PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Neilson/Clyne
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
•1•
AUDIO-TECHNICA PROVIDES CLEAR SOUND
DURING STORMY WEATHER CONCERT
— A range of Audio-Technica microphones gives star treatment
to a diverse gathering of divas as well as a “massive” orchestra and band —
•1•
NAMM WINTER SESSION, ANAHEIM, CA, January 16, 2003 — Stormy Weather, the all-star diva-fest assembled by singer/songwriter and Eagles member Don Henley, took place at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles on November 13, 2002. The event, which is a benefit for Henley’s Walden Pond Woods environmental project, was a stunning success, and featured a lineup of divas ranging from rock to country to folk. Reba McEntire, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Trisha Yearwood, Norah Jones, Deborah Cox, Paula Cole, Michelle Branch, Joni Mitchell, and Susan Tedeschi all performed at the gala. The artists were backed by a 60-piece orchestra and band and were recorded by the legendary Elliott Scheiner in the Le Mobile remote truck. All of the major recorded elements benefited from an equally impressive lineup of Audio-Technica microphones, which were specified by Scheiner and Le Mobile owner Guy Charbonneau as the microphones of choice to guarantee success with such a complex and unique event.
A-T’s ATM25 hypercardioid dynamic instrument microphones were used on the drum kit, while ATM35 cardioid condenser instrument microphones were chosen for the orchestra, which was led by musical director Larry Klein with conductor and orchestrator Vince Mendoza and described by Scheiner as “massive.” Most remarkable, however, was the fact that despite the diversity of vocal styles and timbres from such an assemblage of female talent, only one vocal mic was used throughout the entire performance: the Audio-Technica AT4054 cardioid capacitor microphone. “I like the AT4054 because of its great sound and outstanding sound rejection capability,” Scheiner remarks enthusiastically. “The vocals were the main focus of this event, and the AT4054 is amazing in its ability to cover such a wide range of vocalists and let each of their signature sounds come through clearly, while keeping extraneous sound out.”
Guy Charbonneau, owner of Le Mobile, whose chief engineer, Charlie Bouis, did the premixes of the string sections as Scheiner recorded the event, agrees with that assessment, noting, “The AT4054 is a good-sounding, very neutral microphone. It didn’t color any of the vocals, so it was the perfect choice for this situation with so many different performers.” Both Scheiner and Charbonneau also praised the performance and flexibility of the A-T ATM35 clip-on microphones selected for the orchestral recording. “This was a one-time and very spectacular event, so you want to make sure you get it right,” comments Scheiner. “That’s why we decided to individually mic every string instrument using the ATM35, which is a very reliable microphone.” Charbonneau elaborates on the microphone technique used on the orchestra: “Close-miking the strings was necessary given that we were working with a band as well as an orchestra. But where many people place a clip-on microphone on the bridge, we chose to attach it to the tailpiece of each instrument, then adjust the gooseneck on the microphone towards the F-hole of the instrument. That gives you a very natural-sounding string section and eliminates the bow noise that comes with close-miking. The ATM35 was the perfect microphone for that application.”
Stormy Weather is headed for a DVD-Audio release later this year, to be mixed in 5.1 surround audio by Scheiner. “I’m glad we used the A-T microphones,” he concludes, “because I believe the DVD of this event will be as spectacular as the event itself.”
Photo File: STORMY.TIF
Photo Caption: Shown is Reba McEntire performing with the Audio-Technica AT4054 at
Don Henley's Stormy Weather benefit concert, held at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on November 13, 2002. Photo by Debbie Van Story/Image Direct. (This photo is the property of Image Direct and may be used by the press only for purpose of one-time reproduction. Unauthorized use or alteration of this image is strictly prohibited.)
•1•
Celebrating over 40 years of audio excellence worldwide, Audio-Technica is a leading innovator in transducer technology, renowned for the design and manufacture of microphones, wireless microphones, headphones, mixers and electronics for the audio industry.
...ends 536 words
—For more information on the complete range of Audio-Technica products, contact
Karen Emerson, Audio-Technica U.S., Inc., 1221 Commerce Drive, Stow, Ohio 44224.
Tel: 330/686-2600; Fax: 330/688-3752.
•1•
•1•
Audio-Technica is exhibiting at Booth #6740 during the 2003 NAMM Winter Session in
Anaheim, CA.
•1•