For Hamilton, Steinberg mics up the cast almost entirely using
d:screet™ 4061 Omnidirectinal Miniature Microphones. In terms of the orchestra, the show uses eight
d:dicate™ 4011 Cardioid Microphones and five
d:vote™ 4099 Instrument Microphones on the string instruments (
bass,
violins and
violas).
“With the d:dicate™ 4011s there’s not a lot of coloration to the original sound,” says Steinberg. “I use them for spot mics, area miking over drums, guitar and just about anything else, because they seem to take to whatever instrument is in front of them in a very linear fashion. That’s one of my favorite things about the
d:dicate™ 4011.
The d:vote™ I think is just a great problem solver for close miking instruments that traditionally in a studio situation wouldn’t get a close mic. But because of the isolation requirements in an orchestra pit, we need to get very tight on some of these players. Frankly, one of the best things about these mics, besides the fact that they sound great, is that the musicians accept them very easily. They don’t mind attaching them to their instrument, the hardware is familiar and easy to use, and it’s a comfortable mount for string players. They seem to forget they’re there.”
Steinberg plans to continue to use DPA microphones moving forward. “DPA is one of the top manufacturers I look at whenever I’m planning a new show,” he adds. “We will be doing more Hamilton productions over the course of the next couple years and will definitely make use of DPA’s line. Typically, I look to DPA to solve a lot of my microphone challenges. I like that DPA is always trying new things. It’s exciting to hear that the technologies that I’ve become very familiar with are also being used in applications where it’s not necessarily theatrical, but the quality and the attention to detail carries over, and that is confidence building for me as a designer.”