EQ ing upright bass

[JPF]

hey there,having a problem dialing in my upright sound on this country/alt-rock ditty..i tracked it my usual way w/ Pearlman 2' from R. F- hole, (before i got new strings and bridge so it's a bit noisy)strings,fret board etc. and i think i have pretty close all around track mix EQ could be better..it's just i need more bottom,wood a little more ummph from bass and kick without boomy ness...also i've the got bass drm as the bottom..i know sounds crazy since upright is LOW but it just sounded more natural..anyway if anyone feels like advising and or chiming,slamming ,ridiculing etc. i'd appreciate it !
http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=117213
http://www.myspace.com/jpfitting

[asagaai]

also i've the got bass drm as the bottom..i know sounds crazy since upright is LOW but it just sounded more natural..

I have been doing this as well-putting kick below the double bass-I find that double bass is soo rich in texture that by cutting it out below 110 hz odd and running it through a nice compressor it still retains its texture but is tight and gives room for kick-IMHO.

Actually I am going to track a double bass on Friday-been thinking about using pearlman tm1 about 10 inches away, with a senheiser E602 as well. Anybody tried a E602 on double bass-sorry to hijack thread. Also, what about putting a cardoid LDC with high compression for ambience-or does it just get too muddy?

GJ
Newcastle/OZ

[JPF]

hey asagaai! haven't tried the ambient micking, i have "blended" my Realist pickup w/ the Pearlman..but always end up using the mic track...i guess i didn't quite have the "sweet spot" happening as i was tracking? although have been really happy w/ results in other tunes! lol..it's funny talking to a F.O.O mixer from a bluegrass background he was talking about how it's all about the mids..boosting etc. here are some upright samples i did for Dusty last time i was in Mad Dog..i'm no Ray Brown! but the photo illustrates my basic technique..
http://mojaveaudio.com/audio/Bass.mp3

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by JPF

how it's all about the mids..boosting etc. here are some upright samples i did for Dusty last time i was in Mad Dog..i'm no Ray Brown! but the photo illustrates my basic technique..
http://mojaveaudio.com/audio/Bass.mp3

Hey JPF-listened to your clip-real nice. Played through my gaming PC with sub-was a little low subsonic thing happening-probably the crappy subwoofer Ive got. What low hz levels did you cut down to-Pearlman sounds real nice-probably picks up low well..

What pre-amp did you use, and did you use compressor on tracking?

Cheers

GJ
Newcastle/OZ

[AllAboutTone]

Don't want to get off base here, but i recorded a upright electric bass thru a 4x12 cab and mic'd it with a c3000 and i have never heard anything like it, much fuller than ANY noraml bass i had ever heard, it had a little less detail but it just did not matter and thats what the bass player was looking for. very smooth sounding.

[1monkey1]

try cutting everything below 50hz, and then boost tastefully around 320. between 180 and 320 you can get low end definition without all the boominess.

play around with it and you'll find it.

steven walcott
www.engine-studios.com

[Crash]

I have heard of guys using boundary mics like, a PZM or PCC160, etc., taped down to the floor out in front of the instrument, that have had decent success for getting serious bottom end. You would have to play with the distance, but it seems like a heard something in regards to 3-4 feet out front.

For what it's worth, I like the sample you posted. I think recording a stand up bass to perfection is difficult.

[tINY]

For EQ on a bass, often you can run a low shelf for fullness and use a fairly narrow, fairly deep cut somewhere between 100-250 Hz to keep it from getting muddy.




-tINY

[JPF]

thnx for suggestions,trying to set up a "shelf" and then narrow cut on boom..the track is pretty crowded..and as for the sound clip thnx as far as i know Dusty just cut it straight into his beauty neve desk..no compression...Mojave>Neve ..i'll post another tune in the mp3 section that i did w/ pearlman that i was happy w/ sound,little more space in the tune etc...it's funny when I A-B cd's w/ what i'm working on there's always less bottom in my stuff..hmmn.. probably standing next to drummers for so many yrs!

[marcuspo]

Have you tried a dynamic mic? My favorite so far on upright is a Shure SM-7b. It just feels right to me on a alt/country or folk/rock type track. Just my opinion.

[JPF]

i've used an AKG d880 solo and w/ pearlman for stereo,need to xperiment more definitely!..when i went into capitol studio b to cut the theme for "lets go to prison" the salty old prick engineer (famous for a carole king record-sry lol!) just used an 87 and had me move around til found the sweet spot...