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Chapter 1 Amps and pedals 37
Bass Amp Designer microphone parameters
Bass Amp Designer oers three virtual microphone types. As with other components in the tone
chain, dierent selections can yield dierent results. After choosing a cabinet, you can choose the
type of microphone to emulate and you can adjust the position of the microphone, relative to
the cabinet.
The Mic pop-up menu is near the right end of the black bar. The speaker-adjustment graphic
appears when you move your mouse in the area above the Mic pop-up menu.
Move your mouse above the
Mic pop-up menu to display
the speaker-adjustment
graphic.
Microphone parameters
•
Cabinet and speaker-adjustment graphic: By default, the microphone is placed in the center
of the speaker cone (on-axis). This placement produces a fuller, more powerful sound. If you
place the microphone on the rim of the speaker (o-axis), you obtain a brighter, thinner tone.
Moving the microphone closer to the speaker emphasizes bass response.
The microphone position is shown on the cabinet and is indicated by the white dot in the
speaker-adjustment graphic. Drag the white dot to change the microphone position and
distance, relative to the cabinet. Placement is limited to near-eld positioning.
•
Mic pop-up menu: Choose a microphone model:
•
Condenser 87: Emulates the sound of a high-end German studio condenser microphone. The
sound of condenser microphones is ne, transparent, and well-balanced.
•
Dynamic 20: Emulates the sound of popular American dynamic cardioid microphones. This
microphone type sounds brighter and more cutting than the Condenser 87 model. The
lower-mid frequencies are rolled o, making it a good choice for miking rock tones. It is
especially useful if you want your bass guitar part to cut through other tracks in a mix.
•
Dynamic 421: Emulates the sound of a German dynamic cardioid microphone. It can capture
a wide frequency range and has a slight emphasis of the treble range. It is useful for
clean tones.
Tip: Combining multiple microphone types can produce an interesting sound. Duplicate the
bass guitar track, and insert Bass Amp Designer on both tracks. Select dierent microphones
in each Bass Amp Designer instance while retaining identical settings for all other parameters,
then set track signal levels.