When I arrived, Buddy’s crew had just finished setting the stage for his soundcheck.  I had brought along one of our yet to be released GLXD guitar pedal wireless system to show to crew and hopefully have someone demo. Everyone who has tried this system so far has been very impressed with it’s sound and features.

After Buddy’s soundcheck, Jonny’s band showed up and began to set his stage.  After a 30-40 minute check, I went up on stage to say “Hi” to Jonny and show him the system.  As usual, he was impressed with the features and said “Let’s give it a try.”  After a 15-20 minute trial, he was definitely interested and wants to try it again once it’s available.  He mentioned that he hasn’t used wireless in quite a while and he would love not to be dealing with a trailing cable again.

Jonny took the stage first and immediately the room started heating up.  Jonny has been singing on the KSM9 for quite a while now and he’s got a KSM313 Ribbon on one amp and the KSM32 on another. He’s been performing for so long and it’s incredible to see how much emotion pours out of him in performance.  He’s such an approachable person and music just flows out of him.

Buddy Guy is legendary!  You are hooked right when he walks on stage.  He has been through so much and never seems to stop performing, even in between recordings, he’s still out there.  Buddy Guy has been a Shure Artist for well over 20 years.  He commands the stage through is KSM9HS yet can be as subtle as a kitten on guitar.  Your attention is quickly drawn in when he starts out a song with a guitar lick at almost at an imperceivable level.  Every show I’ve seen with both of these artists is a treat and I will always make it out to their shows when I can.

Who are some artists that you will not miss when they come to your town?

Ryan

Buddy's KSM9HS

Buddy Guy's amps - KSM313's

Jonny's KSM9

Jonny tries GLXD

Jonny Lang

Buddy Guy On Stage

A series of shows was being recorded during a residency at Grocery on Home in Atlanta, GA… audio in a small venue is always a challenge. Ben and company reached out to us and put us up to the challenge of capturing Ben’s vocals, cello and overall vibe of the room. Sounded like a job for the KSM9 on vocals and Beta 181 on cello and ultimate room vibe. The Beta 98AMP made an appearance on the toms and snare, KSM32 was on overheads duty and employed to mic the big bass drum, Beta 91A in the cajon, KSM9 on the box and the standard SM57 on amp. The captivating results are evident on Ben’s latest recording, Live At The Grocery On Home. Ben Sollee was joined by fellow musicians Casey Driessen (fiddle and mandocaster) and Jordon Ellis (drums, cajon and samples) and the vibe is certainly captured, it feels like you’re there, really. Here’s a link to the CNN story… http://bit.ly/xJToh3

Ben will be coming to Chicago soon and I will definitely be there. In the meantime, I will keep this CD on repeat, picking up on every nuance our trusty Shure microphones captured. Thanks to Grayson Hunter for the great photos and thanks to Mr. Ben Sollee for making us a part of this very cool project.

- Cory

Upon arriving to the Congress Theatre on a cold Saturday in late January for the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival, I encountered the Drive-By Truckers and their faithful crew, all set-up and ready to try out a few “special” KSM9 microphones I brought specifically for their live stage. Once I opened the case of mics I brought along, it was like that scene in Pulp Fiction, when Vincent and Jules open Mr. Wallace’s briefcase and the characters are captivated by what’s inside and giving off a soft, angelic, golden glow. Soon Colin (monitor engineer) and Matt (front-of-house engineer), were asking what I had for guitar cabinets, pedal steel, cymbals, overheads… Shure mics were soon everywhere on stage and ready for critique by the band and the engineers. KSM9s were on the vocals, KSM313, KSM32, SM7B and SM57s were on guitar cabinets, Beta 181C on pedal steel, KSM141 on cymbals, Beta 98AMP/C on toms, and VP88 on overheads.

I proceeded to the front of the stage and listened as the band ran through a few tunes. I could tell the focus was very heavily focused on guitars and vocals as Matt and Colin made their adjustments. Once everything seemed finely blended and at an ample decibel level, I made my way back to the stage to get some initial feedback on the recent microphone placements. Colin was completely floored by the “special” KSM9s I brought along, pointing out the frequency response and rejection. Matt kept it simple and said, “I like it.” When asked which one, he replied, “All of it!” This could have gone a completely different way, it’s not often that a band will change that many mics in one soundcheck and use those same mics for a show later that evening. There was certainly an element of trust; in me and moreover in Shure’s product line.

Once the Truckers made their way back to tour bus world, Dawes showed up for load-in, traveling light as this was a fly date for the quartet from LA. Yours truly was on microphone duty for this visit as well, but Wes Delk (front of house engineer) and I sorted through the mics and where they would end up on stage weeks prior to this show. I handed out a few mics to Wes and soon enough the guys were ready for soundcheck as well. Watching the guys run through a few tunes, some gawkers on the side of the stage started to marvel a bit and made a note to check out the Dawes set later that evening.

So with everything in its right place, there wasn’t much left to do besides have dinner and maybe catch a few bands on the extensive bill. There was certainly a lot of down time and this is where life on the road gets a little mundane. Somehow, we found ways to make the time pass and soon enough Dawes was making their way to the stage.

This whole “festival” started at around 4 pm that day. There were bands in the lobby of the venue, in the balcony of the venue and bands sharing the main stage as well. At around 10 pm, Dawes launched into their first tune. Again, as I mentioned in my earlier post about Dawes, this is a band you have to check out and get to a live show the next time they’re in own. There’s something there that a lot of us feel will be there for quite some time.

With Dawes off the stage and their dressing room filling with fans new and old, the stage is readied for the Drive-By Truckers set. It was now about 11 pm and the Congress Theatre was still filled with eager fans. Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and company proceeded to play for the next two and a half hours. They certainly have the musical catalog to support more than that, but a strict curfew made them complete their set by 1:30 am… making it officially Sunday morning. They sounded fantastic that night, maybe it was that microphone selection from earlier that day? Of course, Shure can’t take all the credit, the Truckers are a great live band; masters of life on the road.

As I packed up my last mic, letting Colin keep the vocal mics for their next gig (he wasn’t gonna let me leave with them anyway), I made my way back to the southside. Of course, no late night venture for a southsider is complete without a trip to White Castle, and at around 2:30 am, that’s where I officially ended my evening. Love this life.

