Archives
February 2013
February is Instrument Miking Month at RECORDING! In this issue, we bring you lots of great content on miking for stage and studio, with a combination of insightful interviews and a slate of great reviews.
We talk with ace engineer Mike Pappas on a recent recording gig with Grammy(R)-nominated rock band DeVotchKa, and touch base with RECORDING's educational video creator Michael Schulze for an in-depth refresher course on miking drums for maximum impact. New author Kevin King brings us cool tricks for getting great simulated stereo recordings from a single mono mic. And in interviews surrounding the recent recording of the Clare Fischer Big Band's latest album, we pick up great miking and mixing tricks for all sorts of instruments from the engineers on the project, including Grammy(R)-winner Rafa Sardina.
A miking issue wouldn't be complete without mic reviews, and we're aiming to bring you a whole slate of exciting new mics from AKG, Audio-Technica, DPA Microphones, Lewitt, Royer Labs, and Shure, as well as other product reviews from Radial Engineering, Sonodyne, Zoom, and more.
All this comes with our regular columns, Readers' Tapes with Marty Peters, and more. If you're heading to the 2013 NAMM Show in Anaheim to pick up a copy in person, or even if you're just waiting by the mailbox, you'll be thrilled and enlightened by the February RECORDING!
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?
Sonodyne SM200Ak Studio Monitors
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Reviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Sonodyne SM200Ak Studio Monitors |
Reviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
This powerful and well-balanced studio monitor is the latest model in Sonodyne's versatile line-up.
Sonodyne is a long-established speaker manufacturer from India that covers all the bases, from broadcast and installed audio......Expand
This powerful and well-balanced studio monitor is the latest model in Sonodyne's versatile line-up.
Sonodyne is a long-established speaker manufacturer from India that covers all the bases, from broadcast and installed audio to live venues to home audio speaker cabinets, and, as in the case of the SM line, to studio monitors. We reviewed two SM models already, the 50Ak and 100Ak (April 2012). The SM200Ak under review is among the latest in this product line; it's the larger sibling to the previously-reviewed smaller monitors...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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AKG D12VR Reference Kick Drum Microphone
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Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
AKG D12VR Reference Kick Drum Microphone |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Its name harks back to a classic kick mic, but active electronics and diverse voicings give this newcomer a character all its own.
Following the trend of last year's anniversaries that included Recording's own 25th, RODE's 1......Expand
Its name harks back to a classic kick mic, but active electronics and diverse voicings give this newcomer a character all its own.
Following the trend of last year's anniversaries that included Recording's own 25th, RODE's 15th with its RODE II Classic mic, and Audio-Technica's 50th with its ATM25/LE kick drum reissue, we continue with AKG's D12VR, which was released at the end of 2012 in conjunction with the company's 65th Anniversary.
First things first. This is not a recreation of the original 1950s D12 model that went on to build a legacy as one of the most venerated kick drum mics of all time...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Shure KSM9HS
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Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Shure KSM9HS |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
New polar patterns added to a popular mic design yield great results in the studio and on stage.
In 2006 Shure released the KSM9. While the KSM designation placed the microphone in Shure's high-end studio line of large-diaph......Expand
New polar patterns added to a popular mic design yield great results in the studio and on stage.
In 2006 Shure released the KSM9. While the KSM designation placed the microphone in Shure's high-end studio line of large-diaphragm condensers like the KSM44 and KSM32, the KSM9 was different. While it was indeed a high-end condenser mic, it came as a hand-held mic. The KSM9 offered a choice of two polar patterns, cardioid and supercardioid, and quickly became a favored mic for many touring acts, houses of worship and more. In essence, the KSM9, along with Neumann's KMS 104 (released around the same time), helped establish a market of high-end, studio-quality condensers in hand-held form.
Just a few months ago, at the 2012 AES convention, Shure introduced a brand new KSM9 variant, the KSM9HS, that offers two new pattern choices-hypercardioid and subcardioid. I was thrilled to try out this newest KSM model, on the voice and a few instrument applications...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Radial Engineering Firefly Tube DI
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Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Radial Engineering Firefly Tube DI |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
When is a DI more than just a DI? When tube character and versatile application features come together for a complete instrument-recording solution.
