Double Bass Trying to record warm sound, where should I start

[catyak]

I apologize if this isn't the right place for this question. I'm trying to record electric bass and violin. I'm running both through a Behringer UCA202 into my Mac. The bass is passive and I convert the 1/4" TR to RCA. The violin is acoustic and I'm using a bridge mic. It's also 1/4" TR to RCA.

The bass sounds good in Logic while the violin sounds terrible. It's lost the warmth and sounds really thin.

I'm new to this, so I don't know were to start. Should I be looking at the mic or should I be trying to do something to the mix in Logic?

 

[ThudThudThud]

There's a VST (virtual effect) called Helian 1st Bass. I'm not sure if it's something you can use in Logic, or if it's Mac compatible (larger minds than mine are needed).

It's basically a virtual tube amp. If you play around with it you can get 'warmth' in spades.

 

[longfinger]

When you write that the violin has a "bridge mic", do you mean an actual microphone or a piezo contact pickup?

 

[Vic Koler]

Don't think this is the violin forum, but..

The mic near the bridge is giving you the exact sound it hears; harsh, thin and scratchy. Put your ear at the mics location and that's what it hears.

You need to move that mic further from the instrument (at least 1 meter). Experiment a little to get the warmth and resonance of the violin. Don't use EQ or plug-ins. Get the best sound you can without and save the bells and whistles for the mix.

I prefer a ribbon mic for violin, but any mic will work (some better than others) if the placement is good.

Just to be pertinent for the forum, these principals hold true for double bass. Use the room whenever possible and don't point the mic at the scratching bow. Put your ear at the mics location and listen. That's what's going to be recorded!

I apologize if this isn't the right place for this question. I'm trying to record electric bass and violin. The violin is acoustic and I'm using a bridge mic.

The bass sounds good in Logic while the violin sounds terrible. It's lost the warmth and sounds really thin.

 

[catyak]

When you write that the violin has a "bridge mic", do you mean an actual microphone or a piezo contact pickup?

It's a piezo clamped to the bridge.

Don't think this is the violin forum, but..

I was hoping that experience would carry over. Looking at the rest of your response, some does. I'll switch to from the pickup to a microphone rather than playing around with the DAW.

Thanks!

 

[moles]

Location location location.... or in this case mic-placement mic-placement mic-placement...
Every part of the recording chain contributes to the results sounding "warm". The instrument, player, mic, mic placement, room, preamp, preamp settings - all of that matters...
I wasn't really familiar with that particular recording interface, so I did a little poking around on the 'net....
I looks like it's designed to have a mixer in front of it. You've got 1/4" TS to RCA cables, but they're not taking that instrument level and bringing it up to where it should be, in order to sound it's best. You probably have some issues with putting an instrument/piezo pickup/microphone level into what are probably line level inputs (I can't seem to find actual specs on the Behr- homepage) giving you impedance mismatching issues - this is not typically the path to "warmth".

If you're wary of spending money on the issue - you could always rent a small mixer for a day and try putting that in the chain. Or if you have something like a SansAmp BDDI that can output line level that would work...

BTW, recording.org has a neat little "open mic" forum now for questions from those just starting out an getting their feet wet in the recording process. Lot's of info on that site if you want to learn more.

Good luck!

 

[mstclairmiller]

Plugging a piezo pickup into any input that isn't designed specifically for it will lead to a horrible sound - search the forum for impedance matching. You will need some sort of buffering pre-amp with a 1 - 10 MegaOhm impedance, as against the 50kOhm impedance of most inputs. For recording, dump the pickup and get a mic - record the sound the instrument makes, not the bridge vibrations the pickup feels.

 

[Nagrom]

Try mic'ing your violin with a microphone. Up high, pointing down, stand underneath it. Monitor thru your headphones and move around a bit until it sounds right.

 

[catyak]

I hooked up a condenser microphone and went through a mixing board. I was surprised at how close I had to put the microphone but everything came out much better.

Thanks!