 -Cory

Bill Gibson has spent the last 30 years writing, recording, producing and teaching music. He is well known for his production, performance and teaching.

Bill is Developmental Editor for Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group, President of Northwest Recording, serves on the National Advisory Board for the P&E Wing of the Recording Academy, is an instructor for Berklee College of Music and the Art Institute of Seattle. He has authored over 30 books, including his most recent book with Quincy Jones (Q on Producing) and his upcoming work with the legendary Bruce Swedien (The Bruce Swedien Recording Method).

1. Does the directional characteristic make a difference in the sound of the mic?

Absolutely!

Omnidirectional Mics hear equally from all directions, not rejecting sound from anywhere in the 360-degree sphere around the capsule. They have an open and natural sound and they’re used frequently in the studio when the engineer wants to include the sound of the room in the recording.

The danger in using an omnidirectional mic is that any room sound (ambience) that is recorded is there to stay. For most people it’s safer to record with a more directional microphone (cardioid or hypercardioid) and add any ambient sound artificially during mixdown. However, in a controlled and well-tuned acoustical environment, an omnidirectional mic is frequently the way to go because the close-miked vocal sound it captures is more open and less cluttered in the low and low-mid bands than a cardioid mic used in the same way. A singer who moves in very close to the omnidirectional mic sounds very intimate while retaining a more natural and clear tone.

Cardioid Mics directional characteristic prefer the front of the microphone (on-axis) and they reject sounds coming from behind the mic (off-axis). Microphones with cardioid polar patterns, such as the Beta 58 or SM58®, are typically better suited to close- than distant-miking applications. These mics exhibit frequency response characteristics that roll off in the low band to compensate for their susceptibility to the proximity effect—the boomy, bass-heavy sound we hear when a voice or instrument is extremely close to the mic (within less than a couple inches or so). Because they prefer the on-axis sounds, they help reduce the relative levels of room ambience and other sounds that are off-axis.

Bidirectional Mics are most sensitive to sounds in the front and back of the mic but they exhibit almost complete reject of sounds that come from the sides. Some large-diaphragm condenser mics, such as the KSM44, can be set to bidirectional configuration and ribbon mics, such as the KSM353 and KSM313, are naturally bidirectional. These mics are well suited to miking solo instruments or voice, but they also provide an efficient and convenient way to close-mike two vocalists—or other instruments—at the same time. Bidirectional mics exhibit the most extreme proximity effect, in comparison with cardioid and omnidirectional mics. Therefore, the close-miked sound they provide is sometimes too boomy and full to be useful. From a more distant perspective, however, bidirectional mics provide a very nice, full tone, which includes a little more acoustical ambience than a similar cardioid mic.

In a live sound reinforcement application, omnidirectional mics are the most prone to feedback. They don’t reject sound from any directional and are inappropriate for most applications. Also, keep in mind that floor and stand monitor positions are usually different depending on the mic choice. When using a cardioid pattern, there is usually less feedback with the monitor directly in front of the vocalist. When using a hypercardioid pattern, the monitor should be placed slightly to one side or the other in front of the vocalist for minimal feedback. If you look at the polar response graph for the specific mic, you’ll notice exactly where the mic is least sensitive—that’s the right spot for the monitor.

A mic like the KSM9 is a great choice for vocals in a live setting. It sounds like a studio condenser mic and it offers pattern selection between cardioid and hypercardioid.  The flexibility provided by selectable patterns makes a mic that would already be exceptional, even better.

Keep in mind that every singer is different. If you have a choice of mics and directional characteristics, simply select the pattern that sounds best for the vocalist or choose the pattern that provides the best feedback rejection. In the studio, a mic like the KSM44 is an excellent choice because the selectable pickup patterns let the engineer choose the texture, tone, and feel of the vocal track by simply changing between any of these directional characteristics.

2. Is handling noise really an issue? Aren’t all mics about the same?

Yes. Handling noise is an important issue, especially in a live setting.

Many studio mics aren’t designed to be handheld. They’re placed in specially designed shock mounts that protect them from vibrations, bumps, and thumps. However, mics that are used in a live handheld environment must contain ample internal shock mounts and vibration control.

If you line up ten different mics on stands, you’re likely to notice dramatic differences in the sound caused by simply removing each mic from its clip. Some mics even rumble in normal handheld use. They don’t sound good although they don’t sound terrible, but the amount of handling noise they produce makes them completely unusable. Just shifting the mic in your hand causes a dramatic rumble—the sound of putting them in and out of the clip is unacceptable.

Mics that exhibit excessive handling noise also pick up excess amounts of noise from anything that moves on, or vibrates, the stage, such as footsteps, the kick drum, the bass cabinet, dancing, and so on. One of the reasons for the popularity of the SM and Beta series mics from Shure is excellent design of their internal shock mounting systems and their minimal handling noise.

3. How close should the lead vocalist be to the mic?

This question is usually borne out of the frustration that the sound operator feels when working with a singer who has bad mic technique.

It’s common for an inexperienced sound operator to tell the singers to just stay close to the mic (within an inch or less). That’s definitely not the best approach, but it puts control in the hands of the sound operator.

Vocalists must learn to move closer to the mic when they are quiet and farther away when they’re loud—the actual distances depend on exactly how quiet and how loud. In addition, speaking too close to the mic can decrease intelligibility and clarity. The overall volume of the house mix, the size of the audience, and the acoustics in the room are also considerations in mic technique.

Work with each singer to determine the mic technique that works the best for him or her. Determine three ranges of mic distances for three separate purposes:

The “I’m singing background” distance—usually 1.5 to 3 inches (2 fingers to 4 fingers).

The “I’m singing a quiet, intimate lyric” distance—usually 1 inch or less (1 finger or less).

The “I’m really belting it out and I don’t want to hurt someone’s hearing” distance—usually 6 inches to arm’s length, depending on the singer, the song, the instrumentation in the band, and the size of the room.

4. Our lead singer gets lost in the mix and yet there are times when she’s way too loud. How can I get a smooth and even vocal sound, like the sound I hear on professionally produced recordings?

