More readily associated with classical and acoustic applications, DPA microphones are laso finding favour with thrash metal artists. Swiss band Teronation is the latest to begin regularly using the company’s products for lead vocals and percussion.
As head of Bisaz SoundSupport, Curdin Bisaz has been handling tour management and FOH for Teronation since the beginning of 2017 and was responsible for bringing DPA into their live sound. ‘I have yet to find a sound source or a place that DPA mics can’t adequately handle,’ he says.
‘For Teronation, I used a d:vote 4099 Lo Sens Instrument Microphone on rack toms and was stunned by its dynamic range, unobtrusiveness and off axis rejection. As microphone positioning is absolutely crucial to me, I also used a d:vote 4099 Lo Sens on snare bottom and it was pure joy to get exactly the sound I wanted at the very precise position I needed it to be. Another 4099 Lo Sens was used on under head, where its full range linearity came into play.’
Founded in 2015 by lead guitarist Michael Arnold and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Siro Giger, Teronation released their debut album, Your Life Your Death, in 2015 and have played in a large variety of locations. On advice from Bisaz they are now using a d:facto 4018V Vocal Microphone on lead vocals and are delighted with the sound it delivers.
‘There is an overwhelming unison, throughout the band, that the d:facto’s natural response, gain before feedback, off axis rejection and only very subtle proximity effect is unmatched and absolutely paramount,’ Bisaz says.
The flexibility of DPA microphones has also proved useful, as Bisaz explains when describing a recent Teronation gig in Volketswil, near Zürich: ‘A couple of minutes before show time, I realised that I had completely forgotten about ambient microphones to use in our live recording. I quickly decided to attach a pair of d:screet 4061 Miniature Microphones with a gooseneck adapter to the two loudspeaker stands at each side of the stage, using DPA’s magnet clips for piano. The result was a very transparent, crisp sound, which was a stunningly accurate representation of this gig’s ambiance.’
Bisaz is also Technical Director at Z-Audio, one of two DPA distributors in Switzerland‘These uncompromising, state-of-the-art microphones make my job as an FOH engineer easier and more exciting than ever,’ he says. ‘What amazes me most is the relatively small variety of different capsule models that can, when combined with the matching accessories, clips and cables, be used for just about anything, even underwater recording.’
More: www.dpamicrophones.com
