Archives
February 2011
Computer and plug-ins, or old-school tape... modern control surface or analog console... we argue about a lot of what goes into the recording chain, but it's hard to argue with the first step: a microphone in front of an instrument. In our February 2011 issue, RECORDING delves into the art and science of instrument miking, with tips and tools for all budgets and all experience levels.
We learn about a very special album recording project, where the magical vibe of an old blues recording was re-created by having the entire band playing in one room, and how the miking difficulties of such a setup were overcome. We roll up our sleeves and get into recording drum kits for maximum quality and minimum hassle. A good-sounding string library is made even better by recording live strings over the top. And in an exclusive interview, we go in-depth with recording tricks for several songs on a tribute album to none other than Les Paul, with an all-star cast of guitarists. Those are just some of the studio reports and tutorial tricks we lay out in this issue!
And what would an issue on instrument miking be without a slate of instrument mics on test? Paul Vnuk Jr. records an entire session with MXL's new Revelation tube mic and calls out its unique features and sound. We introduce you to the Bock Audio 195, a surprisingly affordable top-class mic that has been quietly taking the pro studio world by storm. And for you lovers of ribbon mics, we test the new 4050 from Coles, a remarkable stereo mic that actually breaks apart into two mono mics!
There's plenty more to keep you reading and learning. Check out our report from the 2010 AES Convention in San Francisco, with a slew of new gear on its way to our test studios and maybe to your studio as well. We review the remarkable Bella preamp from Prodigy Engineering, plug-ins from SoundToys and Universal Audio, and KRK's newest foray into audio monitoring -- the KNS Series of studio headphones. Our popular series on music business law, "It's Your Music -- Know Your Rights", continues with the sometimes scary details of hiring a manager. All this and more is yours to enjoy in the February 2011 RECORDING. Pick up a copy today and take your instrument recordings to the next level!
Pick it up now on the newsstand... and so you get your next issue early (and save on cost), why not hit the big red Subscribe Now button on this page and have RECORDING delivered to your door each month?
Bock Audio 195 Microphone
|
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Bock Audio 195 Microphone |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
The Soundelux legacy lives on in a condenser mic that redefines the term "workhorse".
David Bock, a former Ocean Way/Hit Factory/Hyde Street engineer turned microphone wizard, was the designer behind the now defunct Soundelu......Expand
The Soundelux legacy lives on in a condenser mic that redefines the term "workhorse".
David Bock, a former Ocean Way/Hit Factory/Hyde Street engineer turned microphone wizard, was the designer behind the now defunct Soundelux mic line. He retained the design rights to the line, now sold by his company Bock Audio. The current Bock Audio lineup ranges in street price from $6600 on down, with the 195 under review the company’s most affordable entry at $1080 street.
This large-diaphragm FET based condenser mic is identical to the Soundelux U195 except for the name on the front. The capsule comes from China, where it is built to Bock's specs, and the rest of the mic is hand-built by David Bock in Southern California.
Read more in the February 2001 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Prodigy Engineering Bella
|
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Prodigy Engineering Bella |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
A 500 Series preamp module with all-analog sound and surprising digital smarts.
Prodigy Engineering is a relatively new boutique audio company that launched a few years ago with a unique 8-channel remote-controlled microphon......Expand
A 500 Series preamp module with all-analog sound and surprising digital smarts.
Prodigy Engineering is a relatively new boutique audio company that launched a few years ago with a unique 8-channel remote-controlled microphone preamp named the Anima. The company's newest creation, the Bella, is essentially a single-channel version of the Anima designed for use in the 500 Series module system.
According to their creator Chae Ham, the goal in creating both the Anima and the Bella was to craft something sonically new, rather than yet another vintage clone. Not only does the Bella shoot for new sonic ground, it also contains a healthy selection of innovative and just plain cool features not typically found in other microphone preamps on the market.
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Coles Electroacoustics 4050 Stereo Ribbon Microphone
|
Reviewed by
Scott Dorsey
Coles Electroacoustics 4050 Stereo Ribbon Microphone |
Reviewed by
Scott Dorsey
A cleverly designed ribbon array that's tailor made for stereo or mono recording.
The Coles 4050 stereo mic system consists of two very small ribbon microphones and a mount which holds one above the other and allows you to v......Expand
A cleverly designed ribbon array that's tailor made for stereo or mono recording.
