What mics do you like best for recording bass from an amp?

I use an AKG D112 right now... It'll close mic my SVT rig at full blast no problem. I've also found a Sennheiser MD421 works for close miking without distortion. Now I also use a sm57 for miking the horn on my rig.

Thanks Croz. Despite the ability to record bass direct, I'm suprised there aren't more people who have views about what mics to use for recording through an amp.

Doesn't anyone else have any wisdom to impart?

Currently I'm using an Audio Technica ATM35, it's got a wide frequency response 30hz - 15khz and designed for high volume levels. It's a small clip on type and I use it for my upright and have recently used it during rehearsal sessions with a portable minidisc recorder and have gotten outstanding results with it.

I HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE TO SOME RECORDING INSIDERS, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THE BEST KICK DRUM MICS ALSO WORK GOOD FOR BASS RECORDING BECAUSE OF THE LOW FREQ. THAT ARE COMMON WITH BOTH AREAS OF RECORDING.. I ALSO THINK IT'S REAL COOL TO RECORD ONE TRACK DIRECT NO EFFECTS AND THE OTHER TRACK MIC'D WITH NO EFFECTS EITHER. YOU CAN ADD THE COOL REVERBS OR OTHER SOUNDS DURING THE MIX DOWN AND IT COMES OUT REAL SWEET.. GOOD LUCK

Yes,but if you end up wanting to use both tracks,you have to be careful about phase cancellation 'cause usually the track from the mic'ed amp is a little "slower" than the direct track.If you have a 180 degree phase flip switch on the console this can help,or if your recording to hard disc you can move the mic'ed track forward a tad relative to the other track.You'll know if something's wrong 'cause the sound will be hollow and wimpy.

Don't be afraid to use a condenser mic on a bass cabinet. Ultimately, the full frequency response lends itself nicely to bass. Just make sure to back it off a few inches- like 12 or so!

Now if we were to get picky (and pricey), a tube mic can do wonders for bass. There are some decent ones out there that don't break the wallet completely (relative, I guess), but the good thing is, after purchasing one, you'll have it for use on everything, and trust me, if you're using a digital recorder/DAW/PC-based system, you WILL want to use it on a lot.

By far my tried and true favorite method to record bass is with one channel direct from my preamp (Aguilar DB680- gotta love it!), and one from a few inches out in front of the cabinet. Each speaker can sound very different, so spend some time with your ear in front of each speaker. Sounds silly (and dangerous), but you can learn a lot about how your cab reproduces frequency by truly listening to it up close and not from far back (within the context of a room). A Very good point made above about the phase cancellation, by the way.

An AKG c3000 (large diapphragm condenser) is my fav mic for general purpose recording where a high frequency response/large dynamic range is desired.

Hope some of this helped.

I agree with SACTOBASSMAN. I have previously worked as an engineer in a recording studio and we almost always used a D-112 and a DI to record. The DI usually ended up provided the initial punch for the bass and the 112 provided the sustain/distortion/reverb for the bass. I have also played around with using other mic's from different distances, but in general, didn't have the available tracks and time to get something that really sounded good. Also, the only effect that was ever usually recorded to tape was a compressor. And that was used sparingly, most effects should ideally be run on mixdown since you want to initially record pristine and clear bass tracks. You can always add more effect, but you can't take it away.

If you can, try different things. I've used a $10 microphone from Radio Shack that sounded great for recording really distorted punk vocals and I've mic'd a guitar amp in a tub for some intense reverb. Who knows what combination(s) might work for you!!!

Always direct from the Preamp output
thats what I do...


http://www.christof-kost.de/UserSounds/Swiss-Standard-UNTRUE.mp3

Hmm...interesting thread, as I'm presently in a studio recording some stuff.

What the engineer/producer I'm working with is using right now is a combination of an AKG D-112 (seems to be a popular mic for low frequency stuff...he's got one in the drummers kick as well) and an Avalon U-5 D/I. WOW....I gotta give major huzzahs and kudos to Avalon, that thing is amazing (it was just reviewed in the past issue of BP, and they raved about it, justifyably so in my experience). The tone is thick, rich, full, and warm. We're just using the AKG for some "air" in my tone, because the D/I is so good....then again it may be the TubeTech compressors (one for each track of bass), and of course we all know tone starts in the hands ;) ..........

Avalon....drooooooool. I dig the D 112 for bass because they have an upper midrange peak (1.5 -2k range) that makes for great clarity. Which, incidentally is the exact same reason I hate them in kick drums. I like kick drum attack to be a little higher than that. I find the D112 a bit "knocky" sounding in a kick. The md 421 works good as well, and I kinda like the sm57 too. Of course, what can't you use a 57 for? I like Countryman and Radial Engineering (passive or active!) DIs.