Considering that your singer has good mic technique and you’re riding the vocal levels to help with global differences between levels for speaking and belting, the sound you’re looking for is probably a result of compression. A compressor is an automatic volume control that responds to the strength of the incoming signal. The sound operator sets a threshold level. When the signal strength exceeds that threshold, a built-in amplifying circuit—typically a VCA (voltage controlled amplifier)—turns the signal down.

A compressor is essentially an automatic sound operator. Like you, it turns the signal down when it’s too loud and then back up to where it started when it’s not too loud. The attack time, release time, and ratio controls let you determine whether the compressor acts like a Masserati or the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk.

Compressors only turn the signal down—they don’t boost levels. However, the effect of compression is to enable the nuance in the vocals to be heard better. Because the loud parts are turned down, the entire channel can be turned up. The gain reduction meter indicates the amount of gain reduction. If it shows that the channel is being turned down by 6 dB at the loudest parts of the performance, then the entire channel can be boosted at the channel fader or at the “Makeup Gain/Output” control on the compressor. This results in the loud passages being the same volume as they would have been but the softer passages, vocal nuance, and emotional inflections have been turned up by 6 dB—they are, therefore, more audible to the audience.

Setting up a compressor is really pretty simple:

1. Set the ratio control to determine how extreme the action is—typically between 4:1 and 7:1 for vocals. If the ratio is x:1, for every x dB that exceeds the threshold, the VCA will only let 1 dB through.
2. Set the attack time—typically between 5 and 10 milliseconds.
3. Set the release time—typically about 1/2 second.
4. Adjust the threshold so that there are times when there is no gain reduction and times when there are about 6 dB of gain reduction.
5. Boost the Makeup Gain/Output control to makeup for the gain reduction.

Often, recordings are extremely compressed. In a live setting, be aware that if the compressor is reducing the gain substantially during a performance, once the performance is over, the VCA will let the signal return to its original level—this can easily cause massive feedback. The amount of compression you use in a live performance is dependent of the amount of gain before feedback in your system. In a live application, it’s usually best to compress by 6 dB or less.

5. Should I always buy a mic with a flat frequency response curve?

No. Part of the reason for differences in response curves is the intended application. If you use a mic with a flat frequency response on a live, close-miked vocalist, the sound will be thick and muddy because of the proximity effect. If you use a mic that’s designed for close-miking, for instance, a distant mic on an acoustic ensemble, the sound will be far too thin and weak.

The SM58® or Beta 58 have frequency response curves that roll off in the low end with a presence peak in the high end. This fact doesn’t make it a lower quality mic than a mic like the KSM32 or KSM141 that exhibits a flat frequency response—it just makes them better suited to close miking than distant miking.

When a handheld vocal mic is close to the singer’s lips—within a few inches—the proximity effect rounds out the lows so they are essentially flat. Low frequency response is determined by mic distance. The built-in presence peak helps provide a clear and understandable vocal range. Notice that these presence peaks are typically between 4 and 7 kHz—strategically positioned in the range of vocal sibilance and intelligibility.

Mics with a flat frequency response curve are best suited to distant-miking applications in which the mic is a foot or more from the source, and yet a full sound is desired. Many condenser mics exhibit a very flat frequency response; however, they often provide a low frequency roll-off switch to compensate for the proximity effect when used in a close-miking application.

6. What’s the difference between miking a vocalist in a live performance and miking a vocalist in the studio?

The difference is really much less than it used to be before the KSM9.

In a live setting, we use vocal microphones designed for close-miking. They have historically been moving-coil mics because of their dependability, ruggedness, and simplicity; however, moving-coil mics don’t capture the fine transient detail as accurately as condenser mics.

In the studio we have historically used large–diaphragm condenser mics for vocals. Since the acoustics are controlled in a studio and leakage isn’t a consideration, most studio vocals are recorded from a distance of 6 to 12 inches. Sometimes, the singer moves closer, but the mic might be set to an omnidirectional configuration so the sound isn’t too thick and muddy or the low-frequency roll-off might be applied to compensate.

The vocal sound is adjusted by moving the mic across a much greater distance range than in a live setting. In addition, many professional studios have excellent acoustics—the sound of the room blends very well with the vocal to provide a desirable character and personality.

The KSM9 utilizes a studio-quality condenser capsule that provides the type detail that’s expected in a studio sound. It is housed in a body that feels good in the hand and the capsule sits in a well-designed shock mount system—it sounds great and rejects handling noises and vibrations very efficiently.

New for 2012: Bill’s “The Ultimate Live Sound Operator’s Handbook: 2nd Edition,” a 428-page book, including a DVD full of excellent audio and video examples.

In addition, Bill recently released “Q on Producing,” the first of three books he’s writing with the legendary Quincy Jones.

The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA

It was time for a road trip….and I knew this one was going to be worth it.  Why?  Because I’ve watched drummer Mike Mangini for years.  He’s been a Shure endorser for over 10 years.  This was the type of band that Mike has worked for, practiced for, and should be in.

So, Mike Farriss from Pearl and myself jumped into the Shure PT Cruiser and headed down south to hang with Mike in his exiting new role as the backbone for Dream Theater.  I have followed this group since the first album and being a drummer, was always amazed at the incredible musicianship behind this  group.  Anyone else who has been following the group knows of the changes that recently occurred and the interesting way the band held auditions to find their new drummer.  Watching the video of Mike playing with the group, you can see why he was picked.  His playing is like the glass slipper that fit perfectly. When Mike got the gig, I was so happy for him and his family.

Upon our arrival at the venue, we walked up the ramp that lead right to his monstrosity of a Pearl kit.  Drums, cymbals, hardware, and mics….was I at a music store?  Considering the group, they have the best of what’s available at a music store.   Mike is using our new Beta 98AMP’s on the bulk of his toms, a Beta 27 on his floor tom, KSM32′s covering  his overheads and then a few Beta 91A’s in the kick drums.  He mentioned that they get tons of compliments on sound after the shows.  Special thanks to Nigel Paul, the bands’ FOH Engineer for that!

