How To Record Bass

How To Record Bass Guitar

The bass is one of the most important aspects of a song. The right bass line can give cohesion and groove to a song. Before recording be sure the bass line works well with the other instruments and locks with the groove of the drums. Below are the different ways to capture both electric and acoustic bass.

D.I Recording

This is the most popular and also easiest approach to recording bass. The good news is that it usually can deliver excellent results.

Just plug your bass straight into your interface, or use a DI box. This means that the sound of the room will no longer be an issue which can make life much easier.

A DI bass sound can sometimes seem to make the sound of the strings too prominent, so using an amp modeller can really help to even out the tone.

This is an easy way to do things and definitely worth trying out, particularly for musicians working from a home studio.

How To Record A Bass Amplifier

Miking the Bass Amp

Microphones designed for bass drums (like an AKG D112) can often work great for recording bass as they are specially designed to handle such low frequencies. You can still get good results with a dynamic microphone such as a Shure SM57 placed between 6 to 18 inches from the speaker.

Aim the mic at the centre of the speaker cone for a punchy sound or aim the mic near the edge of the cone for a sound with smoothness and warmth.

Treat The Room Acoustics

It is best to place the bass amp in a large room with plenty of absorption materials. A room with sofas, a thick mattress or even some rolled up blankets can help tighten the low frequencies of the room and result in a clearer recording of the bass. If the acoustics of the room are not great, try throwing thick blankets around the amp and microphone to deaden some of the reflections from the walls. All these efforts will often result in a much nicer quality bass recording

The Best Of Both Worlds

When it comes to electric bass you have two methods available. You can record bass directly, using a DI box, or you can mic up the bass cabinet. Some people are happy to use only  DI to get their sound, dismissing the cabinet entirely and others like the combination of the DI’d signal with a miked-up cabinet.

In general if you have the option of recording both the cabinet and the DI together then go for it.

By recording the cabinet and the DI signal at the same time you get best of both worlds. In the mixing phase both signals can be combined to achieve the best possible sound.

how to record acoustic bass

A large diaphragm condenser is usually the way to go when it comes to the double bass. Dynamic microphones will capture the low-end well enough, but the increased sensitivity of the condenser can capture the clarity of acoustic bass best. A ribbon is also a desirable option and gives a thick and smooth sound.

Top Tips For Recording Acoustic Bass

1. Use a large diaphragm condenser mic placed at least 18 inches from the center of the body.

2. Aim the mic at the strings for an articulate and snappy sound.

3. For a softer, more full bodied sound place the microphone about 24 inches away and aim it at the f-hole.

4  Record in a large room with soft furnishings to keep the recording clear and free from room reflections.

Now that you know how to record electric guitar like the pro’s, why not add some inject some additional life into your songs by learning how to record Acoustic Guitar too!