But the Mk2 contains four non-interactive bands of frequency-selective compression or expansion. And Keppler says that when he upgraded to this during production rehearsals he fell in love with the dynamic processor's ability to provide a visual reference for the individual frequencies he needed to work on.
Pete Keppler said: "Bowie is generally great with mic technique but his timbre can change a bit and he will suddenly sing a foot away from the mic. If he's working the mic up close the DPR-901 is great for getting rid of proximity, and you can notch out the sibilant frequencies rather than compress the whole high end. There are certain peaks in his vocal range and the DPR-901 will let me work on those particular frequencies, which makes limiting unnecessary."
BSS pioneered this style of Dynamic EQ with the original DPR-901, basing it on the subtractive VCA topology developed for the industry-standard DPR-402 compressor/de-esser. Nowadays, dynamic EQ is widely accepted as a mandatory function in live sound, and many manufacturers have adopted the technique.
The world tour finished its European stint at Glasgow's SECC near the end of November before heading off for the North American leg. It marks Bowie's first full-fledged world tour since 1995's highly successful Outside World tour and will also visit Australia and the Far East.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
