Double Bass What mic is this?

[Earl]

What mic is the bass player in the first trio using? How is it attached - H clamp?

 

[Francois Blais]

Yes, it's a H-Clamp, but no idea on the mic.

 

[Michael Glynn]

Looks like maybe a Royer ribbon mic.

 

[John Chambliss]

No idea on the mic either. However, I'm enjoying listening to some of the bassist, Mike Downes, compositions. Listening to "Root Structure" right now.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Can't see on my phone..

 

[ablumley]

Looks like maybe a Royer ribbon mic.

Almost 100% sure it's a ribbon mic. Probably a Royer, but could also be an old B & O or a newer Extinct Audio mic (or maybe some other boutique mic styled on the old B&O ribbons).

For recording double bass in a live setting, close miking with ribbons can get great results. The fig 8 pattern has strong nulls to the sides and if positioned very close to the bass, it can pick up both the information coming off the top and from the fingerboard, bridge and strings. With the proximity effect, this needs some heavy eqing before it sounds like it should, of course. Also, it helps a lot to use a preamp with the correct impedance. Last year I installed a new ribbon and a Fab XL transformer in my old Troll Ribbon mic and have found it to be very effective at capturing a convincing acoustic bass sound even with loud bands in small rooms.