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Author Topic: The Wall of Shame-Video  (Read 23366 times)

Klaus Heyne

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The Wall of Shame-Video
« on: February 13, 2010, 02:38:54 PM »

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glny4jSciVI&feature=playe r_embedded

Watching this video looks to me like a pretty damning indictment of today's microphone manufacturers, and what they seem to fail to offer to the world's cream of vocalists. (Yes, I see ONE mic that was made less than forty years ago, but that exception proves the rule even more.)
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Klaus Heyne
German Masterworks
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Barry Hufker

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2010, 03:03:57 PM »

I understand your point but IMO there is a strong visual element to each of these mics, more so than many modern. I believe when visuals are a strong element of a production the emphasis is on the visually interesting.  We just happen to be lucky they also sound good.

Barry
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bigbone

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2010, 04:13:02 PM »

Wowow. Lots of pop filters. A few here might not agree.
JN


P.S.  That's my 1000th post here. I thank you all, I learn a lot, but I didn't learn
to keep my mouth shut.......LOL
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Didier Brest

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2010, 05:46:37 PM »

Klaus Heyne wrote on Sat, 13 February 2010 20:38

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glny4jSciVI&feature=playe r_embedded



You shoud be happier with this one. Smile
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Tim Campbell

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2010, 05:49:09 PM »

There is one uplifting part of the video (for me anyway).In passing shots we're shown some beautiful PRS guitars with bird inlays in the necks. Those birds were drawn by none other than myself and my friends Bill Armiger and Paul Smith many years ago in Paul's one room loft apartment on West St. in Annapolis Md.
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Campbell Transmitter
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Eric H.

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2010, 05:50:00 PM »

Luckily for us, new mics are being produced right now that could modify this in the near future:

*Brauner has already imposed its name in lots of big productions in Europe,
*Manley in the US, and other manufacturers like Lucas, Bock, Flea, Wunder, Kantola, *New Telefunken are making alternatives to those grandfathers.

You must also note that the video was shot in the old A&M studios, which would be why they have a large collection of vintage mic used.
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eric harizanos

richg

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2010, 05:50:19 PM »

Speaking strictly from a "layman's" perspective, i.e. someone who is well aware of the history and value of The Big Five but has never actually used one of them, it was very educational and enlightening to hear the distinct - and consistent - differences between the various mics, even with the artifacts caused by the unfortunately heavy-handed audio compression.

The C12s were beautiful on the various vocalists, but didn't seem like the right choice for the rap (way too much top end);

the C800G sounded like a C12…with sandpaper;

the 251 was only used on Ms. Dion, I think, so not much to compare to, but…it sounded like her Smile ;

the U87s had a very unique sound - a distinct midrange presence (the 1kHz bump that I've seen J.J. Blair mention a few times?), combined with a peak(?) in the upper mids that stopped just short of edginess to give just the right amount of vocal cord bite (I would've picked those for the rap…as they often are, from what I've read);

the U47 sounded like a…U47 Smile ;

but the M49s were what really grabbed me - on all the various female vocalists, in particular, the word that kept coming to mind was:  "velvet" - my GOD, what a mic!

Anyway, I realize this isn't exactly on topic, and I'll completely understand if my post is removed, but I was just struck by how all those mics (well, perhaps with the exception of the C800G…) had an overall quality of sound that is not even hinted at by the usual Audio-Technica/Shure/Rode/etc. stuff that I'm usually involved with…overstating the obvious, to be sure, and if I was recording *those* vocalists, a lowly KSM32 or AT4050 would suddenly have a bit of "magic" to it, but still…

…and to veer even further OT:  This is the first time I've heard this song (I don't watch TV), and I thought they actually did a really good job.  In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the few obvious uses of AutoTune actually worked…precisely because there were only a few uses of it amidst (what sounded like) natural, real vocal performances.

