Trying to record bass from boom cars

Z

zebrafish565

New member
Hi all,

I have a blue yeti (with usb connection to my PC), and already tried recording some loud stereo bass to audacity. It did not come out very well. Do I really have to buy a preamp?

The bass was so loud it was vibrating my walls, yet my microphone could not pick it up.

Thanks!
 
I'm not familiar with the Blue Yeti. Have you looked at the frequency chart for that particular mic? Not all mics are designed to pick up those low frequencies you want. It might be easier to record direct and take the mic and cab out of the equation.

You also might want to think about your bass and strings. I was using Sadowsky Black Label flats on my P bass. It really did that dub bass sound. It was too much for me. I switched to TI Jazz flats for a more versatile bass tone.
 
Hi RFR: here's somethign from the urban dictionary:

boom car: A vehicle containing a belligerent stereo system with subwoofers that render the trunk useless and broadcast low frequencies for hundreds of yards. The "music" itself is designed to maximize bass, not musicality.
These vehicles tend to be associated with criminal activity and go well beyond a simple nuisance. The drivers are generally mouth-breathing, shaved-headed idiots who'll pick a fight with anyone who wants to relax in their own home.

Another fire truck hit a boom car at an intersection because the driver couldn't hear the siren. Unfortunately, the driver lived.

Urban Dictionary: boom car

Thanks Robus. Unfortunately, yes it is an interesting story. Can you recommend a better place to get advice on recording
the boom car bass? I just need to be be able to prove that they are doing it.

Thanks everyone!
 
Ah, I see. thanks for clearing it up.

In Los Angeles there is a 100db noise limit, cops can ticket you for that.
 
The problem is, my neighbor's freinds are coming in and out all day, and each car has the blasting stereo going with the subwoofers that vibrate my walls,
but only for a short time. It still adds up to a lot of noise, but how can the police catch them? If I can record it, then at least I have some way to prove it.
 
Just get a plate # and call it in. if you complain enough, they'll usually act on it.
 
Cool. Fight the power! Or the bass.

Sorry, don't know anything about that kind of recording. My guess is that you will never pick up those low frequencies with the kind of equipment you are using. Anyway, if you could, what you would have would be a recording that can be played back at any level, loud or soft. How will you prove that the original sound was too loud? Have you thought about a decibel meter? Keep a log of when it happens, and the decibel level. It isn't proof, but it could get the authorities interested enough to have a word with your neighbor.
 
Just use your phone or camcorder or something. You only have to convince the police to come investigate the noise.
 
zebrafish565 said:
The problem is, my neighbor's freinds are coming in and out all day, and each car has the blasting stereo going with the subwoofers that vibrate my walls,
but only for a short time. It still adds up to a lot of noise, but how can the police catch them? If I can record it, then at least I have some way to prove it.
Click to expand...

Recording noise doesn't prove how loud they actually were.
 
Well then, I guess I'd better just put some mini spy cameras in the windows, a hope that controls the situation. Thansk everyone.
 
a decibel meter is the way to go ..... almost everywhere bases their restrictions on decibel levels.
Even then they're gonna have to come out and use their own meters because in court a defense lawyer's gonna argue that a private citizen has no training or a properly calibrated meter.

But a db meter and keeping logs of it would prolly convince them to follow up on it.
I can't imagine you're gonna get a recording that would 'prove' anything in a legal sense and that's what you need.
 
What kind of people are you dealing with here? Are they reasonable? Can you just talk to them? Are the type to blow your house up while you sleep?
 
Talking - that ship saliled a long time ago. Already been there and done that with calling the police over and over. The HOA manger finally helped me, because I recorded them threateining a neighbor in the middle of the night.
But I need proof for this, and it seems I can't get proof. So I will put a camera in the window, and hope there's no retaliation.
 
Connect a speaker to the mic input and face the speaker at the cars. You need to pad the input depending on how loud the signal is. If you have 2 inputs record the mic and the speaker then mix the 2 together.

Alan.
 
"Boom cars" - that's a new term to me, not the concept, though. They come blasting down the road, you can hear them a half mile away. As they get near you can hear the parts of their cars actually rattling - coming apart - from the sound.
I recommend a bazooka.
 
mjbphotos said:
"Boom cars" - that's a new term to me, not the concept, though. They come blasting down the road, you can hear them a half mile away. As they get near you can hear the parts of their cars actually rattling - coming apart - from the sound.
I recommend a bazooka.
Click to expand...
Maybe that western yodel music the made the aliens heads explode in Mars Attacks?
 
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