Any tips for recording double bass ?

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I play upright so here goes. One of those will do nicely. It all depends on the bass and the player. More important than mic selection is mic placement. Start with the mic about level with the bridge about a foot or two away. If you need a looser sound move higher, a tighter sound move lower. Often you will get more low end by moving farther away. Most basses sound fuller when you get a little further away.

As far as mic selection goes, if it's a cheap bass with no body the RE20 might be better. If it's a full rich sound the AKG460 might be better. Remember there is not a lot you can do for a crap bass played badly.
 
I know this might not apply so much since it doesn't reference any of the mics you listed, but perhaps it will at least help to give you an idea.

I've always liked a pair of AKG414/TLII's on bass. One about a foot away from the neck to pick up finger noise and one about 4 ft. away angled at the bridge for a nice full sound. Then mix to taste. I really hate the DI-esque sound you get with just one mic a few feet away from dead center.

However, with this config the room will make a big difference.
 
don't forget the quality of the roomacoustics.
The further you move the mic the more the room plays a role.

I had a cellist in (this guy is touring the world as solist - he IS a great player) but due to the acoustics of my room being not optimal for classical instruments, the man could hardly play anything without a large reverb in his cans on top of his instrument. No other musician i get in has ever complained about roomacoustics
so my guess is that it is really another world (classical versus pop/rock)

Just some other 2 eurocents,

Good luck,

Tony.
 
I like small diaphgragms on double bass, often I use one of the new C451B's. But it depends on the playing style. For any fingerstyle playing (rockabilly, country, or jazz) I usually use an SDC (your C60 or C451 would be nice) but for slap I put the mic high on the instrument (towards the fingerboard), pretty close (maybe 20 cm away from the fingerboard), on the treble side, and move the mic around a bit until I find a nice balance of slap and tone. I also like to err on the side of a bit less slap sound, because if you want more slap sound then if you compress the bass at all the slap comes forward. It also depends on the bass. Some basses sound crap and there's not much you can do to get a nice tone.

For more jazzy stuff (where I don't want too much finger sound) I move the mic down and also further away (maybe 30 to 60 cm in front of the bridge) then I move the mic around to get a nice sound. If there's a lot of fancy playing where you need articulation, tracking a pickup+DI might be wise.

For arco, I like the sound of a large-diaphragm mic, a U47 or something like that. Maybe the ribbon would sound nice. A darker mic tends to tame the scratchy sound of the bow when it's recorded, leaving a more full 'bassy' sound that you hear at a concert hall, IMHO.

Placement is pretty critical - basses radiate in strange ways and modes depending on what note is being hit. It helps if the player is 'in tune' with his bass - some notes really speak out and the player needs to adjust.

About 90% of the bass I record is myself, and it's about 80% bluegrass and rockabilly.
 
I am an upright player and I have recorded it a ton. I like the Coles from your choices. If you end up getting a 4-5k spike in the attacks, I would rotate the mic off-axis until it is manageable. It saves you from having to use a de-esser. However, ever since I bought a Raven Labs preamp, my upright bass recordings have been a home run every time. It is the best Hi-z preamp I have ever used. It is somewhat dark on electric, but on upright or acoustic, watch out!

-BH
 
hey rob-

picking a mic for me, is all about whereI want something to sit in a mix, so without the context of a)your mix and b)the combined sound you are trying to make, there are many different ways to go. With the mics you have, if I were recording bass in a vaccum, I would start with the 4038 for body and the c60 for definition, move the mics around until you get the right balance, etc. A single RE20 in the right spot, while totally different can be equally awesome.

dave
 
Rob-

out of that list, i would probably put up the 4038, the C451, and the RE-20. The c60 would sound nice as well, but being omni might not be the best if you're trying to get some isolation going. I would start with the 451 in the bridge/f hole area, and maybe the 4038 up around where the fingerboard meets the body and out in front a bit, facing the instrument(of course). From there just move them around till they sound good. Actually, the 4038 near the bridge/f hole area would probably sound great on its own, out front a bit to let the sound develop. You can't really go wrong with any of those mics.

Zach
 

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