On the current Christmas tour, which features a 56-piece orchestra, Long is using 14
d:vote™ 4099’s and 12
d:screet™ 4061’s scattered throughout the orchestra, primarily on the strings. When they use a grand piano, Long mics it with a pair of d:screet 4061’s using the magnetic piano mounts.
“We travel with a conductor, but we use local orchestras, so we are seeing entirely different musicians on stage every day,” says Long. “Between the band and the orchestra there are over 100 inputs, so there is a lot of potential for problems. Between the DPA mics and the SSL mic preamps, I’m doing very little EQing on the majority of my orchestra inputs. The thing I notice the most about DPA mics in regard to EQing is that my adjustments tend to be rather subtle. The mics are natural, smooth and extremely musical, and in most instances they require little or no equalization. I can’t imagine a time, whether in the studio or in a live scenario, when DPA mics aren’t a regular part of my setup. I am a big fan of DPA.”