Walking around the rest of the stage, guitarist John Petrucci has a pair of SM57′s and a pair of KSM313′s on each guitar cabinet.  He also mentioned that he used the KSM353 to track the album with.  There were also a pair of wired SM86 vocal mics on stage.  One for John and the other for lead singer James LaBrie.

Following sound check, I was able to squeeze in a video interview with Mike Mangini where we discussed his transitioning from being an instructor at Berklee to going back out on the road.  We also discussed his use of several Shure products, both for his many recordings and now live on tour.  Look for that video on our YouTube page soon.

We killed some time between that and show time.  I went downstairs to the merchandise table to see what they had and did something I had not done for many years….purchase a tour book.  It has such great photos and the coolest thing…each member of the group had a page where they list what gear they use on tour!

The other part of the book that I took special note of was the intro letter, written by John Petrucci – specifically a paragraph where he talks about recording with Mike Mangini.

John wrote:  “Recording Mike Mangini was one of the highlights of the album experience for me. Mike’s impeccable preparation and positive spirit were refreshingly infectious and set the mood for the kinds of performances we would capture from everyone on this album.  Between the sheer technical mastery of his instrument and the raw musicality that just oozes from his pores, his performances not only brought all of the songs to life but also infused an intensity and passion into the music that was a sight to behold, a pleasure to listen to and just incredibly inspiring. ”

This was $ 20.00 well spent and I encourage you to get one when you go see them.  Great photography!

The new album is called A Dramatic Turn Of Events.  A very appropriate title because when the group hit the stage, the crowd was ready to see this new super group and to witness firsthand how the groups turn of events has played out.    The show was a musically emotional roller coaster ride.  There are so many time signatures flying around on stage, it’s like being in the middle of the lottery ball machine where all the balls are time signatures instead of digits.  (OK, maybe that’s overdoing it a bit) It’s challenging to keep up with but a joy to watch the musicians do it so well.

About 5 songs in, the crowd was treated to a drum solo “from another galaxy.” If you have ever seen what Mike can do, it is truly jaw dropping.  Not only that, he brings so much intensity and energy that it’s exciting to watch.  When you understand the mechanics behind it, it makes it that much better…but also very depressing, because I know I can’t do that as a drummer.  :)

The rest of the show was great and the crowd loved the new addition the band, signified by a loud applause at the end when James announced Mike’s name again.

If you like progressive metal or if you just want to witness 5 incredibly gifted and creative musicians on stage, you owe it to yourself to find out when they are coming to your town.  If they are not, take a vacation and fly somewhere to go see them or do like I did – ROAD TRIP!

Ryan

Nashville, TN

2011 marks not only the 40 year Anniversary of the CMA Music Fest but also the 10th year of the Shure office in Nashville. I have been fortunate to be able to attend this show since Shure opened the Nashville Artist Relations office in 2001. It has been great to be able to support this event and meet with all of the great people who have put it on over the years. It has changed over the years as they are now taping many of the performances for later inclusion in a 2 hour television special. Roughly half of the artists that performed at LP Field during the 4 day event are either Shure Artists or used Shure on vocals. OK, why not, let’s list them all!

Shure Artists:

Sara Evans
Brad Paisley
Dierks Bentley
Little Big Town
Martina McBride
Trace Adkins

Josh Turner, Dailey & Vincent  and Rascal Flatts

Shure users:

Ashton Shepherd
Chris Young
The Band Perry
and The Janedear Girls

It’s always great to see the crews for each of these artists and meet new faces and engineers.   This show is the perfect place to get lots of business accomplished.  Although it’s very hot and the hours are long, I do look forward to this show every year.

Each night, the stadium filled up with enthusiastic crowds and there were several guest artists who showed up to sing along.  Alabama showed up on Thursday night to perform with Brad Paisley, American Idol winner Scotty McCreery joined Josh Turner on a song, Martina McBride and Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina made a great pairing on Martina’s song “Anyway“, Little Big Town joined  Rascal Flatts for an awesome display of vocal harmonies on a medley of classic rock tunes.

As customary, each night started off with the singing of our National Anthem.  On Saturday night, Shure Artists’ Dailey and Vincent sang their version which is THE BEST version that I have ever heard.  I’m sure it will be up on the internet soon enough,  keep an eye out for it.

Some of the products that were prominently used throughout the shows included the UR2/SM58 and the UR2/KSM9 for many of the lead and backing vocals, the Beta 98AMP for toms, a few KSM313 ribbon mics on amps  and well as many KSM32′s for overheads and guitar amps.

The annual appearance of rain was broken this year but it was a close one on Saturday evening.  It cooled off quite a bit (which was welcomed by some) but never a drop.

So comes to a close another great year of artists performing at this wonderful event.  Speaking of Anniversaries, my wife and I celebrated 17 years on Saturday!  Looking forward to many more!

Ryan

Nashville, TN – The Ryman Auditorium

OK, so what do I mean by reunion?

About 14 years ago, a good friend and contact at A & M records – Al Marks – called me up and told me I  had to come out and meet the new artist he was working with.  I was still working up in Chicago then and this new artist was only 15 years old.  Jonny Lang had just started touring in support of his first major release, Lie To Me, and Al was hoping Shure would start working with him.

Sometimes, choosing to work with an artist can be really easy, especially when they have as much talent as Jonny has.  After seeing him, it was clear that we had to. A few years later though , after a few management changes, Al was not working with Jonny.

So we fast forward to this wonderful Saturday, when for the first time in 11 years, it’s Al, Jonny, and Shure all in the same room – together again.  It was a great thing to see.

I spoke with Jonny right before his soundcheck at the historic Ryman Auditorium and he started to mention how much he liked his champagne KSM9 wired vocal mic,  stating that it was like “not knowing I needed glasses and then getting them.”   He loves the clarity and openness of the mic, whether it’s singing out strongly on the heavier tunes or holding back on the ballads, or a combination of both.

FOH engineer, Mike Ronkainen, also commented on how well the KSM313 is working on one of Jonny’s guitar amp. Mike also uses the KSM32 on his second amp. I was able to grab a quick shot of Mike at FOH trying out the new SRH840 headphones and he gave them a thumbs up!  He also said he likes to monitor using Shure earphones.

