Summer tours are back in full swing, and artists are looking to make a statement with accurate, reliable audio. From Lorde and Bon Iver, to Tindersticks, H.E.R. and Lewis Capaldi, DPA Microphones has long been trusted to provide the consistent, professional results that artists and engineers expect when performing live, and the clear, reliable audio fans look forward to hearing.
Phillip J. Harvey, FOH mixing engineer for pop artist Lorde, is currently traveling through Europe in support of the artist’s Solar Power Tour. A longtime fan of DPA, Harvey started Lorde on a d:facto™ 4018VL Vocal Microphone in 2017. Since then, he has put DPA mics on nearly the entire drum kit, with 4099 CORE Extreme SPL on snare bottom, hi-hats, toms and under heads, and a 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid on snare top. The 4099 loud SPL version is also featured on conga and quinto, and the 4488 CORE Headset Microphones can be found on backing vocals. “The flat response of the d:facto is a huge asset and the bleed is very palatable―unlike any other vocal mic I’ve experienced,” he says. “That realistic response provides the foundation for coloring sounds in the mix any way I want, and it’s amazing! All five backing vocalists use the 4488s with wireless belt-packs, which is imperative because the band members change stage positions for each song during the set. It was a challenge incorporating headset mics into a pop show, but the 4488s proved to be the best choice for clarity, fidelity and comfort, and were very easy to work with. Lorde herself also loves the d:facto and has told me: ‘this mic is so natural and real, there is no hiding from it.’ ”
Pop singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is also heading out on tour with DPA, thanks to FOH Engineer Andy Bush. To ensure crystal clear vocals, Bush chose the DPA 2028 Vocal Condenser Microphone. He also miked the entire drum kit with DPA, opting for a variety of 2011C Twin Diaphragm Cardioids, 4018C Supercardioid, 4011E Cardioid and 4099 Extreme SPL Instrument Microphones. Of the 2028, Bush says it “just makes Lewis’ voice sound very natural; there’s no artificial presence peaks and very little proximity effect, so I feel that my end result is far superior. Additionally, the stereo pair of 4011s on the overheads has really opened up the sound of the kit. It gives it that extra bit of clarity and precision that we didn’t have before. There’s very little EQ on all the close mics, just deploying the high-pass filters to get rid of unwanted room sounds. Because the mics are so flat and articulate, I don’t need to process channels as much or cut as much EQ, and I feel that they offer a more accurate representation of what’s actually happening on stage.” Bush and the DPAs will be supporting Capaldi throughout his European tour this summer.
Other DPA artists and engineers currently on tour includes FOH Engineer Graham Pattison with alternative rock band Tindersticks, as well as Production Manager/Monitor Engineer William “Chainey” Harpe and FOH Engineer Kevin Brown supporting R&B singer H.E.R. and FOH Engineer Brad Madix for rock group Florence + The Machine.
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