Producer/Engineer Elliot Scheiner Uses Royer R-121 Ribbon Mics on Broadway’s ‘Caroline, or Change’

Very few people involved in music production have credentials that can match those of Producer/Engineer Elliot Scheiner. Scheiner has received 28 Grammy Award nominations, eight of which he won, and he has been awarded four Emmy nominations—and two Emmy Awards for his work with the Eagles on their farewell tour broadcast and the documentary film History of the Eagles. He also has three TEC Awards nominations, is a TEC Hall of Fame inductee, and is a recipient of the Surround Pioneer Award. Scheiner also holds an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the Berklee College of Music and is one of the only Americans to be awarded the Master of Sound honor from the Japan Audio Society. And did we mention that he’s a big fan of the Royer R-121?

Recently, Scheiner used his Royer R-121 ribbon mics to capture a string quartet performing as part of the Broadway musical Caroline, or Change. Based on the book and lyrics by Tony Kushner, with music by Jeanine Tesori, Caroline, or Change is set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Kennedy assassination and the Civil Rights Movement. The show uses fantasy and reality to explore a story about ordinary people facing extraordinary change. Scheiner discussed his experience capturing the music using his Royer ribbons.

“For this project, I used two R-121s on the violins and a third R-121 on the viola,” Scheiner explained. “The Royer R-121 has an awesome threshold. From no level to extreme level, the R-121 showed the attack of the strings. I set the instruments at one fader setting and never had to touch them again. There was no EQ in the circuit—I recorded them ‘flat’ and captured the instruments exactly as they originally sounded.”

Talking about his long history with Royer, Scheiner said, “I’ve been using R-121s for over 15 years. I use them for capturing strings, as drum overheads, on electric and acoustic guitars, and often to record piano and upright bass. They’re very reliable and strong – I’ve never once had a problem with them, and I’ve never used EQ on them.”

“The R-121 Is the best ribbon mic there is. Before starting a new project, I always call the studio I’m working in to find out if they have any R-121s. If not… I bring my own.”

Before turning his attention back to the business of the day, Scheiner offered a final thought on his experience with Royer, “Royer Labs is an exceptional company, and their R-121 is a direct reflection of that. You just can’t go wrong with a Royer.”