Double Bass Microphone Stage for Upright Bass

[bilboup]

Hi guys, I wanted to ask you for some advice on a stage microphone for my double bass.
We are a loud band and I need more body on my instrument. I already have a pick up system that I connect directly to the amp with a DI.
Can anyone recommend a good stage microphone that resists feedback?
I'm undecided between the Nadine from Ear Trumpet and the DPA 4099.

Thank you very much everyone

 

[DoubleMIDI]

If you have a loud band forget a microphone to the amp.

 

[lurk]

You are in for quite a bit of money and frustration. Check out the AudioSprockets Tonedexter.

 

[bilboup]

@DoubleMIDI OK, but I can see that it is an option that many people use on big stages.

@lurk i know the tonedexter, but i think it's a preamp :/

In general, I would need more body on my instrument in addition to the pickup.
I already use a preamp, but I would need some advice on a stage microphone.
I see artists like Chris Wood, Christian McBride and others who play on big stages and they definitely have a microphone system, or at least I think so!

 

[Sam Reese]

What are the other instruments and style of music? I have a Nadine.
Edit: resisting feedback is not an easy feat at louder volumes. Nadine can add dimension to your sound. I rely on my pickup.

 

[Ric Vice]

The current crop of DB instrument Microphones includes the DPA 4099B Dvote Core, The Neumann MCM 114, the Remic DB5400LB (Green), The Ear Trumpet Labs Nadine,
and the Xlsson "Chuck Israels". Among those microphones I have used the DPA, Remic, and Xlsson. My favorite is the Remic DB 5400 LB, the new DPA 4099 B Devote Core is
exceptionally feedback resistant. I will warn you that all microphones will have some bleed from other instruments. I choose not to use a microphone into my amp only out to
the house. Both Christian Mc Bride and Chris Wood have fairly simple setups. Just my take.

 

[bassically_eli]

@DoubleMIDI OK, but I can see that it is an option that many people use on big stages.

@lurk i know the tonedexter, but i think it's a preamp :/

In general, I would need more body on my instrument in addition to the pickup.
I already use a preamp, but I would need some advice on a stage microphone.
I see artists like Chris Wood, Christian McBride and others who play on big stages and they definitely have a microphone system, or at least I think so!

A lot of time the microphone you see on big stages is only for FOH, and they're using a pickup for the stage sound. That said, just because the stage looks big doesn't mean the stage sound is particularly loud. I've played a couple of big stages at festivals where the volume was fine because we were outside and had ample room to spread out. One more thing to consider is the monitor situation: you don't wanna be standing right in front of a monitor that's got the bass mic signal in it, so you generally will need an amp behind you.

 

[bassically_eli]

Check out this thread. I think something like that would be your best bet.

Personally, I'm really happy with my DPA knock-off: a Prodipe BL21, but I think it's probably more prone to feedback and body than the Bartlett. I think the Nadine would be a poor choice for a loud band.

 

[bilboup]

thanks a lot guys for the advice. @basically_eli @Ric Vice
I play in a jazz/electronic quartet consisting of drums sax and electric guitar @Sam Reese
Of course my intention was to send a signal to the FOH and for the stage use the amp as a monitor and DI.
The mic I often see used is the Dpa, but the Nadine from the demos I've heard sounds wonderful.
but my fear, being a wide-diaphragm condenser that doesn't resist feedback much, especially in a band context

 

[dylanjohnson]

No feedback issues if you are sending only to front of house, just massive amounts of other instruments in your mic along with you.

 

[Sam Reese]

What you get w/ Nadine is reflections ricocheting off the bass top. I haven't had the luxury to send it to FOH in my gig scene. I think the Bruce Bartlett mic is also a contender.

 

[bilboup]

Check out this thread. I think something like that would be your best bet.

Personally, I'm really happy with my DPA knock-off: a Prodipe BL21, but I think it's probably more prone to feedback and body than the Bartlett. I think the Nadine would be a poor choice for a loud band.

I don't know the barlett, it looks very good, unfortunately I am Italian and I don't know how much this product is available in my country

 

[bilboup]

Check out this thread. I think something like that would be your best bet.

