Brit Row Training Mic Techniques Workshop with DPA and Sound Network

Brit Row Training Mic Techniques Workshop in Images and Audio

4th July 2014

Here are the photos and audio snippets with notes from our recent Live Mic Techniques Workshop held on 25th June 2014 at Brit Row, with interesting mic techniques for drums and live instruments used by both group sessions. The different choices of mic placement and uses are detailed further down in the article along with audio snippets for each group’s choices of both the full band and the solo drums.

Photos from the workshop

Click on a photo and scroll through the gallery to see the different mic techniques used on the drumkit, bass amp, guitar amp and vocalist throughout the workshop.

Live Microphone Techniques with Britannia Row Productions Training and Sound Network in LondonBrit Row Training and Sound Network held this mic techniques workshop for live sound on the 25th June 2014 – a free hands-on workshop on microphone techniques for live engineers to experiment at.Drumkit with OH’s and close micsSimon Treasure on drumming duty for the workshop, mic’d to the hilt, including a DPA d:facto II on hi-hat.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMBritannia Row Training live facilityThe room at Britannia Row Productions Training – ample space to try out various live mic’ing techniques.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMThe group get’s cosy behind the desk for the 2nd sessionCrowding in behind the desk to get the sound engineer’s perspective.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMWorking out what sounds best.There was no EQ used during the session, just the natural sound of the mics in the mix.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMThe bandSimon Treasure and his band provided the sound to work with.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMSome creative ideas mic’ing a guitar amp.The group get to work on the guitarist with some interesting DPA mic placement ideasheight 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMAll ears…Adam Pierce from Sound Network, UK distributor for DPA Microphones, at the helm.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMFeedbackThe workshop was run as an open forum – the group decided what mic placement sounded best for the applicationheight 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMRob and the floor tomTesting took place between pointing the DPA d:vote™ 4099D drum mic straight down and across the skin. height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMMore floor…Rob points the DPA d:vote™ 4099D straight down at the floor tomheight 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMThe chosen positionPosition chosen for the 4099D on floor tom.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMDiscussionOpen discussion on how mic placement affects the sound was the order of the day.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMOn to the bassThe bass amp – Ampeg SVT2 Pro with 4×10 – was mic’d with a DPA d:dicate™ 2011C cardioid condenser microphone.height 1440width 960originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AM Center bassTried both center and off-center mic’ing.height 1440width 960originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMOff-center bassDPA d:dicate 2011C placed off-center on the driver.height 1440width 960originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMGuitar amp setup to begin withheight 1440width 960originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMGuitar amp close mic’ingClose mic’ing off-center on the Blues Deluxe speaker with a DPA d:dicate 2011C cardioid condenser microphone.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMGuitar amp front viewThe mic is placed in the middle of the speaker cone radius.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMTesting out a 2-mic technique on guitar amp.In this case using a cardioid (DPA d:dicate 2011C) and an omni (DPA d:screet 4091)height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMUsing d:vote 4099D to close-mic cymbalClose under-mic’ing the cymbals like Metallica’s Lars Ulrich – no need for overheads that way.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMDPA d:vote™ 4099 on crash cymbalThe super-cardioid drum mic is aimed just outside the bell.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMSingle omnidirectional mic on the drumkitUsing a single DPA d:screet™ 4091 mic in the center of the drumkit provides a remarkably good natural sound of the kit. height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMKick Drum MicsDiscussing where to point kick drum mics to get the best soundheight 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMSnare top mic – DPA d:dicate 2011CFiring a cardioid d:dicate 2011C mic across the skin of the snare was choice of the day.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMChanging the angleIt was also listened to angled down at the skin. Both gave a good sound, though this was slightly harsher in the mix.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMToms / Rack micsThe DPA d:vote™ 4099D mics were used for the rack tom and the direction was experimented withheight 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMUnder-snare mic’ingThe DPA d:vote 4099D clipped to the frame and positioned underneath the snare gives great additional dynamics to bring into the overall mix of the kit.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMChanging direction of the mic on tomsThe d:vote 4099D tried out pointing straight at the skit and moved closer / further to test out the proximity effect.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMMore discussionThere was a lot to talk about.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMView from the deskA classic FOH engineer’s view of the stage area.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMGuitar and amp micing techniquesTalking about the guitar and amp as a whole instrument and how best to reinforce its sound.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMWhich one’s best?Four different DPA mics were initially tried out on the kick drum: d:dicate 4011A and 2011C (cardioid), d:screet 4091 (omni) and d:vote 4099D (supercardioid)height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMOverhead mics on drumsTwo pairs of OH mics were used: a spaced pair of DPA d:dicate 4011A mics and an X/Y pair of d:dicate 4011ER’s. Same capsules, different preamps in this case.cameramake Canonheight 960flash 16camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop CC (originaldate 6/25/2014 10:58:17 PMwidth 1440orientation 1cameramodel Canon EOS 5D Mark IIGetting the angle rightThe d:dicate 2011C (cardioid) aimed across the vellum of the snare to give a fuller reproduction of all the dynamics and frequency range.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMAnother view of the spaced pairThe d:dicate 4011A’s in a spaced pair, and with "ER" pre’s as an X/Y pair.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMJob done.DPA d:vote 4099D supercardioid drum mic on tom 1, optimum distance for just the right about of punch.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMFloor tom mic angleFiring the 4099D across the skin of the floor tom.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMAnother view from belowThe d:vote 4099D is attached to the stand with a DPA d:vote universal clip.height 1440width 960originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMd:screet mic in the kickThe kick drum housed two mics – a DPA d:screet 4091 omni placed near the center of the skin, on the inside, and another…height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMd:vote 4099 on kick drumThe super-cardioid d:vote 4099 placed close to the edge of the kick drum skin on the inside provides a tremendous full kick drum sound, with plenty of low end fullness.height 960width 1440originaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AM

