DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY RECORDING BASS - Here's Everything You Need To Know

[@pip5528]

The "dumb bassist" joke truly has come full circle now. I also love how a Canadian and an Englishman are making fun of each other's mannerisms.

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

btw, I use Arch.😜

[@pip5528]

@@Bob-of-Zoid Nice! I distro hopped a lot in 2018 until I took a break from Linux in 2019, having started my Linux enthusiasm in 2015 and been active in communities around that time. I'm not really a FOSS or Linux snob/purist but I love that commercial programs like Reaper do have native Linux support.

[@Bob-of-Zoid]

@@pip5528 I use Ardour, and man has it improved and pretty quick too. I am already overwhelmed with all it can do, and trying Reaper would mean learning yet another system, which could break ones brain!🤯

[@jennoscura2381]

@@pip5528Yep I did some distro and GUI hopping. I was really happy with Ubuntu with Gnome 2. But then unity happened. So I jumped ship and went with Mint with MATE. On laptops I use mint with XFCE. Since Reaper works on Linux I have no reason to switch. Although I am planning on getting a new (uses) laptop from eBay. My plan is to have a dual boot with whatever windows is on it. Just for things like firmware updates that can't be done from Linux. Unfortunately Wine has issues with USB for this purpose. But besides that; I am sticking with Linux.

[@nelejanbbi4616]

​@@Bob-of-Zoid if you ever get around to it, reaper has become so good, it's the primary reason i switched to linux! i remember trying it when it only had experimental support and it was basically useless, no lv2 and it crashed constantly. now it is as stable (or more) as in mac and windows. it's a really powerful daw.

[@bfunkadelicmusic]

I was in a metal band from 02-04 and we decided to record our first album on our own (huge mistake.)Our lead singer bought a Roland portable recording thing that was awful. Our bassists wanted to record his tracks by himself so we gave him some privacy. He came out of the room when he finished his track and was super proud. We all went in to listen and it sounded weird. We soloed his part and there were huge sections where he just dropped out and stopped playing. He seriously thought we wouldn’t notice 🤦‍♂️ The lesson kids, practice your shit before recording!

[@CyberChrist]

He thought you were Metallica.

[@tjsogmc]

True, but you learned some very valuable lessons by doing that. So it didn't really end in failure if you think about it.

[@steffenpanning2776]

This isn't even possible with my band. I (drums) and my bass-player often play without a guitarist, just to get the song grooving. Not knowing the song means I or he plays alone :)

[@totalbullion5882]

LOL, I must have played with the same bassist, he quit the band when I called him out for faking it during rehearsal!

[@PanekPL]

DAMN, that's actually a great lofi setup. With the bass dropping out you could go for an underground minimalist metal feel and actually do something interesting. But noooooo, gotta have a B I G sound from a B I G producer, right?

[@nedim_guitar]

I'm a guitarist and songwriter, and, well... I play bass out of necessity to record some songs in my home studio, like many of us do. I hadn't changed the strings on my bass for years, because my focus was just the guitar. But when I changed the strings recently, I was so happy I almost cried! The bass sounded amazing! I also just play with a pick. I can play the guitar with my fingers and even some hybrid picking, but I can't play the bass with my fingers. The music I play works well with picked bass anyway.

[@WilDBeestMF]

I'm not even kidding dude. A new set of strings will do most of the heavy lifting for tone.

[@nedim_guitar]

@@WilDBeestMF Absolutely!

[@clanwaddell5628]

What’s crazy, is that the best bassists are some of the smartest composers, guys like John Paul Jones, Paul McCarthy, Geddy Lee and Sting. Because to be a great bassist it isn’t about just shredding, you have to hold everything together, you have to hold down chords, rhythms and lay a foundation for the melody. In smaller groups you often can carry the melody and color the song. But it seems a lot of bands grab a bad guitar player and put a bass in their hands.

[@JerryLeeHowell2]

You dont have to do any of that as a bass player, actually. You listed a bunch of musicians that play bass as one of their instruments. Were talking about BASS PLAYERS.

[@misterauctor7353]

@@JerryLeeHowell2 I mean John Paul Jones did play the keyboard.

[@mikewilson3581]

@@JerryLeeHowell2 What's wrong with being a multi instrumentalist? Nice to be well rounded like John Deacon. And Jamie Stewart was originally a guitarist in Ritual before he played bass in The Cult. And he played keyboards as well.

