Sting is currently promoting his new album, Songs from the Labyrinth, with a series of performances in major cities such as London, New York, Berlin and Paris, with DPA microphones accompanying him along the way.

DPA 4023 compact cardioids were chosen by Sting's sound engineer Donal Hodgson, who had initially purchased a pair of 4006 omnidirectional mics for the artist's mobile studio setup, Steerpike Studios, to record Songs from the Labyrinth. This is a venture into new musical territory for Sting, who has collaborated with lute player Edin Karamazov to work with the music of Elizabethan songwriter John Dowland, court lutenist to James 1 in 1612.

"I had always considered DPA to be more of a classical music microphone," explains Hodgson. "This was why, when we started the original demo sessions for Songs from the Labyrinth, I thought it would be a good idea to try them out, although I was slightly wary of using omni mics. We eventually bought a set of 4006s and I used them exclusively to record Edin's lutes. We were all impressed with the sound quality from the 4006s in the studio and wanted continuity for the live shows."

A quick tour of the DPA website and Hodgson realised that the DPA 4023 was a very similar microphone in sound character, but with the added advantage of a cardioid configuration and a very small footprint on stage.

He also sourced two FJS4000 Flamingo Junior Short stands for Karamazov and Sting's lutes and a FGS4000 Flamingo Grand Single stand for Sting's vocal. The former are placed to the right of the performers with the active pole running almost parallel to the lute. The goose-neck at the top is then bent 90 degrees so the 4023s directly face the sound hole of the lute.

"From a distance it's hard to see there is a microphone and stand in place; we're all very impressed with the aesthetic of the Flamingo stands as well as their practicality," he says. "For Sting's vocal I again placed the stand to his right but instead of facing the microphone directly at him I've employed an off axis position which allows me to minimise the size of pop shield required and again keep a more discreet look on stage and, more importantly, not compromise the sound."

Hodgson has found this solution keeps the sound and frequency response of the lutes and vocals consistent with the studio recordings, while giving a stylish, minimal look on stage.

"I am exceedingly happy with results we are getting, having listened to mixes off stage at the monitor desk, front of house desk and a recording from a BBC OB truck," he says. "I am really looking forward to taking the 4023s into the studio; they have shot way up my microphone of choice hit list."