"We chose the DPA 4061s because we found them to be the only ones of their kind that sound good," says RG Jones' classical engineer Simon Honywill. "For years we've refused to move away from conventional overhead mic techniques because of the inability of 'string bugs' to sound anything like natural. However the 4061s offer the combination of the natural sound of the instrument with a usable amount of 'air', and a high degree of gain before feedback and separation. This is particularly suitable for classical arena shows where the overall show level is surprisingly high for the musical genre, and also situations where orchestras are combined with rock ensembles."
The other feature that attracted Honywill to the 4061 was its clip design, which he has found to satisfy musicians' concerns about attaching technology to often-valuable instruments. "Understandably, many professional string players want to use their best instruments but are reluctant to use a microphone that has mechanical contact with the body, or even worse uses some form of putty to attach the transducer," he explains. "By attaching the capsule to the strings with a rubber mount, the DPA clip has satisfied all the musicians we have worked with since the purchase. The only problem we have encountered is that they tend to walk off with them at the end of a performance as they forget they are there!"
The sale to RG Jones follows an earlier order placed by leading British classical rental company Sound Hire for 40 DPA 4060 miniature mics with violin cello mounts. Also purchased from Sound Network, the mics are being used for orchestras and string sections on events such as Bryn Terfel's Faenol festival in North Wales, the Classical Brits at the Albert Hall) Pavarotti for BBC1's Parkinson show and the Hampton Court Festival.
DPA recently increased its portfolio of orchestral products with the launch of the MSS6000 Microphone Summation System, a professional, cost-effective microphone and pre-amp system for amplifying stringed instruments. A single MSS6000 system provides control of up to 10 stringed instruments, reducing an entire section of 10 down to two channels on a mixing console, thus freeing up many useful and costly channels on the stage box and the console.
(Sarah Rushton - Read)
