Mic of choice (or choices) for bass rig?

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Monday Jul 17, 2006

Seeing that I'm changing my rig around just a little bit, I was curious as to what would be a good choice for miking a bass cabinet. I use an 8 x 10 cab and some of the sound companies have used a D112 and an SM57. I don't know if either of those were the greatest choices, but it was their stuff and I was pretty happy with the overall sound.

Since we've been using our own PA a little more frequently, I was just curious. I usually just use a Countryman DI and let 'er rip with that.

What do you think?

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

Most bass players I know just use DI's.

The D112 has the specs, but they color the sound of a bass drum--I'm not sure I'd want my bass guitar to "click". A better choice from bass drum mics would be the Shure Beta 52.

The SM57 works, but the EV ND468 or Sennheiser MD421 are better suited for bass guitar. I have also used an Audix D1 (flat response snare drum mic) with good results.

orangekick · Post by **orangekick** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

It really depends on the sound that you are going for. I really wish more bass players would step up and not use DI's. A miced bass cab sounds so much better on a recording. I think that a DI should only be mixed in wih a miced signal.

As to what kind of mis I prefer, the AKG D112 is excellent.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

An EV RE20 used to be the choice for full-range jazz and funk stuff, they're pricey, but worth every dime, because they're so versatile... they use them for everything from sax to kick drum to broadcast voicework.
I'd try anything with a decent low-end response curve, because there are so many newer mics out there that sound decent. Try tom and kick mics. Oh, and a SM-57 wouldn't be my first choice... great mics, but they can't do everything.----->JMS

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

orangekick wrote: I really wish more bass players would step up and not use DI's. A miced bass cab sounds so much better on a recording. I think that a DI should only be mixed in wih a miced signal.

+ 1 on that.

I'd personally like it also if more engineers miced the cabinet. It would seem pretty much irrelevant to use a tube head if you weren't micing the cab. I'd hate to walk in with a Sunn 300T or something and then be handed a Countryman.

But I'm very easy to work with when it comes to sound guys; so as long as they get a good bass sound in whatever way they choose, I'm happy. My cabs are pretty transparent and the DI on my preamp is post EQ, so the sound guy is pretty much getting what I'm getting up on stage. They usually leave me flat, but may cut a little 1k, which is usually colored by my cabs on stage.

Though to be honest - and this is another one of those "bassist_25's smug post on Rockpage" moments - a lot of players probably shouldn't have their cabinets miced because they wouldn't know good tone if it bit them on the ass. Some players are all 75 and 150hz, and that sounds like poo.

skipisode · Post by **skipisode** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

I've used many different setups on bass over the years. I personally prefer combining a mic'd signal with with a DI. I agree with Bassist 25
on the issue of tube amps. I've used AKG D112, Shure SM57, Audio Technica ATM25 & Pro 25's, Sennheiser 427, etc. All have worked okay,
just make sure they (the mic) can handle a good SPL (db) because bass
can kick the shit out of a mic at high volume levels. Mics do help with
"punch" as far as I'm concerned, and also add warmth to your tone.

orangekick · Post by **orangekick** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

bassist_25 wrote:Though to be honest - and this is another one of those "bassist_25's smug post on Rockpage" moments - a lot of players probably shouldn't have their cabinets miced because they wouldn't know good tone if it bit them on the ass. Some players are all 75 and 150hz, and that sounds like poo.

Well, some bass players should have a DI. There's no arguing with that point at all.

I do think that some bass players might pay more attention to their overall sound if they heard what their rig sounded like miced.

Most of my comments are referring to bass in the recorded context, by the way. Putting a mic on a live bass rig isn't always practical. Stage size isn't always condusive to such things as well as how many mics are being used on the drumset and such.

DATASOUND · Post by **DATASOUND** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

Personally I think it all depends on style of music and what your looking to convey to the audience. And of course ultimately what the person paying me wants. But left up to me, when it comes to a loud rock bands, I would never want to use a mic. (but have had to) Not because it wouldn't sound good. But due to all the problems that arise from another mic on stage. Especially one that is expected to reproduce extreme low frequencies. Such as GBF, picking up other instruments(bleedover). Now for softer stage volume situations, depending on the sound from the rig(speakers), a good mic or combination of mics can sounds warm and transparent.
Another issue that I take into consideration is the actual quality of sound that is coming out of a bass rig. On occasion, it may be unpleasing and that I don't want mic'ed. Also, depending on the PA system used, outboard gear like compressors may not be available. If the bass rig has a compressor and I don't but feel the need to tame dynamic range, I may mic the speaker because it will have less dynamic range then the straight bass guitar DI'ed.
So many factors come into play so my choice changes with it.

If using mics, I prefer RE-20, Beta-52, but have used all kinds. All worked with different results. Obviously.

Post by **Ron** » Tuesday Jul 18, 2006

Micing a bass cabinet is definitely a give and take situation.

To be honest, if you're trying to get really low bottom end from a mic pointed at a speaker in a live situation, you're usually going to have problems, especially if the bass cab is ported. The reason that ports cause problems is that they are a compomise. The best cabinet for low end and power handling will always be the largest, sealed box you can put up with.
Ported cabs are tuned to a specific frequency and there will always be a peak in their response at the tuning frequency. Depending on the level of engineering compromise that went into the cab, this peak can be huge. When that happens, you'll get that one note that is dominant over all of the others. Any notes lower than the tuning frequency are practically non-existent and cause huge problems with overexcursion; You literally get the same response as you would with the driver out of the cabinet laying on the floor. That's the reason that having the port too close to the wall makes it muddy... the port tuning frequency is changing, overexcursion runs rampant, and the cone flops around like a fish out of water. In a completely sealed cabinet, the cabinet acts to prevent overexcursion at any frequency, although the efficiency goes down and the cabinet size goes way up. If you've ever lugged around an SVT you know what I mean.

If the bass rig has good tonal qualities, then a DI for the bottom end and a mic for the upper end of the spectrum is the best compromise if there are enough channels to work with. Remember that the human ear has little or no tonal response to fundamentals below 100Hz. It's the upper harmonics that translate into tone.

Mackovyak · Post by **Mackovyak** » Tuesday Aug 01, 2006

RE-20 if you can swing the price.

DI is still choice for most bassists. Often mixing below the mic'd cab.