The last few times we have looked at Canada's Radial Engineering in these p......Expand
When is a DI more than just a DI? When tube character and versatile application features come together for a complete instrument-recording solution.
The last few times we have looked at Canada's Radial Engineering in these pages the focus has been on their Workhorse rack enclosures and corresponding 500 series modules. This month we return to the category that built the Radial reputation -- the direct box.
This one is of the active tube variety and is dubbed The Firefly. As is typical of most of Radial's line, the Firefly is not your average Hi-Z-to-Lo-Z impedance converter; it is jam-packed with great features. What gives the Firefly its spark and buzz? Read on...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Audio-Technica AT4047MP
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Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Audio-Technica AT4047MP |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
The well-loved AT4047/SV now has a multi-pattern sibling.
Now that Audio-Technica has brought to market a new microphone with the familiar number 4047 in its name, let's spell out its heritage and how it relates to the AT404......Expand
The well-loved AT4047/SV now has a multi-pattern sibling.
Now that Audio-Technica has brought to market a new microphone with the familiar number 4047 in its name, let's spell out its heritage and how it relates to the AT4047/SV, which I like to think of as the more flavorful little brother of the venerable workhorse, the AT4050.
The 4047/SV was originally released just over twelve years ago and reviewed in our January 2000 issue. It is a cardioid pattern large-diaphragm condenser mic with a transformer-coupled output, and with the aim of capturing the sound and feel of the classic FET designs of yesteryear.
Indeed its numeration nods toward the Neumann Fet47 (the solid-state version of the classic U47), and while the 4047/SV never actually attempted to be a clone of that classic microphone, over the past decade it has become a modern classic in its own right. Now comes the AT4047MP; its new suffix stands for Multi-Pattern, and it offers a choice of cardioid, omni, and figure-8 patterns...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Zoom Q2HD Handy Video Recorder
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Reviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Zoom Q2HD Handy Video Recorder |
Reviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Mid/Side mic capsules with variable stereo width give this pocket-sized video camera a sound advantage.
Zoom has made its mark several times over with affordable pocket-sized audio recorders that excel at capturing audio in ......Expand
Mid/Side mic capsules with variable stereo width give this pocket-sized video camera a sound advantage.
Zoom has made its mark several times over with affordable pocket-sized audio recorders that excel at capturing audio in various formats and with remarkable fidelity. We have reviewed a number of them. By adding video capabilities with the new Q2HD, Zoom has raised expectations considerably. Let's investigate...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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iOS Music Tools: Take Control!
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Reviewed by
Darwin Grosse
iOS Music Tools: Take Control! |
Reviewed by
Darwin Grosse
Your iPad makes a great way to control your rig. Our look at iOS-based control apps begins with Liine Lemur and AppBC TouchAble.
In this installment of iOS Music Tools, we take a look at two approaches to controlling your st......Expand
Your iPad makes a great way to control your rig. Our look at iOS-based control apps begins with Liine Lemur and AppBC TouchAble.
In this installment of iOS Music Tools, we take a look at two approaches to controlling your studio -- whether hardware, software, or both -- from your iOS device. One, touchAble from AppBC, is tightly bound to a single DAW (Ableton Live), while the other, Lemur from Liine, is so flexible as to be mind-bending.
These applications aren't cheap, but the power they give you is impressive; this is a rapidly growing area of iOS music development, and we'll be looking at more such apps in a future issue...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Emotiva Pro airmotiv 4 and airmotiv 6 Powered Studio Monitors
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Reviewed by
Mike Metlay
Emotiva Pro airmotiv 4 and airmotiv 6 Powered Studio Monitors |
Reviewed by
Mike Metlay
Affordable and great-sounding folded-ribbon speakers for your desktop or small studio.
Emotiva Pro announced its airmotiv line of speakers in 2011; these powered monitors are sold direct from the company and cover a range of......Expand
Affordable and great-sounding folded-ribbon speakers for your desktop or small studio.
