Another major benefit of using the
d:dicateTM 2011C and
d:voteTM 4099D is that “despite the high-end nature of their sound and build, they’re extremely durable microphones,” explains Keppler. “Mics on a drum kit typically take a beating. I was impressed because the DPA mics always come back for more and continue to sound amazing.”
For the past seven years (and counting), Keppler has mixed FOH for pop star Katy Perry. “We wanted to have minimal appearance of technology on stage with Katy, partly for the aesthetic, and also because we didn’t want hardware on the floor getting in the way of her dancers,” says Keppler. “I decided to experiment with miking every cymbal individually from underneath. We tried a variety of microphones in rehearsals and production rehearsals, and DPA’s
d:voteTM 4099D won hands down. We ended up placing a d:vote
TM 4099D underneath each of five cymbals and dedicated each to its own channel on the console. I’ve actually started using the same process with other artists because it sounds really good!”
Keppler also used DPA microphones for the recent recording of an upcoming album from Joan Osborne. “One interesting way we used the
d:vote™ 4099P Instrument Microphones for Piano on Joan’s album was clipping the mics to the top frame of an upright piano in a stereo pair,” says Keppler. “They were used to record a part where the pianist was playing with one hand and muting the string with the other, and there were no other microphones that picked up the sound the way the d:vote
TM 4099Ps did. It was beautiful! We also used the
d:voteTM 4099G for acoustic guitar and it sounded great.”