fwiw I use a 57 almost every time to record bass. I combine it w/ a DI signal and get the meat from the DI and the character from the 57. I have and love a re20, but it tends to be too bassy. If I wasn't using a DI then I'd go there for sure.
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Good microphone for recording bass cab?
- Thread starter Korladis
- Start date
No, since these are not condenser mics they suffer from something known as "Proximity Effect" this happens to nearly all unidirectional mics below 100 Hz they inherently progressively boost frequencies by 6 to 10 Db the lower you go. So, in order to prevent explosive low frequency sound during close up use Shure designed the 57 and 58 mics to gradually roll off bass response in the low frequency range. Knowing this supposedly allows you as the user to better take advantage of the proximity effect by applying this knowledge to your recording process. Cheers.
Right. I will be using the DI for the low lows, to the extent I need them, though. I want the mic more for the mids and highs where the color in the sound is most apparent.
Shure beta 52 (bass drum, bass instrument mic) mixed with a DI. Sounds great, rugged, and it's a nice mic to have in your gig bag to mic the bass drum when needed.
Sorry but you have this information wrong. Proximity effect affects cardioid microphones, wheter they are dynamic or condenser type.
I made a home test with my Trace Elliot 2103x Cab, my Traynor YBA 200 and 4 mics I own. I tried setting the amp to the flattest possible setting. I have the recordings but I don't know where I can host audio. Here are the images of a spectrum analyzer I ran to each of the recordings I made.
Shure SM57:
Good mic, but it lacks a lot of bottom end, I would use together with a DI track and set a crossover point around 80hz
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Shure Beta 52
Sounds very good but I don't like the dip it has in the mids.
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Rode M3
Definitively not meant to be used as a Bass Amp mic. The sound is too weak and lacks a lot of definition in the lower register.
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Rode NT1A
I liked how this sounded a lot. Very warm and rounded.
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Shure SM57:
Good mic, but it lacks a lot of bottom end, I would use together with a DI track and set a crossover point around 80hz
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Shure Beta 52
Sounds very good but I don't like the dip it has in the mids.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Rode M3
Definitively not meant to be used as a Bass Amp mic. The sound is too weak and lacks a lot of definition in the lower register.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Rode NT1A
I liked how this sounded a lot. Very warm and rounded.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Just used the combo DI and Mic method and it made a huge difference in accomplishing the tone I wanted. You can't have too many options to develop your sound when recording.
here are some examples from my experiences
This is a regular cheap shure 58 (not the beta) on a peavey 810
This is a regular cheap shure 58 (not the beta) on a peavey 810
Those all sound good to me. Second one especially.
I go for a much dirtier bass sound, though. Were the ones you did with the 58 coupled with a DI track as well, or what? They sound like they have more than enough low end for me (I actually don't have as much low end in my sound as there is in those tracks).
I go for a much dirtier bass sound, though. Were the ones you did with the 58 coupled with a DI track as well, or what? They sound like they have more than enough low end for me (I actually don't have as much low end in my sound as there is in those tracks).
I honestly think if you know how to deal with the phasing issues the best thing would be to use a DI specifically for lows and highs and the regular 58 because it seems to do very well with mids and bring out a little more character and its really affordable
if you want a real dirty sound I suggest using separate tracks of clean and dirty to retain the low end. I'd probably split the signal and use something like a tech 21 GT@ or bass driver deluxe by itself for the dirty signal. Its pretty simple to do with an a/b splitter. Can also be done using the re-amping method.
Wow, cool. That's really encouraging, because the low end definitely wasn't lacking at all in those links.
Thanks man, I like the lows from the tech 21 RBI DI because they are deep without being to boomy, but yeah I recorded the first two with Jamie King the guy who records all the BTBAM stuff and at first I was like no way to the 58, because spec wise it doesn't seem to make sense with its frequency range. Then he showed me a magazine with an interview with Flea from the Chili Peppers saying he used it. I was sold, I do like the strong mids of the 58 if your planning on a dirty tone with one channel it should work good.
Awesome. Yeah, I'm not that big into getting super low lows. Those frequencies are for the bass drum.
- Dec 23, 2008
- 157
- 0
- Disclosures
- Staff Producer / Audio Engineer: Blue Tower Studio, Denver, CO & Mighty Fine Productions, Denver, CO
Also, there are also some pretty great DIs that do a better job on bass than your standard whirlwind.
The Brick by Groove Tubes
Radial JDI
REDDI by A Designs
All are high performers for bass.
My secret weapon for DI bass is plugging into the face of my JoeMeek VC6 which has excellent low frequency reproduction (it specs down to 20hz) and a very nice opto compressor.
The Brick by Groove Tubes
Radial JDI
REDDI by A Designs
All are high performers for bass.
My secret weapon for DI bass is plugging into the face of my JoeMeek VC6 which has excellent low frequency reproduction (it specs down to 20hz) and a very nice opto compressor.
