Using "real" instruments

[N - Jay]

Guys,

So far I have been working with synths for producing my music, bass, chords etc.
However if I want to make a track with a (bass)guitar for my lead,bass or something else what do most of the producers use? Samples? Live performance recording?

Like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1-NeN7fEqE

[Rein]

You best record it with a nice mic / pre-amp. Can be very costy to do yourself, if it's only for one project. In that case ask some studios what they're charging.

But with some smart EQ'ing and post processing, depending on the way you want to use your sounds, a simple mic in the input of your soundcard can be enough.

Using samples is possible of course but you kind of loose the purpose of using real instruments...

[tone-def]

I think bass is one of the few instruments you can get away with using samples. If you can get that to sound live enough go DI. Recording stuff with mics will sound sh!t in an untreated room.

[livecollective]

I think bass is one of the few instruments you can get away with using samples. If you can get that to sound live enough go DI. Recording stuff with mics will sound sh!t in an untreated room.

yes and no about the mics sounding sh!t recording in an untreated room. You can mic amps easily in many different spaces, if you know how to match mics/amps/instruments you can do it in most spots, you just need to find a room in your house/appt that fits your needs. Often closets are great for mic'ing cabs. I have recorded great drums in untreated rooms, it all depends on the room. If you are skilled at mic'ing the only real problems you will run into in an untreated rooms is with room mics and/or sometimes overheads if you tend to mic far.

Thats just what I have experienced recording bands in a professional environment for years. (mind you a lot of the time we did use treated rooms but that wasn't always the best option or the only "right" option).

Cheers, love getting instruments into the mix. Finding that spot is key though.

I also have to say I have heard/seen and done myself recording of instruments with cheap karaoke mics into a 4-track. So it can be done, mic placement is god here.

[steevio]

I think bass is one of the few instruments you can get away with using samples. If you can get that to sound live enough go DI. Recording stuff with mics will sound sh!t in an untreated room.

i agree with live collective on this, i've mic'ed hundreds of bass amps in loads of different rooms and venues over the years in my job as a sound engineer, with a close proximity microphone right in front of the speaker, the room hardly makes a difference.

you get more attack with the mic centrally positioned, and the sound gets progressively softer the closer you get to the edge of the speaker cone

[tone-def]

Yeah that makes sense. It would be something like an AKG D112. I've never bothered micing a bass amp, always DI. I never really liked dynamic mics on guitar amps (in the studio), always prefer a ribbon mic about a meter away. That's why I prefer a nice room.

[steevio]

i always used to mic bass amps because the timbres from the amp head and speakers constitues 90% of the sound of any electric stringed instrument. especially if you're using a decent tube amplifier. a DI box is a lifeless alternative in comparison.

in my studio i had a selection of different tube heads for bass, Marshall, Hi-Watt, Mattamp (Orange), Vox etc.. and always used a Marshall 4x12 specifically with Celestion G12H bass speakers. i used a variety of mics, but got great results with even relatively cheap mics like a Shure SM57.

if you want a warm, fat bass sound, forget DI boxes.

[N - Jay]

Thanks guys for some insight in micing and recording.

Well about the bassline thing, I've got my answer of Guys FB page

Guy Gerber quote:

"this is my MusicMan Stringray bass guitar which i used to record Steady .this beauty is from 1981 and it's def my favorite piece of gear
in my studio."