vocal bass mic

[No Name]

Is there such thing as a (vocal bass mic)? For live performances.

 

[chessrock]

What's a vocal bass mic?

 

[steelpetals]

answer a question with a question? Ain't that some Socratic Method you be a-usin?

 

[Dracon]

answer a question with a question? Ain't that some Socratic Method you be a-usin?

What's a socractic method? I think I need to get one of those methods. Is it going to help with my mixing, can it make me sound like Elvis in his good years? I should change my username to Smartass.

Hey No Name! Read the top most thread on this forum, it would give you some idea why cheeserock, I mean chessrock is asking you what's a bass mic.
A mic is a mic. There as some mic which are built with instruments in mind (no big ball at the end) like the SM57, but some people will tell you that the MXL 990 is pretty good for overhead drums and for some guitars, even acoustics.

So go figure. Also you can do a search in this forum and find out what other people are using for their bass guitars. I'm assuming it's a bass guitar based on the way you phrased the question.

 

[chessrock]

Maybe the guy's planning on singing the bass lines.

I actually know of people who have done this.

 

[Richard Monroe]

OK, I got it, am I the only one? Bass vocals. Like Paul Robeson. A singer in the bass register, as in a barbershop quartet or Madrigals ensemble. Yes- try AKG D112. It's a mic designed for recording double bass, which is often used on bass guitar or kick drum. Some people love it, others hate it, but it's a very good bass vocal mic. Better for more money- Electrovoice RE20, a dynamic mic designed for broadcast applications which is also often used on kick drum. It is an excellent live bass vocal mic.-Richie

 

[Track Rat]

The EV RE-20. Disc jockies like this mic because of the bassy sound (proximity effect) it gives.

 

[Dom Franco]

Nope.....

I suppose you could try a Kick drum mike, but all it will do is not reproduce the higher frequencies as much?

Dom

 

[chessrock]

Disc jockies like this mic because of the bassy sound (proximity effect) it gives.

And lack thereof.

 

[AGCurry]

The EV RE-20. Disc jockies like this mic because of the bassy sound (proximity effect) it gives.

As chessrock implied, the RE20 and many other EV mics with "Variable-D technology" actually are designed to cancel proximity effect.

The original question, the way I understand it, is: Are there any mics specifically good for bass voices?

And the answer depends on whether you want a mic which will accentuate the bass or not. The RE20, while excellent for bass voices, does not.

A good mic for bass voice must have good midrange and highs, or bass will turn into mud. The Beyerdynamic M88 is the best one I know of, followed by Sennheiser 421, EV 367.

Actually, the RCA or AEA 44 is the best, but you're not going to buy one of those.

 

[Dracon]

OK, I got it, am I the only one? Bass vocals. Like Paul Robeson. A singer in the bass register, as in a barbershop quartet or Madrigals ensemble.

I think you were! All I actually read was Bass mic. I just bought the Marshall MXL V67G. After I do some testing I'll let you know, how I like it. I do like the Sennheiser E835, which is great on my voice if I sing.

I have what I call a high Bass (People tell me I sound like Ray Romano from Everybody loves Raymond - although in my opinion is not my voice so much as it the way I talk or the things I say).

Anyway, if I sing the E835 is great! I love it nice rich sound, it's full and rounded. My biggest problem is when speaking into the mic with a low voice, the dynamic doesn't have the sensitivity to capture all the detail. That being said, that's for my voice, in my room with my setup.

As far as a live situation, I would most probably go with the E835. If it's you and it's live go to a local store Guitar Center or whatever and test the dynamic mics there. The Sennheiser E835, the Shure SM58 or 57 and others they may have available. Decide what sound good for your Bass voice or your bass voice vocalist.

 

[Alexi]

check out the sennheiser e602, i doesnt cut off the higher frequencies

 

[kid klash]

Of the trios and quartets I've worked with, many of the bass vocalists preferred the Sennheiser MD-421... it's a somewhat large diaphragm dynamic mic that not only captures the low end, but has a very smooth and extended high end to go with it. You don't have to have phantom voltage either, which is handy if you're touring and aren't sure of what sound systems you'll have to use.

 

[Mark7]

How about a Beyerdynamic M380?

 

[Innovations]

I have a bass voice, yess a genuing Paul Robeson/James Earl Jones kind of thing when I open up the throat and reach into the low register.

So if this person has both low range and power in that range like I do then a couple of counterintuitive factors come into play. First of all you do not want to have, as many 'vocal' mics do, a bass roll off. There is still things happening in that roll-off range. Second, you do not need proximity effect. He's got the real thing, no need to have a less-natural sounding immitation. Also even though he is singing in the low register much of the unique qualities of his voice are coming from a whole range of higher overtones. A high voice develops a lot from resonances in the nasal passages, a lower voice devops a lot from resonances in the chest. You may want to experiment with mic positioning with that in mind.

Personally I am using a MXL 2003 (yes that incredibly bright thing). I can't realy say that I am 100 percent happy with it though. If I had the money right now it would be either a SM7, a RE20, or a ribbon.

 

[Dracon]

Hey Innovations:

What kind of music do you play? Jazz, blues, Rock, R&B, Rap, Heavy Metal, Soft Rock, ????
Do you record with that MXL 2003 or do you do live performances?
Also, since you mentioned proximity effect. Where do you start noticing the proximity effect on your mic?

 

[Innovations]

Hey Innovations:

What kind of music do you play? Jazz, blues, Rock, R&B, Rap, Heavy Metal, Soft Rock, ????
Do you record with that MXL 2003 or do you do live performances?
Also, since you mentioned proximity effect. Where do you start noticing the proximity effect on your mic?

Personally I do voiceovers and occasionally some singing. I also use my rig to do some recording of choirs and small ensembles. I am personally more satisfied with the 2003 for near-coincident pair micing of small ensembles and choirs than I am with using it for voiceovers. I usually record with it about 6-8 inches away and not directly centered on my mouth (a typical voiceover mic position) and I do not notice heavy proximity.

 

[Dracon]

Personally I do voiceovers and occasionally some singing. I also use my rig to do some recording of choirs and small ensembles. I am personally more satisfied with the 2003 for near-coincident pair micing of small ensembles and choirs than I am with using it for voiceovers. I usually record with it about 6-8 inches away and not directly centered on my mouth (a typical voiceover mic position) and I do not notice heavy proximity.

What do you use for voiceovers? Is this speaking voice overs or singing voice overs?

P.S. Have you tried the MXL V67G?