MacDaddy Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Does anyone have a preference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 DI box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1450125591' post='2929900'] Does anyone have a preference? [/quote] What sound are you going for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 [quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1450127275' post='2929917'] What sound are you going for? [/quote] Different sounds at different times :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1450127847' post='2929925'] Different sounds at different times :-) [/quote] Then try lots of different mics..! Not being totally flippant; I've used successfully Shure SM57's, Superlux large diaphagm condensers, Sennheiser e609 guitat mics and more. The distance from the cab, more or less on centre, room acoustics, cab volume level... All these things and more affect the result. There's no one 'silver bullet' answer; all is good with the right ears. I'd usually cater for having a DI 'dry' from the bass, as well, to mix in. Edited December 14, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1450127847' post='2929925'] Different sounds at different times :-) [/quote] No single mic will work to achieve loads of vastly differences in tone and sound! Importantly you should experiment and have no preconceptions about what you should use, I've had awesome results using a wide range of different mics, all depends on the situation really! Large diaphragm condensers work well, as do bass drum mics, dynamic mics can work well, the possibilities are endless! Always have a DI channel as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 [quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1450135005' post='2930008'] No single mic will work to achieve loads of vastly differences in tone and sound! Importantly you should experiment and have no preconceptions about what you should use, I've had awesome results using a wide range of different mics, all depends on the situation really! Large diaphragm condensers work well, as do [b]bass drum mics[/b], dynamic mics can work well, the possibilities are endless! Always have a DI channel as well! [/quote] IME bass drum mics are terrible because they have an EQ hump to bring out the best in a bass drum and therefore make the separation between the drum and the bass guitar almost impossible to achieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1450178992' post='2930239'] IME bass drum mics are terrible because they have an EQ hump to bring out the best in a bass drum and therefore make the separation between the drum and the bass guitar almost impossible to achieve. [/quote] It's not [i]always [/i]desirable to have that separation (although often is, I'll allow...), and [i]most [/i]mic's will have [i]some [/i]kind of hump, depending to a great extent on the distance from the source. Even the Heil PR40 has a slight curve, similar, but less pronounced, to a D112. I'd not suggest that a bass drum mic is the [i]best [/i]solution, but it's often worth experimenting with, especially if there's one to hand; it's not the [i]worst [/i]candidate, either. Edited December 15, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Shure PG57. The budget version of the SM57. I tried some drum mic's (snare/tom mic's), but got a clearer sound with better range with the PG57's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 And when you mic up check all the speakers to find the best sounding one. IME when close mic'ing a multi-speaker cab try to use the one furthest from the port, otherwise you might end up with an excessively boomy sound which takes a lot of EQ at mixing to make the bass guitar sit properly in the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 AKG D112 here - for live work it beats my DI sound hands down. For recording I always use DI and a mic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I've never used a mic for recording, I've always just gone DI. Is it cause you guys are getting a chunk of your desired tone from your amp / cab set up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1450183520' post='2930313'] I've never used a mic for recording, I've always just gone DI. Is it cause you guys are getting a chunk of your desired tone from your amp / cab set up? [/quote] Partly yes, partly because 2 channels means more scope for fine tuning the overall sound of the bass track. [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1450178992' post='2930239'] IME bass drum mics are terrible because they have an EQ hump to bring out the best in a bass drum and therefore make the separation between the drum and the bass guitar almost impossible to achieve. [/quote] You are indeed right, they aren't the most ideal, but still usable depending on what sound you are after. It is VERY important to use an engineer who knows his gear, and can understand what you and the band want to achieve. I've used a bass drum mic to achieve a thump more than a true reflection of the tone of my gear, when mixed and seated within the mix that can work so very well in giving me a VERY vintage vibe, I'll see if I can dig up some examples and you can see/hear what I mean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 How much the cabs add to the sound depends on what type of cabs you are using and also your amp. A lot of modern bass cabs tend to be more like PA cabs and add far less character to the sound than something like an Ampeg 8 x 10. However if you are using an all-valve amp, DI'ing will not capture the effect of the power amp valves and so mic'ing the cab is the only way. I spend a lot of time in the rehearsal room working with our guitarist to get the right guitar and bass sounds in balance with each other for each song. Therefore when we record this is what I want to hear when we do the mixing. IMO the best way to achieve this is to start with the sound of the cab mic'd. For me the ideal recurring method is a fairly accurate mic on one of the speakers - this is the main sound source for the mix. Then a DI from the amp. This will be used to add a little bit more weight to the sound if required. Finally I'll also run a passive DI direct from the bass. This is a safety in case when we are doing the mix the overall sound of a song moves away from what we originally intended. That way I can use the raw sound of the bass either re-amped (my preferred method) or through an amp sim to get the desired new sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 As others have already said the DI box is usually the favoured route, when I record at home it is via an Ampeg B1 line out with excellent results, I do have a Red Audio condenser mike that has a roll off switch that removes the lowest end rumble that spoils a recording, it works well with guitar recording and reviews suggest it should be ok with the bass as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucew Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 BigRedX is spot on with regards your amp and speakers, l use an old valve amp, don't normally need to 'mic up' when l do it'll be some local 'fest' or decent function, l've got a Shure PG52 XLR, it does the the job really well & they're not overly priced . . . . . its great to walk out front during SC & hear 'your sound' opposed the 'techs' sound, but you've got to argue the toss with first . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 DI not possible with my amp/combo. No DI out, and as it's a modelling amp, a DI box would not be giving my sound. But the OP was about YOU and your Mic preferences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I use DI and mic, and blend to taste in the mix. SM57s will give great results - especially with a mild O/D tone, but I tend to use an EV RE20 for clean bass sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 So how do you then get "my sound" out front even if you Mic it up? Does the pa have ampeg cabs out front? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Heil PR40 is a good contender - but if possible take a DI also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1450264205' post='2931071'] So how do you then get "my sound" out front even if you Mic it up? Does the pa have ampeg cabs out front? [/quote] In the same way that you don't need Ampeg cabs for you hifi system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Having the ability to reproduce it isn't the same as actually reproducing it, that killer tone might also be crap for certain venues. Of course using a Mic to record in the studio is different granted even still I prefer a di. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1450264205' post='2931071'] So how do you then get "my sound" out front even if you Mic it up? Does the pa have ampeg cabs out front? [/quote] haven't gigged with this combo yet. which PA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1450264506' post='2931075'] Heil PR40 is a good contender - but if possible take a DI also. [/quote] as I said, DI not possible. No DI out and if I put the bass through a DI box it will be dry through the PA, as the amp modeling and fx's are generated by the head. There is a digital out - for recording - but this cuts the sound to the speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 You are still as well to take a di and blend the dry with your micd channel, chances are a good sound person will provide a better front of house bass mix than you think you can with the pre rehearsed ones from the modelling setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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