[@kiWi-zv8vr]

Dont forget Cliff Burton, he made some absolutely breathtaking compositions

[@clanwaddell5628]

@@kiWi-zv8vr there are so many great bass players and Cliff was a great one.

[@JohnWass79]

I learned to play bass by watching videos of Jason Newsted back in the day. There's a lot of shoulder power incorporated into that style of live playing, which doesn't translate well to the studio, where more finesse and control is needed. Learning to back off was definitely an acquired skill.

[@sighermike]

I typically play with a pick, because I like the attack AND because I like that fact you have more control over how clean the notes sound. I've been playing bass since 93, so it's been a few years. Back in 2018, I was engineering my son's first album and he started to lay down the bass. Being a guitarist primarily, his pick attack on bass was terrible. There were a lot of spikes and quiet notes. Until then, I had not realized that I'd learned to play consistently and didn't realize that others didn't do this. He was just unaware since it's less noticeable on a super high gain guitar than it is a bass. When in the studio, it's is extremely important to be consistent and give a good clean performance than it is on stage. On stage people will hear the music, but it's all skewed based on their heightened emotions and so much of their enjoyment will come from watching the musicians have fun and the eye candy they present..... that an a shit ton of alcohol.

[@DenverStarkey]

@@sighermike "I typically play with a pick, because I like the attack AND because I like that fact you have more control over how clean the notes sound." as a finger player, i don't see how you find controlling your fingers harder than an extra object? never had this problem myself. the fingers just always felt more natural and easier to control than a flimsy peice of plastic , or felt , or a scratchy , clanky metal pick if you are into those.

[@tpherndon]

@@DenverStarkey Because with a big chonky pick I can control it with my entire hand as a single unit, as compared to the higher amount of fine motor control I need to play with fingers. I have both arthritis and hand tremors, so avoiding needing that fine control makes the results much more consistent, as well as being easier to play. Different situations call for different approaches

[@DenverStarkey]

@@tpherndon well you didn't exactly point that out in your first post. of course if you got arthiritis and tremors, yeah sure. but you didn't make that clear. in general, people do have better control over picking soft or hard with fingers. and for the record, i wasn't attacking you for being a pick player, some of my favorite bassist are pick players. i just found your statement erronous as it was stated originally. but more power to you do what you got to do to play.

[@ryanslauderdale]

Ahh, Newsted. The windmill monster himself. One of the best metal bass players of all time.

[@StaticR]

Playing both Guitar and Bass I'd say Bass is *more* difficult than guitar, not less. It's musical role is a lot simpler but physically it is a lot more demanding. The larger size of both the instrument and strings make it take more effort to play notes and move around the neck, the strings have to actively be muted with every note because they keep ringing simply from the motions from playing and with all that making it more difficult to play precise, Bass instruments also need to be played much more precisely than lead instruments. Off beat low pitch notes stick out way more than high pitch ones and the bass doesn't have as much distortion to blend away some imperfections so those are much more audible too.

[@lordoftheelements2112]

I would like to elaborate on something! Bass Players in Metal don’t necessarily have to pluck hard. I look to Steve Harris as an example, who also uses flat wound strings. With some appropriate adjustments to the action you won’t have to pluck as hard at all. You can bring the strings close to the fretboard so it doesn’t take as much power to get an aggressive sound. Edit: I forgot to mention he also used a lot of gain!

[@RolandDeschain1]

It is said that Steve Harris just 'tickles' the strings. I guess he just has a very low action and very loud amps.

[@gilbertspader7974]

Famously Steve Harris's Bass tech handed him a brick fell to his knees and demanded he kill him now and get it over with.

[@somebloke87]

@@gilbertspader7974 Nah, that was Nicko's tech! Having met the guy, I can see why his techs need a will or iron...

[@stevec6427]

Have you seen his rig though? The pre amps, eqs and amps he uses to get that ultra light picking to work though?

[@mrcoatsworth429]

​@@stevec6427 his "rig" on the last Maiden tour was literally just his signature sansamp.

[@markcall1982]

love it. Been playin bass and guitar for 25 years now. AAAND i still learned something on this clip. I remember when I got my first bass I would play Hendrix old lang syne for hours so i could get ever lick down. I learned how to mute strings that weren't needed and practiced until i got blisters. Point is. be able to play the song 10 times in a row without a mistake and you got a song learnt. I also played for church many a year and had experience that way. I would also listen to my favorite bands and try to play note for note on every song and wouldn't stop until it was right. Ya wanna impress someone learn to play. and the more ya practice the better ya get. I would also watch a ton of Carol Kay(session bass player durring the 60s 70 s and 80s.) I learned as much as I could thru videos. and back then all we had was a vh1 band documentary and would only get a few mins of someone's expertise. practice dammit.

