Making a Solid Bass Track

Though it may seem straightforward enough, bass can be among the most challenging instruments to record well. Add too much and the track could turn out overly dark and muddy; too little bass and the resulting sound may lack sufficient bottom. Then there's the bass itself-a setup that worked fine on a simple acoustic song may not cut it on something with more volume. Let's take these and other factors into consideration as we again explore some time-tested methods for getting a consistently appealing bass track.

Check your gear. It goes without saying that your bass and accessories should be in good working order before you start tracking. There are many opinions as to how often one should do a string-change (some players prefer a more worn-in sound and may go months or even years on the same set), however a fresh pack of strings can certainly improve tone and articulation. Nor should you forget the importance of intonation and action-if need be, adjust the string saddles so that they're at the correct height and are properly spaced. While you're at it, make sure that the volume and tone pots are noise-free when adjusting.

Playing methods. Another thing to consider is how you approach the bass as a player from song to song. For instance, using your thumb or fingers can sound markedly different than when playing with a pick, the latter producing more of a strident tone. Similarly, hitting certain notes up the neck, versus lower on the fretboard, generally results in a wider, louder bass sound. And of course, how much force you bring when playing is also a key determinant. In short, a good part of a good bass sound is knowing when, say, to switch from pick to fingers or thumb (and vice versa), and most importantly, when it's better to play with less volume in order to properly gel with the bass drum while providing a more leveled overall bass track.

Recording choices. What's the best way to record an electric bass? As you may know, you can go two ways-by miking up a bass amplifier, or by taking the signal straight into the recorder using a direct-injection, or DI, transformer box. There are benefits and drawbacks to each. Some prefer the sound of amplified bass, which tends to be a bit warmer and roomier compared to going direct. On the other hand, recording the bass straight in takes the amplifier out of the equation, which can be especially helpful when trying to keep your sounds to yourself (since bass frequencies can be the toughest of all to soundproof). Or you might consider a bit of each, recorded to two separate tracks and then blended together to suit one's tonal taste.

Mixing bass. Also, paramount is knowing the best place to situate the bass when it's time to mix the track. In general, the bass tends to be assigned to the center, however, feel free to try panning the part just as an experiment. Live jazz or acoustic groups often make good candidates for non-centered bass, as well as anything else where the bass and bass drum don't necessarily need to "lock" like they would in a standard rhythm section.

Tweaking the tone. There may be times when your listeners are playing your music off a mobile device or something equally puny. To compensate, when mixing you really pump up the bass-which may help solve the smartphone deficiency, but through normal speakers is likely to sound downright muddy. What you want is a bass sound that cuts through the mix, rather than overwhelms it. Use your channel equalization to sculpt the bass tone so that it not only has definition but also doesn't get in the way of the other instruments in the mix.