Micing cabs (a 210 and 112)

[comfortstarr]

Any advice on how to mic a single 210 cab or a 210/112 rig?

I'm guessing forget the rig--or room mic it--and focus on the cab. The 112 I can probably figure out, but I'd like some ideas on where to start with the 210. Both the cabs have tweeters.

 

[Son of Bovril]

try placing the mic about 4-6 feet away from the cab setup, or try micing a 10 and 12 individually (ie. one mic each) up close

your best bet is to take some time and experiment... You may need to be close to the tweeter to pick up some of the highs if you are close micing it...

the problem with ambient micing is that other factors like the room start to play a much bigger role

 

[jaebee]

if your recording you could do both close up and ambiant, so then you can see which you like better /and or mix the two to taste

 

[Son of Bovril]

I would recommend mixing a mic'd signal and a DI signal

 

[comfortstarr]

I was definitely going to split the signal to a DI (BDDI). What about mics? Obviously I'll experiment, but right now I don't really own a traditional mic suited to bass. I have: SM57, AKG C1000, AT3035, and Studio Project B1. The 3035 is far and away the best of the bunch and probably would work for ambient. But I don't think any will be great for close micing a bass cab.

I've considered getting one of the following:

Sennheiser e602 (it gets a lot of raves for kick and bass on TapeOp)
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=004521

AT ATM250
Invalid Link Removed

AKG D112
Invalid Link Removed

If I buy something, I'd like it to work for both kick and bass. What are other people using for close micing bass cabs?

 

[lindseyp]

Why do you believe the "... 3035 is far and away the best of the bunch ...?" I'm being cynical when I ask that, you're not supposed to answer. Have you considered Sennheiser's MD 421, which once was known for the ability to record a bass speaker? Also, small omni mics pulled back a bit from the speaker may give you the sound you're looking for.

 

[lindseyp]

Oh, I just remembered something I've been meaning to try: A boundary zone mic attached to a wall with the speaker cab pointed to it.

 

[srxplayer]

I have used Groove Tube convertable condenser mics with very good results. They are great for micing cabs and have enough frequecy range to do a good job on a bass cab.

I would use a combined mic and D.I. signal for live situations.

 

[comfortstarr]

Why do you believe the "... 3035 is far and away the best of the bunch ...?" I'm being cynical when I ask that, you're not supposed to answer. Have you considered Sennheiser's MD 421, which once was known for the ability to record a bass speaker? Also, small omni mics pulled back a bit from the speaker may give you the sound you're looking for.

Can I though? My assessment is based on my own experiments, so it's a very subjective assessment (which I guess I didn't convey). Here's how I'd rate the mics I have for various sources I've recorded:

Electric Guitar (Peavey Classic 20, close miced)
1) SM57
1) AT3035
3) SP B1
4) AKG C1000

Acoustic Guitar (12th fret)
1) AT 3035
2) SM57
3) AKG C1000
4) SP B1

Voice (Mine, bloody horrible, rather deep)
1) AT 3035
2) SM57
3) SP B1
4) AKG C1000

But, different instruments, different amps, different rooms, different pres... I'm sure this all would change. I guess though, at the end of the day, with those 4 mics, I find the 3035 to sound really, and I'm stretching here for a good word, "mature."

 

[Son of Bovril]

something to take into account when using a DI and a Mic line is that you should be getting your fullrange spectrum from your DI signal and are using the Mic to add a certain voicing or live feel to it (maybe a certain cab or speaker response) therefore you don't need to make sure you are getting the full frequency spectrum from your mic...

 

[anderbass]

Something else to keep in mind when blending any DI and miced source,
is that the DI signal usually needs its phase reversed for less frequency cancellation.

If you monitor the two (in mono and through only one speaker), it will
be obvious if your setup needs this or not.

 

[AnRK]

I know this threads kinda past it but the engineer my bands just been recording with said that ambient micings only really good for big band and (I'm not too sure cos it was a while ago) some poppy stuff.

 

[hyperlitem]

Ambient mics only work very well if you have a great room, and a great mic. Not that your mics are bad, but none of those are great choices for ambient mics. Almost every post has been a very good idea, and thats all they are until you try them. If it were me Id put the 57 on the 2x10 a d112 or kick drum mic on the 1x12 and then the b1 a couple feet back to catch. It never hurts to DI because then you can always reamp it. Ive been in studios where I had almost ever mic at my disposal and I miced the cab then 2 weeks later when i was mixing it i hated the mic sounds in the mix, so a DI is an ALWAYS kinda thing for me even if I dont end up using it.