Wow. I haven't revisited this in a while, but it's nice to see the great response. Has anyone tried the Shure Beta 52? This was recently recommended to me at my local music store.

Yeah, with my bass I generally send a direct mic to the mixing board, it tends to work best for me that way. Only bad thing is that the effects don't come through all that well, but that is on my guitar players sony MD-8. When we go into the studio during the next couple of weeks I am going to give them clean and fresh tracks, that way they guys in the sound department can add effects digitally with computers and **** like that.

Originally posted by Saint
...Has anyone tried the Shure Beta 52? This was recently recommended to me at my local music store...

Yeah, my drummer has a Beta, and it is a great mic, we use it for our lead vocals during live performances, but when we record we use tube mics. (exept for me, I line in)

I can't spend alot on gear, so I'm always trying cheapo, jury-rigged ways of doing things. I have gotten what seems to be good-sounding results by miking my amp with an SM57into the recorder, while also running a line out of the second input on the amp (same channel), through a compressor, preamp & whatever, and then direct in. It saves having to buy a signal splitter. Maybe there's a drawback to this I don't know about, but it seems to work well.

i use the XLR record out from my amp and a akg d112 on my cab and i can get it all !

Don't expect too much from a low B string from a 57, You might want to try double miking the bass from the same distance with a condenser (neuman) and a D112 or SM 57 it can work wonders.

Thanks. I'm going to have to spend some money on better mics on of these days. Has anyone tried any of the Marshall condensers for bass? I've heard good things about them for vocals, especially the tube mic. Plus they're alot cheaper. What about the Shure KSM32? BTW, is it rude to ask a new question on another person's thread? If it is, sorry.

i'm going to start recording and i need to buy a mike and reading this thread and people recomending all these mike but could someone tell me where to buy them from, if there is a website where you can buy them could you please tell me


Thanx

I use the XLR from the sans amp bass driver DI, mainly because I don't have a good mic for the 4x10.

I hear the Sansamp stuff is very cool, but the neighbors would miss it if I went direct too much. And the groundhogs and moles might come back.
Shreve audio had great prices on the Marshall mics a while back. Musicians Friend and American Music Supply have lots of good mics.

I use either the studio's SM57 or my own Sennheiser Blackfire 501 or 531

I think it's electrovoice that makes RE-20. It's a great mic for kickdrums and bass. The D112 is my second choice. I guess both are studio standards.

we've used the shure beta 52 and whatever else was lying around at the time. Seems to do fine, won't hurt your budget to bad.
there's a track w/ a no-name 15" cab miked with the 52 on my sad little page @ http://members.home.net/xush2/

It's a Jazz thru a carvin rl1000; the guy's not really a 'bass player', so he makes some strange choices. Wanted it mixed really low, too, but maybe you can hear it. "PP wrong" is the tune.

We've tried just about every permutation of whatever's in the studio at any given time.
PZM's, sm57, CAD large diaphragm, d112's...

It's surprising what will work in a pinch, sometimes budget dictates that you get in there and just make something work.

that said, most bass drum mics do seem to work pretty well.
mark

In regards to delaying the direct signal when using both direct and miked signals, how many milliseconds are needed for each inch of microphone distance so that the tracks line up together?
Digs

Besides the D112, which you see a lot, I've also seen an ElectroVoice RE20 (I think) used with good results.

The Sennheiser 421 is a great mic too. The first time I used one, I rented it and didn't realize they have that bass roll-off ring around the bass. The ring was seemingly labeled with German abbreviations too, which didn't help. Anyway, I accidentally had all the bass rolled off, and the poor engineer, who'd never used a 421 either, was tearing his hair out trying to figure out why this supposedly great mic sounded like crap on the kick .... (This was, obviously, a shoestring production, and a real "duh" moment for me.)

a pro musician that I know who records and produces does this....

he records just with a DI, then, if he wants to record with a mike'd amp or effects, he runs the recorded track through the amp and thus has his 2nd track. The bass on his records ROCKS !!

the DI'd track has to be real clean, though, with no white noise or hiss or anything.

This method enables him to record at home, or wherever, and then go to the label's studio and use the gear they have to change things (i.e. they have a B15 Portaflex and others at his disposal).

Course, this is high dollar recording he's doing, but it could apply to many of the rest of us.

I record direct only.
The hassle of doing mic recording at home isn't worth the effort IMO.
direct sounds better anyway IME, live and in the studio.