DPA Microphones Used for the Workshop

A variety of cardioid, super-cardioid and omni-directional microphones were used for the live mic techniques workshop sessions. These included the following models:

Vocals:

DPA d:facto™ II vocal condenser mic

Drumkit:

Snare top – DPA d:dicate™ 2011C Cardioid mic
Snare bottom – DPA d:vote™ 4099D Super-cardioid drum mic
Toms – DPA d:vote™ 4099D Super-cardioid drum mic
Kick – Combination of DPA d:vote™ 4099D, d:dicate™ 2011C, d:screet™ 4091 (omnidirectional)
OH’s – d:dicate 4011A cardioid spaced pair, d:dicate 4011ER cardioid X/Y pair

Bass Amp:

DPA d:dicate™ 2011C cardioid condenser mic

Guitar Amp:

Combination of d:dicate™ 2011C cardioid and d:screet™ 4091 omni mics

Workshop Sound Files

Here are the audio snippets captured at the two sessions of the Brit Row Training Live Mic Techniques Workshop, where the respective groups tested various microphone placement techniques to achieve a final sound for live music situations. All the mics were left untreated – effectively flat – and what you hear is a stereo feed recorded straight off the desk with no effects or compression added. There are two snippets per session: one depicting the final drum mix and one with a final mix of the whole band, with mic placements chosen by each group. The two sessions naturally chose varying techniques and mics as their collective favourites. The main differences between them are explained below…

How the Two Sessions Differed

Session 1

Snare: 2011C pointed across the top, 4099D across bottom.
Kick: 4099D super-cardioid and 4091 omni combination.
Overheads: Spaced pair of d:dicate 4011 cardioid mics
Guitar amp: 2011C cardioid and 4091 omni at the edge of the speaker.

Session 2

Snare: 2011C angled down (around 90°) on top, 4099D angled 90° underneath.
Kick: 4099D super-cardioid and 2011C cardioid combination.
Overheads: none, cymbals under-mic’d with 4099D super-cardioid mics.
Guitar amp: 4091 omni at the edge of the speaker cone.

Full quality .wav files are available for download here if you’d like to listen in more detail or hold on to the recordings. Last of all, a huge “Thank you” to Britannia Row Productions Training (website), Simon Treasure and the band and everyone who attended and made this workshop a success! Find out about future workshops like this one and book your spot – sign up to our mailing list here and we’ll let you know when and where the next one will be.

To find out more on how DPA Microphones could help your live events and recordings contact Sound Network, exclusive distributor for DPA Microphones in the United Kingdom.

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Brit Row Training Mic Techniques Workshop in Images and Audio

Photos from the workshop

DPA Microphones Used for the Workshop

Vocals:

Drumkit:

Bass Amp:

Guitar Amp:

Workshop Sound Files

How the Two Sessions Differed

Session 1

Session 2

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Photos from the workshop

DPA Microphones Used for the Workshop

Vocals:

Drumkit:

Bass Amp:

Guitar Amp:

Workshop Sound Files

How the Two Sessions Differed

Session 1

Session 2

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