Lord Huron takes DPA from studio to live
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To ensure the band delivers a sound on stage that is consistent to their studio sessions, Front of house sound engineer Justin Chechile selected the band’s favoured DPA Microphones vocal and instrument mics, including the DPA d:facto 4018VL Vocal and 2011 Twin Diaphragm Microphones. For recorded and live applications, the band also deploys the DPA DDK4000 Drum Microphone Kit, comprised of the 2012 Cardioid and 4055 Kick Drum mics, along with a stereo pair of the 2015 Wide Cardioids and three 4099 Instrument Microphones.
“Lord Huron first started using DPA mics for the recording side of things,” Chechile says. “The team loved the mics’ performance in those cases and thought it would be nice to bring them out on tour - and I’m so glad we switched the live setup to DPA.”
Chechile explains that lead singer Ben Schneider frequently moves around stage during shows, which caused a significant high-end bleed from the drum set. “The d:facto was first to come on the live side,” he says. “We were struggling to find a vocal mic that wasn’t super coloured and offered a really flat sound. The d:facto fixed all these issues and provided context and clarity
“I could talk about this mic all day. It’s very open sounding and the bleed is so natural. Ben will sometimes sing way off-axis, stepping away from the microphone for effect or to intentionally make himself sound distant. Even when he’s four or five feet away, the d:facto still sounds exactly like him, just further away. It’s a perfect mic.”
This consistency in performance is also found on Lord Huron’s drum set. With the DPA DDK4000 Drum Microphone Kit, Chechile has been able to achieve pristine sound pickup on every part of drummer, Mark Barry’s kit. “I was just blown away by the 4055 Kick Drum Mic,” he adds. “It has become one of my favourite mics of all time. The 4055 allows the drum to sound exactly like the instrument. As soon as you plug the mic in, it goes to work representing what’s right in front.”
In addition to mixing for Lord Huron, Chechile has led FOH sound for artists like Run The Jewels, OK GO and Saint Motel. Prior to music touring, Chechile explored the world of film in a variety of industries, including pre- and post-production, live television, live radio and field recording for music and video productions.
