1. What is the best way / best equipment to use, to record bass direct without an amp?
Assuming that you are talking about recording into a computer setup and not a studio with a big consol etc. Although the differences are becoming indistinct. Your A/D D/A converters should be of good quality although it is possible to get pretty fair results using consumer level sound cards or a USB guitar A/D converter.
Since the question specifies
direct it is assumed that a Direct Input box (D.I. or DI) is being used. Every serious bassist should own a decent D.I.. These are designed to interface with various gear and generally sound fairly transparent.
Plug the instrument most appropriate for the music into a good D.I.
Plug D.I. into one of your hardware or consol mic inputs.
Patch the mic pre-amp to your A/D D/A or sound card.
Patch to a previously created input channel/track (or select the proper input).
Enable monitoring, arm the track, get a level, press record.
Having said that, I usually do not use a D.I. at the home studio, preferring to record via a bass pre-amp patched to the A/D and hence into Sonar 5 PE. This avoids the extra gain stages, and filters, in a mic pre-amp.
2. What is the best way to go from a single bass input to two separate output signals to a recording setup (recording two separate tracks) - one track direct and untouched, and one through a pedal or amp simulator?
You will need bi-directional audio I/O capability if you are recording onto a computer. Some sound cards may not be up to the task. Because of the great differences in hardware and software there are bound to be some procedural variances from what is described here.
You are only limited by your recording skill and imagination, the best way is the one that works for you. I can think of several methods. Here is one.
Take a single bass track straight from D.I. as in the first alternative (above). Later, after the peanut gallery and musician types have gone home, patch the output of the first bass track (usually via monitor) to whatever outboard effects you wish to use, as simple or complex as you desire. Arm a new track. Patch the output of the effects (can be a submix) to the input of the newly armed track. Record new track with effects while playing first track. Done.
If the bassist needs to hear the effects in real time during the take due to aural feedback effecting performance reasons, that requires a different approach.
Instrument to D.I.
D.I. to input of armed track named
no_effects, enable input monitoring.
Output (usually via monitor) of
no_effects directed to hardware output, then to whatever outboard effects you want to use.
Your outboard effects here.
Output of effects (either a chain or submix) to hardware input.
Patch, or select, this input to a new track
w_effects , enable monitoring, arm it, get a level.
If you wish to use plugin effects or a virtual device such as a VSTsimulator enable your plugins, or create a third track just for plugin effects. Same idea only routing stays in the computer system.
Press Record.
Done.
In a professional recording environment, I have found that the instrument itself is more important than the gizmos between it and the track. The producer may/can/will have the signal chain modified later after you get a good take.
Take my word for it, they will alter your tone anyway, so just concentrate on the music. One exception is if you are the sole composer/recordist/producer in a home studio.
It helps to be familiar with the music, so you can concentrate on getting tone from your fingers rather than merely executing the part correctly.
.