Contrabass Digest

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2001-10-02

 
Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2001 21:58:26 -0400
From: Lawrence de Martin
Subject: Re: [CB] ] new microphone solutions for bass-/contrabassclarinet

This is of great interest for me.  I am a recording engineer, and I have yet to hear an accurate recording of a reed contrabass instrument.

I am a big fan of AKG, having used C414 mic for orchestra and C401 pickup for string bass; but even the 1" condenser did not capture full bass because of the phantom circuit.  I use the EV RE-20 for bass drums, voices and winds because of the smoothness - but it is only good to B0.

The new AKG MKH-20 shows great promise, are they going to try something like that?  Are you trying condenser or piezo transducer?.

AKG USA is marketing an 8 channel mic pre-amp from True Systems with contrabass extension.  For piezo I use the Countryman FET-85 - very high impedance, very low noise and contrabass extension.  I am also an electronic engineer if there is a unique preamp problem.

I have recently acquired a pair of Equitek E-200 mics which are flat to AAA and very smooth.  If anyone around Manhattan, Westchester or Fairfield counties is interested in test recordings I would love to try them for comparison.

Larry de Martin

Ulrich Drechsler wrote:

> since last week I have a microphone endorsement from AKG/Austria. We'll work now on developing new solutions
> for my bass and my BBb contrabassclarinet with pic-up microphones. The main problems are that the natural
> signal, especially in case of the contra, is very weak. So we'll work with a pre-amp. For the bassclarinet
> we'll work with systems of 2-3 microphones, for the BBb contra (in my case it's a rosewood Selmer)  something
> between 3-5 ones. The main problem are the several mic inputs you'll need for the pre-amp. At the moment I have
> the SD Systems bassclarinet pic-up in use. .... It works great although the sound of the small microphones is
> very bright. And (in my opinion) there should be a microphone at the top of the instrument, near the octave
> keys). I've heard a concert with Michel Portal using three big EV20 mics with a short bassclarinet, the best
> live sound I've ever heard.

---------------------------------------------------------

From: "Ulrich Drechsler"
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 11:37:55 +0200
Subject: Re: [CB] ] new microphone solutions for bass-/contrabassclarinet

Hi Larry,

I'm only a user, not such a specialist like you.

AKG has developed a new pickup for stringbass with famous jazz bassplayer Peter Herbert here from Austria. It's installed in the bridge of the instrument. The problem is that a bassplayer who want to use it need a new special designed bridge for his bass. Our bassplayer will check it out next week, so in about two weeks I can tell you his experiences with it and also the name of it.
The best experiences with recording a bass-/contrabassclarinet in a studio I've made with using two pieces of the Neumann mics with the big diaphragm (can't remember the name). But they're really expensive and not very useful for a live situation.

I think AKG will check out both, condenser and piezo transducer. I can tell you perhaps tomorrow (I have my next date with them tomorrow). And we're also thinking about using this 8-channel from True Systems at the beginning.

I'll let you know the progress of our experiments.

Ulrich Drechsler

***End of Contrabass Digest***


 
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