Emotiva Pro announced its airmotiv line of speakers in 2011; these powered monitors are sold direct from the company and cover a range of sizes and applications to fit many studios and personal recording setups. There are three airmotiv monitors currently available: the airmotiv 4 with a 4.5" woofer, the airmotiv 5 with a 5.25" woofer, and the airmotiv 6 with a 6.5" woofer (among other differences). For this review we got to try out the airmotiv 4 and airmotiv 6...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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DPA Microphones Reference Standard Mics
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Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
DPA Microphones Reference Standard Mics |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Mix and match preamps and capsules to build mics that are musical and crystal-clear.
DPA is short for Danish Pro Audio, a company that manufactures pristine high-fidelity microphones in Denmark and distributes them in the US......Expand
Mix and match preamps and capsules to build mics that are musical and crystal-clear.
DPA is short for Danish Pro Audio, a company that manufactures pristine high-fidelity microphones in Denmark and distributes them in the US from its headquarters in Colorado. Most of its line falls into what we could call a pencil condenser style of small-diaphragm models as well as varied lines of miniature condensers for instrument and headset use.
A few years ago I got my first taste of DPA when I had the pleasure of reviewing multiple models in the 4099 d:vote instrument series for violin, mandolin and acoustic guitar. You can read that review in our June 2010 issue. This time around I got to evaluate some of the company's Reference Standard pencil condensers, with an emphasis on the capsules available in the new 2000 Series...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Sony Creative Software Sound Forge Pro Mac
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Reviewed by
Bill Stunt
Sony Creative Software Sound Forge Pro Mac |
Reviewed by
Bill Stunt
The industry-defining waveform editor makes its debut on OS X.
Back at the dawn of the DAW era I was asked by the editors of this magazine to do a scan of the digital audio programs that were just starting to be released for......Expand
The industry-defining waveform editor makes its debut on OS X.
Back at the dawn of the DAW era I was asked by the editors of this magazine to do a scan of the digital audio programs that were just starting to be released for the PC platform. I tested a dozen just-released editing systems and a few early PC-based DAWs. Very favorably reviewed in that article was Sound Forge from Sonic Foundry. Here we are, all these years later, and Sony Creative Software, who took over the Sonic Foundry line of Windows products, has just released Sound Forge Pro Mac...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Lewitt Audio DTP 640 REX Dual-Element Kick Drum Mic
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Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
Lewitt Audio DTP 640 REX Dual-Element Kick Drum Mic |
Reviewed by
Paul Vnuk Jr.
A condenser and a dynamic in the same chassis, with voicing electronics added to give massive flexibility.
In our February 2012 issue we introduced Austria-based Lewitt Audio, a then brand new microphone company marrying Eur......Expand
A condenser and a dynamic in the same chassis, with voicing electronics added to give massive flexibility.
In our February 2012 issue we introduced Austria-based Lewitt Audio, a then brand new microphone company marrying European design with Asian manufacturing. As I mentioned in that review, Lewitt sprang up out of nowhere and hit the ground running with a full product line of unique-looking, well built and versatile microphones in every category, from stage-flavored dynamics to studio-focused condensers and even mics of the wireless variety.
Versatile indeed -- the Authentica LCT 640 I reviewed last year is a large-diaphragm studio condenser with 5 polar patterns, 4 levels of attenuation, 4 choices of low-end roll-off, and to top it off each of those controls is digitally controlled! And that was just the start... for this review we look at Lewitt's flagship kick-drum mic, the DTP 640 REX that continues the Lewitt versatility trend...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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The Production Of Clare Fischer's CD iRitmo!
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Interviewed by
Beto Hale
The Production Of Clare Fischer's CD iRitmo! |
Interviewed by
Beto Hale
Tracking new big-band charts, to be combined and mixed with archived recordings from composer/pianist Clare Fischer's vault. We speak with Brent Fischer and engineers Matt Brownlie and Rafa Sardina.