Rich
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Mike Cleaver

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2010, 06:38:12 PM »

That is her own personal microphone, modified for her by, I believe, Stephen Paul.
I understand she carries it with her.
I also hated the fact that "Awfultune" (tm) reared it's ugly head during this performance.
And can someone tell me why all rappers sound the same?
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Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
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bigbone

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2010, 06:44:15 PM »

Mike Cleaver wrote on Sat, 13 February 2010 18:38

That is her own personal microphone, modified for her by, I believe, Stephen Paul.
I understand she carries it with her.
I?


Are you talking about Celine Dion's microphone  ?


JN
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Mike Cleaver

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2010, 07:08:23 PM »

Yes.
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Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
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Oliver Archut

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2010, 07:32:08 PM »

Wall of shame?

It does not matter if they would sing into tin cans on strings as long the purpose is good.

I think that the studio they used as well as the producer had a lot of influence on what mics we see were used. As far as I read not everything was shoot in the same studio, that might be the reason for the other none grand Fathers.

Celine Dions mic? To the account of Mr. Sandborn (don't know if the spelling is right) she bought a bunch of Telefunken USA 251s...


Best regards,



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Oliver Archut
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We are so advanced, that we can develop technology that can determine how much damage the earth has taken from the development of that technology.

bigbone

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2010, 07:32:45 PM »

Mike Cleaver wrote on Sat, 13 February 2010 19:08

Yes.


That's not what i heard, i will see if i can quote my source...........

JN
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bigbone

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2010, 07:35:06 PM »

Oliver Archut wrote on Sat, 13 February 2010 19:32

Wall of shame?


Celine Dions mic? To the account of Mr. Sandborn (don't know if the spelling is right) she bought a bunch of Telefunken USA 251s...


Best regards,






Again, i will see it i can quote my source.....

JN
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Fletcher

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2010, 09:38:20 PM »

First, I saw more than a few mics that were less than 40 years old [unless they got some replacement parts for the U-47 that was shown], and who knows the year of the U-87, but something tells me it might have been built post-1970.

Second, who knows what was actually used vs. "used for the video".  I tend to never believe video presentations after having worked with a band that did a "making of" video to accompany an album... and had shots with a "prop" mic in a supposed "documentary".

Third, even if the mics were "real", it is obviously one of the big LA shops where they have tons of old mics.  Its part of their selling point.  From what I've seen there has been more interest in modern microphone manufacture than ever.  Just the fact that Bock, Wunder, TELEFUNKEN, Brauner, Horch, Flea,  Josephson [etc.] can exist in this day and age is testament to the fact that there is a demand for quality microphones.

As always, I could be wrong.

Peace.
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CN Fletcher

mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33
We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid


"Recording engineers are an arrogant bunch.  
If you've spent most of your life with a few thousand dollars worth of musicians in the studio, making a decision every second and a half... and you and  they are going to have to live with it for the rest of your lives, you'll get pretty arrogant too.  It takes a certain amount of balls to do that... something around three"
Malcolm Chisholm

kats

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Re: The Wall of Shame-Video
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2010, 09:42:18 PM »

That 47 looked like a flea body as well, not an original. Besides the whole thing sounded (not good) anyhow - youtube audio... gross.

EDIT:

On a more relative note, I'm mixing an album right now that the vocal was recorded with a cheap Chinese LDC. It has been nothing  but a PITA. I cannot eq it.  It's a damn shame, the music is absolutely wonderful. There are 2 songs where a decent mic was used and it is like night and day. Moreover, the difficulty in mixing was a night and day experience as well.

In the end, the product sounds good. You make things work. But honest to God, I was extremely limited in my options because a lousy mic was used to originally record the vocal. The record will get accolades for sure, and the joke is people will say "You see, that was recorded with a Studio Projects and it was a hit". What they won't know is what it could have been.

But that pretty much sums up the music biz right now. So much good stuff that could have been great...
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Tony K.
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Entertainment is a bore, communication is where it's at! - Brian Jones 1967
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