Category Archives for "Guitar & Bass"

There are a lot of different ways to capture a bass amp (or bass guitar in general) and to dial in a great bass tone. And there are a ton of options to choose from, when it comes to gear. 

"I've tried using amp sims but they just don't sound like the real thing." 

Is this you? Do you feel like amp sims are great for writing, but you'd always choose a "real" amp for your actual record? If only you had access to a couple of great guitar amps, cabs and mics... If only recording these real amps was as quick and convenient as recording a DI into plugin... If only amp sims would sound as good as the real thing...

Good news: They do! Not the same, but just as good.

As always, it's not about the gear you use, it's about the sound in your head, your vision, your creativity. And there are always multiple different ways and different tools to get there. 

When it comes to guitar tone, modern amp sims (virtual guitar amp plugins or Kemper profiles) can definitely get you there. That being said, we can see why you are feeling like they're lacking. There are reasons many people seem to love analog gear (and specifically analog guitar amps) more than their digital counterparts. But luckily, there are ways to make them work just as well as the classic amps we all love. 

In this episode we're discussing what it actually is that makes an amp sound great and "real", then we're talking about if, where and why amp sims might be lacking and finally, we're giving actionable advice on how to make them work on a professional, exciting record.

Don't let your lack of gear hold you back!

One of the most common issues we run into, when we get tracks from self-recording bands, are tuning issues. And out of tune guitar and bass tracks are one of those things that immediately scream "AMATEUR PRODUCTION!".

An acoustic guitar is a complex thing to record and there's so many things that can go wrong.

The instrument, the strings, the performance, the room, the microphones and placement, noise issues and finally the question:

How do I get this to work in the context of my song? 

Most of the time the acoustic guitar serves a specific purpose. Either on its own, or in a dense, full rock band arrangement.

In this episode we'll walk you through the process of recording an acoustic guitar and cover all the details, as well as different methods and approaches, so that you can start your next session with confidence.

When you record a guitar or bass, you should always record a clean DI signal in addition to your amp (or amp sim, Kemper, etc.)

There are plenty of very good reasons for recording a DI track - and just no reason not to.

In this episode we talk about the many ways your next record will possibly benefit from having DI tracks and sending those to mixing along with your amp tones:

• It will enhance your creativity
• It will allow you to focus on the music and the performance more, the stuff that matters the most
• It will make you a better guitar player
• Editing will be much easier, more effective and transparent
• The final tone (the end result) will probably be a lot better (we explain exactly how and why)
• There are a lot of creative, fun things you can do with a DI that can really bring your record to the next level (we talk about examples for this and how to do it)

Confused by all the switches, buttons and knobs on your recording gear?

"What does this knob on my recording gear actually do and how does this all work? When do I need to push which button? What are "pad" and "48V" actually?"

Find out why, when and how to use all the controls on your interfaces and microphones!

Bass Tone is not just about getting the low end right. 

The bass has to cut through the mix and we need a bass tone that makes it audible on small speakers, as well. Also, we perceive low end differently depending on the midrange information, for example. We can even "hear" low end information when it's not really there at all. Sounds weird? Well, it's definitely fascinating!

It's also worth thinking about the role the bass guitar and the bass tone play in an arrangement. The interaction between the bass and everything else.

So, in order to capture a great bass tone that serves the song well and works in the final mix, it's absolutely crucial to know and understand all of these things. In this episode we're talking about how this all works and what to do if you want to dial in and record a great bass tone.

Getting the low end right is one of the most important and most difficult things in music production. Not because it’s technically hard to do, but because it requires a musical and tasteful approach, as well as the ability and experience to hear problems, find problem areas and attack them in a systematic way. 

Many people record a band in this order:

1. Drums -> 2. Bass -> 3. Guitars -> 4. Everything else -> 5. Vocals

I used to do the exact same thing for years. Because it makes sense, right? First you record the groove, which is usually drums and bass, then the rhythm guitars on top of it, then other rhythm elements and then all the lead parts and vocals can play and sing to that rhythm. 

While it’s a good idea to think of the arrangement like this, it’s NOT a good idea to do it strictly in this order every time you record. In fact, I would highly recommend to stop recording bass before rhythm guitar(s).