Three recorded bass signals and parallel compression..would this work?

[chaak]

Hello All,

going to start tracking bass shortly and i am doing it from my home studio.
I am running Logic Pro X as my DAW using my MOTU 896HD and considering theoretically doing the following:

Signal #1 Bass > Radial JDI > MOTU clean bass unaffected with some EQ tweaks to fit the songs and or passages.

Signal #2 Bass > Darkglass Microtubes X7 D.I. out to > MOTU gain distorted bass

Signal #3 Bass > various effect pedals > DSM Noisemaker OmniCabSim D.I. out to > MOTU

now first question is are three signals too much ? and if so are these signal paths good?

ideally signal #1 would be placed simultaneously in the mix with signal#3

and signal #2 will be alone on distorted heavy passages since Microtubes X7 has its compressor for the low signal plus the HPF and LPF and tone shaping.

Do you think i should do without the JDI and go directly out of the Omnicabsim only?

and if i need to do parallel compressing how do i do it with this setup ?

i own the FEA labs Opti-FET if that helps

 

[silky smoove]

now first question is are three signals too much ? and if so are these signal paths good?

For me personally, yes. I'll often record two channels and will only end up using one. One source, one signal, no problem. One source, multiple signals, problems. You can't avoid phase problems with multiple signals of the same source, but you can mitigate them to varying degrees of success. With your setup I'd go with a wet/dry thing rather than a dry/wet/wet thing like you're describing. That said, sometimes the phase problems are worth dealing with if it gets you what you want.

Do you think i should do without the JDI and go directly out of the Omnicabsim only?

Do you want a dry signal and one with the various types of filtering a cab sim provides? If so, then you'll need both. If I were doing it (again, just my personal preference), I'd probably stick the effects and the cab sim on the same channel and be done with it.

and if i need to do parallel compressing how do i do it with this setup ?

Assuming you're talking about doing it in the box it wouldn't be any different than parallel compressing two signals, or three, or fifty. Put a send on the channels you want to have parallel compression that points to a buss loaded with an appropriate compressor. Adjust the level of the sends until you have the amount of parallel compression you want for your mix.

 

[chaak]

no other input/insight/replies your opinion and experiences are really appreciated help a TB fellow out

 

[Badwater]

Sounds like it would work. I often use 2 and split up the frequency ranges for the mix. Or, just copy one track and make 2 for the different frequency ranges.

 

[hipass]

Personally, I'll always record two channels, essentially a clean channel and dirt/amp/pedal channel of some description. If the band I work with doesn't have a great amp then I'll do the same thing with two different DI's and run a dirt pedal post, from the the thru of the first DI.

As for the parallel compression, at the time of tracking this isn't really required, generally, you would run each channel into it's own compressor to control the dynamic of the signal on the way into your DAW and or for some tonal quality you might be after from a nice compressor you might have.

Once you have done this you could then set up a parallel buss in your DAW and compress everything simultaneously until you're happy with which ever level of squash you are aiming for.