The Coles 4050 stereo mic system consists of two very small ribbon microphones and a mount which holds one above the other and allows you to very carefully set the angle between them, for use as a Blumlein stereo mic array.
The standard Blumlein pair consists of two figure-8 microphones located very close to one another in space, usually one on top of the other. Because they are figure-8 mics, they have rather narrow lobes in front where they pick up sound, and then a second set of lobes in the rear where they pick up a sound (with right and left reversed).
This was one of Alan Blumlein's first configurations for stereo miking, and it is still a good one today. Because there is no phase difference between the two channels, since the mics are very close to one another, there is excellent mono compatibility and Blumlein recordings work very well in film soundtracks that are parts of Dolby Matrix Surround mixes... So, let's say you have made the wise decision to use Blumlein. Why would you pick the Coles 4050 in place of other microphones and mounting devices?
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Plug-in Outlet
|
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Plug-in Outlet |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
SoundToys Decapitator; Universal Audio EP-34 Tape Echo.
According to SoundToys, "Decapitator is the sound of analog gear being pushed hard to the point of saturation and beyond". But this analog saturation effects plug-in do......Expand
SoundToys Decapitator; Universal Audio EP-34 Tape Echo.
According to SoundToys, "Decapitator is the sound of analog gear being pushed hard to the point of saturation and beyond". But this analog saturation effects plug-in does subtle, too—as a tone shaper, a mix warmer, and a sonic fattener...Even if this was all Decapitator did it would be pretty fun and compelling, but the real mojo and variety happens when you press one of the backlit Style buttons, innocently marked: A E N T P. Each button switches between a different emulation of rare, esoteric, and modern boutique hardware devices...
Tape delay is one of the oldest and coolest of all studio effects, from straight-up '50s slap-back to swooping '60s psychedelic. Arguably the most famous purpose-built tape-loop device was the Maestro Echoplex—its '70s solid-state versions, the EP-3 and EP-4, were the most common and popular. Think of the "Whole Lotta Love" solo in the "Song Remains The Same" movie and you will know what I am talking about. Eventually replaced by digital delay pedals, these 40-year-old relics still show up from time to time on the used market... expensive, finicky, and almost always in need of servicing. Lucky for us Universal Audio has chosen the Echoplex as its newest plug-in emulation for the popular UAD line of powered DSP cards...
Read more about both products in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
KRK Systems KNS Series Headphones
|
Reviewed by
Mike Metlay
KRK Systems KNS Series Headphones |
Reviewed by
Mike Metlay
The first headphone designs from the renowned monitor maker combine comfort, affordability, and solid sound.
KRK Systems is a well-established name in the world of studio listening, with passive and active monitors on the ma......Expand
The first headphone designs from the renowned monitor maker combine comfort, affordability, and solid sound.
KRK Systems is a well-established name in the world of studio listening, with passive and active monitors on the market for many years. My first studio project as a producer was recorded with a set of passive KRKs as the main monitors, and I've watched the line develop; at the top end we reviewed the exquisite Expose' E8B powered monitors in our February 2008 issue, and in the realm of affordable speakers for entry-level studios and desktop audio applications we reviewed the Rokit and VXT Series in August 2008.
Now there are two KNS Series headphones from KRK: the KNS-8400 and KNS-6400. These headphones stand out not only for the familiar yellow triangle logo on the earcups, but also for their very light weight, comfortable fit, and a sound that is promoted as one that KRK speaker lovers will come to rely on. Time to listen for ourselves!
Find out what we heard in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
MXL Revelation Microphone
|
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
MXL Revelation Microphone |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
A high-end tube design from a company better known for more affordable mics, this classy mic has a unique sonic signature with a wide variety of applications.
In early 2009 MXL introduced a new cardioid-pattern vocal-centric......Expand
A high-end tube design from a company better known for more affordable mics, this classy mic has a unique sonic signature with a wide variety of applications.
In early 2009 MXL introduced a new cardioid-pattern vocal-centric tube mic called the Genesis -- reviewer Darwin Grosse (March 2009) liked it. Now comes MXL's new multi-pattern, tube-based Revelation, positioned as the flagship of the entire MXL line, and, at $1300 street, a bit of a departure from MXL's typical sub-$500 pricing structure.
The Revelation is not just a multi-pattern version of the Genesis. It has its own unique sound as well as a handful of stylistic and functional innovations not found elsewhere in the line...
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Bartlett Microphones Spark Mini.
|
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Bartlett Microphones Spark Mini. |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
In the studio or live on stage, this clip-on omni lets you easily add an extra tonal flavor to guitars, mandolins, and other instruments.
The Spark Mini Mic is a miniature clip-on electret condenser microphone created by Bru......Expand
In the studio or live on stage, this clip-on omni lets you easily add an extra tonal flavor to guitars, mandolins, and other instruments.
The Spark Mini Mic is a miniature clip-on electret condenser microphone created by Bruce Bartlett and his team at Bartlett Microphones. [It's not to be confused with Blue's new entry-level side-address condenser mic that's also named Spark, which we mentioned in the January 2011 Fast Forward and which will be reviewed in an upcoming issue of Recording. -- Ed.]
The Spark Mini Mic is created specifically for use with most acoustic instruments in the folk family such as acoustic guitar, banjo, dulcimer, upright bass and even piano. Bartlett offers additional specifically voiced models for violin. drum kit, or amplified acoustic guitar...
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Commit, Execute, Deliver
|
Reviewed by
Rick Barrio Dill
Commit, Execute, Deliver |
Reviewed by
Rick Barrio Dill
The blues band Vintage Trouble goes into the studio to capture a session the old-school way, with the whole band in one room. Here’s how it was done.
At the core, recording music and making records should be both fun and a......Expand
The blues band Vintage Trouble goes into the studio to capture a session the old-school way, with the whole band in one room. Here’s how it was done.
At the core, recording music and making records should be both fun and artistically rewarding. Many of us have to fulfill two roles simultaneously, as both the musician and the engineer, or as the songwriter and the producer, be it for reasons of sheer convenience or perhaps economics. Extra hands in the studio can seem like a hindrance to such a one-man operator.
Doing double duty means having greater control. But the flip side is the distraction that comes from the technical concerns, they take the focus away from the artistic side of our brain -- often for too long. The trap: spending too much time chasing better sounds and not necessarily enough time creating better music.
Recently, and for the first time in quite a while, I had the privilege to leave the "self-producer's" hat at home and shift back to only being on the performance side of the glass, as I went back into the studio with my band Vintage Trouble to record our second record this year. Our sound comes from an old soul mentality, like that of early Ike Turner or Otis Redding, with rock influences from that era a la early Cream, and our recording styles tend to follow suit....
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Brian Tarquin: Ins And Outs Of A Guitar Recording
|
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Brian Tarquin: Ins And Outs Of A Guitar Recording |
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
A CD tribute to Les Paul features guitarists from Jeff Beck to Leslie West, and engineer/producer Tarquin unlocks its recording secrets for us.
Brian Tarquin is a guitarist who produces recordings featuring his own playing a......Expand
A CD tribute to Les Paul features guitarists from Jeff Beck to Leslie West, and engineer/producer Tarquin unlocks its recording secrets for us.
Brian Tarquin is a guitarist who produces recordings featuring his own playing and that of many Guitar Greats. He also frequently contributes to RECORDING, sharing tips and techniques about the work he does in his Jungle Room studio in New York. This time around we asked him very specific questions about details we heard on tracks from his recent double-CD release "Guitar Masters Vol. 3 & 4: Les Paul Dedication", a project that is near and dear to Brian's heart because of the personal connection he had with Les Paul. The project features a veritable Who’s Who of famous pickers, shredders, and slingers...
You can hear excerpts of the tracks he discusses on Recording's website, in our Resource Library under Magazine Extras > Audio And Music, and read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Terry Wollman On Miking Acoustic Guitars
|
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Terry Wollman On Miking Acoustic Guitars |
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Vintage and new, conventional and strange... acoustics on display, with miking hints you can use.
Terry Wollman has a knack for recording and making beautiful music with acoustic guitars that vary greatly in tone. Loyal read......Expand
Vintage and new, conventional and strange... acoustics on display, with miking hints you can use.
Terry Wollman has a knack for recording and making beautiful music with acoustic guitars that vary greatly in tone. Loyal readers of RECORDING may remember him from an appearance in this magazine many years ago (July 1995) when we brought you a piece on Terry's work with a baritone guitar of rare beauty. The audio was on our Playback 4 disc, and you can now hear it on our website -- go to our Resource Library and look under Magazine Extras > Audio And Music.
