Jun 09, 2003 04:52 am Nobody?
Where's the sweet spot on a Standup Bass??
Posted on Jun 07, 2003 12:36 am
uhuhbigfan
Member Since: Apr 01, 2003
Tuesday night we will be recording a standup bass track for a bluegrass type tune that I wrote. Could someone please tell me the best mic setup for this? Any help would be much appreciated.
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Jun 09, 2003 05:00 am I was hoping Walt would swing by over the weekend, he would surely be the guy to talk to about that. What I would do is throw a couple of mics around it recording each on a different track and and use whichever one sounds best, or whatever combination sounds best. SInce I have never recorded a standup bass I would be in the same bind as you.
Jun 09, 2003 05:31 am That was our idea too but I thought there might be trick to it. I guess we'll see what happens.
Thanks, dB.
Jun 09, 2003 06:15 am i swear there was a thread on here awhile back talking about mic'ing an upright. I think they had one mic on a sound hole or f hole or whatever, and another one up on the fingerboard. i searched a bit and did find this: homerecordingconnection.c...;id=139&frm Scroll all the way to the bottom where Walt mentions using an Oktava small diaphram condensor under the bridge aiming right at it.
Jun 09, 2003 06:42 am Thanks, Jamie.
I'll definately try that out. I think I'm gonna end up with a room full of mics grabbin' it at every angle.
Jun 10, 2003 10:48 pm Sorry Bigfan, I have been getting all absorbed in working outside and not been here much. I am a little obsessive. The sweet spot is just at the bottom of the finger board above the bridge. I like to use about a 45 degree angle down from horazontal at about 6 to 9 inches from the strings. A second mic is nice pointed at one of the "f" holes to get the fullness of the instrument if that is what you desire. This takes adjusting as it is easy to get pure "boom". I usually come in at about a 30 deg angle from the outside front of the bass and adjust the distance from the "f" hole as desirable. Last note (no pun intended) on recording the big fiddle. Get a BIG room! The standing wave forms are so long from the fiddle that they will fill an average room and use it as part of the sound chamber. Obvoiusly you will get a lot of room color instead of instrument color. As mentioned above the Oktave MK012 is a very nice little mic for capturing the bass. I would assume that many models of small diaphram cardiods would do well. Avoid large diaphram mics again becouse of room boom. Upright is a little odd. You need the sensitivity of cardioid vs dynamic but not the extream sensitivity of a large diaphram as well as needing directional sensitivity to block the boom.
Please post something when done. I am very interested, obviously in hearing any recorded upright. I am hoping to have something to post before end of the year with my EUB (electronic upright bass). I am still in the process if getting my chops back but the instrument is a sweet sounding little piece.
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