Since I made the choice to migrate from analog consoles to a digital platform, something that’s become increasingly clear to me is the requirement to be even more selective and judicious in my microphone choices. I believe it’s reasonable to conclude that the process of digital conversion after the mic preamp is maximized when the processor engine is provided with the highest possible degree of useful detail from the transducer. In the last six years, I have been adding more and more precision high-end condenser, ribbon and dynamic microphones to the James Taylor show’s input list.
Our live performance goal with Mr. Taylor and his amazing band is to personalize the concert experience for everyone who attends the show. Our collective intention is to musically immerse the audience in the performance by creating the illusion that each person is hearing the concert as if they were sitting the middle of the stage. Transducers that exhibit greater transparency, dynamic range and accuracy are necessary tools in allowing me to approach the goal of making the barrier of the big black speaker boxes disappear.
The Earthworks Connection
During the last four years I have developed an excellent working relationship with Earthworks, a Milford, NH-based manufacturer of precision studio and measurement microphones. The initial product that led me to their door was the PM40 piano mic system. The convincing successes achieved with this outstanding product influenced me to experiment with the Earthworks drum mic system. Once again, Earthworks products performed far beyond my expectations. The DP25/C, DP30/C, SR25 and SR40 microphones are now permanent fixtures on my input lists.
My dedication to these excellent products resulted in the establishment of a working relationship with Earthworks that has generated the SR40V vocal microphone. James Taylor has been singing into every experimental version of that microphone since 2010. The performance reports and modification recommendations from our experience on tour with the various prototypes of the SR40V resulted in the Earthworks engineers creating the final production version of this outstanding vocal mic.
At our recent tour stop in Manchester, NH, Luis Conte (percussionist extraordinaire), Steve Gadd (Earthworks endorser) and I discussed the prospect of using Earthworks products on the percussion rig. Luis’ subsequent discussions with the Earthworks staff resulted in an endorsement agreement that provides a full mic package for his live setup. We are using DP30/HCs on congas and djembe top, a DP30/C on bongos, a FM360 on timbales, SR25s for hand toys and cowbells and a pair of SR30s for his rack of bells and chimes.
Something New
Earthworks is now working on two additional products that will enhance both the drum mic system we employ with Steve Gadd and the percussion mic system we assembled for Luis Conte. Both are intended for use on kick drum and will be called the KRD20 and KDR20-Studio. The former is a hypercardioid microphone with 9mm diaphragm. The KDR20-Studio is a cardioid unit with a 14mm diaphragm. Each mic will handle 145 dB SPLs.
Our first experience with the original prototype was only a quick listen. We felt it definitely needed more bottom. The second product we auditioned was definitely working in the low end, but the listening test resulted in us asking for still a little less top-end. The Earthworks engineers next sent us two versions of the kick mic, one stamped with a “9”, the other stamped with a “14.” It was explained to us that the numbers corresponded to the size of the diaphragm in millimeters. Earthworks made no recommendations for use and simply asked us to try out each version, then relate our experiences and submit our opinions.
For many, many years, beginning with the venerable AKG D12, live engineers have been using large diaphragm dynamic microphones to capture the low frequency power of the kick drum. Many of us have also added condenser boundary mics inside the shell to recapture the attack of the beater. However, the introduction of the Earthworks KDR20 series has immediately caused me to re-evaluate my miking strategy.
The Test
My intuition was to start with the larger diaphragm unit on Steve Gadd’s kick. With no EQ and inserts switched out, we gave the new mic another shot. It was immediately apparent that Earthworks had now devised a very successful frequency response curve. The KDR20 series demonstrated speed, accuracy and overall sound that far exceeded what we had previously been using outside the drum shell. The 9mm unit showed some response differences but was equally impressive in its overall output.
I like to “talk test” any mic with which I am unfamiliar. Speaking into and around the mic at various angles, distances and volumes enables one to discover frequency response characteristics, proximity effect sensitivity, pickup pattern, on-off axis performance and SPL power handling capability. This testing showed the 14mm version of the mic was cardioid in pattern, fat in its response, possessed enough proximity effect to use outside the drum without significant low frequency roll-off and could handle the high SPL levels created by drummers. The 9mm version exhibited a hypercardioid pattern and slightly less extreme low frequency response, yet even faster transient response than the larger diaphragm unit.
We found that the best placement for the 14mm mic was about two to three inches from the front head and slightly offset from the center of the hole cut in that head, as shown in Fig. 1. We also turned the mic slightly away from the plane (perpendicular to the beater head). It was easy to find a pleasing EQ combination to bring out the best characteristics of the drum. I also found that I could decrease the attack time on the compressor I was using because so much of the drum’s attack was preserved by the microphone. We kept the prototype unit on for that night’s show in combination with the boundary mic inside the drum. As the show progressed I found myself steadily turning the interior boundary mic down and relying far more on the KDR20.
The prototype KRD20-Studio was so impressive in its performance that we decided to try the 9mm version as the bottom mic on Luis Conte’s djembe (see Fig. 2). The speed of the mic was a perfect match for a drum that is slapped, and its hypercardioid pattern made it the correct choice for placement under the djembe. The manner in which it married to the Earthworks DP30/HC mic above the head produced an excellent sonic combination.
Both mics remained in place for the remainder of this year’s tour, and monitor engineer Rachel Adkins, and I were very pleased with the results. At this point, I am unable to predict a date when these products will be available, but I can say that the prototypes performed admirably. The photos show the units that were cobbled together by the Earthworks design engineers and do not reflect the look of the final product. I can’t wait to see what I get back after I return the prototypes to New Hampshire. I definitely plan on including the KDR20 on my input list when we start up with Shania Twain rehearsals in October.