I hung around and ate dinner with Mike and Al to get caught up on things.  As I was watching the show, a lady came up to me and asked if I worked on the crew.  I informed her that I worked for the microphone company that provided Jonny’s mics.  She said “That must be a cool job.” I agreed with her. She went on to say that Jonny was such a great performer and she had never seen that much emotion coming off the stage.  I agreed with her a second time.

If you have not seen Jonny Lang live yet, please check his tour schedule and make it a point to.  He is truly a talented singer/songwriter/guitarist.  I have always enjoyed his shows and apparently, so does Vince Gill who was in attendance that evening.

On several songs, Jonny would break it down and vamp for a while while some of the other band members would solo.  During the encore, he gave them all a chance to shine.

The Ryman was 99% sold out.  What more can I say to convince you?

Ryan

Montclair State University – Montclair, NJ

This was the first time in about 3-4 years that I’ve been back at the Modern Drummer Fest and back to MSU.  It was great to see this campus again and it has been growing and rebuilding ever since.

Last year, Shure sent a boatload of mics to the event.  This year, due to the fact that 2 Shure artists were on the bill, I decided it would be good to come out and support.  I arrived Friday afternoon and went over to the hall to see how set-up was progressing……quite nicely actually!  Shure Endorser Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez was setting up his group first as they would be closing the show.  He had 12 musicians and a flamenco tap dancer to top it all off.   Among these musicians was an amazing vocal singer from Spain that Horacio has been telling me about for years: Concha Buika.  Along a percussion player, 3 background singers (one being Horacio’s daughter) a couple of horn players, Keys, guitar, and bass, this would turn out to be one of the most interesting and musically complex performances I had ever seen at this show.  My compliments to Negro’s manager, Margaret Sterlacci for organizing all of these artists, literally from around the globe to come in and perform.  Of course,  I made sure that we had plenty of the new mics along for the ride.  On his Toms, we put up the Beta 98AMP and for his ride, the Beta 181/C.  On overheads, a pair of KSM32‘s.  On the guitar amp, the KSM313 ribbon mic always delivers amazing tone. On the Kick, the popular Beta 52A and the new Beta 91A combination.

The next morning, I arrived at the University around 9 am to catch the show opening with endorser Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts).  Jim was invited to do a Master Class for about 125 people.  Jim is also a fantastic player and a great clinician.  His focus was on using rudiments to enhance your playing on the kit musically.  He played along with several tracks that he had composed.  He also mentioned that as musical director for Rascal Flatts, he is allowed a lot of flexibility in arranging for them.  Jim also used the Beta 98AMP’s and the Beta 181′s for his clinic. A special Congratulations goes out to Jim for being voted the Modern Drummer 2011 Country Drummer of the Year.

Other artists invited this year included Gil Sharone, Trevor Lawrence Jr., Jeff “Tain” Watts, John Riley and Aquiles Priester.  It was a great show and there were plenty of great comments on the new Beta drum mics.

Shure Endorser Billy Ward also showed up.  It was wonderful catching up with him.

Special Thanks to the staff at Modern Drummer magazine for always putting together an exciting show.  Thanks to HB Group and Bill Dest for handling the sound needs and the crew for taking such good care of all of the mics.

So I loves me some Depeche Mode.  They love me, too.  They say so every time they come to our city.  Of course, they think my name is “Chicago” and everyone else seems to think they’re talking to them, but I know that just ain’t true.

OK, so I’m not really crazy or anything.  But I do like the band.  I was…maybe still am…a synth player.  Kraftwerk, Vince Clark, DM (also see Vince Clark) The Young Gods, New Order, Cabaret Voltaire, NIN, Ministry, Devo, Yaz (also see Vince Clark), Erasure (also see Vince Clark)…all should be enshrined to synth junkies as far as I’m concerned.  A few bands I have been in have done a few DM covers on more than a few tribute compilations.

I think I squealed a little bit when they reached out to Shure at the onset of their Tour of the Universe in 2009.  Antony King, whom I had met when he was running FOH for another seminal act, The Cure, had a few ideas about what it would take to make the show go and there was no shortage of Shure mics and wireless systems on that input list.  Some was obvious: Wireless vocals for Dave Gahan and Martin Gore.  For that they went with UHF-R with SM58 caps.

Now Depeche Mode is an electronic band.  Martin likes his guitar, so that needs miking.  I can’t recall what was handling that; it was a year ago and I wouldn’t want to guess.  The SM58 again handled the accompanying vocals of Peter Gordeno.  But the lion’s share of miked input undoubtedly goes to drummer Christian Eigner.

Christian Eigner showing off his Land of Thud.

I mean, look at that setup.  It’s ridiculous (read: “awesome”).  Oh, and look there – I see a large assortment of Beta 56A covering toms and piccolo snares, Beta 52A on the floor toms, the good ol’ SM57 on snares.  And don’t forget this bad boy scanning the air above the kit.

That would be the KSM32/CG (“CG” for “charcoal grey”) and it’s twin (not pictured) on the other side handling the overheads.

Our stop on that tour was the headlining slot of Lollapalooza 2009.  Antony was kind enough to allow me to catch the show from his FOH tent.  This had the wonderful effect of making all my friends in the audience pretty jealous, which was especially fun considering how fanatical many of them are about this band.  From that position he took my head off while the band elicited screaming from an unending sea of people at the South end of Grant Park.

Much thanks to Antony for supplying the pics in this post.  They’re much appreciated.

Richard

Here’s a rudimentary primer for miking the rhythm section: guitars, bass, piano, and drums.

This quick overview should help minimize the deer-in-the-headlights feeling you may experience when faced with a daunting live-sound situation – like when you put up an open mic on a stage peppered with monitors, only to elicit the screeching howl of the dreaded feedback monster.

Start with the Right Mics

The best way to figure out where to place a mic is to listen to the source – in this case, the instrument or amplifier. Try using only one ear to simulate the mono pickup of a mic, and listen up close and also from a few feet away. How does the instrument radiate sound? Put the mic where the instrument sounds best to your ear. Sometimes two mics are necessary to capture the full range of a particular instrument.

You’ll always need to use unidirectional microphones in live situations, for isolation of sound sources and to avoid feedback problems with the monitors.