Personally, I'm really happy with my DPA knock-off: a Prodipe BL21, but I think it's probably more prone to feedback and body than the Bartlett. I think the Nadine would be a poor choice for a loud band.

I know the prodipe, it is similar to the Dpa, and its technical characteristics also seem similar.
Could such a microphone be placed close to the f's of the instrument for more volume?

 

[Ric Vice]

You will also need to know if the microphone your considering will attach to your particular bass. The DPA and Neumann's are very light weight and easy to put into place.
Even at that, if you're intending to place it above the top inside the bridge feet , the goose neck has to be long enough to reach that spot, bending under the bridge, which is different on every bass.
If you use a Remic it will mount inside the bridge, under the fingerboard, or under the tailpiece. The Xlson requires the Explore Audio H Clamp or something like it to get
it close up to the bass. What works on my bass may not be compatible with yours..

 

[bilboup]

You will also need to know if the microphone your considering will attach to your particular bass. The DPA and Neumann's are very light weight and easy to put into place.
Even at that, if you're intending to place it above the top inside the bridge feet , the goose neck has to be long enough to reach that spot, bending under the bridge, which is different on every bass.
If you use a Remic it will mount inside the bridge, under the fingerboard, or under the tailpiece. The Xlson requires the Explore Audio H Clamp or something like it to get
it close up to the bass. What works on my bass may not be compatible with yours..

In general, I was thinking of a dpa or nadine model microphone, which should be good for any type and shape of double bass.
I know the Remic, but I have seen it used very little!

 

[crd]

Are you playing big rooms? Nadine works going FOH but don't expect to get the mic signal in your monitors or amp if you are in a loud group.

Maybe check out the Ischell?

 

[Ric Vice]

The Ischell is a”horse of a different color”. Since it attaches directly to the body of the bass it has better feedback resistance.
That said the sound coming off a DPA, Nadine, or Remic is more detailed and nuanced to my ears. You’ll have to decide which
that suits you’re needs.

 

[crd]

The Ischell is a”horse of a different color”. Since it attaches directly to the body of the bass it has better feedback resistance.
That said the sound coming off a DPA, Nadine, or Remic is more detailed and nuanced to my ears. You’ll have to decide which
that suits you’re needs.

Definitely - it also is the only one with a ghost of chance of working on a super loud stage. Unless you have the resources to be working with a sound person you trust night in and night out.

 

[Kenan]

I'll also chime in to say that using a mic in a loud band is a recipe for frustration. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "more body," but if you mean that you want a louder and bigger sound than what your piezo pickup can produce before feedback, the answer is definitely not a mic. Perhaps a magnetic pickup would get you closer to where you want to go, if you're satisfied with the string options that limits you to. Or perhaps a different piezo.

One mic that I didn't see mentioned yet, which is designed for upright, is The Troll. I used a DPA style for a while, clipped to the bridge, and it was nice for low volumes only. However, their big design flaw is the teenie tiny cable that is hard wired to the mic. When that cable goes, your mic is pretty much toast, and we all know that cables don't last forever when being gigged. That cable should absolutely not be hard wired to the mic, and makes it not gig worthy in my opinion. I don't know if that's true for all models though.

 

[Ric Vice]

I'll also chime in to say that using a mic in a loud band is a recipe for frustration. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "more body," but if you mean that you want a louder and bigger sound than what your piezo pickup can produce before feedback, the answer is definitely not a mic. Perhaps a magnetic pickup would get you closer to where you want to go, if you're satisfied with the string options that limits you to. Or perhaps a different piezo.

One mic that I didn't see mentioned yet, which is designed for upright, is The Troll. I used a DPA style for a while, clipped to the bridge, and it was nice for low volumes only. However, their big design flaw is the teenie tiny cable that is hard wired to the mic. When that cable goes, your mic is pretty much toast, and we all know that cables don't last forever when being gigged. That cable should absolutely not be hard wired to the mic, and makes it not gig worthy in my opinion. I don't know if that's true for all models though.

DPA has solved the cable issue with the new Dvote Core as the cable is now removable at the mic end and they offer two different thicknesses.