hey, was just thinking about your bass recording question from a couple weeks ago and needed to take a break to relax my brain, so here's a quick shopping list/signal flow for you if you're plugging in direct to your mixer:
Bass > 1/4" cable > [SansAmp Bass DI] > XLR cable (balanced) > Channel 1 XLR input on mixer (make sure it's one with a preamp on it) > FX send from back of mixer channel > 1/4" cable > [Compressor] > 1/4" cable > Channel 2 1/4" input on mixer Keep faders on both channel 1 & 2 at 0 to start
SansAmp Bass DI Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI Distortion Guitar Effect Pedal https://www.ebay.com/p/78706972?iid=313072004026&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=313072004026&targetid=883687709934&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9018842&poi=&campaignid=9338046419&mkgroupid=103102861148&rlsatarget=pla-883687709934&abcId=1139336&merchantid=6296724&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImb_u5au76QIV0_7jBx2o5g1bEAQYBSABEgLobfD_BwE
Compressor MXR Bass Compressor https://reverb.com/p/mxr-bass-compressor?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgKnz0ay76QIVRP_jBx2LiAk2EAQYAyABEgJgQ_D_BwE&hfid=33057461&merchant_id=202416847&utm_campaign=6481455966&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google Bring the fader up on channel 1, arm the channel it's recording to on your DAW, and listen through headphones. Adjust the DI to get the best version of the sound you're looking to get.
Bring the fader on channel 1 back to 0, and raise the fader on channel 2 to hear the same signal with the compressor added. Adjust the compressor to flatten out the bass tone in the first channel so you can only hear sound when you're actively playing. You shouldn't hear the slide when your fingers move around.
Bring the fader back up on channel 1, so you're getting uncompressed sound through the first channel, and compressed sound in the second. Check sound again, but your only adjustment this time should be on the faders on the two channels to blend them to taste.
-...THEN start tracking. Haha.
If you don't want to buy a pedal, you might be able to find a cheaper compressor as a software plugin. Find something that rips off the Universal Audio 1176. That's the gold-standard compressor that's used on basically every single pop recording in history.
The added bonus of using a really nice compressor is that at least in the studio, it can be used as a better replacement for a distortion pedal when the levels are maxed out.
Here's a demo of a tune I'm working on with just 808 drums, and 1 bass guitar, with no distortion applied, just basic ProTools compression: