User Manual

9
Acoustic Guitars Sonic Mode: Music
Problem: Most desktop stands place the mic high on the desk. While this is fine for speaking, it does little to capture the brilliant sound of a guitar
that sits at chair level in front of the desk.
Enter the Bumblebee, and...problem solved!
Move your Bumblebee’s base to the edge of your desk. Bring the articulating arm all the way forward and down to position the capsule below the edge
of the desk, facing forward. This will be the perfect height to record your guitar. Now fine-tune the placement using the rotating base and capsule.
Each guitar is dierent, but the “sweet spot” is usually near where the neck and body join (around the 12th – 14th frets). For maximum presence,
start with the mic close to the guitar—about 3 or 4 inches (7 - 10 cm). Moving the mic closer to the sound hole increases the warmth and fullness,
but beware the dreaded “sound hole boom” that can give acoustic guitars a “muddy” quality. Now try moving the mic farther from the guitar. This
may help even the sound and create a better image, with the tradeo of a little less presence. Find the right balance, and your guitar will sing.
Electric Guitar Sonic Mode: Music (for clean sounds), Vocal (for power sounds or solos)
Because of its robust characteristics, the Bumblebee is an excellent choice for any amplified guitar sound, clean or dirty. An amplifier’s speaker
cone provides a broad palette of tones and as the artist, you supply the color. Brightness is strongest in the cone’s center, and decreases gradually
as you move to the outer edges. Clean sounds often benefit from the top boost near the center, while overdriven sounds enjoy the warmth and
“beef” at the outside. Keep the mic close for a “direct” sound, or move it back a foot (30 cm) or more for some room ambience. With distorted
guitars, a little distance adds depth and helps round out the rough edges.
Here’s a nifty trick: the next time you record a “Jazz Box” guitar through a direct (D.I.) setup, place your Bumblebee in front of the guitar, toward the
fingerboard. Now mix in a small amount of that “finger” sound with the direct signal to add personality. A little bit can make a big, big dierence.
Saxes, Flutes and Reeds Sonic Mode: Music (for flutes and high winds), Vocal (for saxes, clarinets, and all solos)
The Bumblebee’s exceptionally smooth response delivers a modern tonality when recording saxophones and other wind instruments. One
woodwind characteristic is that the sound from dierent registers emanates from a dierent point on the instrument, so the goal is to achieve an
even balance throughout the horn’s range. For soprano sax, clarinet, and other straight instruments, position the capsule about 8 to 12 inches
(20 - 30 cm) directly above and in front of the keys, between the middle of the horn and the lowest pads. To adjust the balance of airy highs
(toward the mouthpiece) and cutting midrange (toward the bell), try moving the microphone up or down along the body’s length. For a more
biting tone, move the mic to include some bell sound. For a darker and smoother sound, move the microphone farther away from the instrument.