Evita and New Technology
Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic stage musical Evita has returned to the West End since it first opened 28 years ago. Advances in technology down the decades see this production enjoying the latest generation of audio products, including DPA microphones which are being used across the entire cast and orchestra.

"Radio microphone and miniature microphone technology in particular has had a huge impact on musical theatre," says Evita's sound designer Mick Potter, who specified the DPA mics, having used them extensively on all his sound designs since Saturday Night Fever in 1998. "The amount of frequencies now available for reliable use means miking all performers in a cast of 30 or 40 is no longer an issue. Transmitters are so small that on this production, female cast members wear them in their wigs, meaning no visible cable or transmitter packs at all. This is combined with the 4061 miniature microphone, which easily sounds as good as any average large diaphragm condenser microphone, and can be placed invisibly in the hairline and still achieve a great sound with good rejection."

Adds Tim Clark, associate sound designer: "One of the main differences between the new and original productions as regards sound is the level of control which we have over the sources. The show has definite 'rock' moments, but these often have to be sensitive to the onstage action. The open and natural sound of the DPAs means that extreme dynamic adjustments are as transparent as possible."

The Setup
Each of the 30 cast members wears a 4061, with the five principal characters wearing two each. The strings each have a 4061 mounted near the bridge of their instruments as well as a 4011 cardioid each for ambience. Brass and woodwind all have DPA 4022 compact mics, the percussion setup is miked using a combination of 4007 high SPL mics, 4011s and 4091 omnis, and we have 4061s, 4011s, 4022s and a 4007 on the drum kit.

"As well as offering the most faithful reproduction regardless of the source, DPA also offers the most comprehensive and complementary series of microphones for a large cast and orchestra," says Potter. "Of particular benefit for the theatre are the miniature and small diaphragm mics. In the theatre, finding space for good microphone positions in cramped orchestra pits is always difficult, and any microphones on stage need to be 'invisible'. The 4022s and 4061s in particular can really help solve those problems."

The Drums
Miking the drum kit proved quite a challenge. "It was necessary for the drummer to be in an isolation booth in the orchestra pit to control the kit's dynamic and tone," explains Potter:"Space limitations meant that good acoustics could not be a priority when it came to building the booth, so the sound coloration effect of the booth acoustics had to be minimised. We decided to use some microphones with omni patterns, which may seem an odd way round the problem, but the benefit in being able to close mic the drums without dealing with additional lower frequency problems due to proximity effect meant we could run the omni mics at lower gain and with more direct sound, helping to minimise the effect of the booth's acoustic on the overall drum sound. I never fail to be amazed at the quality of the miniature omnis like the 4061s when compared to other large diaphragm condenser microphones."

4061s are mounted on the top rim of the four toms using the magnetic mounts from the IMK, angled so that they just protrude over the rim facing the centre of the top skin. 4011s are placed on the top and bottom of the snare, producing considerably different sounds which are used in different combinations depending on the feel of the song. A 4011 is also used on the hi-hat, with a pair of 4022s for cymbal mics and a 4007 for the drummer's toys rack, while another 4007 is used on kick drum.

The Orchestra
DPA 4061s are being used across the string section: three violins, a viola and a cello, each of which has one of the miniatures mounted under the strings just behind the bridge using the rubber string mount from the IMK. In addition, each player has a 4011 'ambient' microphone on a boom stand mounted around 30 cms above their instrument.

"Typically, the mix of the two microphones is around 60% from the 4061 close mic and 40% from the 4011 ambient mic, although this balance changes and is programmed throughout the show," says Potter. "For example in more 'cinematic' and orchestral moments, more of the ambient mic would be added to open up the string sound, but in tango sequences when an edgier, more direct sound is required, only the close mics would be used. This setup allows for lots of variation in the string sounds which was in keeping with the score, and of course the 4061s and 4011s worked really well together."

And Finally...
Potter and Clark both agree that the overall result obtained using the DPA mics was, as always, very good. "Because the DPAs have such an honest sound, there is hardly ever any colouration, and the 4061s in particular deliver a great vocal sound for the show," concludes Clark. "The drum kit was the main change to our usual setup for shows, and using as many omni-directional microphones on it as possible worked really well, given the style of the drum sound in this case."