How did this project come together?

In early September I was brainstorming ways to raise awareness for the studio in the community here. I was also trying to think of a way to raise some funds - and also create a small record label to release some local talent. I have a healthy obsession with soul music, especially the Muscle Shoals sound. I thought it would be interesting to do a tribute to the sound and get some bands in here to record various songs.

I walked around the city putting up flyers and even had a small write-up in one of the weekly papers here.

You not only got the project rolling, but you managed to make some connections that would not have occurred to many of us.

I decided that I'd like to contact Jimmy Johnson to make sure he was okay with the idea, and also to see if he would like to write liner notes. I still planned on the release to be a small 500 run local a ... Read More »

I don't really know Chris Mickle. I think that this is odd, since we are in the same business and have worked many of the same venues and worked with some of the same artists. Sort of a small word/big world situation. We've recently began bumping into each other on line, and find that we have a lot in common. Chris's live recording trucks turn up at places like South By Southwest and Red Rocks, and the client list includes such artists as Puff Daddy, Melissa Etheridge, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Ani DeFranco, Dave Mathews, and other high visibility artists. Read More »

So Wither the Old?

Last month I detailed the fun that I had in acquiring a pair of vintage AKG C-28 microphones. This month I have done a lot more research into this model, replaced one of the capsules, corrected some errors in some of my earlier information, and spent a lot of time bending Tracy Korby's ear about my new acquisitions. I had hoped to have the mics and power supplies in hand by now, but unfortunately they are not ready yet. Still, I have discovered a lot about these microphones. Let me share some of what I have learned with you.

AKG: A Little History

Anyone who follows my articles and newsgroup posts knows that I'm a big fan of Groove Tubes equipment, particularly their condenser microphones and preamps. The MD1a, MD2a, and others are all excellent microphones that represent the best confluence of modern engineering and art.

So you can imagine that I was quite interested in the products to emerge from the acquisition of Groove Tubes by Alesis. Frankly, I was very skeptical of this alliance. Alesis is known for producing average quality pro-sumer digital gear. Groove Tubes is a boutique tube company focused on esoterica and which offers products with a real handmade approach. So when I got the opportunity to review two of Alesis' new GT tube mics, I jumped at the chance to see if these products live up to the Groove Tubes tradition.

AM62 Multipattern Large-Diaphragm Tube Mic

JoeMeek recently introduced its entry into the budget large-diaphragm condenser microphone frenzy, the JM47. The company has now bundled that microphone together with its budget mic preamp, the VC3Q, into a package called the JM47 Trakpak. The package comes in a reasonably sturdy flight case, complete with spaces for the mic, the preamp, the shockmount, and the wall-wart style power supply.

Joemeek JM47 Trakpak

JM47 "Meekrophone"

Last time I reviewed a microphone, it ended up being a lesson in everything that's wrong with cheap large-diaphragm condensers. The ProRec mailbag exploded a few times, but we survived. Today, I get to tell you what's right. The RØDE NT1000 and NTK break the mold, with world-class specs and a smoothness that stands alongside microphones three times the price. On top of that, they're stunningly good-looking, with an over-the-top sturdiness that would serve as well in hand-to-hand combat as in the studio.

The Long Road to RØDE

(Left) NT1000 (Right) NTK

Digging Below the Surface

Sound-wise, the choice to purchase either of these microphones is a no-brainer. They deliver world-class tracks on the cheap. But this is but one element of their charm. Overall, these microphones are standard-setters that the entire industry would do well to study.

Everything about them both belies and explains their price. The cases themselves are substantial works of engineering art, reminiscent in design and construction to the venerable solid-brass Switchcraft phone plugs (the ones that never go bad). A picture here is worth a thousand words.

(Top) Switchcraft phone plug

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Comments (1)

Bruce Richardson

The market for low-cost large diaphragm condenser microphones has become a little… well, clogged in the last couple of years. Some early, decent entries have been overtaken by a flood of me-too competitors in sub-$400 price range. The current crop is a hodgepodge of average-to-crappy mics that are designed to appeal primarily to home recordists who have little studio experience and even less experience auditioning and selecting microphones. Faced with a potentially big-ticket purchase, most of these consumers take what seems like a safe route: buy cheap.

When established studios buy expensive mics from a reputable dealer, they always have several options to help in the purchasing decision. First off, many dealers will allow the studio to rent the mic for a few days to audition it in their studio. Or, the studio might be able to get a selection of mics on loan. Reputable engineers sometimes get loan product direct from the manufacturer, just to try out for fun. And, if the unit just doe ... Read More »

So, waddaya wanna talk about?

Procrastination is my enemy. By screwing around, I have been scooped by other writers, beaten by changes in technology, or have just run out of enthusiasm for certain topics.

I was going to write about the big deal issue that was a major concern to the professionals. Watermarking of digital audio has their ranks in an uproar and has got as much discussion on their forums as Napster has gotten on other, less professional forums. But that has now been done by one of the print mags.

I was going to write about DVD-A, explaining it and talking about why we may or may not want it. That, alas, has also been done.

I had a great article all assembled in my head about DVD-A packaging. At one point this was the major obstacle to getting DVD-A on the shelves. (Yawn.) Who cares?

DVD-A should have been a major product release for this Christmas season, and the post from which would pivot major changes in our software, hardware, ... Read More »

Every time I go to Los Angeles, I worry about my soul. It might just be a fear that I might actually start liking LA, and then I might want to live there. Or perhaps the danger is real...

The Overheads

Bass Drum

Fig. 3: Starting place for drum mic

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Comments (0)

Barry Rudolph

Snare Drum

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Comments (0)

Barry Rudolph

Tom-Toms

Over the years that my husband and I have worked together in show business (my writing and performing music, he creating and performing magic) I have learned what I have found to be some potent principles of business dealings. Just as his is a line of work that requires a high skill level and fluency of craft while interacting with people, creating music for someone else's project requires rising to the occasion creatively, efficiently and appropriately within the client relationship. To even get to this point, however, you need to get the gig.

If you are already a busy working professional, you have undoubtedly developed a method that works for you. If you are at all green in the ways of dealing with new clients, some of what I have picked up might prove useful.

The Opener

Drowning in the River...

Is That A Saftey Pin Through Your Nose, Or Are You Just Glad To See Me?

Keep On Growing

More than any other song on this project, "Everything's a Lie" makes use of layered guitars and oddball noises. Most of the other songs on the CD, by comparison, are straightforward two-guitars-bass-and-drums arrangements.

The drums on this track were cut live, then cut into loops and reassembled into the final arrangement. The bass was cut live to the looped drum parts. Then the guitars were cut live, and either looped or used as-is.

Amplifier Approach