Which mic for a bass amp?????

[Franky 2000]

Does anyone have a suggestions as to which mic would be best for recording a bass amp?? I am a bassist and need to do a lot of recording of my own material for my college degree. But i hope to start recording local bands soon and need a help in deciding which mic would be best!

Thanks

 

[Big Kenny]

I go DI now, but when I used to mic I would throw down a dynamics 1 foot off the ground and move it around till either it or I got punchy. Senn 421 or 441 or shure sm anything should work

 

[chris-from-ky]

I don't see why an AKG D112 wouldn't work. It does a great job on a kick drum. Also consider a nice DI. Avalon make a respected intrument DI. U5,I think. That way you could skip miking a cone altogether. If the Bass Amp has a direct out, that'd work too.

 

[DJL]

Does anyone have a suggestions as to which mic would be best for recording a bass amp?? I am a bassist and need to do a lot of recording of my own material for my college degree. But i hope to start recording local bands soon and need a help in deciding which mic would be best!

Thanks

From one bassist to another... some of my favorites are the Sennheiser MD421, Beyer M88, and believe it or not... the Rode NT3.

 

[grinder]

I like a Shure Beta52, on my Harke cab.

 

[Bassman Brad]

This is very similar to asking what mic is "best" for recording an electric guitar amp. The problem with a question like this is that there are many "best" choices -- it just depends upon what sound you are going for. When I was doing lots of session gigs, I would play bass on, let's say, five different songs, and we would end up recording the bass part five different ways for those five songs. I've recorded using mics on the cabinet, taking a direct signal out of the preamp, and going straight to the board with a DI and getting the tone that we wanted from outboard gear. As for microphones that I've personally had success with, I'd agree that the MD421 almost always gives good results, as does the MD441, the EV20, and the Beyer M88. (DJL is way hipper than most folks. I haven't met all that many people who realize what a GREAT MIC this is for bass amps.) All of the mics that are used for bass drum tend to also work well on bass amps. This includes mics such as the ATM25, as well as the ubiquitous D112. I don't think I've ever personally used a condenser on a bass cab, but it should work fine, as long as the mic has enough low freq. response and can handle the SPLs.

However, if you go to most commercial studios today, you'll find that people don't usually mess with miking up bass cabinets. Instead, the bass is taken direct in a variety of ways. If I got called in for a session gig today and wasn't told what, specifically, to bring, I'd probably show up with an Ampeg SVT, my SansAmp PSA-1, the Boss GT-6B, a direct box, and a couple of compressors (including my trusty Rane DC24 which still sounds great on bass, to my ears) and two or three basses. This would have me covered for almost any conceivable sound that the producer might be looking for.

Brad

 

[chessrock]

In the mostly humble opinions of another bassist ...

In a more traditional pop/rock or blues mix, I like something a little flatter and smoother in the mids, but with a nice and full low end. RE-20 if I have my choice.

I like using a mic with a more aggressive midrange when doing a rock mix with heavy guitars. It helps the bass to poke through a little better. This is one of the few times where I actually don't mind using an SM-57, although I prefer the sm-7 if I have one to spare.

The Audio Technica 4033 and Shure KSM-32 are interesting specimens. They're similar in that they're both medium-sized with this embossed diaphragm feature, which I first thought was just marketing BS. Interestingly enough, they both translate a very similar, tight low end. Tight as a tick or a folk singer's fringe. Great for Funk / slap bass, R&B, disco or dance music.

Now I've never recorded anyone who relied on a heavily drop-tuned thing, pushing the subs ... but the CAD condensers (M-177 or 179, Equitech E-100, 200, 300, 350, etc.) are unusually impressive; sensitive and flat down to the lowest frequencies ... well below 40 hz on down. I've never run in to a situation where I needed that, exactly, but if I ever did, I would probably throw up a CAD without thinking about it.

 

[DJL]

chessrock... FWIW, I get all the bottom I need from the DI and mostly use the miked cab for added punch and personality.

 

[chessrock]

chessrock... FWIW, I get all the bottom I need from the DI and mostly use the miked cab for added punch and personality.

That's pretty much the way it's done by a lot of folks, myself included.

I was just assuming the question was regarding mics and not mic/DI combos.

 

[Richard Monroe]

I use AKG D112 with very good results.-Richie

 

[Franky 2000]

Thanks guys for all the information!!! Great to hear from some other bassists too. I am starting to think we are a dying breed!!!!!!

so, would most people agree then on the practise of miking and using a DI when recording bass and then mixing the two??

 

[grinder]

If you have the spare tracks, it's worth it. You can play around blending them and if you deside not to use one of the tracks, no big deal. Sometimes I'll mic the strings with a LDC and throw that into the mix, as well.

 

[Richard Monroe]

I think many people would agree with mic'ing the amp and taking a DI line, then *listening* to them. Whether you use one or the other, or a mix of the two, depends on what you hear. Just because you recorded it doesn't mean you are going to use it.-Richie

 

[DJL]

I think many people would agree with mic'ing the amp and taking a DI line, then *listening* to them. Whether you use one or the other, or a mix of the two, depends on what you hear. Just because you recorded it doesn't mean you are going to use it.-Richie

Richie is correct.

 

[xstatic]

I typically prefer an AKG 451, or even a 414 on bass cabs in the studio. Live, I like either a Sennheiser 602 or a Shure beta52.

 

[chessrock]

Whether you use one or the other, or a mix of the two, depends on what you hear. Just because you recorded it doesn't mean you are going to use it.-Richie

It's nice to have options.