The bass is the body of a track, it’s the glue that holds the skeletal drums together, and it sonically adds warmth, rhythm, and size that a track needs to sound full and complete. Many mixes I hear today, from demos to rough mixes, and even final mixes on records, are lacking in low end. They sound thin and tinny with no bottom end, no body, no bass. One of the first things I tell aspiring engineers is “Don’t be afraid of too much bass.”

In my opinion, the ideal bass rig for most applications is a Fender P Bass through an Ampeg B-15 flip-top tube combo amp. In order to get the best sound in the studio, it’s essential to combine the mic’d amp signal with the direct signal straight from the bass. Each signal carries different sonic characteristics; so combining them allows their frequencies to add in a way that creates a huge full-spectrum bass sound.

It’s imperative, however, to check the phase between these signals, as they could be subtracting from each other. Do this by switching the phase on one of the signals and listen to the difference. The signals are in phase when the low end is boosted and out of phase when low end is cancelled out.

The natural distortion and harmonics of the tubes in the Ampeg B-15 sound superb on bass, but for the most part, you don’t want the signal to be breaking up too much, or else it will lose definition and clarity in the low end. I adjust the gain to a level that sounds beefy but isn’t too grainy, and then adjust EQ to get the right blend of bass and treble. I usually end up boosting the bass a bit and then add treble to balance it out. My choice mic on a bass cabinet is the Neumann U47 FET. I place it right up on the grill cloth (almost touching) with the capsule directly in line with the dust cap of the speaker. The signal then runs to an API or BAE 312A mic pre, an API 550A EQ with +4 db at 7K on a shelf and then goes straight to tape (or the computer) from there.

For the direct signal, I use a custom-made DI (Direct Injection) box that utilizes a Jensen JT-DB-E Transformer. Of all the numerous DI boxes built with various transformers out there, I’ve found that the Jensen JT-DB-E is the best sounding transformer by far and away on bass. DI boxes are one of the simplest pieces of gear to build. It’s basically a box, an input instrument jack, the transformer, and two output jacks (one ¼” instrument and one male XLR). You can also add a switch to flip the phase and a ground lift switch if you want more options. So if you’re decent with a soldering iron and up to the task, I highly recommend building a custom DI box. It’s a great little DIY project that produces a top-notch piece of gear for a fraction of the price you’d pay for one of lesser quality.

I run the signal from the DI to an API or BAE 312A mic pre, an API 550A EQ and then to a Teletronix LA-2A Leveling Amplifier in compressor mode where I set the peak reduction so the gain reduction is averaging around -2 to 3 dB of reduction and the output is peaking just under +3 dB. I then run the signal to a Pultec EQP-1A full range equalizer with a boost around 3 dB at 60 Hz to boost the bottom-end sub frequencies.

If the outboard gear is not available, the same moves can be applied to plug-in versions of the LA-2A Leveling Amplifier and the Pultec EQ for in-the-box mixing. I prefer the Waves versions: the CLA-2A and the PuigTec EQP-1A.

In terms of getting the level right in the mix, it’s best to listen at a very low level, as the bass will sound louder than it actually is when the speakers are playing back loud. Another key element is how the bass is interacting with the kick drum. Once the drums are dialed in, I bring in the bass and make sure it is melding with the kick drum in a way where the bass is fully present but not overwhelming the punch of the kick drum. I then build the instrumental elements of the track up from there before finally bringing in the vocals and making final touches to the mix as a whole.

Footnotes: *The next thing I tell aspiring engineers is that it takes hundreds and hundreds of hours of listening and mixing in the studio to truly get the hang of it.

GOOD LUCK!