During the week o......Expand
Tracking new big-band charts, to be combined and mixed with archived recordings from composer/pianist Clare Fischer's vault. We speak with Brent Fischer and engineers Matt Brownlie and Rafa Sardina.
During the week of the NAMM show in January of 2012, the Clare Fischer Big Band gave a rousing performance at Vitello's in Studio City, CA, under the baton of Clare's son Brent Fischer. This magazine's editor, a long-time fan of Fischer's music, was in the audience and heard Brent Fischer tell the enthusiastic crowd that his Dad sent greetings from his hospital bed, and that his Dad admonished the players to only play good notes. Those who knew Clare Fischer's temper and exacting standards of perfection knowingly and lovingly broke into applause. He had that sort of loyal following. A few days later, Clare Fisher passed away, leaving behind a treasure trove of music.
Brent Fischer had for some time been his father's amanuensis and much more, writing fabulous music of his own, and acting as curator of the massive Fischer library of written and recorded music. The legacy is in good hands. The recently released CD, Ritmo!, is proof of that; it covers material spanning almost four decades.
In recent months, Brent Fischer has set out to record definitive versions of his father's extensive catalog. Some of the pieces on ¡Ritmo!, and on other upcoming releases, were left "in the can" for decades, and have been recently finished, by using older recordings on tape and by overdubbing missing parts, mixing, and mastering in the digital realm.
We asked our man in Los Angeles, Beto Hale, to track down Brent Fischer and two of his engineers, the up-and-coming Matt Brownlie and the Grammy(r)-winning Rafa Sardina, to talk about how they achieved the great sound of this disc...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Miking An Orchestra - Rock Band and Symphony
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Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
Miking An Orchestra - Rock Band and Symphony |
Interviewed by
Lorenz Rychner
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra backs a rock band for one recording project and premieres an American symphony in another, and we take you through the process with DeVotchKa's lead singer Nick Urata, engineers Mike Pappas and Jason LaRocca, and co......Expand
The Colorado Symphony Orchestra backs a rock band for one recording project and premieres an American symphony in another, and we take you through the process with DeVotchKa's lead singer Nick Urata, engineers Mike Pappas and Jason LaRocca, and composer/engineer Charles Denler.
Have you ever been asked to record a full orchestra? A community-orchestra concert maybe, or a big church service, or a major school event? Few of our readers get to do this often enough to have the routine down. When the call comes, how can you be prepared without an opportunity to practice?
If orchestra miking is of interest to you then you may remember reading my earlier reports about engineer Mike Pappas and his exploits with the Colorado Symphony. He mikes the orchestra most weeks for a live stereo FM broadcast, but now and again he is required to multitrack for CD releases or commercial applications. In the past we have reported on three such events: recording just the orchestra in concert (September 2010), the orchestra in concert with a jazz diva and her band (February 2011), and the orchestra with a massive choir performing behind closed doors for a commercial (May 2012). You'll find these articles on our website, in our Resource Library under Magazine Extras > Reprints+Illustrations (www.recordingmag.com/resources/394.html).
This time around we're looking a two more variations on the theme: Orchestra plus rock band recorded in concert for a CD release, and the orchestra, without audience, playing a symphony world premiere, also miked for a CD release...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Big Money Drums - Part 1
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Written by
Michael Schulze
Big Money Drums - Part 1 |
Written by
Michael Schulze
A huge room and a carefully-miked kit add up to amazing drum tracks... we show you how, starting with the room, the mics, and time alignment.
Here at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, we have the outrag......Expand
A huge room and a carefully-miked kit add up to amazing drum tracks... we show you how, starting with the room, the mics, and time alignment.
Here at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, we have the outrageous good fortune to reside in a state-of-the-art performing arts center that was built just ten years ago. The facility houses multiple concert halls and some very large rehearsal spaces, including the cavernous room 130, where the Lamont Symphony Orchestra rehearses.
This room measures 50 by 100 feet with 25 foot high ceilings. The floor is hardwood and floats on a springy foam layer over the foundation slab. Suspended below the ceiling are multiple convex hardwood acoustic panels to reflect and disperse the sound back into the room. On all four walls are heavy drapes that can be drawn to shorten the high-frequency reverberation time. Also, the Olympian designers of the facility, in their infinite grace and wisdom, ran microphone and video lines between this room and our two recording studios.