[@dshredmusic]

Many of my mentors across the years spoke about how bands can get away with a bad guitar player, but not with a bad bass player.

[@deadinsidemcgee411]

Blink twice if there’s a mob of bass players with guns trained on you forcing you to record this Glenn.

[@michaelplaysbass]

One little thing to watch out, if you're gonna do the fresh strings "hack" and buy the cheap HB ones; make sure the string gauges (and ideally tension), match up with the ones in whichever "nice" set you go for. Otherwise, you run the risk of accidentally changing your string action and/or intonation, which for recording could be problematic.

[@LucidLiquidity]

Das a fact! The luthier that regularly sets up my guitar told me this awhile back and I realized I'd been playing most of my life being completely unaware of this lol. Guys that know what they're doing, will always ask what gauge strings you're using and set it up for that. Playing with different gauges messes up the tension and will throw your intonation out of whack much more quickly.

[@fuzzylogickben]

Just learn to make the simple adjustments then buy what sounds good without worrying. You should be checking your intonation before recording anyway.

[@johnboyle3297]

Make sure the only thing your fingering is your instrument, had a band break up because Bass player was fingering the keyboard player.

[@dacoolbrazilianwind9362]

LMFAO

[@mr.dedede1324]

Lol.

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

Yeah, my strings are getting on a bit, time to buy a new bass I reckon!

[@PrinceVinceJohn]

I’ve been playing bass by whole life and I’ve never had a string cut me. The fact that has happened to him is interesting

[@zeljkomilojkovic]

Lovet the LTT t-shirt 😁🤘

[@Snowness]

🤘

[@garethcraig8902]

Love the linustechtips shirt

[@drakonyanazkar]

On "fingering it like you mean it", I usually have the opposite issue. Bass is a very physical instrument and I'm a very excited person around it, so I always play standing and sometimes I have a hard time playing "smooth" if I'm playing something like Blues, Jazz and Reggae, which require us play "tame", with no "bounce" or "twang". Come time to play some Metal/Hard Rock and I'll just "fingerslap" that bitch of a string to Valhalla.

[@Tigermaster1986]

Roger Glover uses a pick. There is no shame in this. Tbh, when it comes to fingestyle, I have the opposite problem of what you've mentioned here. I started on a classical guitar and my fingerpicking is pretty good, but I play very aggressively. When I got my bass, I actually had to heighten the string action a bit, because I was pulling the strings so hard that they were buzzing against the frets.

[@amandahuginkiss6868]

When people slag off bass players who use a pick, two words come to mind: Lemmy Fucking Kilmister

[@JerryLeeHowell2]

Paul McCartney says its awfully early for all this.

[@Lily-oz2dq]

Thank you video is very helpful. Been playing bass for years mostly Jazz, blues and rock, yes I can play a double bass and can play a fretless bass. Word for those who want to play fretless was a long journey to get it right on recording. Glen great job on all your videos. I don't play metal as much anymore but your skills set is beyond measure to help me getting better all around. Play guitar, bass and other instruments was all about using a metronome and reading music thank you for talking about timing. Be well and keep up all the great work.

[@WildAzzRacing]

All great points I have been trying to live by even without recording. Practice, practice, and practice some more. You can't ever practice enough! I learned right from the beginning about properly muting the strings. Everything got muddy and sounded like crap so I always made sure to let nothing vibrate that shouldn't. I remember my guitarists always bitching about string costs with their cheap Ernie Ball super slinky packs. Always laughed at them and told them to shut up. They cost more than the cheap ones but Black Diamond coated strings for the win on my basses! Playing with a pic is all I do now unless it's for some really mellow section without any attack and smoothness is in order. Otherwise, use a pick and dig in. I figure if it's good enough for Ellefson, Lemmy, Araya, and Rex Brown, it's good enough for me! I made the same mistake of turning everything up on active pickups in the beginning as I just didn't know better. Not an issue any more. As for style, I'm a minimalist. I'm never flashy and always err to the less is more philosophy. Tasteful fills or runs at changes is ok but I still try to keep them short and sweet unless they rest of the members think I should do more.

