Getting a great bass tone
Computer Music|September 2022
In this tutorial you'll learn how to get a great sound for your bass, straight from your audio interface
Getting a great bass tone

In a previous tutorial I talked about some of the benefits of recording a clean bassline through an audio interface. It certainly cuts down on the amount of equipment that you'll need to record from home. And now, music production technology is easily at a level where listeners would never even be able to tell whether you've recorded with a bunch of effects pedals and an amp in a studio, or you've just emulated the effects using plugins which is what we're going to focus on in this month's tutorial.

If you're anything like me, you'll have a home studio setup with several different instruments at the ready. I've scaled down on certain things over time as I'm not playing live for the foreseeable, so amplifiers were the first to go allowing me to make space. I can still put in a recorded performance, just as I would as a studio guest, but I'm in total control of shaping the clean recording thanks to everything that amp emulation now has to offer. Want some flange or fuzz on that bass? Go ahead. Need it to growl? No problem at all.

I'll walk you through how to achieve the most authentic, or just the most appealing, bass tones for a variety of different amp/cab types to help musicians working in various different genres. I'm primarily a Logic Pro X user, but the principles discussed here can just as easily be applied to any amp modulation plugins. So, let's get stuck in...

Step by step

Create a great bass tone with stock plugins

1 First things first, record your pass parts into Logic. You can use Logic's input monitor to check your levels are coming out OK. You don't want your signal to be too hot (have too much gain) or too low (meaning that when you raise the level in the DAW you'll also add noise).

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 2022-Ausgabe von Computer Music.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 2022-Ausgabe von Computer Music.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS COMPUTER MUSICAlle anzeigen
Sonuscore The Score $399 PC MAC
Computer Music

Sonuscore The Score $399 PC MAC

The Score comes up with a film soundtrack based on your stylistic choices, but that’s just the start of it. Andy Jones scores The Score

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
Baby Audio Humanoid $129 PC MAC
Computer Music

Baby Audio Humanoid $129 PC MAC

Humanoid brings the ‘extreme’ and ‘radical’ to the world of vocals, but is also one of the easiest plugins to use and abuse, says Andy Jones

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 2024
The Synth Factory Horizen $129 PC MAC
Computer Music

The Synth Factory Horizen $129 PC MAC

A synth/sampler that packs in a lot of power at an almost silly price - despite its low profile, Andy Jones gazes at Horizen...

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
Flow Mastering Suite $15/month PC MAC
Computer Music

Flow Mastering Suite $15/month PC MAC

Mastering your music just got as easy or as complex as you want. But, Andy Jones asks, is it worth yet another monthly subscription?

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
Universal Audio LA-6176 $299 PC MAC
Computer Music

Universal Audio LA-6176 $299 PC MAC

UA has bundled three of its classic emulations into one channel strip. Is this analogue dream your ideal plugin team? Andy Jones finds out

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 2024
Rack'em up...
Computer Music

Rack'em up...

IK Multimedia has announced a comprehensive update to its mixing and mastering software, T-RackS, that brings some smart mastering additions

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
FX Collection 5 €499
Computer Music

FX Collection 5 €499

Arturia's huge bundle of effects gets its regular update and it's still easily as essential as the company's V Collection

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 2024
Make a pulsing bass with GForce Axxess
Computer Music

Make a pulsing bass with GForce Axxess

Get mechanical, with a garage-inspired bass patch, which gets right to the pulsing heart of the Axxess synthesiser

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 2024
The software that shaped us
Computer Music

The software that shaped us

Computer Music has had a 25-year history, and over the life of this magazine, the technology behind music production has changed beyond recognition. Here are the products that set the stage for the modern world…

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November 2024
PERFECT VIRTUAL GUITAR!
Computer Music

PERFECT VIRTUAL GUITAR!

Need a great guitar sound, but lacking any guitar-playing contacts, or the skills to play it yourself? Have no fear, your computer is here! With a few pointers, buying advice and hands-on tips, you and your PC or Mac can emulate the greatest guitarists in the world…

time-read
6 Minuten  |
November 2024