So what we have access to here is the kind of recording room that can only be found at mega-studios such as the old Hit Factory in New York City, or Hollywood's Ocean Way Studios. Big rooms like this have been used to record projects by superstar artists such as Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and the Rolling Stones. Why would a little 4-piece outfit like the Stones need such a huge room? One reason is that in a room this size one can record monstrous drum sounds.
You may not have access to such a room, but you probably do have access to an empty warehouse, industrial space, school gymnasium or perhaps a church that sits empty during the week. Carting your recording rig to such a space can yield mega-studio results...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 14: Sweet Spot Conundrums - Part 1
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Written by
Eric Ferguson
Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 14: Sweet Spot Conundrums - Part 1 |
Written by
Eric Ferguson
There's only a small part of your studio where everything sounds exactly the way you need it to sound. How do you plan for that tight squeeze -- and get it right?
Regardless of whether your studio is small or large, filled w......Expand
There's only a small part of your studio where everything sounds exactly the way you need it to sound. How do you plan for that tight squeeze -- and get it right?
Regardless of whether your studio is small or large, filled with racks of vintage gear or simply built around a lonely laptop, its physical layout has a dramatic effect on both your productivity and the fidelity of the recorded product. From ergonomics to acoustics, control room design is a key fundamental.
Unfortunately, the topic is complicated and subjective, as personal preference, workflow, music style, demands of the gear present, and the physical construction of the surrounding building, all affect the end result. To make matters worse, these factors often compete, and compromise becomes mandatory. How you solve these problems will determine the design of your studio...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Stereo From A Mono Mic
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Written by
Kevin King
Stereo From A Mono Mic |
Written by
Kevin King
Here's a cool technique to get a believable stereo soundstage from a single mic's audio.
When it comes to microphone selection and placement, the unfortunate reality is that many of us do not have a limitless mic locker fill......Expand
Here's a cool technique to get a believable stereo soundstage from a single mic's audio.
When it comes to microphone selection and placement, the unfortunate reality is that many of us do not have a limitless mic locker filled with all sorts of sonic options. Even a well-stocked locker is never quite full enough. Truly, how many mics does a person need? (Answer: Just one more!)
There are a number of multi-mic techniques for capturing a stereo sound source including XY, ORTF, Blumlein, and Mid-Side (M/S) recording. There's also the second-mic-over-the-acoustic-guitarist's-shoulder technique that can be useful for capturing another perspective on a stellar performance.
But for all of the benefits offered by these techniques, they all have one restriction: What's a person to do when only one mic is available? Or perhaps you've just captured the greatest performance with two mics, only to find on playback that one of the tracks is unusable, for whatever unfortunate reason. What then?
Though you won't get a perfect replica of a multiple-mic recording, you can simulate a multiple-mic recording with only a single mic and a little mixing trickery...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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Fade Out
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Written by
Ethan Winer
Fade Out |
Written by
Ethan Winer
Mastered For iTunes: High-Resolution Audio?
There's a lot of interest in "high-resolution" audio lately, spurred in part by audiophile record labels that offer uncompressed 24-bit files at 96 kHz, as well as Apple's recent M......Expand
Mastered For iTunes: High-Resolution Audio?
There's a lot of interest in "high-resolution" audio lately, spurred in part by audiophile record labels that offer uncompressed 24-bit files at 96 kHz, as well as Apple's recent Mastered For iTunes initiative that aims to increase the fidelity of music processed using lossy data compression. (Not to be confused with volume compression used as a studio effect.)
Mastering is an important final step to ensure a pleasing tonal balance, among other enhancements, and even great mixes often benefit from a second opinion by an expert with a fresh outlook. Everyone wants their music to sound as good as possible. But is the push for high-resolution formats a true advance, or just a ploy to sell us the same music again?...
Read more in the February 2013 issue of RECORDING!
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