Search results for 'first listen'

Until a few weeks ago, I was never aware of Remic Microphones (pronounced “Ree-Mike”) or their D5400 mic for upright basses. For years, I have used the standard Al Schmitt method of miking an upright bass, which is a large diaphragm condenser near the bridge and f-hole, and one on the top of the bass near the fingerboard. Al uses two Neumann M149s (which is a $10,000 microphone setup), I’ve been partial to using a Neumann U 47 on the bridge position and a Neumann U 67 on the neck, but if you don’t have access to high-end microphones, any two large diaphragm condensers would do the trick. Using that method, you can achieve a lot of depth and low end from the bridge microphone, and the attack, string noise, and presence of the instrument from the fingerboard microphone. My buddy Takashi Iio and I had a session come up and it happened to be the day these Remic Microphones had come across my desk for a demo. Takashi is one of the finest bass players I’ve ever seen, his playing ranges from jazz to rock and everything in between. He is the top of the A-list musicians here in Detroit, first call for every gig and studio session, and plays on over 250 studio recordings each year. When you get to that level of playing, you become very particular about your tone, which I believe we had completely dialed in, that was until the Remic was put to the test. Continue reading →

At Moogfest 2017, Moog Music announced the release of the Subsequent 37 CV, a higher end reimagining of the Sub 37 Tribute Edition. This fully analog synthesizer with electronic memory for easy recall ability is limited to only 1,000 units in the United States with the first 125 being hand built live during Moogfest. The Moog Music Subsequent 37 CV has so many amazing features, it’s hard to know where to begin with this review. I spent days messing around with this synth, and feel like I only scratched the surface of its potential power. I was blown away with the sounds of the 256 stock presets, ranging from dirty sub bass to lush airy pads. Also, the Subsequent 37 CV is stocked with banks of percussion, woodwinds, brass, organs, sound effects, ambient noises, synth leads and strings. Continue reading →

Over the past couple days, I’ve been spending some quality time with the new Townsend Labs microphone system, the Sphere L22. As with any other mic modeling system, I was a bit skeptical going into the demo. I’ve been lucky enough to use all the real versions of the microphones modeled on countless recordings across all genres of music over the last 10 years. I must say, the Townsend Labs Sphere L22 is the real deal. Continue reading →

Last week I was lucky enough to sit in on a demo of the newest product from Universal Audio, The OX Amp Top Box. Universal Audio has been setting the standards of analog gear in professional recording studios for decades (see the 1176 or LA-2A), but they have spent more and more time recently in the digital realm. Continue reading →

Over this past week, I was lucky enough to get to spend some quality time with the newest, flagship speaker from Kii Audio. The Kii Three is truly remarkable in design, frequency response and customization to fit ANY room you are tracking or mixing in. Continue reading →

Why does good monitoring matter? It's important since We make every decision in the studio based on what we hear. Would you prefer to surround yourself with tools that limit your potential or tools that let you fly in ways you might never have known? Lifting the ceiling from your potential is what great studio monitoring is all about. The launch of the Barefoot Sound Footprint01 gives access to this potential to more people than ever before. Continue reading →

Universal Audio has demonstrated its mastery of creating digital emulations of analog classics for years. Prior innovations like the OX Amp Top Box have shown the brand making its move into the guitar world, but with today's announcement of a new line of UAFX pedals, they've firmly entrenched themselves in the stompbox game. Engineered and developed by the team at Universal Audio, the Astra Modulation Machine ($399), Golden Reverberator ($399) and Starlight Echo Station ($399) feature dual-processor technology that power some of the most stunning effects ever created for the pedal platform. Each release puts three emulations of classic vintage gear at your feet (there are some free extras you can get upon registration) and offers six knobs, three switches and two footswitches for controlling your sound. In addition to accepting Hi-Z, the UAFX also accepts line level, so you can use the pedals for mixing. Continue reading →

  Since it first made its debut in 1987, the Tube-Tech CL 1B has become a modern studio classic. Why is this compressor what engineers and producers often patch in for their sessions? The optical tube compressor offers up smooth, butter-like compression that is practical and doesn't feature the harshness that can be associated with some other compressors. In particular, the Tube-Tech CL 1B has become synonymous with being the go-to compressor on vocals in the pop and hip-hop music communities. The compressor is known to have been a mainstay on vocal sessions for Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and plenty more chart-topping hitmakers. Continue reading →

If you've spent any amount of time in a recording studio, whether as a player, engineer or producer, there's no doubt you've seen the signature waffle iron/cloven hoof shape of the Coles 4038. Whether its a pair hanging over drums, a single mic placed in front of a guitar cab or brass instrument, the Coles 4038 has become a studio staple since it first debuted in 1952. The history of the Coles 4038 goes back even further to 1934 when the BBC-Marconi Type A became the first pressure-gradient ribbon microphone produced in Great Britain. From the Type A came a plethora of different microphones, but the bulky size of some of the resulting gear proved to be not so subtle when the BBC started producing television content. This directly led to the creation of a smaller microphone, the 4038. Continue reading →

The Neve 1073 is without a doubt one of the most beloved mic pre/EQs in the history of the recording industry. Since its birth in 1970, when Rupert Neve outfitted his A88 console with the first version of the module, engineers and producers have been transfixed by the grit and bite it can deliver to tracks. While the 1073 has seen many different variations, versions, and replicas, none have made more of an impact than the Neve 1073LB. This 500 Series-sized version of the 1073 offers the magic of the original's sound via a 100% discrete audio path and the same design as the classic circuit. Imagine getting the all analog sound of a Neve 1073 for under $1000. It's a reality with the 1073LB. Continue reading →