Your approach on bass.

[jaakkol]

Hi Butch,
Great info & answers from you so far!

I´d like to know how do you ideally like to deal with bass when recording band. Do you like to record it before or after guitars? Also do you record DI or just try to make the amp sound right?


cheers
Jaakko

[demel]

Hi Butch,

It is super cool having you and your team here. You guys have put so much time and energy into answering so many question and its sincerely appreciated!

About the bass on your productions:

Are you typically using DI and Amp combos?
Lots of eq and compression going in?
Any favorite pre amps, compressors , amps, effects, pedals and mics?

I'm sure you have so many tricks from tracking to mix down if you don't mind sharing.

Thanks!

[ButchVig]

Originally Posted by demel

Hi Butch,

It is super cool having you and your team here. You guys have put so much time and energy into answering so many question and its sincerely appreciated!

About the bass on your productions:

Are you typically using DI and Amp combos?
Lots of eq and compression going in?
Any favorite pre amps, compressors , amps, effects, pedals and mics?

I'm sure you have so many tricks from tracking to mix down if you don't mind sharing.

Thanks!

This is one for the engineers to weigh in on!!!

C'mon boys!

[Billy Bush]

Originally Posted by demel

Hi Butch,

It is super cool having you and your team here. You guys have put so much time and energy into answering so many question and its sincerely appreciated!

About the bass on your productions:

Are you typically using DI and Amp combos?
Lots of eq and compression going in?
Any favorite pre amps, compressors , amps, effects, pedals and mics?

I'm sure you have so many tricks from tracking to mix down if you don't mind sharing.

Thanks!

In my experiences with BV, it's a combo of DI, amp and Sansamp RB1

Not much eq going in as we get the sound from the bass and amp first. On the last couple of records we've done together the DI has been the A-Designs Reddi into a LA2A and the mic has been either a Blue Mouse, a U47 Fet or a small condenser like the jospehson es22. The preamp has been a Chandler TG-2, Groove Tubes Vipre or Neve 1073.

For rock, nothing beats a great old SVT and 8x10.

For the Garbage stuff, it's pretty much always been a B-15.

Effects-wise, the Prescription Depth Charge, the sansamp and the EH bass microsynth are usually the first things to try!

[JB872]

Originally Posted by Billy Bush

In my experiences with BV, it's a combo of DI, amp and Sansamp RB1

Not much eq going in as we get the sound from the bass and amp first. On the last couple of records we've done together the DI has been the A-Designs Reddi into a LA2A and the mic has been either a Blue Mouse, a U47 Fet or a small condenser like the jospehson es22. The preamp has been a Chandler TG-2, Groove Tubes Vipre or Neve 1073.

For rock, nothing beats a great old SVT and 8x10.

For the Garbage stuff, it's pretty much always been a B-15.

Effects-wise, the Prescription Depth Charge, the sansamp and the EH bass microsynth are usually the first things to try!

Hi Billy

I really liked the bass tone you got on the Against Me record and remember reading that you used a similar chain as above to get that sound.

A question about the Sansamp, are you using it in line with the amp or are you recording three seperate bass tracks, .DI, AMP, and Sansamp?

[ButchVig]

Originally Posted by jaakkol

Hi Butch,
Great info & answers from you so far!

I´d like to know how do you ideally like to deal with bass when recording band. Do you like to record it before or after guitars? Also do you record DI or just try to make the amp sound right?


cheers
Jaakko

Lately I like to record the rhythm guitars first, then do bass.

It's much easier to tell how much midrange or top end you need when the bass has to compete with a wall of guitars.

[Chrislpp]

Where do the drums come in relation to this?

Do you try and get them down first (something that you will keep) then Gtrs (rhythm) --- > Bass ----> Vox/solos/miscellaneous etc.?

[slaves666]

I too prefer to record bass after guitars, especially if rhythms and accents need to change on guitar to follow the drums.

Can you maybe elaborate on getting bass to cut through a dense mix on smaller speakers?

[dmc]

Originally Posted by ButchVig

Lately I like to record the rhythm guitars first, then do bass.

It's much easier to tell how much midrange or top end you need when the bass has to compete with a wall of guitars.

I still remember an infamous 6hour drive from arizona to socalback in 1992 with my father. during the drive i was at the mercy of Bob's taste in music. i remember after the 3rd listen to foreigner's greatist hits we stopped off at a walmart of all places, and i bought my second copy of SY dirty.
he did make it through the second listen. to his credit.

[Billy Bush]

Originally Posted by JB872

Hi Billy

I really liked the bass tone you got on the Against Me record and remember reading that you used a similar chain as above to get that sound.

A question about the Sansamp, are you using it in line with the amp or are you recording three seperate bass tracks, .DI, AMP, and Sansamp?

I tend to keep them separate and the blend usually ends up to be mostly amp, some sansamp (which is pretty distorted) and then little or no DI.

[JB872]

Originally Posted by Billy Bush

I tend to keep them separate and the blend usually ends up to be mostly amp, some sansamp (which is pretty distorted) and then little or no DI.

Thx Billy. Does the sansamp go into another preamp or are you going straight to AD? And do you tend to roll off the low end on the sansamp so it just provides the dirt?

[Billy Bush]

Originally Posted by JB872

Thx Billy. Does the sansamp go into another preamp or are you going straight to AD? And do you tend to roll off the low end on the sansamp so it just provides the dirt?

All three channels come up on the console and then get bussed to separate channels in PT.

The sansamp is pretty much there for midrange crunch. Most low end comes from the amp.

[JB872]

Originally Posted by Billy Bush

All three channels come up on the console and then get bussed to separate channels in PT.

The sansamp is pretty much there for midrange crunch. Most low end comes from the amp.

[ButchVig]

Originally Posted by Billy Bush

All three channels come up on the console and then get bussed to separate channels in PT.

The sansamp is pretty much there for midrange crunch. Most low end comes from the amp.

The Sans Amp is GREAT for mid crunch.

What's the pedal I like, that Justin used o Bleed Like Me...also Charlotte with the Subways?

Wooly Mammoth?

[Billy Bush]

Originally Posted by ButchVig

The Sans Amp is GREAT for mid crunch.

What's the pedal I like, that Justin used o Bleed Like Me...also Charlotte with the Subways?

Wooly Mammoth?

That's it.. ZVEX Wooly Mammoth.. also the Prescription Electronics Depth Charge.

[pete]

just wondering if sans amp plugin can replace the real thing for you..?

[Billy Bush]

Originally Posted by pete

just wondering if sans amp plugin can replace the real thing for you..?

not really. it's cool for some things but the pedal or rack version does it a bit different.