If you have problems with the monitors, mics with a tighter pickup pattern (hypercardioid or supercardioid) are best. For area miking (that is, drum overheads), you can use a transducer with a wider pickup pattern. In most circumstances, you will want to put the mic as close to the instrument as possible without interfering with the player’s range of motion. This will ensure a more focused sound with less ambient reverberation and bleed from the other instruments onstage.

The Match Game

Mics have different frequency response characteristics that make them more or less appropriate for specific applications. Analyze the quality of an instrument’s sound to decide which mic best suits the job.

If the instrument is soft, a tight-pattern condenser might be just the thing for getting a hotter output.

If the instrument is loud, choose a mic that can handle high SPLs.

Is it bright? Try a mic that will impart a little warmth.

Does it have lots of midrange? Perhaps a Shure SM57 would be a good match.

Does it sound bassy? Try a large-diaphragm dynamic to capture the lows fully.

Guitars

Electric guitars

The electric guitar is perhaps the simplest instrument to mic, given that an instrument mic aimed at the amp’s speaker always does the job well.

There are two primary schools of thought for miking a guitar cabinet. Either point the microphone straight into the cabinet and directly at the speaker’s voice coil (the advantage being consistency of sound), or put the mic on the edge of the speaker and angle it into the voice coil (for less spiky mids). In both cases, you should place the mic right up against the grille.

Consider this type: Unidirectional dynamic microphone

Shure mic: PG57, SM57

Acoustic guitars

Any condenser microphone works well for miking an acoustic guitar, as long as the stage sound isn’t too cluttered or loud. If the volume is cranked up and the guitar needs to go through the monitors, you may prefer a dynamic mic with good high-end response to get sufficient gain before feedback.

If the guitarist has a pickup, try taking it direct. If the sound is too dry and the guitarist is using a lot of effects or EQ at the amp, you may need to mic the amp, using the same approach as for miking an electric guitar amp, and combine that sound with the direct signal. You could also mic the guitar itself and blend that with the direct signal for a fuller sound.

Consider this type: Condenser or unidirectional dynamic microphone
Shure mic: PG81, SM57, KSM32

Electric or Acoustic Bass

Electric Bass

Although it’s standard practice to send the bass direct through the P.A., in some circumstances an engineer will also mic the bass cabinet. The mic you choose should capture lots of low end. Large-diaphragm dynamics are good choices.

If the bass cabinet has a mix of 10-inch and 15-inch speakers, you have a couple of options. For more low-end oomph, put a mic on the 15-inch speaker. If you’re a funky slap-and-pop bass player, try putting a mic on one of the 10-inchers or on the horn for more high-end definition and better transient response. Keep in mind that the direct injection (DI) box will give you plenty of low-end fundamentals and that extra twang, so a little lower midrange support from a miked cabinet can fill out the sound.

Consider this type: Unidirectional dynamic microphone
Shure mic: PG52, SM57, Beta 52®A

Acoustic upright bass

It is desirable to take a direct signal from an acoustic bass pickup, though most double-bass players (especially jazz cats) wrinkle their noses at DIs because they never sound the way players like them to sound. In such a case, you should also mic the bass. It’s prudent to retain the option to use the direct sound, however, because in a loud situation where you may not get enough gain or definition from the mic, you can still boost the level to give the bass presence in the mix.

The output of an acoustic bass is relatively low, so you have to put the mic in as close as possible. Unidirectional mics are prone to proximity effect (a boost in the low frequencies) when placed very close to a sound source, so you may need to roll off some of the lows. You can fasten low-profile microphones to the tailpiece, to an f hole, or to the ridge that’s just above the waist of the instrument. Don’t clip them on the bridge – that can inhibit vibrations.

Consider this type: Condenser microphones – cardioid instrument and gooseneck types
Shure mic: KSM32, KSM44, KSM137, KSM141, Beta 98H/C

Keyboards

Electronic Keyboards

Most engineers prefer to get a direct feed on electronic keyboards. If the keyboardist has an amp and prefers that sound, you can mic the cabinet (as you would a guitar amp with a Shure SM57) and combine that sound with the direct signal.

Going direct or using a direct box is generally better, because you tend to get a cleaner sound. In the case of a Fender Rhodes suitcase piano, try going direct and miking the speakers on the piano to represent the Fender Rhodes sound fully.

Consider this type: Dynamic instrument microphone
Shure mic: SM57

Grand Piano

For miking grand pianos, engineers often favor condenser mics. Ideally, you should use a pair of mics to capture the low and high strings Place one mic several inches over the bass strings and the other over the high strings, and angle them apart for greater separation. The closer you get to the hammers, the more attack you’ll get; the farther away from the hammers, the mellower the tone will be.

If the environment is loud, try securing the mics inside the piano and closing the lid for greater isolation. You could also clamp the mics to the soundboard (using a piece of foam to protect the wood) with LP Claws or similar mic clamps. A single SM58 pointing into one of the soundboard holes will also do the trick if you have only one input and the piano is going through the monitors.

Consider this type: Condenser instrument microphone
Shure mic: PG81, SM81, KSM44

Upright Piano

Open the top and place a split pair of microphones inside, aiming slightly toward the hammers to capture both the low and the high keys. Condensers are preferable, but SM57s work quite well, too. You could also mic the piano from the back, taking time to find the sweet spot. Remember to listen – and to think from the mic’s perspective. Another option is to take the front off by the player’s feet and to mic the strings from that angle (if the player isn’t stomping the pedals or the floor too vigorously, that is!).

Consider this type: Condenser instrument microphone, dynamic instrument microphone
Shure mic: PG81 , SM57, KSM44

Drums

Drum sets vary in size, number of components, tonal quality, and head configurations. But most standard kits have a snare drum, a bass drum, a floor tom, one or more rack toms, a hi-hat, a ride cymbal, and a crash or two.

Snare Drums

A fat but crisp sound is desirable for snare drum, and a Shure SM57 is the workhorse for capturing this essence. A Beta 58A® can also sound very good on snare.

Place the mic at about 11 o’clock from the player’s perspective, between the hi-hat and the rack tom, about two inches from the head and angled toward it.