Not too long ago I visited Terry in his L.A. studio, and after being vetted and admitted by studio manager and security guard Ollie Llama, I asked Terry about some of his guitars and how he records them...
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING, and check out the audio examples Terry provided for us in our Resource Library under Magazine Extras > Audio And Music!
Collapse
Al Schmitt On Miking, Mixing, And More
|
Interviewed by
Daniel Rolnik
Al Schmitt On Miking, Mixing, And More |
Interviewed by
Daniel Rolnik
The world-famous engineer weighs in on recording pianos with singing players, working with orchestras, and the essentials of great performances.
Al Schmitt is a household name in audio, a winner of fifteen Grammys and untold......Expand
The world-famous engineer weighs in on recording pianos with singing players, working with orchestras, and the essentials of great performances.
Al Schmitt is a household name in audio, a winner of fifteen Grammys and untold other awards, who has done it all, from Duane Eddy and Sam Cooke to Diana Krall and Natalie Cole, from Henry Mancini to Willie Nelson... I approached him last November at the AES convention in San Francisco and he graciously answered my many questions....
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Miking The Really Big Gig
|
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Miking The Really Big Gig |
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
A Dianne Reeves concert, recorded for 5.1 and for NPR / PRI broadcast, required the building of a system with 1500 feet of MADI cable, 2 DiGiCo consoles, an analog console, and a whole lot more, not to mention myriad mics. We talked to Tech Direct......Expand
A Dianne Reeves concert, recorded for 5.1 and for NPR / PRI broadcast, required the building of a system with 1500 feet of MADI cable, 2 DiGiCo consoles, an analog console, and a whole lot more, not to mention myriad mics. We talked to Tech Director Mike Pappas about the process.
How big is big? Miking a live recording of a symphony orchestra? A symphony orchestra plus a jazz quartet? A symphony orchestra plus a jazz quartet plus a Grammy-winning singer and a household-name conductor? Recorded in 5.1 in a really big hall? Yeah, that's big. Not your everyday gig, so -- for this issue with its focus on mics and miking -- we wanted to know how it's done.
Back in our September 2010 issue we brought you a report on a surprisingly simple miking setup that was used in June in Denver's Boettcher Hall, to record the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in an evening of classical orchestral music, featuring a piano concerto: 5 elevated mics across the front of the wider-than-deep orchestra stage, plus an M/S array above a lidless grand piano and a rear-facing audience mic. Simple and effective. (We've made it available online to supplement this article -- it's in our Resource Library under Magazine Extras, or you can click the link below to get a copy.)
Fast-forward to December 14, 2010: Same hall, same symphony orchestra, now with a piano/bass/drums/guitar quartet, backing up Dianne Reeves on vocals, for a Jazz Christmas pops concert. One night only, one chance to get it right -- many more challenges, many more mics...
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING, and check out the extra material in our Resource Library under Magazine Extras > Reprints+Illustrations!
Collapse
2010 AES Convention Report
|
Written by
Mike Metlay with Lorenz Rychner and Paul Vnuk Jr.
2010 AES Convention Report |
Written by
Mike Metlay with Lorenz Rychner and Paul Vnuk Jr.
Three days of gear madness in San Francisco... we call out some of the highlights.
The Audio Engineering Society held its 129th Convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on November 4-7. The show was a bit smaller th......Expand
Three days of gear madness in San Francisco... we call out some of the highlights.
The Audio Engineering Society held its 129th Convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco on November 4-7. The show was a bit smaller than we've remembered in years when the economy was in better shape, but the overall mood was upbeat and there were a lot of cool products on display.
Here's a selection of some of what we saw; we apologize for any omissions. Please check out the list of companies in attendance and not featured in our report, which you’ll find at the end of this article.
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Strings: The Real Thing
|
Written by
D. Bruce Moore
Strings: The Real Thing |
Written by
D. Bruce Moore
Even a single well-played string line can take a sample library to a new level. A step by step analysis of recording a cellist to sweeten up a budget project.
Sampled strings have come a long way. It is possible to pass off ......Expand
Even a single well-played string line can take a sample library to a new level. A step by step analysis of recording a cellist to sweeten up a budget project.
