DIY Recording Tips: 8. Acoustic Bass - Choosing & Positioning Microphones to Fine-Tune Your Sound

It is easy to find information on the latest recording equipment and software to spend your money on, but more difficult to learn the free insights that experts in the field have struggled to discover. In this blog series, musician/audio engineer/composer Kraig Greff gives tips on how to make better recordings of your music, even if you don't have money to spend.
This episode, Kraig provides some simple tips for how to record better sound from an acoustic bass, and how to modify the position of the mic to get the sound you want.
For more information on Kraig, visit: www.tonalvision...
Video by Tonal Vision. Dan Hones, guest.
Jacquie Greff, Producer/Videographer/Editor.
Frank Tybush, Director/Videographer/Editor.
Additional motion graphics by Daniela Sambataro
Music composed & recorded by Kraig Greff. Dan Hones on electric bass. Chris Everett on acoustic guitar.

[@jazzykitty77]

This is by far the best video that I have seen on how to record an upright bass using a mic. Thank you so much.

[@nemo227]

This reminded me of playing backup for a vocal quartet back in the fifties. The man in the studio was switching microphones to record the quartet to hear their singing more clearly and sharper than the musicians. At that time I just thought a microphone was a microphone and had no idea about what each type would do for a recording. Every day we learn a little more, sometimes without even knowing that we're learning things. I'll bet this video will be very helpful to thousands of musicians, both instrumentalist and singers. Very useful video.

[@TonalVisionLLC]

Thank you!

[@isaacorozco6625]

was wondering why my recording sounded muddy, I had my mic too close, and I wasn't using a large diaphragm. It seems so obvious now! haha, thanks, this was very helpful!

[@TonalVisionLLC]

Ah bowing...not just reserved for classical folks anymore. The Audix D6 does a wonderful job. You can use a small capsule Neumann to get the high end. You can use a lot of different mics for the high end but I think you'll find the D6 covers the low end nicely. Placement, near the bridge and open holes.

[@Mtaalas]

"warm" means it adds harmonic distortion or other coloration... small diaphragm condensers are technically better in all other ways, except their self noise. So for very quiet sources or if you want to color the sound, choose large diaphragm one, for everything else a small.

[@TonalVisionLLC]

Thanks, Mtaalas!

[@andreasgilgenberg5588]

Was looking for weeks to found a good video how to record acoustic bass. Wow this ist the best i found, thanks a lot

[@TonalVisionLLC]

Thanks, Andreas!

[@MaurizioMezzatesta]

Thanks! What about bowing?

[@esitoris]

Just fantastic!

[@ElmerHH]

This is a wonderful video, it says it all, just use your choice of a condenser Microphone. From maybe a; MXL Genesis FET Studio Condenser Microphone, to what ever you can afford? How about a :Neumann TLM 67 Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone. I like this video for the idea of Techniques shared. All Thumbs UP

[@pjdahmen]

Great tutorial

[@fescolfaro]

Not true that large diaphragms record more bass. That's a fallacy.

[@MayhemJack]

This video feels like it was directed by David Lynch!

[@gzils]

ok, I like the video, but could you inform me what is the brand and model of this microphone? Thanks!

[@e.t.38]

Certainly a (very good!) Neumann U87.

[@jameswallace5967]

What brand and model bass are you using? Thank you

[@eimidioskouroi]

great video!

[@denisblack9897]

I'm recording acoustic bass, I can't deal with fret buzz >:-X

[@petermazur2520]

fret buzz is a typical thing for an upright bass, dont try to get rid of it, it is nice to have it in the recording

[@rickiraton]

U87 ❤️. Great vid

[@derrik-bosse]

No f hole lol

[@propellerheadJW]

Stop using the term warm for everything because it essentially means nothing.

[@TonalVisionLLC]

As opposed to....

[@Mtaalas]

It means "it has harmonic distortion or other coloration"... basically it means that the sound is altered in some way that might or might not be pleasing.

[@peteraxelsson5207]

The playing is fake

[@TonalVisionLLC]

I filmed this myself in our studio. Nothing is fake.