Tips for Bass
(update 10/07/2000)

There are a lot of different styles of bass sounds nowadays, but there isn't much to say, technically, on the subject.

Double bass | Electric bass : the Amp | the Instrument | the Effects

Double bass :

You'll have to develop a very clean style of playing to avoid all the nasty string noises due to your fingers slipping during chord changes. Too often, the sound engineer gets as much of these 'zips' as there are useful notes with his microphones. If you use a pickup (also called a transducer, a piezzo or cell mic), it will 'pick-up' these parasite sounds just as well ! It's, therefore, not a solution.

Electric bass

The Amp :

If you don't have a 'combo', then the amp is a seperate item from the cabinet (which contains the speakers)

	There is more than often no need to bring a huge cabinet, with 8 identical speakers (Goliath, and the like) to the studio. Most of the time, these are made for volume, not sound quality. The D.I. output of your amp may sound even better ! Most of the time, the engineer will mix two sources : the D.I. output and the microphone. He'll record the on two seperate tracks, so he can get the benefits of both worlds during the mix - he'll have the precision (and also a lot of fret noises !) from the D.I. - and the lush, coloured, bass-heavy, sound of the microphone. (I'd like to know more about DIs)
	Check that your cabinet (box where the speakers are mounted) is free of any parasite vibrations, due to loose screws or a any other loose object.
	Concerning the tuning of the amplifier : Don't forget that the microphone will be quite close to the speakers. A sound that seems correctly balanced in bass and treble 10 feet away will inevitably sound diffenrent once picked-up by the microphone. Don't be surprised if the sound engineer asks you to alter that balance, he's only trying to get the same sound you find right 10 feet away, event though he's picking it up from a couple of inches away !
	If you have a remote footswitch system (maybe even MIDI) from which you can change the sounds of your amp, try to maintain a consistent level throughout the different sounds. That's something that will make a Front Of House engineer happy during a concert !
	Concerning cables, even though it's tempting to use the first jack cable you laid your hands on, you'd better use special very low impedance cables designed specifically for guitars and bass. The signal can run fairly long distances without "collapsing" (a must for live work !). I know, they cost a lot ($40 for a 30 ft cable) : test both, then cry your heart out because you didn't know, and start saving !

Electric bass

The Instrument :

	Tuning : the best thing would be to have just one tuner for the whole band, on which each member will plug-in when he has the slightest doubt on his instrument. Therefore, you avoid minute errors due to several tuners which aren't even tuned together in the first place ! Make sure that tuner is designed for bass and guitar.
	Bring TWO sets of new strings. You'll never be too precautious. A brand new string set will give you a firm and clean edge, even on low chords.

Electric bass

The Effects :

Since there are no rules concerning the chaining of effects, I wouldn't dare give any advice on that matter. Some bass players even found a distinctive sound by breaking some of the rules we'd thought were granted !

But, concerning the effects based on delays (especially echo effects) or reverb, don't forget that studios generally have far better effect processors than the ones found in an ordinary bassist's effect rack. Try to jot down the values of the delays you use in milliseconds (when possible, most effect pedals have pots that are labeled in 'zblixs'), for each song or part, in order to give the information rapidly to the engineer, if he thinks he can do better with one of his processors.