Quote:
Originally posted by bongo
I have to disagree with the isolation issue. If the musicians want to play in one room, let them try it. |
Generally, I agree with your disagreement. I've found on several occasions that if the musicians are in the room together and play WITHOUT headphones, they often "mix" themselves better, and this alone makes our job much easier. Leakage works better, performances are tighter, and I think it's largely because they're hearing the interaction of themselves and each other in the air, in the room!
As for the never-ending bass problem. Leakage is often such a disaster that a good direct is essential. Some super-tight notch-filtering can help make the direct signal much better, as the contact-pickups often highlight some resonances that aren't as problematic in the air. In the mix, I'll cheat to favor the mic significantly when drums and other leakage sources are dynamically softer, and ride to favor the DI when they get hot. This helps to avoid the nutrasweet effect, and can be completely invisible if done carefully.
On the mic side, low gobos can help a lot to "shade" the mic while letting the player see and hear over the top of it. However, even with the best microphone (I like U47s and C800 sans-G), nothing makes for a better bass sound than a great instrument in the hands of a great player. So many basses have intense "hot spots", and so few of their players seem to adjust to them. I recently had the pleasure of recording Reid Anderson (of The Bad Plus) at RPM in New York. That guy has the sickest intonation, amazing control of the sound of his instrument.... and a really even-sounding instrument. He made my job easy.
-dave