[@grumpyitcushmeta4riaproduc189]

Another tip for finger-style bass players is look after your finger-nails on your plucking hand. Nothing worse than only one finger getting the clicky nail sound with random notes ringing louder and the bassist is oblivious why. I have clippers and a nail file in my gig essentials bag

[@MichaelSheaAudio]

The tip about buying cheap strings for general use and good strings for recording is something that I actually hadn't really though of. I haven't changed my strings in a while because D'Addario Pro Steels are $30. I suppose I'll look into cheaper strings too. Thanks!

[@xNachtmahRx]

That's why people make fun of bassists. You rarely think logically or rationally

[@mrcoatsworth429]

While you're at it, record something with either (fresh) set, to see if more money actually makes the sound better...

[@MichaelSheaAudio]

@@xNachtmahRx yikes.

[@MichaelSheaAudio]

@@mrcoatsworth429 Well I always play with Pro Steels on my bass and I picked up some regular Nickel strings so it's going to sound slightly different just based on the material.

[@mrcoatsworth429]

@@MichaelSheaAudio totally possible. But knowing is always better than guessing. Would be cool to hear, what it actually does to the tone.

[@mop2884]

I play bass for years. And ringing empty strings are so damn annoying. I wonder how people can't hear that. Also, old strings. They sound so terrible that I can't comprehend how people can't notice that... But then again, I play the bass. So maybe that's why I can't understand that. 🤪 But seriously: Good bass-ic advice! My favourites: Don't play flashy and be prepared. Another one for all of you: Bass is like Bacon. It's hard to have too much. So don't play timid!

[@drakonyanazkar]

99% of the time, we're playing a single note at a time, so we gotta make it count!

[@matthewholveck3575]

I found the most important thing to learn about gigging and recoding as a teenager to young adult is listen to the sound guy at the venue because he knows the acoustics of the room and knows the sound system. For recording, listen to the sound engineer because he knows the signal/tone he needs that he is going to need to mold it into for what’s best for the mix.

[@sergiocolmenares9482]

I don't know to which degree Glenn's bass jokes are just humor or serious PTSD after dealing with many shitty Bass players

[@christophercheney1006]

Muting technique is the key. The bass is all about the right hand. Ghost notes are your best friend

[@bassplayer2011ify]

Few things, when playing fingers make sure you are playing evenly (or as close as possible) same goes with a pick if you are alt strumming. Make sure you’re up strums are just as pronounced as your down strums. And piggybacking on what Glen said. A good bass player knows what and when to play. A great player knows when not to play and I'm not talking about flashy playing. I'm talking about taking rests. This is more prominent in blues and jazz. But it can be applied to rock and metal as well. Serve the song not your ego.

[@UTubeHandlesSuck]

Fortunately for me, I grew up on a farm and learned all about the electric fence long before picking up a bass guitar. 🤟

[@theruthlessfish]

I'm not entirely sure where the practical "don't touch the fence with both hands" pissing-and-puking experience as a kid on a farm relates to playing bass, but I feel that struggle. :) For me -- thirty years between fence and finally picking up a bass.

[@toecutterjenkins]

I have my practice bass that i don't change strings unless they break. Then i have my other basses i change regularly. I prefer dr hi beams. New strings sound so much better.

[@johnhynesproductionslimite7522]

I can’t be the only dude on here that thought this was going to be Glen showcasing a new midi bass plug-in?!??

[@GianmarioScotti]

It's nice when we get a bit of love from Glenn, even if it's tough love 😂

[@paulhopkins1905]

On an active bass, if you have a mid control, boost the mids slightly, cut bass slightly, and leave treble neutral.

[@zeusapollo8688]

Or remove all treble and pump the bass. Mids in the middle

[@adamsteelproducer]

Or don’t- there’s no one size fits all here, depends on your pickups, playing style and what pedals or amp you’re hitting

[@paulhopkins1905]

@@adamsteelproducer Not really, if you want to be heard in a mix, you better have mids in your tone.

[@davidmcaninch4714]

I feel like muting the strings could also be useful for guitar players. Say your playing a chord where one string is skipped: you could put your thumb over it to quiet it down. But what do I know? I’m just a drummer.

[@ledoynier3694]

it is useful and a very basic skill to acquire too. With the ton of gain we usually use, those ringing mf will make themselves be heard..

[@johnpatitucci7919]

DR Dragonskin and Elixir strings.... the go-to for longevity and clarity.

