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Recording bass lines with electric guitar

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  • 23-10-2006 9:06am
    #1
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭


    Hey folks,

    Just wondering is there a way to record half decent bass lines with an electric guitar. Is there a free bass VST I can use? Or maybe a free Octaver VST?

    Has anybody achieved decent results with these types of methods?

    Cheers


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    #2
    MagnumForce
    Closed Accounts Posts: 630 ✭✭✭MagnumForce


    Paligulus wrote:
    Hey folks,

    Just wondering is there a way to record half decent bass lines with an electric guitar. Is there a free bass VST I can use? Or maybe a free Octaver VST?

    Has anybody achieved decent results with these types of methods?

    Cheers

    When my bass was broken a little while ago, i used an acoustic to record bass lines, just pitch shifted it down an octave and EQ'd it to make it sound good, worked very well. I soppose it would work with an electric aswell, it would just take a bit more tweaking to sound right.


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    #3
    jimi_t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,579 ✭✭✭jimi_t


    Paligulus wrote:
    Hey folks,

    Just wondering is there a way to record half decent bass lines with an electric guitar. Is there a free bass VST I can use? Or maybe a free Octaver VST?

    Has anybody achieved decent results with these types of methods?

    Cheers

    If you've Live Lite or similar then the built-in effects will do you fine. I'm sure there's free amp modellers and other VSTs suitable on kvraudio. You could record acoustic - as already suggested - and then EQ it, Pitch change it (if you REALLY feel it needs it) and compress it for a bit more punch and low end.


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    #4
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    I've done this and to an extent it's quite do-able. It's not an ideal scenario and the effectiveness of it will depend alot on what kind of bass lines you're looking to have. If it's simple 16th note rhthyms pounding on the root note just to hold up the bottom end then it will work quite well. If on the other hand you're looking for Flea style bass lines with lots of notes and definition it won't really work. I'd suggest sticking to the bottom A & E strings, play with your finger tip in the middle of the strings, drop down an octave, put on some compression, use the front pick up and maybe cut some high mid in the EQ. If you do that and keep the bass line simple it can work pretty damn well!


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    #5
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    Yeah, I've been something similar myself up to now. I'm using Adobe Audition and I have tried most of the above like cuting MIDS and the like but I cant find a VST to bring it down an octave.

    I also got a nice Plug in called camel crusher which has the option to compress it so it sounds a bit more like a bass.

    BTW I'm not looking to do anything crazy on the bass, just steady, melodic lines,

    Cheers


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    #6
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    Well you might just be in luck right here.
    Let us know how you get on with whatever you go with.


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    #7
    Eoin Madsen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Eoin Madsen


    Is there a specific reason why you want to use an electric as a bass?

    My first instinct is to suggest using a vst instrument or some bass guitar samples, and program your bassline instead. If you're trying to preserve some nuance of the playing that you think you can't reproduce with midi then there's always sample replacement - BeatQuantizer, Protools etc.


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    #8
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    Right so I tried, 2 or 3 of those VST plug ins. They worked but they completely changed the original sound so it sounds kinda crazy. They're great for making crazy space like sounds though.

    In fairness though, I'd be very suprissed to find a decent octaver VST as it is probably the most difficult effect to model (besides harmonization).

    The reason I want to use the guitar is because I want to keep my recording as basic as possible i.e. Recording all the instruments and vocals. And to keep the SoftWare Jiggery Pokery to a minimum (i.e Just for Drum Loops and Mixing the final song).


    To be honest I can see myself buying a Bass Guitar by the end of the week if I dont get anywhere with this!!!!!!!


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    #9
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    Messing with pitch is always a bit of a funny ground. Go buy that bass!!


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    #10
    MagnumForce
    Closed Accounts Posts: 630 ✭✭✭MagnumForce


    What progran are you using to record, cos most ive used have a pitch shifter effect built in, and that works just fine.

    also, is there no one you know who owns a bass?


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    #11
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    I'm using Adobe Audition to record. I like it because its easy to use and has a fair bit of functionality. But I'm more than open to suggestions if there any better (Hopefully fairly to use!!) programs out there.

    My way of thinking is that I dont wanna be messing around trying to learn how to use a huge program when I could be practicing technique and the like!!!!!


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    #12
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    Paligulus wrote:
    My way of thinking is that I dont wanna be messing around trying to learn how to use a huge program when I could be practicing technique and the like!!!!!

    In this day and age that is definitely false economy. In the long run you'd get far more from your ideas and creativity by taking on a more difficult program that has more to offer and getting to know it very well. It will take time but my God will it be worth it! If you tackled something like Cubase you'd be putting yourself on a learning curve that will grow as time goes on and mean that even if you're using a basic version all the work you put in would still be of use even if you wanted to take the plunge into pro recording. Do it.


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    #13
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    frobisher wrote:
    In this day and age that is definitely false economy. In the long run you'd get far more from your ideas and creativity by taking on a more difficult program that has more to offer and getting to know it very well. It will take time but my God will it be worth it! If you tackled something like Cubase you'd be putting yourself on a learning curve that will grow as time goes on and mean that even if you're using a basic version all the work you put in would still be of use even if you wanted to take the plunge into pro recording. Do it.


    That's a fair point chief. I suppose its time to get the thumb out and really get into this recording malarky. I'll reply back in 4 years when I've mastered cubase!!!!!!!


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    #14
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    BTW - I bought a bass!!! Its an ESP B-50, fairly decent budget guitar. No more messing with VST's!!! I also found the TonePort UX2 very good for recording bass. You can get some nice tones with it.

    Now just need to figure out a way to program some drum loops (Well better than Fruity loops!!!).....


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    #15
    frobisher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭frobisher


    Paligulus wrote:
    BTW - I bought a bass!!! Its an ESP B-50, fairly decent budget guitar. No more messing with VST's!!! I also found the TonePort UX2 very good for recording bass. You can get some nice tones with it.

    Now just need to figure out a way to program some drum loops (Well better than Fruity loops!!!).....

    How are you getting on recording the bass?


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    #16
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    frobisher wrote:
    How are you getting on recording the bass?

    Pretty good chief!!!! As a bit of a beginner to this recording malarky Im finding every aspect of it has a steep learning curve, and thats before you get to the mixing stage!!!! On saying that, Im very happy with the sounds Im getting on the bass.

    Check out the first tune in my space below (Diggers got...). If you ignore the vocals and overall sillyness the bass dosn't sound that bad!!!!!!!!!!!!


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    #17
    jimi_t
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,579 ✭✭✭jimi_t


    Paligulus wrote:
    Pretty good chief!!!! As a bit of a beginner to this recording malarky Im finding every aspect of it has a steep learning curve, and thats before you get to the mixing stage!!!! On saying that, Im very happy with the sounds Im getting on the bass.

    Check out the first tune in my space below (Diggers got...). If you ignore the vocals and overall sillyness the bass dosn't sound that bad!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Im liking the heavy handed tribute to Pink Floyd that is Space Pigeon. For a "beginner" you're certainly producing nice results - more the power to you sir!


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    #18
    Paligulus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 364 ✭✭Paligulus


    jimi_t wrote:
    Im liking the heavy handed tribute to Pink Floyd that is Space Pigeon. For a "beginner" you're certainly producing nice results - more the power to you sir!

    Cheers man. Very sound of you!!!! In fairness though, I used a backing track for the bass and drums keyboards on that one!!!! I didnt cheat on the first two though!!!!!!


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