DPA microphones on drums for Harry Styles tour
- Details
Snake opted for DPA d:dicate 4011 Cardioid Microphones on the snare top and ride, a d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphone on the hi-hat top and d:dicate 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid mics on the snare bottom, rack toms and floor toms.
His choice won the approval of monitor engineer Charlie ‘Chopper’ Bradley, who says, “I usually defer to Snake on microphone choice unless there is something that really isn’t working for me in the mix. On this occasion I am very pleased that he’s using DPA on the drum kit because I now have one of the most dynamic and natural sounding drum mixes I’ve ever had on a live tour.”
Harry Styles’ current tour has been travelling around the world since March 2017 and will complete in California at the end of July 2018. DPA microphones have been on the equipment list throughout and were chosen because they are a tried and tested solution, says Audio Crew Chief Rod Clarkson.
“We have been touring theatres in 2017 then arenas worldwide in 2018, with a relentless schedule,” says Clarkson. “Several of the theatres in the 2017 run could be said to be bucket list venues for a solo artist, but are certainly much smaller than those Harry has previously played. Many of the venues certainly have their own acoustic and logistical challenges for a show of this nature.”
Coping with challenges is second nature for Bradley and Newton, both of whom have worked on numerous large scale live tours for artists such as Robbie Williams, Snow Patrol, Duran Duran, Massive Attack and Pet Shop Boys. Newton, who has used DPA mics on previous occasions, says he is particularly pleased with the d:dicate 4011 and 2011 mics he’s chosen for the drum kit because they sound so open.
Newton is also using two d:dicate 4015 Wide Cardioid microphones as overheads and comments, “They are a little wide in the circumstances, given the screaming kids, but the evenness of their pick up is just great.”
(Jim Evans)
