the bass. I like it to sound constant. If it's too dynamic, it can become obnoxious. I'll usually set it for a fast attack if I play with a pick. I'll use a slower attack for fingered bass. Slapping is somewhere in the middle.

EQ first then compress. Reduce your ultra low frequencies, and the compressor will take this EQ'd bass and make it sound more focused. The funny thing is that by reducing low end, you actually hear more bass.

Also, check out getting a good software modelling program. At this point, they all sound pretty good. I use Guitar Rig, but Amplitube is also very good. If I have a bass sound that is total crap, I'll run it through one of these plug-ins and that fixes it 99% of the time.

-Richie



Last edited by Richiesos on Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:27 pm; edited 3 times in total

Thanks, especially for the EQ/ compression advice. I must admit I have been guilty of the wrong thing.
is this the one ?
http://www.allansmusic.com.au/prod/150029/ART_Tube_MP_–_Studio_V3.aspx

Here's the one I was talking about

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-ART-TMPPS-LIST

The one you put up is almost the same except it has a limiter built in. Either will work.

-Richie

Thanks.
One more question, with the add ons, do they work like using an effect with the sequencing software ?
I am running well behind now days but am trying to get back up to speed.

I better not ask too many questions, remote lessons to Australia could cost a packet

The amp simulation software can be pretty CPU intensive if you run it in real time. Back when I was still running a mac, I used to run into CPU problems all the time. To get around this, I would simply print the effect instead of running it real time. There are variojs ways to do this. In pro tools you use Audio Suite. In DP they have a feature called freeze track. In other programs you can just put the effect on the track then route the output to another track and record the same file with the effect added. After you record the track with the effect, you delete the original track and gain back some CPU power.