help with recording

[sir funkytown]

I have to do some recording and I would love to use my new double hum Ray.Any thoughts on that from you forum folk?I tried a couple of weeks ago at a session for a freinds CD and we ended up using my Tobias because the tone from the Ray was a little to growly for him (but, that's a taste issue...not a bass issue).
Although I have been playing a long time I am new to the MM gang(had a Bongo for about a year....if you have been paying attention here ,you know how THAT went).I am diggin' the hell out of this bass live(so is the band, the KEYBOARIST mentioned that he loved the tone...I didn't even think he knew we have a bass player)...but I'm in need of some specific options for recording....Direct,tube pre, through an amp.I would love to get a knockout direct sound!


man...really gots ta change that avatar

 

[Lazybite]

**didn't even think he knew we have a bass player**

Can't help with tone... but I can relate to that above sentence

 

[GassieBall]

I posted something irrelevant (thought you were talking about home recording)

 

[Big Poppa]

first off go back to the bongo.....ok really get you own sound and dont let the engineer dictate to you.....So often you get a guy who only knows one way to record a bass and when confronted with an active bass his usual tweaks are useless

 

[sir funkytown]

Unfortunatly , I'm being paid to make the producer happy not tell his engineer "take it or leave it".I'm just looking for ideas on recording the Ray.I have a couple of basses that I regularly use for sessions that I am used to( thats really the only reason I use them ). I would love to add the Ray to the harem , so, if there is anyone out there who is recording with the double hum ray , I would love to hear from you.

 

[Psychicpet]

yes to what BP said and to add my 2 bits.....

the easiest time and quickest "find a tone" time even with stick in the mud engineers, has been to leave either my SR5 eq and Bongo eq flat then go into an Avalon U5 and use either setting 1 or 3 I believe, the U5 is a great piece of quick and easy gear.
aside from that, going into an Aguilar DB924 and giving a little booty boost and the treble at 11 o'clock is nuts


and be sure you're plucking in between the humbuckers for a smoother* tone




* HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE!

 

[sir funkytown]

thanks PP , thats great advice....I might go get me one of those Avalon DI's (or rent one at the local L&M's).The engineer I usually work with has some nice outboard gear , but he isn't a bass player so i am pretty sure I can convince him to let me tweak his gear a bit...so BP is on the money when he says I should find my own sound on the Ray.Nice job on the axe by the way BP....I'm a thumpin. ,poppin fool these days.I've been using the Ray on all my gigs.Got a new country gig I'm using the Ray on when I should really be using my Tobias 5. "Thunder Rolls"....drop d tuning!!I actually got a bit inspired when I saw that vid of you playing all that country bass with Albert Lee.

 

[Strangeglow]

Have a conversation with the producer and engineer first. Try and get a reference for the tone the producer wants. Also try and get and idea of the signal path and available gear from the engineer. Are you going direct? Are they going to mic the cab? If so, what types of mics/preamps. You don't want to be a pain in the ass, but the closer you can get to what everyone expects, the better off you'll be. That's also why you want to try and get a sonic reference from them.

I never mind trying to get a unique sound with someone, but if I've told them I'm looking for a round tubby sound, they better not show up with new rounds on the bass and the treble turned up.

 

[Lazybite]

also need to make sure the tone works with the other instruments...

so ask the guitar player what tone he/she wants from the bass and then do the opposite

 

[Aussie Mark]

Tube pre with balanced out.