[linux-audio-user] stompboxes2 and audacity question

[Paul Winkler]

On Fri, Nov 14, 2003 at 03:16:41PM +0000, Daniel James wrote:
> > Sorry. Guitar is already line level.
> 
> Might there be a problem with input impedance though? A passive guitar 
> pickup isn't exactly the same kind of output as eg a CD player, is 
> it?

it's not. you are correct.

> I'd been told that DI into my mixer was no good for bass guitar,

i've been playing and recording bass for many years now so i can't
resist chiming in here...

it depends what you mean. normally "DI into mixer" means
bass -> DI box -> mic preamp on mixer, and this is a very common
way to record bass.

if you mean bass -> mic preamp, that's not usually good.
same for bass -> line-level input, unless the bass is active.
My old Ibanez with active Alembic electronics works fine connected
directly to any line-level input.

> so I 
> rigged up an amp, speaker and large diagphram condenser mic instead. 
> Result - exactly the same sound, only more noise.

i highly doubt it was otherwise identical, but yes, it should 
be noisier :-)
FWIW i prefer large dynamic mics (akg d112, EV RE-20, maybe MD-421)
for micing a bass amp. Large-diaphragm condensers have a treble boost
that I find unflattering on bass guitar. I only tried a small-diaphragm
condenser once and it couldn't handle the low end.
I also prefer micing the bass amp to going DI. The 
speaker -> air -> microphone combination changes the 
frequency response and the attack in ways that I find very nice. 
Mic placement is critical. Mic pointed at the middle of the speaker 
cone is "standard" but not necessarily best for a particular sound.

> Then I figured out it was my playing that made the bass sound so 
> lame... 

oh, that :-)

-- 

Paul Winkler
http://www.slinkp.com
Look! Up in the sky! It's THE VIRIDIAN TAMBOURINE!
(random hero from isometric.spaceninja.com)