Bass without clipping?

[SteveR]

I have a digi002 and I plug straight in for bass tracks. I use guitar rig 2 to get the sounds I want. But the bass always seems to clip with GR or a compressor plugin. I dont want to record a clipping direct signal.

[audioboffin]

Try turning it down !

[albee1952]

Record without plugins on your new track. Keep in mind that when you record with plugins, you are actually recording a dry(unprocessed) signal, unless you buss the output of the record track (w/plugins) to another audio track and also record there. If you just gotta have effects on your track while recording, create an aux track with the desired plugins>set its input to the same input as your audio track and mute the audio track(or turn it down).

[mindnoise]

HI

just to be sure:
but keep in mind that the method described in the post above is ONLY to be used as EFFECT.

It WON`T protect your signal from clipping!

So turn down your Input signal and use a Audio Track WITHOUT Plugs inserted, so you can actually
control the input level.

And on 24 bit DAW you don´t need a burning HOT signal!
About halfway to 2/3 meter level will suffice.

regs

[dmm]

Get yourself a DI with a pad on it.

You can get yourself a really cheap one or invest a few more bucks for a good one that will help shape your bass tone in a very good way.

Good enough to even leave Guitar Rig off of your bass track insert and save CPU!

Good Luck.

[SteveR]

I just have to keep the preamp at a very very low level maybe 9 or 10 o clock. If a DI box or maybe that art tube pre would help get a better signal level.

[daeron80]

I record bass direct to 002R, with pre gain knob usually at about 9 or 10 o'clock, same as you (well, OK, I have a dbx 160 in between, but no DI). Sounds great. If you had one of those big nasty 1990's era basses with active circuitry, you might have to bring the gain knob all the way down to prevent overload. That's not a problem. If anything, it means the pre is contributing less noise to the signal.

Like the other guy said, shoot for peaks about 2/3 the way up when recording 24-bit. When fast transients shoot up toward 0 dB (maximum level) a built in auto limiter kicks in and keeps the sound from being as punchy as it should be (nearly all converters have these to keep the circuit from being destroyed by excessive overloads). Shoot for peaks around -18 to -12 dB, and then when you get excited you'll hit maybe -6, which is about as high as you want to go when recording bass and drums from analog. A -48 dB peak at 24 bit has theoretically the same vertical resolution as a 0 dB peak at 16 bit, so you've got lots of headroom.

"But this one goes to 11..."