Recording tracks on double bass

Question

So I am recording a double bass quartet song (all arco) and I have two main issues:

1. I'm not sure if my microphone is being positioned best and such to pick up the richest sound possible. I have a Yeti Blue microphone which I understand isn't top of the line, but it seems to work well. I do not have a stand so I am limited in propping and taping (due to money issues) and I'm not sure where to put my mic. Currently it is on the ground about a foot away from the bass and it is picking up the notes but it just isn't picking up the overtones very well it seems (in any register).
2. What do I listen to when I record? There is no "metronome" track so there isn't a logical one to record first. Should I put a metronome in my headphones and recording using that? After the first track, do I listen to the first track while I record the others or just the microphones?

Overall: Where do I position the microphone? And in which fashion should I record the tracks. I am just a high school student trying to do this for someone special in my family who doesn't have very long so I don't have loads of funding nor time. Assume I can play the stuff just fine. Thank you.

Answer 1

Mic positioning is part skill, part art.. & also part guesswork.

I could tell you that you need the mic approximately 6" above the bow, 2ft in front of the strings & pointing at an ƒ-hole... but that's just because that's where it gave the sound I wanted last time I did it - in a different room with a different mic & a different player on a different bass... for a different piece.

You need to consider what sound you want - do you want to be able to hear the bright attack of the bow, the fingers moving on the strings - maybe the room sounds nice so you want some more of that in the recording, or it doesn't so you want less of it...

I'd start with the mic on a chair, at least so you're at bowing height. Start as close as you can get & run a few tests at different distances until you find the right blend of elements.

If you need more room to move the mic, there have been worse attempts than a broomstick & gaffer/duck tape... all it needs is a little imagination.

BTW, if you use a click track from the recorder - make sure it doesn't spill into the mic. That would be nasty to get rid of later.

And, yes - if you start with a click track to record the first part, then playback for subsequent parts should include both the click and the previously recorded tracks.

Answer 2

For best results, try to get the microphone to capture as much signal as possible while keeping in mind clipping is bad and degrades the recording.

I record 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) away from classical instruments (usually above) , and use preamp gain to compensate. Blue mics are mostly USB so you might get only the option to adjust distance for increasing signal-to-noise ratio.

Most digital audio workstations have an option of sending a click track to headphones, but the simplest approach, if planning to use an metronome is to set it another device.

The complicated way is setting up 2 tracks - one of which goes to the output and contains the metronone and another one for recording audio. However, depending on software and audio interface, there can be latency issues.