DPA has been a game changer for the choir. “It really changed the relationship between the orchestra and choir conductors and me, the audio engineer,” Walker continues. “We became one very integrated unit, whereas before they tried very hard to keep it an acoustic show, which was virtually impossible in a 21,000-foot room. What has ultimately happened is that the conductors have put their trust in us, as we’re trying to keep the show sounding as pure as possible.”
DPA’s d:screet™ 4061 microphones are the most vital to Walker’s production, he touts the natural sound of the microphones as their best feature. “The d:screet™ 4061 mics eliminate the room from the equation,” he says of no longer needing to rely on a house PA system to replicate the sound on stage for the audience. “These miniature mics remove any sort of feedback issues, and they just sound amazing. The d:screet™ 4061 microphones are just very accurate and smooth. I control 70 of them out there on the stage and I never have to worry about feedback issues. We use the same mics for broadcast, so they’re a huge part of that as well, since we need to ensure a redundant sound through all of our shows.”
Walker also uses DPA’s
d:screet™ 4080 Lavalier Miniature Cardioid Microphones for video shoots and presenters as well as several d:dicate™ 4026 Cardioid Hanging Microphones in a Decca Tree arrangement in the main performance area of the LDS Conference Center. “Between that setup and the other
d:dicate™ and
d:screet™ mics, we’re able to replicate at our concert hall what you might hear during an arena show,” he says. “Not just for 1,500 people, but for 20,000, so the DPA sound quality really made a difference for us. In fact, we ended up buying seven more kits. We still use the ones we bought 10 years ago every day, though.”
Trent has paid close attention to the musings of the live audiences as they walk out of the room, and says its clear nobody is aware of the microphones nearby. “The performances are really as transparent as we can get, and the microphones have been a huge part of that. We spent a lot of money on a huge sound system, which is really nice, but the DPAs have been the key to our whole signature sound. Everything we’re doing is based upon the quality of those microphones.”
With the 350 singers performing just 15 feet behind the string section, isolation is important. “Even though the d:screet™ 4061 microphones are omnidirectional, the sound of the choir through the strings’ mics is not discernible,” says Walker. This is essential, given that he’s also tasked with miking guest soloists, who are equipped with the company’s
d:fine™ 4088 Directional Headset Microphones. A unique application for this type of headset microphone, the 4088s give the PA technicians more gain to work with, so they can control the mics much more on stage. “They love the mics, and the performers do as well,” notes Walker. “I even put them on the talking heads. I really like the d:fine™ 4088 mics for both of these applications, because they’re really rigid and, with the dual-ear mount, they don’t move.”