[@aaronsmith2611]

A couple things . . . FIRST, hi, my name is Aaron and I play bass with a pick (more often than not). This was a conscious decision for two reasons. Reason one is that I can get a better attack and it tends to serve the music better as they mentioned. Reason two is that I can play faster with a pick and there are times when songs call for that. There are other times I play with my fingers, but usually for slower or more moderate tempo songs. SECOND, as for playing flashy, I completely agree here. Your job as a bass player is to lock in with the drummer and help establish the foundation for the song. I've been criticized for not being an amazing bass player. Not because I don't have chops (though they're not over the top), but because I focus on what the song needs me to do. I typically add flavor in different ways. I don't follow the guitar line unless the song or part calls for it. Also, at times I'll stray from the root note and possible go to a third or a fifth to make the song sound more interesting. So, you don't have to be flashy to be amazing. You do have to be solid to be amazing and that is what those who have criticized my playing didn't understand. Focus on the song. Focus on the foundation. Don't focus on showing off, it usually doesn't serve the song or the foundation.

[@jennoscura2381]

Nice Ren & Stimpy reference at the end. Thank you Canada for blessing us with such a fantastic cartoon. Thank you as well for You Can,t Do That On Television. I loved that show as a kid.

[@BlazonStone]

Looking forward to see you talk about the Evertune for bass that was recently announced!

[@tyretear1263]

I actually kinda like the dead string sound but in a modern metal context I guess it needs that fresh string brightness to cut through the mix becouse guitars and kick occupies low-end frequency range as well as bass and I rather leave the low-end for bass instead, a matter of preferance I suppose

[@TheTrueVoiceOfReason]

Ren and Stimpy, PERFECT! You whizzed on the electric fence, didn't ya?

[@MySageX3]

i am glad with all my practice, string control is one skill I got

[@johncarter6519]

I know this is a rock and metal channel. I would say dead strings on bass sound great when doing old school stuff. A lot of old school records used flat wounds, and those players rarely changed their strings. Carol Kaye and James Jamerson (who were two of the top session bassists in history during the 60's and 70's) both had mutes on their basses as well. Obviously, if you are going for a modern sound change your strings. No complaints on this video just thought it would be worth adding. Cheers!

[@chrisvoigt6895]

Just WHAT is that GORGEOUS Schecter model is that??? Its freakin’ BEAUTIFUL!! That roasted maple neck tho 😱😱

[@jsgovind]

As a bass player who struggled at my first recording years ago(though not as bad as mentioned here) and I have learned and improved since, I think one of the best ways to prepare and know you're ready is do a simple recording of the song at home. Listen and find what sounds good and what needs to be addressed. It's a good way to keep track of your progress even without a recording session in your schedule.

[@markmanbeck5210]

Glenn’s face after using his fingers made me giggle

[@yunamadsimackomen881]

“Playing bass with authority” Like that’s ever going to happen!

[@alexwynne6010]

I just been to studio recently and i had the bass set up professionally as the intonation was off and while I was at it had new strings put on thus got amazing tone out bass that really cut. I also practice my ass off to a metronome for all parts of the song. Finally there was part where i was doing some higher harmonics but found that it was clashing so opted just for root notes as it served the song better at the end of the day your there to serve the song not your ego.

[@acesn8spa]

Love the Ren and Stimpy call-out.

[@MaestorRasanen]

I prefer Elixir Nano-Web strings on bass. They last whole lot longer and I love the sound.

[@marvinrockon]

2 advices I can give: 1. Harley Benton sells cheap strings. They have 4 string sets for 5€. They also have the Quality String line, which are stainless steel and they are awesome, but cost just a bit more. But still being one of the cheapest out there. The 6 string set fits even 36,25 inch scales, if not coming through the body. 2. When having an active bass / built in preamp, feel free to lower the bass frequency a bit if you go through analog gear. A compressor might be hit above the threshold because of dominant bass frequencies. Also some preamps and Inputs might be getting clipped. Lower it, push it up afterwards. 1-2 db can make a difference, depending on your gear. Bonus: Experiment. A lot. Every slight twist of a knob on your gear can make a huge difference, but do what the song is asking for. Your practice sound might be great, but chances are, there are some frequencies where it's masking other elements of your mix too much. You're the backbone of the band. That's your main job. Nail that first.

[@Ran-tan-tan]

This video made me question if I'm a bass player after all, since all of those points are something that I am familiar with and try to do as Adam and Glenn so eloquently advised to do... Excellent stuff here!

[@seanmorgan9020]

My bassist made the basic mistake of being tone deaf and not practicing, I swear he turned himself down (or off) so nobody could hear him.