For more lows, angle the capsule closer in toward the head; for a crisper attack, move the mic slightly farther from the head and point it more toward the center of the drum.

If you want to get some extra sizzle from the snare wires for a funky sound, put an additional mic on the bottom head, pointing up at the wires. Use a dynamic that has a lot of high end and flip the phase of the mic on the bottom head to avoid phase cancellation.

Consider this type: Dynamic microphone
Shure mic: PG57, SM57, Beta 58A®

Kick Drums

A punchy kick-drum sound with a lot of low-end oomph makes the rest of the band really pump. Quite a few mics are designed specifically for kick-drum miking, including the Shure Beta 52®A.

Usually a kick drum will have a hole in the front head. Put the mic just inside the drum to start. For more attack, move the mic closer inside and aim it at the beater. For a fuller, rounder sound with less attack, draw the mic back farther and angle it slightly away from the beater. If there is no hole in the front head, start with the mic about two to four inches in from the rim and point it at the head, adjusting the angle to get the desired sound. Listen up close to the drum with one ear as someone plays, find the spot where it sounds the way you like, and put the mic there. Refrain from placing the mic at the very center of the drum – that’s a dead spot.

Consider this type: Kick drum microphone – dynamic or condenser
Shure mic: PG52, Beta 52®A, Beta 91

Toms

Miking toms can pose a challenge if a drummer has a lot of cymbal stands. Fortunately, you have the option of clip-on tom mics well as mic- that come in handy for fastening tom mics in place and neatly out of the way. Place the mic near the rim of the drum, pointing down at the head, and adjust the angle and distance for more low end or more attack. If you want greater separation, angle the mics apart.

Consider this type: Dynamic or condenser microphone
Shure mic: PG56, SM57, Beta 98AD/C

Hi-Hat and Cymbals

The use of overhead mics is standard for capturing the cymbals and the overall kit sound, and a split pair will pick up both sides of the kit. Condenser mics are ideal for overheads because of their excellent high end and natural transient response.

If you have only one overhead, place the mic centrally over the kit, and move it around to compensate for the playing style and the kit’s characteristics (that is, quiet ride cymbal, loud snare, and so on). Just keep the overheads out of the monitors to avoid feedback. If the hi-hat needs more bite, place a small-diaphragm condenser mic a few inches above the hi-hats, angled at the area just below the cup.

Consider this type: Condenser microphone
Shure mic: PG81, SM81

Finally…

Miking stage instruments is a subjective art, and there are nearly as many opinions as there are engineers. By now, though, you’ve picked up enough pointers to start miking the most ubiquitous instruments in standard venues.

If you have some time and the luxury of access to a variety of live-sound mics, the next step is to experiment a little with selection and placement before you have a show.

Keep in mind the constants – namely, the proper etiquette for avoiding feedback, and close miking with unidirectional mics for maximum pickup and isolation. Use this article as a guide, but remember: ultimately you should rely on your ears to determine the best mic placement for optimum sound.

About Karen Stackpole

Karen Stackpole got started in live sound reinforcement in 1988 and expanded into studio work in 1991. In 1997 she launched Stray Dog Recording Services, a mobile recording business, in addition to working on projects as a freelance live sound and studio engineer and drum tech.

Karen is an active member of Syn-Aud-Con and the Audio Engineering Society and is also a performing and recording drummer/percussionist. As a freelance writer she regularly contributes to Electronic Musician and DRUM! Magazines. In 1999 she joined the Sound Arts faculty at Expression College for Digital Arts and directs the Studio Maintenance course.

Visit Karen and Stray Dog Recording Services on MySpace .

SN thanks Karen and Electronic Musician magazine for allowing us to adapt the content that appears in this article.

Billy Ward: Touring and Recording Drummer’s Drummer

Multi-Pattern Mics and More
He’s worked with everyone from Yoko Ono, Robbie Robertson and Joan Osborne to jazz artists like Bill Evans Supergroup, Living Time Orchestra and Leni Stern while finding time to produce Big Time, an instructional DVD, his way cool Two Hands Clapping CD, and Inside Out, a compilation of his “Concepts” articles from Modern Drummer magazine.

According to one reviewer, “Billy Ward must munch on a steady diet of hipness pills. Everything he plays just sounds so cool.”

So, here it is. Ten minutes with the master.

Recording or Live Performance?
Recording, mostly

Gig
Drummer/producer

Years in the Business
30 lives

Where
New York City

Miking Application
Drums

What I Learned
There are many ways to skin a cat. Everybody has their secret ways to mic a drum kit, but in the end, there are no “across the board” rules because there are so many factors in achieving a successful drum sound on tape.

The room is the biggest factor, which is usually overlooked by inexperienced engineers. Then, of course, there’s the tuning of the drums and the drummer’s touch. Geoffrey Daking once pointed out to me in an article for Modern Drummer Magazine: “You can take six drummers in the same room with the same drums and mics and you will have six different drum sounds.”

Personally, I always encourage younger, budding engineers to get mics that have different patterns available (such as the KSM44 and KSM141 series mics). A figure-8 pattern (like in the KSM44) is tighter – like two hypercardioid patterns. If you are doing a multi-tom setup, placing the KSM44 for two toms is a great solution. Everybody knows that more mics are bad – they create a phase party! So that’s one solution for live or studio application.

For studio, when the room is sonically accurate or safe, omnis are so underrated! The KSM44s in omni are a wonderful snapshot of the drums.

As is the case with any drum miking, it’s best that the mics are at equal distance from the snare drum (and the bass drum too, if possible). The KSM series is understated – it’s non-hyped in the top end. Very mixable. The sounds sit within any setting because there is nothing false in the top end.

An experienced engineer will appreciate the choices that are available and the novice can learn from the huge differences in sound and EQ that come from a different pickup pattern.

Knowledge is truly power and the KSM series enables the user to have multiple patterns at a reasonable cost. Switchable patterns R U L E!

