Multi-Grammy Award winning recording engineer Michael Bishop explains how he mics and records this phenomenal CancerBlows live performance. Featuring some of the best-known trumpet players alive, the music is fantastic and Michael’s thoughts on how to capture brass, orchestra and big band properly using ribbon microphones is invaluable.
Huge thanks to Ryan and Niki Anthony, Michael Bishop and Erica Brenner.
The recording is available on Music=Hope Records and all proceeds from the sale of the recording help fund cancer research. Purchase the music: CD/DVD (the full concert and music experience): https://www.cancerblows.com/shop.php
Recorded and mixed by Craig Brock. Produced by Tom Royer and Craig Brock.
Recorded at Whitehorse Studios, Portland, OR.
Two R-121’s capturing all the brass and drums in a live room (drums also have a single KM-84 small diaphragm condenser mic blended in, hung four feet above the snare).
Engineered and mixed by Tommy Vicari. Produced by Quincy Jones with Sammy Nestico and Jerry Hey.
Recorded at Capital Studios, Hollywood, CA
From the Qwest Records release “Basie & Beyond”.
Seven R-121’s capturing the trumpets and trombones.
Recorded digitally on Sony 3348-HR’s.
Arturo Sandoval demonstrates his trumpet and piano recording techniques in the best way possible, laying it down in the studio. Each of these videos feature Arturo soloing on the trumpet and then doing some extraordinary piano playing. For the trumpet demonstrations, engineer Don Murray removed Arturo’s solo tracks from two recordings featured on Auturo’s record “Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You)” and Arturo recorded new solos.
Recording chain Trumpet: Royer R-122 and SF-24V into Millennia HV-3D preamplifier. Bricasti reverb. Recorded to Pro Tools. Recording chain Piano: Royer SF-24 and two Mojave Audio MA-300’s into Millennia HV-3D preamplifier. Recorded to Pro Tools.
The instruments are miked the way Arturo records in the studio: Trumpet – one R-122 close mic, with an SF-24V at a distance and blended for added dimension. Piano – One SF-24V at the knee of the piano, with two Mojave Audio MA-300’s set in Cardioid and spread out.
(Arturo normally uses SF-24’s in the distant trumpet position and on piano, but we had SF-24V’s on hand.) Trumpet: “Things to Come” (Walter Gilbert Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie) Piano: “Surena” (Arturo Sandoval)
Trumpet: “And Then She Stopped” (Dizzy Gillespie) Piano: “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach)
Engineer/Producer: Russell Dawkins
Recorded at the studios of the Ukrainian Radio/Television Orchestra, Kiev.
Recording chain: One SF-12 stereo ribbon microphone with 35-feet of Monster cable connected to a Studio Technologies mic pre, then 6-feet of Monster cable to an Apogee A/D converter, to coaxial cable to the digital ‘in’ on a portable DAT machine. No compression or reverb used.
This exceptional recording of a full orchestra was made on one SF-12 stereo ribbon microphone, positioned over the conductor’s head, at a distance that achieved a nice balance of the orchestra and hall ambience. We use this recording regularly in seminars, as it’s a wonderful example of the amazingly natural reproduction a high-quality ribbon microphone is capable of delivering. The off-axis response is perfect, transients are natural with no overshoot or ringing, and the flat frequency response captures the full range of the orchestra with no peaks or dips anywhere throughout the frequency range.
Sergei Prokofiev – “Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2”
Sergei Prokofiev – “Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2” excerpt 2
RCA 10001 spot mic and SF-24 room mic on Malcom McNab’s Solo trumpet (RCA 60%, SF-24 40% in the mix).
Brass, French Horn and Bass Trombone recorded on R-122’s with an SF-24 as room mic.
Recording chain: RCA 10001 into a UA 2-610 tube preamp, SF-24 and R-122’s into a Millennia HV-3D preamp. Recorded to Digital Performer HD 192 (at 88.2/192), using the HD 192 converters. TC Electronics M-6000 and Lexicon 960 and 480 reverbs used in the mix. No compression, limiting or EQ used.
“Saloon Music for Bb Cornet and Pit Orchestra” (Bruce Broughton)
Engineer: Al Schmitt, Producer: Gary Grant
Recorded at Capitol Studios (Studio A), Hollywood, CA.
Recording chain: All mics routed through an assortment of Mastering Lab, Neve and Studer tube mic preamps. Recorded to Pro Tools
One R-122 on Arturo Sandoval’s solo trumpet
Four R-121’s on the trumpets
Four R-121’s on the trombones
SF-12 overall big band room mic
SF-12 drum overhead
Recorded and mixed by Clint Bennett. Produced by Anthony Marinelli & Shawn Amos.
Recorded at Westlake Studio D (Los Angeles, CA) and Bismeaux Studio (Austin, TX). Additional recording and all mixing at Music Forever.
Recording chain: All mics into Neve VR console preamps at Westlake and API console preamps at Bismeaux. Recorded to Pro Tools HD at 96k. Digi 192 converters at Westlake and Bismeaux, and Apogee converters at Music Forever.
Special thanks to Shout Factory for the use of these recordings.
“Flying High” (Gaye, Stover) – SONG INTRO
1a) Full Mix
1b) Isolated Saxophone: R-121 on saxophone
“Flying High” (Gaye, Stover) – SONG ENDING
2a) Mix
2b) Isolated Vocals, Claps, Percussion: One SF-24 with musicians gathered around it.
2c) Isolated Horn Stem: R-121’s and R-122 on various horns.
2d) Isolated Drums: SF-12 on drum overhead, low and towards the front of the kit.
Recorded and mixed by Clint Bennett. Produced by Anthony Marinelli & Shawn Amos.
Recorded at Westlake Studio D, Los Angeles CA. Additional recording and all mixing at Music Forever.
Recording chain: All mics into Neve VR console preamps. Recorded to Pro Tools HD at 96k. Digi 192 converters at Westlake Studios and Apogee converters at Music Forever.
“What’s Going On” (Benson, Cleveland, Gaye)
a) Full Mix
b) Isolated Trumpet & Trombone: R-121 on trumpet and R-122 on trombone.
c) Isolated Electric Guitars: R-121 on electric guitars.
Recorded and mixed by Tommy Vicari
Recorded at Bill Schnee Studios, North Hollywood, CA.
Recording chain: All Royer mics through Millennia HV-3D preamps. SF-24 room mic through HV-3D preamp to GML EQ with 3 dB boost at 10K. Recorded to Pro Tools HD.
“Backrow Politics” (Gordon Goodwin) – Full mix from two sections of the same song, with isolated tracks
a) Full Mix
b) Isolated Trumpet solo: R-121 on soloist.
c)Full Mix 2.
d)Isolated Brass & Sax Section: Eight R-121’s on trumpets & trombones, with SF-24 room mic.
e)Isolated Brass & Sax Section: SF-24 room mic alone.
