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Recommend a Microphone for Bass?


D.I. Joe
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I'm looking for a suitable mic with which to feed the bass to the PA. I'm not a fan of D.I.'ing, despite my (seemingly witty at the time) username so I've decided that the best course of action is to come prepared with my own mic, rather than have to leave my tone entirely in the hands of the sound man.

I have no idea where to start looking so any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't really have a specific budget in mind, but I'm more keen to get good value for money than to spend top-dollar on unnecessarily super-dooper gear (I'm not touring the world's top arenas, after all...)

Looking forward to your replies, thanks in advance :)

Joe

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[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1427140207' post='2726382']
SM57 is pretty good as a budget solution. Don't use a kick mic!
[/quote]

That answers another part of the question; I was wondering whether a kick mic or a general instrument mic would be better. I've never come across a bass-specific mic (does such a thing exist?)

Coincidentally, the cabinet in question is a Gen 1 Compact, so you've got my full attention!

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My favourite sound for studio micing of bass cabs is always large diaphragm condensers but they don't really work live, too much bleed and too fragile.

The thing with kick mics on bass cabs is that most of them have a very scooped sound and hide much of your real tone whilst meaning your sound gets lost in the kick sound. The proximity effect on something like an SM57 counteracts its low frequency roll off.

Enjoy the cab, it's (hopefully) a modern classic! ;)

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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1427136668' post='2726295']
The usual suspects:

Sennheiser MD421
Electrovoice RE20
Shure SM7B
Heil PR40

None are cheap though!
[/quote]

This.

All of these are excellent mics and not just for bass. I have them all!

The Heil is my favourite for bass. It's also the cheapest of the four.

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[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1427136668' post='2726295']
The usual suspects:

Sennheiser MD421
Electrovoice RE20
Shure SM7B
Heil PR40

None are cheap though!
[/quote]

I have an EV RE20 for mic'ing my cab and a Heil PR40 for vocals

Both are brilliant !

Edited by ubit
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[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1427136056' post='2726281']
I'm looking for a suitable mic with which to feed the bass to the PA. I'm not a fan of D.I.'ing, despite my (seemingly witty at the time) username so I've decided that the best course of action is to come prepared with my own mic, rather than have to leave my tone entirely in the hands of the sound man.

I have no idea where to start looking so any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't really have a specific budget in mind, but I'm more keen to get good value for money than to spend top-dollar on unnecessarily super-dooper gear (I'm not touring the world's top arenas, after all...)

Looking forward to your replies, thanks in advance :)

Joe
[/quote]
Can I ask why you don't like DIing?

As for Mics the go to answer will be an SM57, live engineers know how they work and sound, as Alex has said the proximity effect will counter the low roll off the mic has :)

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Thanks for the suggestions chaps.

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1427359486' post='2729224']
Can I ask why you don't like DIing?
[/quote]

Because I like to use my tone, not the tone prescribed to me by the soundman, and also the sheer fact that the same is done for guitarists. Guitar speakers are almost always miked up to capture the overall sound of their rig, so why should it not be the same for the bass? Our rig works in the same way after all...

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[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1427445188' post='2730368']
Thanks for the suggestions chaps.



Because I like to use my tone, not the tone prescribed to me by the soundman, and also the sheer fact that the same is done for guitarists. Guitar speakers are almost always miked up to capture the overall sound of their rig, so why should it not be the same for the bass? Our rig works in the same way after all...
[/quote]
That's fair enough, was only a query, I share the same views as yourself though. Mic the cab up, we've paid lots of money to get the gear so let's hear it. But I also DI as well as micing, gives a better balance overall I find! :)

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[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1427445188' post='2730368']



Because I like to use my tone, not the tone prescribed to me by the soundman, and also the sheer fact that the same is done for guitarists. Guitar speakers are almost always miked up to capture the overall sound of their rig, so why should it not be the same for the bass? Our rig works in the same way after all...
[/quote]

Guitar is difficult through DI though as opposed to bass. Have you heard a DI'd distortion.... not nice.

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[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1427356689' post='2729179']
A really really cheap option is a prodipe TT1

Chinese condenser that costs stupidly little sounds awesome on Toms will also do well on bass.

Sounds like a Senn 421, has a big proximity bump though.
[/quote]

As in this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PRODIPE-LUDOVIC-microphones-Handheld-Dynamic/dp/B0038VXUDW

?

Looking for cheap Tom mic you see haha!

the AKG P2 is great too.

I tend to use a couple mics on a bass cab in general, blended with DI, but straight to Desk for me isn't the best since I use plenty of layers of distortion and it can sound a bit sharp without a cab simulator or such in there. (Though that's pretty rare. Often I do 1 mic, 1 DI feed, in the studio it's usually more of the both hah!)

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[quote name='D.I. Joe' timestamp='1427445188' post='2730368']Guitar speakers are almost always miked up to capture the overall sound of their rig, so why should it not be the same for the bass? Our rig works in the same way after all...[/quote]

It depends on how you approach your bass amplification. For all the bassists that like the colouration their cab brings to their sound, there's just as many who want a cab that makes their TONE (which is coming from their hands, bass and amp) loud but not changed in any way. If you're of that mindset then you're better off DI'ing.

DI'ing doesn't mean the soundman is in control of your tone. Even if he takes a DI before your amp your hands are still in control, as is your bass. If you're DI'ing out of the send on your amp then you have even more control.

Trust your hands to be in charge - they're what make us all sound different!

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[quote name='AttitudeCastle' timestamp='1427464529' post='2730716']


As in this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PRODIPE-LUDOVIC-microphones-Handheld-Dynamic/dp/B0038VXUDW

?

Looking for cheap Tom mic you see haha!
[/quote]

Yep

You used to be able to get them in a box of three too

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I like to DI and mic with an SM57. I've used other mics that did a better job of capturing the full frequency range, but I like to put a low pass filter on the DI'ed signal and put an opposing high pass filter on the 57 and blend the 2. Depends on the sound you're after though.

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