This week in the session we worked on recording the bass.
In order to get a better chance of a decent bass sound we recorded the bass using both a Amp (mic with a condenser) and a DI (direct input) box. we used the DI box as a signal splitter, this allowed us to have a raw signal recorded into protools aswell as a raw pickup amp recording.
Using a Di box as a seperate signal was like having a safety feature. it also gives us the option to create a re-amp situation or replicate an identical performance if we desparately needed to.
After we set this up we reopened the guide track from the previous week (drum tracking) in order for the bassist (George) to have the guide to record to. this was setup using the foldback sysem created in the previous week.
We setup and SM57 mic in the live room so that we could use the talback feature and mic to communicate with George. In the studio we set the levels of all the pre-recorded drums and live track for Georges headphones and made sure that George was happy with these levels. We then tested with George playing the bass to make sure he could hear everything at the correct levels. We then recorded the bass.
Positives of this session was that we where once again finished on time in the session and got a good and decent sounding recording of the instrument for the mix.
negatives this session was that we had a problem with background sound from the amp annd the DI box. After spending alot of tie as a group trying to figure out the issue it was finally resolved. we spent a fair bit of time sorting through different wires and instrument and even ports to the dsk in order to figure out the problem. Eventually we resorting to trying a different DI box and as it turned out that was the issue. To solve this we swapped ver the DI box and reset the levels. we where then able to record a decent bass rack
Overall the session when well and only with the one complication, we now know to make sure that is one of the first things we check.