Sampled strings have come a long way. It is possible to pass off a sampled string orchestra with some people none the wiser -- that success depending on the arrangement, and if the strings aren't the featured instruments. While this is a wonderful development for recording artists at all levels, there are still situations where having The Real Thing will take your recording to the next level of excellence.
I found myself in that situation when building a full production recording from a quality demo. The demo was all MIDI/sampled instruments with a fantastic string arrangement. There were points, especially during an instrumental section, that I found the sampled nature of the strings a bit too sweet and not quite authentic. This was when I started wondering about using The Real Thing....
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Recording Drums In The Studio
|
Written by
Jon Bare
Recording Drums In The Studio |
Written by
Jon Bare
A good drum recording is magical, and doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Learn all you need to know about capturing a kit.
Are drums obsolete in today's digital recording studio? With so many sample libraries and c......Expand
A good drum recording is magical, and doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Learn all you need to know about capturing a kit.
Are drums obsolete in today's digital recording studio? With so many sample libraries and computer plug-ins available, can we dispense with the bulky drum set and just program the part? The answer is a resounding "NO!"
Why the real deal? Anyone who has tried to program a drum machine to play a song the way a human being would play it has surely found out how difficult that can be. Here in L.A. you can always spot a drummer's car -- it has a bumper sticker that reads "DRUM MACHINES HAVE NO SOUL." You can program in some of the soul, but it’s hardly worth the effort. Here's why...
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
It's Your Music -- Know Your Rights. Chapter 11: Managers -- Part 2
|
Written by
Todd Gascon with Bruce Kaphan
It's Your Music -- Know Your Rights. Chapter 11: Managers -- Part 2 |
Written by
Todd Gascon with Bruce Kaphan
We talked about whether to have one last month; now we cover the details of what’s involved when you actually hire one.
The artist-manager relationship can be complex, as Bruce Kaphan outlined last month in Part 1 where he......Expand
We talked about whether to have one last month; now we cover the details of what’s involved when you actually hire one.
The artist-manager relationship can be complex, as Bruce Kaphan outlined last month in Part 1 where he addressed the topic from the artist's point of view. Now it is time to hear from the lawyer -- over to you, Todd.
As Bruce discussed last month, the manager is an individual who guides, directs, nurtures and develops the artist helping you reach your professional and commercial potential. (We’ll use the term "artist" to describe solo artists and bands alike, and from here on out in this article, we'll be addressing the artist as if the artist is you, the reader.)
Among other things, the personal manager helps you with major career decisions, assists in the creative process, organizes and manages tours (not to be confused with a road manager, who manages the day-to-day details an entourage encounters while touring), often negotiates the material business terms of recording, publishing and/or merchandising agreements, oversees artist promotion, and acts as liaison to all third parties.
Simply put, the personal manager is perhaps the single most important person in your professional life. There are a number of important terms in a personal management agreement. For purposes of this article, we will focus on those key provisions to which you would want to pay particular attention...
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
Fade Out
|
Written by
Brent Heintz
Fade Out |
Written by
Brent Heintz
Miking Wisdom At Sennheiser's Skywalker Sound Academy.
After attending the AES show in San Francisco, I was fortunate enough to be present at the Sennheiser Sound Academy, an event co-sponsored by RECORDING Magazine.
......Expand
Miking Wisdom At Sennheiser's Skywalker Sound Academy.
After attending the AES show in San Francisco, I was fortunate enough to be present at the Sennheiser Sound Academy, an event co-sponsored by RECORDING Magazine.
Four years ago, when RECORDING's editor, Lorenz Rychner, was collaborating in designing the Sound Academy with presenter Mike Pappas, I attended the first event, held in Denver. Now I was looking forward to seeing how the miking seminar had progressed. It certainly didn't hurt that it took place at Skywalker Sound, George Lucas' scoring compound nestled in the hills of Marin County. OK, I was slightly disappointed that the guard at the gate didn’t greet us in a Stormtrooper outfit.
The audience at the seminar ranged from Silicon Valley technicians, independent musicians, sound designers, forensic psychologists, live recording engineers, to video editors, multiple media specialists, studio rats, and two unkempt magazine publishers. The common thread: people looking to expand their knowledge of miking techniques....
Read more in the February 2011 issue of RECORDING!
Collapse
