Scarlett 2i2 and Bass Recording Setup

Gear
1

I just got a Scarlett 2i2 and have some basic questions about hooking it up…

  1. I have a Fender Rumble 40 and that has a XLR out. I assume I use this?

  2. I know the 2i2 can take a standard instrument cable cable as well. I’m assuming it’s best to run it through my amp though?

  3. Assuming I run it from the XLR out on my amp, do I connect it as an XLR to XLR to the 2i2 or XLR to jack? Does it matter?

  4. I have a XLR to XLR cable, that looks like it would work (female and male connections match the amp and 2i2), but it says it is for microphones. Is that different? It’s brand new, so don’t want to mess with it if I need to return it and get something different.

And anything else I should know about the connection side of it. Will worry about the software side when I get to that. :upside_down_face:

Thanks.

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The simplest is to connect your bass directly to the interface and then use amp modeling and effects in your recording software. Just insert the cable from your bass in one of the two front inputs on the Scarlett.

Software-wise, I use Garageband on a Mac :grinning:

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Hey, @JT . . . here’s a link that may help:

https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/audio-interface-buying-guide/

Cheers, Joe :slight_smile:

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I do the same as you @joergkutter. I plug my bass directly into my DAI, the DAI is plugged into my Mac using a USB cable, and I use all of the different amp setups in GB to give me the sounds I want. Don’t even use an amp when recording…

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If the DI out on the Rumble is post-preamp, then running an XLR from the amp to the DAI would allow you to EQ, contour and overdrive on the amp. Otherwise there is no benefit and I would just do an instrument cable from the bass into the DAI.

You can also (depending on the DAI) run an out from the DAI into the amp if you like.

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The DI on the Rumble 40 is after the pre-amp. So, all the controls on the amp will affect the sound if you don’t want to use amp modeling in the DAW. If you do want to use amp modeling, be aware that the Rumble 40 will color the sound. Probably not a big deal since the Rumbles are pretty clean.

Also, the DI does use the standard microphone cable with XLR connectors.

For me, I like the idea of using the DI just to be able to keep it all set up. But it’s not a big deal. It’s just swapping out a connection if you want to skip the amp.

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I go direct bass into my scarlett, then use Biasfx 2 and other plugins in the Reaper DAW. That said I have plugged into a pedal chain and then into the audio interface with good results before.

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Yeah I’ve done both too, right now I am bass -> pedalboard -> DAI (Zoom U-24), and use amp and cab sim plugins in Reaper.

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One thing i want to check out is directly into the DAI and simultaneously via mic in front of my Rumble 40, to have the choice of each one separated or (more attractive to me) mixed/doubled

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I think @juli0r is miking like that right now.

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