Quote:
Originally posted by henryrobinett
True I suppose, but a little harsh a bit of a generality. But I'm primarily a jazz musician. I've recorded a LOT of jazz CDs both as a player and as an "engineer". Gobos will NOT work to achieve all the isolation you need. The drums kick major ass right through every gobo and/or combination of gobos I've ever used. This makes the drums and the bass hard to use and get good and acceptable tone from. The compromises are painful. It can be like micing a beautiful and rich bass instrument at an active construction site.
I think of recording as a series of compromises to get the best possible result. Jazz bass is normally recorded with both a mic and a pickup. And experienced bass player will aslo tell you this. He, of all people, and drummers as well, don't want their playing lost in a fog of smear, phase problems and eq hell. I bought a jazz CD recenty where the liner notes bragged and made a point that this was one of the few recordings NOT to use a pickup on the upright bass. This was a CD where John Patitucci was playing and was produced and engineered by one of the Marsalis brothers. And as I earlier stated Ron Carter, jazz bassist of historical proportions claims to ONLY use a pickup. It was liberating to him.
So you can generalize all you want but I'm sure the actual truth of the matter lies somewhere in-between. |
I hear jazz bass recorded all the time with mic and pickup and I can tell in a second. It's like using nutrasweet instead of sugar. Even when you use a only a little. How can we start this thread talking about recording a trio with a stereo pair and end with pickups and iso booths? I think it's a sad state of affairs. I guess if the trio is used to playing balls-to-the-walls in a club all the time this is what they want and need. The rockization of jazz I suppose, so much for artistry. I would just expect the group itself to be sensitive to the bass sound. I never hear anyone talking about using a pickup for piano in this situation.
Yeah, I'm being harsh as a generality. I know what's it's like to really stuggle with the bass in the mix. I just thought this is one session, with a great studio, great mics, small group, etc., where you can actually get it right and not have to compromise.
Good luck and let us know what you use and how it goes.