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Double Bass Basic recording set up into a Mac?

S

simonlewin

Mar 17, 2008
6
0
#1
Hello there,

I wondered if anyone had any basic recommendations for recording a double bass on a Mac (into Logic or similar).

I have a Realist pick up fitted but that's about it.

I didn't know if I needed an additional mic (someone recommended Applied Microphone Technology's SP25B) and some sort of pre-amp?

And then maybe I need some sort of audio interface into the Mac (a MacBook Pro).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks,

Simon
 
#2
All you need is a simple microphone, a cable, and the right adapter to go from the mic cable into the miniplug on your Mac. You'd be much better off using a microphone instead of taking the signal from the Realist. For home recording purposes with just the bass, you can use about any microphone you want--a Shure SM57 will certainly do the trick if you don't want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars. No need at all for an AMT SP25B, which is mostly for live sound anyway (at least considering the price point--for the same money, you can get a much nicer microphone suited just for the studio).

A Macbook pro has an audio input, so you don't need a special I/O device. If you have the right cable (XLR-to-miniplug), you can just plug the mic directly into the computer. But it is definitely nice to have some sort of preamp in between the instrument and the computer; if you have an amplifier, you can maybe use the preamp section of that for this purpose (plugging the bass into the amp and taking the "direct out" signal form the preamp--not the "speaker" signal from the power amp!--into the computer).

If I were going to record the bass using the Realist and other equipment I have on hand, I would plug the pickup into something like this which I would connect to the MacBook with Invalid Link Removed. Or, I would plug a microphone as simple as Invalid Link Removed (but preferably as nice as Link Removed, which I do own and love) via a mic cable and the same adapter mentioned above, or with a preamp like Link Removed but preferably like as nice as Invalid Link Removed.

In the worst possible solution, you could find the right adapter and plug the Realist directly into the audio input jack on the Mac. But I don't think it would sound good (assuming it works at all).
 
#3
Nice spectrum of preamps, Jeremy! You've pretty much covered it there. With mics, there is also the Studio Projects B1 cheapo consenser that a few people I know swear by.

If you have Logic already, that is great, but some firewire preamp devices are bundled with Cubase, Protools or similar software, and it may be worthwhile considering as it is a cheaper way of getting the software. Firewire devices avoid using the audio input of the mac, which will work fine, but a firewire preamp will give you better results if you can afford the extra cash.

Also, I get pretty decent results for demoing ideas to myself just using the built in mic on my PowerBook, using Garage Band. The trick is to not spend too much time recording so as to avoid noise of the fan kicking in. I have the menu bar thingo from iSlayer.com that gives me the temperature of the CPU - when it reaches 65degrees, I know the fan is about to kick in and its time to let it cool down and have a beer break.
 
#4
I have recorded several bands (mainly acoustic), and my bass, on G4 Mac laptops and on Mac desktop machines. I find the built-in mic is OK for a quick and dirty recording, but it saturates (clips the volume peaks) at lower volume levels than other external mics. Even a $20 electret plugged in through a Griffin iMic USB adaptor seems to give much more dynamic range, and of course it minimises any computer noises if it is placed away from the machine. The imic powers the electret, but it is limited to mono in this configuration.

I have placed the electret (omnidirectional) in very close to the front surface of the instrument, and it sounds great to my ear.

Garageband is fine, but I am a great fan of Martin Hairers Amadeus software for simple recording (not multi-track) use.

Oh, and g'day to mstclairmiller from a fellow Melbournian
 
#7
+1 for the Blue Snowball mic. I use it all the time at home and it sounds really good. I've found it works great putting it on floor 2-3 feet away for beefy sound (you get good room sound as well). I've also used it on a mic stand closer to bridge, F hole, or fingerboard all with useful results.
 
#8
My realist sounds great through my bass amp but sounds awful into my computer.

I use a MOTU ultralite firewire audio inteface which sounds amazing recording anything with a mic but not when I plug in form the Realist. The reason I would like to use the realist is when I'm doing looping and would like to monitor through speakers. Using a mic can cause feeback and records your previous loops into your your new loops which is no good. Using a pickup solves both these issues but the hum and/or noise keeps it from working.

I tried out Jeremy's advice I used a sansamp bass driver DI to plug the bass into and then plug the output from the sansamp into the ultralite ad it the hum was not as bad but it was still extremely noisy. This doesnt work because the noise is amplified with each loop you overdub.

Has anyone else had any problems recording into the computer with the realist or had any success using another combination?

Todd
 
#9
If your MOTU interface has an XLR in and your amp has a DI, try taking the XLR out from your amp into the XLR in on the interface. It sounds like you are having either an input impedance problem, or you don't like the raw sound of the Realist. Also be aware that you could solve the feedback problem by using headphones instead of external speakers.
 
#12
I don't consider myself an expert but I've have good luck recording into
a Mac (using Logic Pro) with that M-Audio Audio Buddy Preamp (same one
as mentioned above) and a good microphone (I use an EV N/D967).

I can't find the specs right now but that preamp has incredibly low
noise and high linearity for a bargain basement price. It allows using
(balanced) XLR connectors that you'll probably want to use with
a good mic. And it features 1/4" jacks in case you want to plug in
an instrument or cheap mic.

Note that the preamp will give you line level output you need to feed
to many Macs (but not all!). Some Macs have microphone inputs;
others have line-level inputs. I was using an iMac with line-level
inputs. You want to make sure your levels agree.
 
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#13
re: firewire preamps, just a head's up that with the release of apple's new macbook, there comes a pretty clear indication that firewire is on its way out. (while this technology is still supported on their higher-end products, there is no firewire port on the laptop.) i wouldn't be surprised if firewire is a relic of the past within the next 18 to 24 months and that everyone will be forced to use usb2 (which is inferior in my opinion, but unfortunately i don't get to make decisions about these things...).

this is all probably common knowledge by this point, and the poster who recommended this course of action did so before the public release of the new macbook, but before anyone here invests any further money into products that require firewire, i thought it'd be worthwhile to post.
 
#15
cryfok said:
re: firewire preamps, just a head's up that with the release of apple's new macbook, there comes a pretty clear indication that firewire is on its way out. (while this technology is still supported on their higher-end products, there is no firewire port on the laptop.) i wouldn't be surprised if firewire is a relic of the past within the next 18 to 24 months and that everyone will be forced to use usb2 (which is inferior in my opinion, but unfortunately i don't get to make decisions about these things...).

this is all probably common knowledge by this point, and the poster who recommended this course of action did so before the public release of the new macbook, but before anyone here invests any further money into products that require firewire, i thought it'd be worthwhile to post.
Click to expand...

actually apple still has firewire but only on its expensive lap tops. there is a huge uproar in the apple community and I think you may see a change in the next gen model
 
#16
one could argue that all mac laptops are expensive, but as a confirmed machead ...

at this point the mac entry level macbooks are sans firewire, but i agree that mac was caught asleep at the wheel on this one. me thinks they forgot about the buttloads of firewire peripherals out there, that work!

meanwhile, to the question at hand, the real question is what are you using the recording for? laying tracks for release? demo purposes?if it's just to have some high quality demos and such, just buy a zoom h2. absolutely idiot proof and they sound great.

jeff.
neal davis said:
actually apple still has firewire but only on its expensive lap tops. there is a huge uproar in the apple community and I think you may see a change in the next gen model
Click to expand...
 

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