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Hi folks, it's been a long time!
I know this question has already been posted, but I need some specifications...I'm working as a sideman for a local studio, and I'm recording bass tracks with programs like Nuendo (probably like many of you) from my pc...as along as it's fretted bass or "regular" fretless no problem, but when I'm trying to record with the piezo fretless there's a sort of hissing that gets caught in the recording and can't be erased...any suggestions?
Thanks

Hi Nick

Just try to record the bass thru the amp with a microphone.

Maybe it will work

Could be an impedance mismatch. Does the bass have a buffering pre-amp?

If it has a battery then it also probably has a pre-amp. A buffering pre-amp functions to lower the Piezo P/U impedance from approx. 1.0 - 1.5Meg Ohm to something similar to a typical magnetic P/U.

Without a buffer amp the input stage of most devices will not be happy and you may hear some things such as thin sounding low end, lots of high frequency noise and the dreaded piezo quack.

If this is the case (no buffer amp) then plugging into an amp will not help much as most of these will also be mismatched except a few acoustic amps that have a high impedance input.

As a possible work around, you might look in the effects box for a device such as a stomp box EQ, or acoustic guitar simulator, that may (MAY) help match impedances.

If your bass does have a buffering pre-amp, I would first check the battery for freshness. If the battery is good and unpleasant sound persists, swap out your cables.

Another potential jury-rig fix is to put a low pass filter on the bass channel as a plugin effect. Set the shelf frequency to max (highest) and then reduce shelf frequency until noise abates. This will effect the high end of your signal but at least it may be acceptable.

Outboard buffering pre-amps are available in stomp box form.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll check out everything and see how it goes...Anyway, I'm recording direct through my little board (Hercules Game theater's one) and the bass is piezo electro-acoustic, so no battery there...
A low-pass filter seems a good idea...