[@RogerBergqvist]

Linus Tech Tips, wrong channel, dude!🤟

[@WilDBeestMF]

Extended range basses are NICE and I have one in my collection, but I am finding that 4 is all I ever need in any genre, and the B is just a nice thumb rest most of the time.

[@DrMurdercock]

0:03 one of the greatest SMG moments of history

[@BikerEgg1]

I generally agree with these points, however, playing fingerstyle aggressively is a bit different. I don't pluck the strings hard but my angle of attack causes some slight fret noise and I get a good growly sound. It's all in the technique, not necessarily power. I play with a pick sometimes, but those are songs that would wear out my plucking hand. I enjoy your channel and the great info you put out there!

[@BTHpodcast]

As a bassist. I approve of this video. I learned the hard way. Record a track with an active bass. Never. Again.

[@couchcamperTM]

the really hard way is to learn how to record with an active bass. it won't be a lost year^^

[@BTHpodcast]

@couchcamper I agree. It is a special breed. I know Dave Ellefson recorded with an active Jackson but again he has millions of dollars. So they have the equipment to control that beast of a tone.

[@adamsteelproducer]

I’ve been recording with actives for 20 years, and I’m not a millionaire. Not sure what the problem is. If you play right and know how to dial in an amp tone, it’s not a bad thing

[@Bogmore1]

As a bass player I can say without a doubt you can whiz on an electric fence as the piss stream breaks up into droplets and you don't get a constant stream so won't get an electric shock. Mythbusters did something like this with an electric railroad track. Also, higher pickups = punchier sound.

[@KarenBasset]

Fret wrap! Or foam under the bridge. Some of the most famous songs were recorded by the same musicians (back in the day) and Carol Kaye used a pick, flatwounds and a piece of foam under the bridge to keep strings from vibrating sympathetically or otherwise. Fret wrap. Even Prince used one on stage, when he played bass.

[@ileutur6863]

That's an amazing way to lose all of your resonance and sustain

[@zeusapollo8688]

Foam is a great way to make a modern bass sound vintage

[@thomastucker5686]

@@ileutur6863 I am a beginner, so I don't know shit. Wouldn't the fret wrap only mute the strings not being played and only effect open strings at worse because anything above the fret wrap will be fretted in front of it, so it will have no effect? I don't know, I thought it could be a good idea, maybe sometimes? I don't even know how many types of fret wrap exist.

[@oddrage1706]

OMG great Ren & Stimpy callback, thank you for that guys! 😂😂😂

[@Ernesto87]

For those finger only purist, Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, every punk band, and Lemmy all use picks.

[@vincentmorelli1013]

Entwistle was mostly a finger player and McCartney isn't really relevant in a modern metal/hard rock context but everything else is correct. Only reason Steve Harris and Geezer Butler can get away with fingers is because they are actually good bassists and not guitarists who were forced to learn bass. Even Ian Hill switched from fingerstyle to using a pick starting with Killing Machine.

[@benthompson9349]

​@@vincentmorelli1013 Entwistle was generally about 50/50 fingers and pick. It's only in his later years that he played predominantly with that furious tapping style. His pick playing was magnificent and often gets overlooked.

[@Elvis_Gonzalez]

If you're a solo artist, boiling your strings before each recording can be a pretty great way to save money. My bass tone sounds nearly identical and actually beats new strings when I'm playing more low-key music. Then again, I am an alternative/indie artist so your mileage may vary in heavy metal music (...as if you could even hear the bass in metal anyways lol. Even the greats like Cliff Burton and Steve Di Giorgio are so muddled in the mix that you need Moises to really hear what they're doing).

[@Still-Cousins-VOVA]

7:33 yes

[@robertleahu]

Totally agree with the Harley Benton bass strings. Amazing strings. In my opinion better than ernie ball or ddario or dunlop. 10/10

[@amandahuginkiss6868]

Switched to bulk strings awhile back, and the quality is the same and you can build your own "set" as far as the gauge goes. So I can do a 9 - 46 in steel with an unwrapped G, and it doesn't break the bank.

[@jennoscura2381]

In other words synths are better for bass. My synths don't need new strings. My sequencer stays in time and knows the who song. And my synth always plays loud enough if I have the right MIDI velocity settings. Honestly there is no shame in using a synth for bass. If the bass sounds good, who cares if it's done by circuitry or software rather than vibrating strings. Just because bass guitar is traditional in rock music doesn't mean you have to do it. I would love to see what a good metal band can do with synths for their bass. I most often us an FM synth for bass. Dexed is a free VST that's fully DX7 compatible. It works with DX7 plugins. So you can use the classic Bass 1 factory preset. I have an OG DX7 and to my ears Dexed sounds identical. The sysex files for the OG factory presets are available for free online. Give it a try and see what you think. If nothing else it might be useful for composing the bass part and then having an actual bassist play it.

[@GlumpusMumpus]

Tbh actual bass is way than synth. Same could be said about any instrument as well, why use a drummer if you could have a drum machine, or a guitarist if you have digital software. It just sounds better tbh.

[@masterbeaver]

The best way to dial in when recording an active bass is to start with everything not even centered at zero, but full cut, then gradually turn things up until you get where you need to be. That includes the volume knob too. Depending on the bass, you will often get a lot of unwanted harmonics and overtones if you crank the volume knob all the way and dialing it back to around 3/4 will completely clean it up.

[@colb999]

Complete and utter bollocks. I've been playing and recording my active basses for about 40y.

[@williammayer6829]

I'll have to try this! Thanks for the tip

[@ileutur6863]

That's not an issue with the bass. You're just clipping your preamp

[@adamsteelproducer]

Yeah none of this sounds right.

[@milkie9293]

you’re a windsor legend man.

[@connerstines1578]

DI is all I do. No need for taking up space with a bass cabinet.

[@entertaintech4374]

Got more room for a washer and dryer that way :P

[@sethdusith6093]

Don't whiz on the electric fence! I love the Ren and Stimpy reference, true Canadian patriotism

[@stumpythedwarf8712]

That is one beautiful bass that Glenn is holding, holy cow.

[@postbyte1]

All the points that you made are very good key points to making yourself a more stronger skilled bass player.

[@specialkonacid6574]

Thanks for having a british person as your guest. Good show old chap. Right then, I'm off to boil my strings. Cheerio

[@Shaylok]

Best way to get on Glen's bad side? Show up at his studio with a Gibson bass and a Line 6 amp.

[@zevenliefda1310]

Omg it’s father son playing bass🎉

[@empereurpalpmapine]

Finally, the bear gives some of his/her/its precious sissy time to considerate the base of the tone of a track ❤️‍🔥 We love you!

[@guitarmeggedonit5232]

Props for Linus Tech Tips!

[@espenstoro]

Bass! See, I can play bass and say words.

[@damonshanabarger2604]

3:25 Much loved messenger of sound engineering truth, " Glenn Fricker," You are totally getting it or at least halfway depending upon what is meant by old. I would never record with strings I had just replaced on the guitar. The reason is that they need to be balanced out. If you play through all twelve keys for about six hours for three days over the entire fretboard with many slides, bends, and vibrato; you should be good to go. Otherwise, a couple of hours a day for two to four weeks should be sufficient. Brand new strings sound too plinky or twangy.

[@backslash68]

A friend of mine had an old-ass Ibanez bass from the 70s (an EB-3?) which had a device next to the bridge to stop the strings from ringing. It could be set on/off.

[@drintro]

So if I put an inboard compressor before my audio interface, am I interfering too much with the pristine DI signal and thereby incurring the wrath of the mix engineer? I'm somewhat new to bass and it really helps me get a reasonable level without clipping. Specifically, I'm using an MXR bass compressor and Scarlett 4i4.

[@FFVison]

If you do this for drums, make sure to limit the number of items to 4. Most of them can't count above that.

[@DenverStarkey]

As a general rule I don't play flashy, period. I always try to play efficently. if there's an easier way to play a lick, a fill or a run I'll play it that way instead trying to spider crawl my hand around the neck like an idiot.wasted energy is energy that could be spent better on other things.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Ive a bass for home recording. I want a deep low sound string possibly large guage. The deepest low sounding string what is it flat wound or round wound

[@ChaoSJino]

I'm known to prefer the sound of bass strings about two weeks after they've been put on the bass and played, but that's no what I'm writing about. Cheap strings exist. I used to work for some 250$ a month and a pack of quallity-ish strings was 10% of my monthly income, HOWEVER... I found the red Warwicks, which I still use to this day and which I could afford at least once every 2-3 months. It's not that horrible, all you have to do is drink one less beer every day for two weeks and PRESTO - money for strings. :D Still can't learn to play with a pick properly, though (my dominant hand is my left, but I own a right-handed bass and my right just doesn't have the precision for a pick). But there are workarounds - there are thumb picks, there are finger picks... Hell, if you think "A thumb pick will not survive bass strings"... Welp, they do make them out of metal as well, and those survive pretty damned well and give you a huge attack sound with little effort.