Shure Notes readers can keep up with Billy, check out his music, sharpen percussion skills with his book and DVDs and even – yes –join the BWSS (Billy Ward Stalking Society) by purchasing licensed gear that includes everything from coffee mugs to thong underwear at www.billyward.com

Raz-Man Jeff Rasmussen: Michael McDonald’s Main (FOH) Man

Jeffrey “Raz” Rasmussen ought to know a little something about mixing sound. He’s been at it for a good two decades now and has been the man behind the controls for about as diverse a group of artists as you can imagine: Rick James, LL Cool J, Oingo Boingo, Prince, Leann Rimes, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Tony Toni Tone and more recently, Michael McDonald. You get the idea. He’s a pro.

We asked Raz to weigh in with a problem and a solution.

Recording or Live Performance?
Live and Studio

Present Gig
Currently FOH engineer for Michael McDonald

Years in the Business
20

Lives In
Hollywood, CA

Challenge
Miking McDonald’s vocals was a problem since Michael’s wedges can reach up to 118db, which tends to really color the FOH sound.

Solution
Shure’s KSM9 has incredible rejection of background noise. The KSM9 really isolates Michael’s voice and allows me to get a natural tone. I tried a lot of different large diaphragm condenser mics. The KSM9 was the only one to offer this performance.

The Path That Took You There
Ryan Smith of Shure told me about the KSM9. He asked me to try it. I loved it right away.

He came to a rehearsal where both of us listened to McD’s voice soloed up in the headphones. Neither one of us could believe how much isolation the KSM9 was providing with such high monitor level. Not to mention that the tone was fabulous, too. Bravo, for the Mylar diaphragm! I also use KSM32s for overheads, but I place them equidistant from the drum kit and make sure that they are in the same phase plane. This eliminates any swishy, phase shifting sound when the cymbals are struck.

Drums

Snare: KSM27, SM57

Kick: SM91 (Editor’s Note: This product is discontinued. See Beta 91 or Beta 52 for other kick drum miking recommendations.)

Hi-hat: KSM137

Toms: Beta 98

Wood Block: Beta 98

Overheads: KSM32

Guitar: KSM27

Vocals: KSM9, SM58

Choir: KSM9, KSM32

Flute: KSM9, KSM32

Leslie
(Low): KSM27
(High): SM57

Shure Notes thanks Raz for stepping away from the mixing board long enough to participate in this issue.

Tree House: Dave Catching & Rancho de la Luna

Whether you call the genre acid rock, space rock or stoner rock, you are likely to know Dave Catching, a Memphis-born, former New Orleans resident, who, along with the late Fred Drake, founded Rancho de la Luna. An accomplished guitar-player with a long list of credentials, Dave has worked with Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator, co-founded earthlings? and is presently touring with Eagles of Death Metal.

Our Shure Notes mission was to plug into some handy tips for creative miking. What began as that discussion quickly became an exploration of the elements sometimes required for musical creativity. It’s what some call the “Place Concept”. For Dave and a legion of other West Coast players, that place is Rancho de la Luna in Joshua Tree, California.

Recording or Live Performance?
I do both actually, and I do a lot of both.

Let’s talk about the studio, Rancho de la Luna.
It was founded by Fred Drake in 1993 (who died in 2002). He found the house and contacted me about starting the studio. A friend of ours was selling a bunch of studio equipment and we bought the gear from the guy. Within a week we had a board and a 24-track one-inch machine and a 16-track half-inch machine.

Then, Mark Howard who engineers for Daniel Lanois, stopped in a few days after our gear had been delivered to ask if it was cool to move his studio into the house for about six months. He didn’t expect to be recording here for more than two or three weeks – so we had the gear for sessions, or for our own stuff the rest of the time. Strangely enough, Daniel was Fred’s favorite producer so it worked out pretty well.

Rancho de la Luna, of course, is where The Desert Sessions are recorded.

Let’s talk about what makes this place so unique.
This is a little house in the middle of the desert. It’s not big and it’s not fancy. But it’s got a very good vibe. We don’t have state-of-the art equipment (except for microphones, of course) and it’s really kind of low-tech.

We do “The Desert Sessions” just about every year with an amazing group of musicians who have never met. It’s run by Josh Homme, a good friend of mine (from Queens of the Stone Age) and we all collaborate.

Since this issue is about creativity, let’s talk about the process or maybe, more appropriately, the magic there.
We have a ton of really strange instruments that we either get at swap meets or someone gives us. We collaborate in strange ways – maybe over dinner where someone has an idea and someone else adds something to it. We’ve been doing it once a year or maybe twice a year since 1997, but now that everyone’s been busy playing, we do it on a less regular schedule.

The place itself really influences the recordings. In the Desert Sessions, we’ve had everyone from Josh to PJ Harvey to the guys from Soundgarden. In L.A., people would be saying “you know, there’s a party” or “my girlfriend’s stopping by …” but out here, there’s none of that. People are more focused, the skies are wide open and you don’t sit in a windowless room all day. There are mountains outside and cactus to look at. Instead of being in the control room or the tracking room, you can sit by the fire pit and if you have an idea, we’ll run a mic out there where you can hear wood crackling in the background. We lay it down immediately. People get inspired by that.

Sounds like an experience that will free some and paralyze others.
If the equipment malfunctions, maybe it sounds different and cool. That encourages people to approach things differently. earthlings? was spawned partly by us having crappy gear. Our albums are kind of weird sounding because we discovered that ‘Hey. Maybe the keyboard’s broken, but it sounds really cool. Let’s throw it on tape.’ I thin k that might’ve had something to do with Josh doing Desert Sessions because he liked the way Fred and I worked. Nothing stopped us.

This is a great place to create and write. The best place I’ve ever been. There’s just something about the vibe and it’s reflected in what’s been recorded here.

We know you use unorthodox instruments and kind of sketchy gear to capture that musical moment. What about microphones, though?
We have lots of Shure microphones. It started with my next-door neighbor who does sound for Queens of the Stone Age, then with Eagles of Death Metal, then the studio.

The (SM)57 is the greatest microphone that’s even been manufactured and I mean that. Right now, it’s on a guitar amp, it’s on the snare on top and bottom, and it’s on the bass amp. I have lots of other microphones but it sound great on guitar and drums, always. And it’s sexy – Robert Plant holding a SM57 – it doesn’t get much sexier than that, does it?