[SOLVED] Can't hear my bass guitar well when recording.

[tdehan]

I am using a Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen Scarlett interface.  When I plug my bass guitar in to record I can barely hear the bass when I am playing.  The levels are up, I can hear the other mixed tracks just fine.  But the volume of the bass when I am recording is extremely low which causes me to end up playing harder than I want.  Any suggestions?

Thanks

Edited March 29, 2021 by tdehan

[parboo12]

Have you got your Scarlett set to "Instrument"?

[tecknot]

Hi tdehan,

What kind of pickups do you have on your bass?  If you have active pickups, then I would check or change the battery.

Kind regards,

tecknot

[57Gregy]

If the recording level is okay, just reduce the volumes of the other tracks so the bass is more prominent.

[RBH]

There are times when the tracking mix needs to be radically different than the playback mix, I agree that maybe the best option is to alter the other tracks playback volume while you're tracking.

[John Vere]

It's also a design flaw with a lot of interfaces. The 2i2 lacks a blend control so you can adjust the difference between input direct and DAW playback. You see the Tascam has the input/Computer blend control but the Scarlett doesn't. Little details on interfaces make a huge difference. SO now the OP has to turn down the MAster in the DAW. 

 

[tdehan]

On 3/19/2021 at 9:25 AM, parboo12 said:

Have you got your Scarlett set to "Instrument"?

I've tried both with the INST button pressed in and without.

[razor7music]

Solo the bass track and play. Get the level where you want. Then unsolo the bass and play along with the project. If the bass gets buried in the mix, like the other poster said, reduce the level of your other tracks.

[John Vere]

By his response I don't think he read the other posts.  

[lapasoa]

The Focuswrite 212 has a Gain control. Did you use that?

[Byron Dickens]

20 hours ago, John Vere said:

By his response I don't think he read the other posts.  

Seems to be a pattern...

[Bill Phillips]

On 3/19/2021 at 11:59 AM, tdehan said:

I am using a Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen Scarlett interface.  When I plug my bass guitar in to record I can barely hear the bass when I am playing.  The levels are up, I can hear the other mixed tracks just fine.  But the volume of the bass when I am recording is extremely low which causes me to end up playing harder than I want.  Any suggestions?

Thanks

It could be acoustics creating bass frequency dead spots in your room. That's a common problem in small rooms. Solo a bass track or loop and walk around your room. Also try headphones. 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Bill Phillips
Clarify

[Nick_M]

Another alternative.... Click the Solo button along with the DIM button, so the complete mix is lowered in volume and you can track the bass louder

[Larry Jones]

On 3/23/2021 at 6:50 AM, Stormbringer75 said:

Click the Solo button along with the DIM button, so the complete mix is lowered in volume and you can track the bass louder

Plus 1 on this suggestion. It's a quick and dirty (and easy!) way to get a usable mix when you're overdubbing, without going to all the trouble of setting up a separate cue mix. You can further customize this by going into Preferences and changing the amount of "dimming" the Dim button does. This allows you a little bit of adjustment to the levels of the tracks that are not soloed.

But (1.) a separate cue mix is the "right" way to do this, and (2.) if you're recording your bass at a good level and you still can't hear it, then your other tracks are probably too loud.

[John Vere]

The OP left the room 6 Days ago which is typically his behaviour. 
 

But I will say all 4 of the interfaces I have owned all have a blend controller and I really can’t see not having this option. Seems a critical function to me. 

[Larry Jones]

5 minutes ago, John Vere said:

The OP left the room 6 Days ago

Even without the OP, we've had a good discussion, and some of us have learned something.

[tdehan]

It would be great if I received email notifications from the forum when there is a response to a post.  However, as I've stated prior, I don't get a notification (and no....nothing is in my JUNK folder).  With that said, yes it would be great if the 2i2 had a blend control like my other 2 interfaces do.   To fix the issue, I used the DIRECT MONITOR button which allowed me to hear the bass just fine and finish the recording.  Thanks for all the responses.  (John and pdickens, I don't know what seems to be up you shorts....)

Edited March 28, 2021 by tdehan

[John Vere]

Nothing personal. Just when people keep trying to help and the OP is not responsive you figure they either solved the issue or have lost interest in the forum. 
I don’t get email but I get notifications when I open the forum. 
It is nice if  you mark any thread you started Solved or keep involved until it is. 

Edited March 28, 2021 by John Vere

[tdehan]

20 hours ago, John Vere said:

Nothing personal. Just when people keep trying to help and the OP is not responsive you figure they either solved the issue or have lost interest in the forum. 
I don’t get email but I get notifications when I open the forum. 
It is nice if  you mark any thread you started Solved or keep involved until it is. 

As I stated, it would be nice to get an email notification that there has been a response or update to any post.  All of the other forums I belong to do this.  Odd that this one does not.  As a result, when there is no response of an update via email and I solve the issue myself, I forget most times about the post.  

 

[msmcleod]

11 hours ago, tdehan said:

As I stated, it would be nice to get an email notification that there has been a response or update to any post.  All of the other forums I belong to do this.  Odd that this one does not.  As a result, when there is no response of an update via email and I solve the issue myself, I forget most times about the post.  

 

@tdehan - you can configure your notification settings within your account settings.

First click on the dropdown where your username is on the top left:



This will take you to your account settings page. Click on Notification settings:



You can now adjust your notification settings:



You can also opt-in to follow a particular topic by clicking on the Follow link to the left of the topic header: