Using a direct box is probably the most common approach when record bass guitar. Coming out of the direct box and using the preamp in the console will ensure that you get the proper amount of gain with very little noise. You will get a cleaner sound this way. There are amp models available for bass guitar as well. You can always add those later. You may want to use a hardware compressor on the input of the signal.
When recording bass guitar, some musicians will want the tone that their Bass amp provides and in that case you will need to use a microphone. It would be a good idea to record both a dry signal from a direct box and a signal from a microphone that is placed in front of the amp. Then you can blend the two signals during the mixing process.
When using a microphone on a bass amp the best approach would be to use a large diaphragm condenser microphone that is well-known for its bottom end. Place the microphone about 1 to 2 feet from the grill of the bass amp. This is because bass wave forms are long and require some air to fully manifest. The closer the microphone is to the amp the more attack and high-end will be in the signal. The further back the more bottom end.
