Recording bass guitar

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Hi everybody!

Usual situation - I’d like to record some covers and I’m curious about a best way to record my bass with Audacity. What I have:

  • a powerful Windows 10 laptop, no complaints here, it’s totally ok for any recording stuff;
  • bass :slight_smile:
  • an external sound card Focusrite Scarlett 2i2;
  • MXR M80 Bass DI Plus (compressor/distortion) - no need in distortion right now, so I usually use it as a compressor;

As you might guess the mic/amp solution is out of question and I’d like to use the sound card. So far I tried to plug in and record, but well… the sound is awful to say at least. I guess I don’t know something, so I’d be very very very glad to get any good advice from you guys :slight_smile:
Thanks in advance!

2
  • bass

Actually, electric bass.

So you have the pedal plugged into the 2i2 with a 1/4" cable, right? You can’t use an XLR (3-pin) cable for this.

You probably have the LINE/INST set to instrument, but that may not be best for a bass. Switch to LINE.

Does the 2i2 volume knob turn red when you play? Keep turning it down until it just turns green.

Does that sound better?

Koz

3

As you might guess the mic/amp solution is out of question and I’d like to use the sound card. So far I tried to plug in and record, but well… the sound is awful to say at least.

What’s wrong with the sound?

It’s fairly common to direct-record bass, probably with some compression.

If you’re clipping the Focusrite and the level control won’t go down enough* you can try simply turning-down the bass, you might try using the M80 without any effects to attenuate the levels.

Do you have a good monitoring setup so you can actually hear the bass?





\

  • There are some interfaces that can’t be turned-down to zero and I don’t remember if the Focusrite is one of them.
4

I got one of the editors once to let me put a scope on his regular electric guitar—no amp—and I got what I thought was a soft, weak sister line volume out of it. I was pounding it. So that would be the “instrument” setting on interfaces. With a bass, I would assume switching to Line (volume drop) and then turning the 2i2 volume down should handle the bass performance without overloading anything.

You Must use a 1/4" guitar cable for this. If you plug an XLR into the 2i2, it will switch to microphone service and could cook the preamp.

We’re on the edge of our seats to find how it came out.

You can post a clip of the bad sound. A stereo posting won’t go over about 10 seconds.

https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-post-an-audio-sample/29851/1

Koz

5

You probably have the LINE/INST set to instrument, but that may not be best for a bass. Switch to LINE.

Sorry, what do you mean with LINE/INST and LINE?

Does the 2i2 volume knob turn red when you play? Keep turning it down until it just turns green.

No, no, I know it shouldn’t be red and it’s perfectly green :slight_smile:

6

Do you have a good monitoring setup so you can actually hear the bass?

I’m using the headphones, unfortunately I don’t have any monitors yet.

Well, I’m afraid I can’t explain what’s wrong with the bass… I cannot put it into words :slight_smile: I’ll better upload an audio file tomorrow.

7

We’re on the edge of our seats to find how it came out.

Hehe. Alright, I’m going to upload a sample tomorrow. Thank you!

8

Well, here’s my best result in terms of sound…
https://www.sendspace.com/file/y2d5nv

I wouldn’t say it’s ok to be honest, because when I turn all the effects off (compressor and distortion) it’s just a low boo-boo in mono, the I can’t achieve a normal clean sound. This is the problem #1. And the problem #2 is that for some reason my bass recording sort of delays for 0.5 second. I have to drag it a bit back manually to make it fit the original track. Any comments would be welcome :slight_smile:

9

Sorry, what do you mean with LINE/INST and LINE?

There is a line/instrument switch on the front of the Focusrite.

The instrument connection is intended for guitar or bass.

There is no mic switch so I assume it automatically switches to mic with an XLR connector plugged in. The line connection is intended for a line-level signal from a preamp or mixer, or you could connect the “tape” output from a stereo receiver, etc.

The instrument selection should be higher impedance and higher sensitivity. Are you using a regular 1/4-inch “guitar plug” into the interface? The lower impedance of the line-input will reduce the signal from the bass and it will alter the “tone”.

Well, here’s my best result in terms of sound…
https://www.sendspace.com/file/y2d5nv

Sorry, it says I need an account and I’m not going to “sign-up” for anything…

[u]How to attach files to forum posts[/u]. There is a file-size limit, so use MP3 if you need to attach a longer file.

I wouldn’t say it’s ok to be honest, because when I turn all the effects off (compressor and distortion) it’s just a low boo-boo in mono, the I can’t achieve a normal clean sound.

So, you don’t have a bass amp? Are you sure the bass is good?

You probably need some compression/distortion, especially if you are playing low notes. You don’t normally “hear” deep bass, you feel it in your body, but you can’t feel it the same way with headphones. On a “small stereo” we just hear the harmonics. Some of those harmonics are normal and some are distortion. It’s pretty normal to drive a bass amp (or a guitar amp) into distortion. It’s hard to get “loudness” from the bass in a recording without some distortion. Electric guitar also tends to sound quiet without compression or distortion.

Of course, a single instrument is mono…

And the problem #2 is that for some reason my bass recording sort of delays for 0.5 second.

There is always delay (latency) through the computer. You can adjust [u]Track shift after record[/u].

10

I’m sorry, I guess the SoundCloud would be the perfect solution. No registration and no downloading involved :wink:

https://soundcloud.com/user-990188395/accept-balls-to-the-wall-excerpt-2

11

Alright, thanks guys! I got the answers for each and every question I had. Thanks!