What kind of mic would you guys recommend for recording with a jazz trio, guitar, bass and drums in a small room? We'll be using headphones and there will be gobos around the bass with the goal of getting enough separation to mix later. I've gotten good results from a cardiod condenser pointed at the bridge when not with the band but I'm wondering if a super cardiod dynamic might be better for isolation when with the band. I have a condenser I like but would it be worth it to pick up something like a Sure Beta 56?
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Double Bass Mic for home studio
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IMO, stick with what you have. Super- and hypercardioid patterns have that "bump" at 180 degrees and cardioid does not.
You will always have some bleeding. More important than trying to eliminate it is whether it's pleasant or not.
Drums are a lot more complicated to mic than bass. KISS.
You will always have some bleeding. More important than trying to eliminate it is whether it's pleasant or not.
Drums are a lot more complicated to mic than bass. KISS.
I figured the rear lobe on a supercardiod could be problematic. The rear of the mic would be facing a gobo with drums directly on the other side so I'd probably be getting some low frequency from the kick and toms.
Drums - they're so much louder than the bass and the guitar amp will be outside of the room. I've actually been able to get decent drum sounds in the past with just 3 or 4 mics.
Drums - they're so much louder than the bass and the guitar amp will be outside of the room. I've actually been able to get decent drum sounds in the past with just 3 or 4 mics.
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My experience is that an omni and a hypercardioid both sound a lot better than a cardioid. I have used a mic body with changeable mic capsules (Oktava MK-10x).
You might think about spending a bit more money for a mic with changeable capsules and getting the omni, hypercardioid and cardioid capsule.
I think it depends a lot on room size, reflections and positioning of the band what would be the best mic selection. You might also think about using a singers mic shield for a bit more isolation.
You might think about spending a bit more money for a mic with changeable capsules and getting the omni, hypercardioid and cardioid capsule.
I think it depends a lot on room size, reflections and positioning of the band what would be the best mic selection. You might also think about using a singers mic shield for a bit more isolation.
Can you elaborate on what you prefer about omni or hyper? Is it better sound or how they work around other instruments?
I've used a few different mics and am pretty happy with the sound I'm getting from an ISK Pearl, a ($30!) cardiod condenser. I actually have a couple Octava MC012s but only have the cardiod capsule. They sound great for drum OHs but I'm not crazy about them on bass. I could pick up the other capsules...
I've used a few different mics and am pretty happy with the sound I'm getting from an ISK Pearl, a ($30!) cardiod condenser. I actually have a couple Octava MC012s but only have the cardiod capsule. They sound great for drum OHs but I'm not crazy about them on bass. I could pick up the other capsules...
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The mic recommendations above are fine. Is there any chance of having the drums in an adjoining room with the door open and a gobo in the doorway? That would clean up the room acoustically for the guitar and bass and give you a lot more control over the bleed, and you could still see the drummer.
Unfortunately, no. Were doing this in a finished basement with one room. There is an adjoining hallway - I was planning on putting the guitar amp there.
I'm planning to build a few gobos to go around the bass. Did you have anything between you and the drums? Were you able to mix at all?
The few times I've tried to multitrack with everything in the same room and no gobos there was so much bleed that mixing didn't really work. The room I have now is pretty dead acoustically and I'm hoping that that combined with gobos will make it possible to mix.
The few times I've tried to multitrack with everything in the same room and no gobos there was so much bleed that mixing didn't really work. The room I have now is pretty dead acoustically and I'm hoping that that combined with gobos will make it possible to mix.
Oops, yes, I meant the Oktava MC012. They are a bit weak in the bass frequencies, but that rather comes in handy with close micing on a bass.
The Hypercardioid and the omni are much clearer than the cardioid. The omni the best, but the hypercardioid rather close to the omni. I wouldn't use the cardioid with a bass (if at all).
I have two stereo sets, one with all three capsules and one with cardioid a only and a single cardioid. I would instantly exchange my three cardioids from the second set and the single with hypercardioids if that would be possible.
I have also a better small diaphragm stereo set from Elation with three capsules each, but have never used them on the bass since I'm afraid that I might damage them by accident (they are two to three times as expensive as the Oktavas).
From my personal experience, if you can keep each instrument "clean" in the frequencies where they are most distinctive, it's OK if there is some bleed.
Generally, I like a bit of boost around 4K on bass for example (it's what makes the bass cut in a mix imho), so I make sure, as much as possible, not to get too much bleed at that range so that if I do need to boost to bring out the bass (without raising it's volume), I am not dragging ringing cymbals or guitars with it.
In many cases, this can be easily accomplished by adding the bogos BEHIND the instruments, in order to limit early reflections from other instruments (forget stopping low frequency bleed)...A little thought ahead of time allows you to place the instruments accordingly (and probably not in the way you would setup to play a gig!).
Always recording in the same room is one of the great advantages of home studios, you can take the time you need to find the sweet spots.
Generally, I like a bit of boost around 4K on bass for example (it's what makes the bass cut in a mix imho), so I make sure, as much as possible, not to get too much bleed at that range so that if I do need to boost to bring out the bass (without raising it's volume), I am not dragging ringing cymbals or guitars with it.
In many cases, this can be easily accomplished by adding the bogos BEHIND the instruments, in order to limit early reflections from other instruments (forget stopping low frequency bleed)...A little thought ahead of time allows you to place the instruments accordingly (and probably not in the way you would setup to play a gig!).
Always recording in the same room is one of the great advantages of home studios, you can take the time you need to find the sweet spots.
Thanks - I've been reading up on room acoustics. We're pretty limited as to placement since the room is small. I am planning to have a mattress behind the drums and probably some packing blankets behind the bass. Like I said it's a pretty dead room acoustically so I think getting a decent close mic sound could work.