[@happywebster7151]

good advice

[@Thatguy420-69]

“Silly Brit”😂

[@wedge43]

A while back you posted a video with a killer bass tone and mentioned that insight to that tone was coming soon. I thought its be it but looks like i'm still waiting. Have I missed it or is it still in the pipes? Thx

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Still coming.

[@dandaris2153]

So far, the best way I record with active basses is to let the EP right in the middle. That way, it's easier for the sound engineer to work and make the best bass tone.

[@michaelblaney4461]

I think you guys are working with mediocre bass players and being in metal makes some of your points debatable. Strings to me sound better when they are broken in a bit . Flat wounds can sound good for years sometimes Roundwounds don't have that long of a lifespan ( in the the old days Rotosounds were only good for one night , then they sucked) Picks I do like playing with picks but also fingers are a must some times . Muting is a must if you want to be a good bassist ( with both hands) Setups that are too low are not good with all the fret buzzing

[@Draven_the_metal_head]

I need the drool to dribble on the bass strings because it makes my tone better

[@pierremandon2323]

dont boil your bass strings. just let them dip in alcohol. it really cleans them up nicely without compromising the structure. it can keep your strings going for months (specially stainless steel ones). I usually do that two or three times before replacing the strings.

[@zeevshaff]

My recording bass is constantly cracked on the treble love the sound it makes..

[@danielolson2529]

0:04 😂😂😂🤣🤣 fkn hilarious 🤣

[@JunacCRO]

here's a tip for bass players out there that play SS strings : You can actually clean them in nitro paintthinner (must be nitro based,not silicone) to an amazing effect. Just open the bottle,cram your strings in there,close the bottle with some paper tissues, shake and let it rest for 30 minutes or so. Wipe the strings with a cloth (nitro will evaporate really fast) and tahts it! Fresh strings, much better than boiling them (ive seen people do that ,this method is subpar to nitro cleaning). Best thing is it eats away all the gunk that accumulates between the wounds of the string and makes them snappy as the first day you bought them. I always clean my old strings in nitro when changing strings so i always have a ''fresh'' set ready if needed. Works like a fuckin charm.

[@negrofonico]

Question: I own a bass, but I'm not a bassist, I only use it to record from time to time some simple lines. I hardly practice as it's not my instrument of choice. My point: Is 6 months old strings worth as 'almost new' when you've played 3 or 4 times ? Thanks Fuck you Glenn

[@ryanshinermusic]

The old strings thing just comes down to personal preference. People who play for a living have gone on record and say they prefer using old strings. Fat Mike from NOFX answered a question about it in a Loudwire video I think. I’ve never really heard of Ernie Ball being higher-quality necessarily over any other brand as much as I just like their product. Bass strings right now I’m seeing pretty consistently go for $20-$30, slightly cheaper per pack if you get a 2- or 3-pack. I’d definitely appreciate a link to the $5 per pack strings to see what it is and if the price point is real/how much actual money you have to spend in order to get down to that price point per pack.

[@IKARUSVICIOUS]

as a manc I agree with "if ur not a manc ur a wank"

[@paulforester6996]

I use vintage strings to get that vintage sound.

[@invujerry]

I recorded a bass recently and when we re amped it with a lot of gain, it turns out the strings above the nut were ringing. An issue I’d never noticed live with it.

[@jeffgutierrez8796]

Run a strip or two of foam under and over your strings above the nut alternating pattern, it solves this problem on the cheap.

[@thechief54]

Yay...that Ren ad Stimpy quote at the end made my day. When I go into a studio and want parts that I definitely cant perform cos of lacking skills: I fucking swallow my pride and ask somone who CAN do it. And if that means I gotta pay 100 bucks more I will do it. For its total equal if I pay 1400 bucks for an ep or 1500 bucks as long as the songs sound great.

[@Melkor0410]

There is no problem in using a pick for bass. Heck i use both fingers and pick. If im playing anything outside of rock and metal ill use fingers, rock and metal ofc with pick unless im playing iron maiden or cannibal corpse. It all really does boil down to not only the genre but the arrangement as well. There were some funk songs where i had to pick the bass because of how rythmic and percussive it was that using fingers would not do it justice.