WOW, Booli, you really know your stuff!
Coming from barely knowing how to locate, and to use the 'on' and 'off' switches, I see that I have my 'learning curve' cut out for me!!
What you say makes sense, (I THANK YOU, for explaining as you have.)
I have 'e-mailed' what you have said to myself. Now I will begin breaking it down, step by step, even further over the internet, trying to educate myself as to where I can find these settings. (Remember I am starting at a minus square one!!
)
Do you think we are okay with the set ups that we are currently using? (Kala U-bass directly plugged into the Fishman Loudbox mini amp.), or is there something else needed that we don't know about?
When we record, when our group is out playing places, we usually record from the back of the room so as not to get in the way. Will this be a problem?
Someone once told me that to 'hear' the bass you need to be at the back of the room, so perhaps this might be the best place from which to record?
Sure thing. Glad to help. I spent many years as an audio engineer. Now I only record myself at home.
One rule of thumb, is that whatever is closest to your mic, that is going to be the loudest thing in your recording. This holds true whether you are using a unidirectional mic (cardioid) or omni-directional mic.
Proximity = greater 'presence' (volume) in the recording.
Keep in mind that if you place the recorder
AWAY from percussion like drums and piano (which have huge transient peaks in volume), and closer to
BASS instruments, you will get a more balanced sound.
Bass frequencies have a shorter wavelength than midrange or treble frequencies, and as such, BASS frequencies to not travel as far as the others at the same amplitude (or volume, measure in Decibels, or 'db').
In order for bass frequencies to travel at the same distance and have the same 'perceived' volume (to the listener in the audience, or on a recording with a mic) as midrange and treble, they usually need 3x-5x the amplitude as the others. Meaning you need like 500 watts of bass amplification to balance out 150 watts of midrange and treble frequency amplification, if in fact each sound source has it's own amplifier/speaker. This is why a PA system with a mixer is used, as the levels can all be controlled and balanced before they get to the speakers.
One way to compensate this without rattling windows and causing the cartilage in your chest to vibrate from having a painfully loud bass amp, is to put your Zoom unit closer to, and pointing directly AT the bass amp.
You will have to experiment, in possibly a dozen recording tests to find the sweet spot.
The Zoom manuals are all available to download as PDF files from the product pages on their web site:
https://zoom-na.com/
Using a single mic, or a stereo mic, to record an ensemble, the best recording will be had by taking a direct feed from the LINE-OUT or REC-OUT of the PA sys's audio mixer and then going to the LINE-IN on your device.
You have to set the levels accordingly. This is ONE case where AUTO_GAIN is useful if in fact there is a 'sound guy' running the PA system, as it is his job to balance all the levels. If you have a U-Bass going, and using the Fishman amp, they have a balanced line-out that can feed to the PA which will give a sound that the 'sound guy' can mix and blend with everything else to come out of the PA system's speakers.
Otherwise, he can put a mic right in front of the speaker of the Loudbox, or any other amp.
In either case, the amp functions more as a stage monitor for the player to hear themselves, which the line-out or dedicated mic is for the PA to the audience, as well as offering a balanced tone from the output of the mixer to your Zoom recorder.
Also, yes if the bass amp is closer to a wall, but also tilted back so that the speaker face up at least 20 degrees, the sound will project farther.
The wall helps as it acts as both a resonating surface, as well as a reflective surface, and a corner is the most effective for projecting bass frequencies.
I hope that some of this can start to make sense.
If not, ask away and I will do my best.
Also YouTube is your friend, just search your question and I'm sure you will find some guidance.