How do you place your SM57 for micing cab ?

[Clemouze]

Professional live sound guy here... I would NEVER use a 57 on a bass cab. Even with a gun to my head, I would probably just throw the 57 at the guy's face, take his gun, and run away. They mostly sound awful on electric string instruments. They're good on snares if you get the placement right and the drummer doesn't ruin it. And they are VERY placement dependent, and VERY source dependent.

Just about any other mic would probably be better. If you're doing this one time to make an IR to use for practicing, do it right and hire a couple hours of studio time and audition lots of mics and placement. Or you know, just get one off the internet for free like everyone else.

What you really want is a mic that is fairly flat. I mean the point is to get the sound of the speakers, right? In a recording context, I've gotten pretty good results from either the AKG C414 or the Rode NTK (their tube condenser). With those you probably want to pull back a little. In general, I tend to aim about halfway between the center and edge of the cone. But just experiment until you find something you really like. With dynamics, you probably want to be a bit closer, but for recording, as long as you can get a strong signal and not a lot of noise, anything goes. A 609 should be light years better than a 57 and they cost about the same. That's my preferred choice for guitar cabs.

Thank for you advices !
But I must admit .. I like the tone I ve got from the SM57 micing my cab.
Also pretty convenient mic to use for other things and in budget

 

[fnordlyone]

just eating my popcorn, sippin' on a brew... literally did a search on micing and hit the live thread. Beautiful.
F!

 

[fnordlyone]

I think I read that Kravitz only used SM57 on all instruments making Let Love Rule



but maybe i was just high... basic rough mix above,
fnord!
Omega: I mean the point is to get the sound of the speakers, right?

 

[ThisBass]

When recording, i preffer balanced output.

SM57 provides balanced output.
What's your meaning with recording?

 

[Optofonik]

Salut

Just want to know how do you do

I did close mic and center placement for a few recordings but I think I like better close mic and a slight move to the edge, like between the speaker's center and between the speaker's surounding

Same.

 

[nilorius]

SM57 provides balanced output.
What's your meaning with recording?

I thought you meant recording a bass sound from a speaker with mic sm57. I wouldn't.

 

[seamonkey]

It's handy to do a DI track at the same time.
You can always re-amp this track while playing with mic placement.
Or skip the mic and do modeling.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I think I read that Kravitz only used SM57 on all instruments making Let Love Rule



but maybe i was just high... basic rough mix above,
fnord!
Omega: I mean the point is to get the sound of the speakers, right?

If you like Let Love Rule, you'll like this song...

 

[Clemouze]

It's handy to do a DI track at the same time.
You can always re-amp this track while playing with mic placement.
Or skip the mic and do modeling.

Yes I do that !

 

[ThisBass]

I thought you meant recording a bass sound from a speaker with mic sm57. I wouldn't.

Are you really sure your answer helps the OP in any regards?

 

[fnordlyone]

If you like Let Love Rule, you'll like this song...

Yep, I do like.

 

[fnordlyone]

Pretty sure: if you don't want to capture the cab/speaker sound.. you don't need to mic. But OP asked about micing, so I got to learn; and I'm liking.
f!

 

[beans-on-toast]

Pretty sure: if you don't want to capture the cab/speaker sound.. you don't need to mic. But OP asked about micing, so I got to learn; and I'm liking.
f!

I find that a mic adds that little bit of ambience from reflections or air between the speaker, the room, and the mic. It just sounds better to me than only a DI. What a DI does well is compliment the frequencies that mic doesn't cover.

It's all about how the frequencies are cut and boosted in the mix. It also depends on the source, bass, drums, vocals, etc.

 

[Wasnex]

SM57 provides balanced output.
What's your meaning with recording?

I believe @nilorius is referring to sound quality, rather than output topology. Most likely the concern is the SM57 does not pickup enough low end to provide a balanced sound with bass. Purely subjective of course, but everyone has a right to their opinion.