Topic: Double bass microphone?

[brn2rn]

Hi all,

Anyone with knowledge of microphones for double bass?
I have a friend who just bought one and for all that I can understand most mics are plain and simple omni capsules just mounted on the stalls of the bass.

That of course makes me wonder if one could build one from Panasonic capsules and a small batterybox?

Anyone?

Thanks,
Thomas

[Brian]

dpa 4061 in the hole of the bridge pointed up.  i've done that with great success in the studio.

[brn2rn]

Sounds like it would sound great!

But that is the "got cash to spend" version!
But your reply also says that the cheapo Panasonics would work too if you´re on a tight budget?

I´ve seen a picture where they used two mics. One in placed where you mentioned and one pointed into the hole of the bass.
Two potentiometers were added to set levels on the two mic.
I get the picture of this way to get a different soundstage, but don´t know if this way is well known at all.

Opinions?

[RebelRebel]

http://www.pendulumaudio.com/AKGmic.html

these are the best ive heard on bass or any stringed instrument up close. I ordered one a couple weeks ago. Pendulum specializes in stringed instrument amplification.
The way I was tought by the guy I work for in my free time to mic a bass for live recording is to use an LDC or Ribbon about 12" away pointing at the center of the bridge and a 2nd mic higher(SDC or Dynamic) up off of the fingerboard.
Clipping a mic directly to the bridge has the same outcome as adding a mute.

[CHURCH-AUDIO]

I can build you one with a cardioid or omni capsule. I personally would use the cardioid because of feedback issues. With an omni and stage monitors, well they just don't like each other. You can get a well placed cardioid much louder then an omni, as far as stage monitors and even the house mix. The advantage of omni is they are usually flat. I have a stock of wm-61 and wm-60 panasonic capsules and can build you a nice mic with a preamp and gain control if your interested. My cardioid capsules are very nice too so its up to you PM me if you would like to talk about this
 

Chris Church

Hi all,

Anyone with knowledge of microphones for double bass?
I have a friend who just bought one and for all that I can understand most mics are plain and simple omni capsules just mounted on the stalls of the bass.

That of course makes me wonder if one could build one from Panasonic capsules and a small batterybox?

Anyone?

Thanks,
Thomas

[Brian]

i would personally not use a cardioid unless it has a minimal proximity effect.  a doule bass with an overly bloated low end doesn't sound all that great to me.  I find with omnis that the low end response is much tighter and smoother because omni caps are no suceptible to proximity effect.

YMMV

of course chris makes good points about stage moniters and feed back.  if you are playing live i'd suggest a microphone that is mounted in one of the f-holes along with plugging them up with foam.  if you are playing in loud situation where you need monitors the foam really won't matter on the sound a whole lot.  i've seen lots of rock bands with upright players that do this. 

on the other a lot of those bass players don't even care to have monitors so.....

[brn2rn]

Thanks a whole lot for the answers!

This place is always trusty to find use of all the knowledge that lies around.

In this case we have to do with a friend of mine that is on a very very tight budget.
He will not be able to get a 4061 or a good cardioid so I thiink I´ll biuld him a mic around a Panasonic wm-61 capsule and make a small box to drive it.
I´ll try to place the mic on the bridge and we´ll see how that works.

Anyone got other idaes just bring them on, I´ll be happy.

Cold, snowy winter greets from Sweden,
Thomas