Category Archives: Video

Winona Zelenka

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Cello – R-122

Engineer/Producer; Ron Searles

In these two videos, Ron Searles uses ribbon microphones to record cellist Winona Zelenka playing an extraordinary 1707 Joseph Guarnerius cello.

Recording chain: R-122’s into True Systems Precision 8 mic pres. Recorded to ProTools in 24/96.

“Six Suites for Solo Cello” (J.S. Bach)
This educational video shows three R-122 active ribbon microphones place in a modified Decca Tree configuration. Engineer Ron Searles discusses the importance of ribbons on bowed instruments, the usefulness of the figure-8 pattern in controlling room reflections, achieving natural sounding recordings using ribbons, and more.
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“Intermezzo e Danza Finale” (Cassado)
Two R-122 active ribbon microphones positioned above the cello.
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Robert Friedrich on Recording The San Diego Symphony

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Pianos (dual) – R-122V, R-122
Woodwinds – SF-2
Strings – SF-2
Hall Ambience – SF-24

Recording Engineer: Robert Friedrich
Producer: Erica Brenner

In this video, Grammy-winning engineer Robert Friedrich talks about using ribbon microphones extensively while recording the San Diego Symphony playing “The Carnival Of The Animals.” Of particular interest is his microphone technique on the dual pianos, which were positioned side-by-side and recorded with a pair of R-122V’s and a pair of R-122’s.

Pianists: Jon Kimura Parker and Orli Shaham

Videographer and Photographer: R Chaney

“Carnival of the Animals” (Camille Saint-Saens)

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Brian Setzer Live

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Electric Guitar – R-121
Bass Amplifier – R-122
Drum Overhead – SF-24

FOH and Live Recording Engineer: Jimbo Neal

In this video, Jimbo Neal explains how he uses ribbons for sound reinforcement and recording Brian Setzer’s live performances.

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Jonathan Merkel

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Heavy Electric Guitar – R-122V

Producer/Engineer: Johathan Merkel

Guitarist/Producer/Engineer Jonathan Merkel shows how he records heavy electric guitar using an R-122V to capture his Mesa Boogie Uberschall amplifier. This song was recorded in Jonathan’s home studio, so the 1×12 Mesa cabinet was placed in a closet for isolation.

Jonathan shows complete signal paths for all phases of electric guitar recording and walks us through blending R-122V, SM-57 and DI tracks for his final guitar sound.

“Fuel the Fire” (Jonathan Merkel)

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Johathan’s company Beat Chamber is a Contemporary Song Catalog and Production company which produces and licenses music for film, TV and multimedia projects. https://www.beatchamber.com

Arturo Sandoval – Ribbon Microphone Demonstrations

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Trumpet – R-122, SF-24V
Piano – SF-24V

Recorded at Sweetwater Studios, Ft. Wayne IN

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)

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Trumpet: “And Then She Stopped” (Dizzy Gillespie)
Piano: “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach)

 

 

Randy Kohrs

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Dobro – R-122
Banjo – R-122

Recorded by Randy Kohrs
Dobro and Banjo recorded into ProTools.

In these two videos, Grammy winning engineer/producer/musician Randy Kohrs shows us his techniques for recording Dobro and Banjo. It’s a great here’s-how-to-do-it for each instrument from an outstanding musician and engineer.

Randy Kohrs on recording Dobro
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Randy Kohrs on recording Banjo
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Ray Charles and Norah Jones with Billy Preston

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B-3 – R-122
Piano – SF-12
Electric Guitar – R-121

Engineers: Terry Howard, Al Schmitt (mix)

This extraordinary session was held in Ray Charles’ Los Angeles studio in November 2003. I was privileged to attend and was given permission to take photographs with a small pocket camera. The musicianship was incredible, with most parts of the song being done in one or two takes.
-John Jennings, Royer Labs

B-3: Billy Preston’s Leslie cabinet was miked with two R-122’s, one positioned on the top horn and one on the bottom.

Piano: An SF-12 was positioned inside Ray’s piano alongside a couple of condenser mics. The SF-12 was the main mic used in the final mix.

Electric Guitar: The electric guitar amp was miked with an SM-57 up close and an R-122 further back, blended in the mix.

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Ben Sollee

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Vocals – R-122
Cello – R-122

Recorded by Stephen Schauer
Recorded at Deep End Ranch, Santa Paula, CA.

Recording chain: All mics recorded straight into a Tascam HS-p82, at 96/24.

Recording notes:
One R-122 off the front of the cello, tipped up to bring the vocal into the mix.
For ambience, a spaced pair of Mojave Audio MA-101fets were positioned 5 feet back from the cello and above the frame of the A cam, set for omni and mixed back 6-7db, panned hard left and right.

Producer: Stephen Schauer
Camera: Jonathan Saunders, Lane Stroud, Stephen Schauer
Audio: Stephen Schauer

Letting Go (Ben Sollee)

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Marshall Ruffin

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Vocals – R-122
Acoustic Guitar – R-122

Recorded by Stephen Schauer
Recorded at Deep End Ranch, Santa Paula, CA.

Recording chain: R-122 and MA-101fet’s recorded straight into a Tascam HS-p82 portable multi track recorder at 96/24.

Recording Notes:
One R-122 off the front of the acoustic guitar, positioned to balance the guitar and vocal.
For ambience, a spaced pair of Mojave Audio MA-101fets were positioned 5 feet back from the guitar, set for omni and mixed back 6-7db, panned hard left and right.

My Son (Marshall Ruffin)

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Producer: Stephen Schauer
Camera: Jonathan Saunders, Lane Stroud, Stephen Schauer
Audio: Stephen Schauer

Marshall Ruffin and Ben Sollee

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Vocals – R-122
Cello – R-122
Acoustic Guitar – R-122

Recorded by Stephen Schauer
Recorded at Deep End Ranch, Santa Paula, CA.

Cellist Ben Sollee and guitarist Marshall Ruffin perform an impromptu duet during their visit to Deep End Ranch, Santa Paula, CA.

Recording chain: R-122 and MA-101fet’s recorded straight into a Tascam HS-p82 portable multi track recorder at 96/24.

Recording Notes:
The R122 is a great, rich, versatile mic. It’s the main pickup, positioned between Ben and Marshall. I used a pair of Mojave Audio MA-101fets in omni as a spaced pair just out of frame, mixed back 7 or 8db to give a sense of space. The room sounded a bit boxy, so I did everything I could by positioning the 122 so as to not wrestle with the room.
-Stephen Schauer

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Producer: Stephen Schauer
Camera: Jonathan Saunders, Lane Stroud, Stephen Schauer
Audio: Stephen Schauer