There's an article in the latest issue of Audio Media magazine about the making of U2's latest record "How to dismantle an atomic bomb". Turns out that one of the tracks is mixed on a Mackie 8-bus console and that all of Bonos vocals are recorded with a handheld SM58. A healthy reminder to all of us that what you put in front of the mic is and always will be the most important thing and that affordable gear is not always useless if you have good skills. Yes, there's Neves and SSL's in there aswell but one track was mixed on the Mackie anyway. Cool.
Comments
Bono nearly always uses a dynamic in the studio, not just on thi
Bono nearly always uses a dynamic in the studio, not just on this album. As well as this, he refuses to wear headphones and prefers to have stage monitors on the floor. Many things are unorthodox when it comes to U2 in the studio. They also like to use three studios at the same time with people running between the them. An interesting way to work, but God help whoever has to mix everything!
I'm beginning to think that there's no such thing as good or bad equipment, just different sounding gear. It's all just a matter of context. If you could go back fifty years with a TLM-103, people would bow down before it, and beg you to swap for their ELAM 251! WOW, that Behringer has such an amazingly low noise floor -here's my C-12 -take two of them!
I always find it very funny at hi-fi shows when people bring along their audiophile records. Why not just bring along the good ones?
John Stafford
do any of you guys know where i could find some sort of document
do any of you guys know where i could find some sort of documentation of this stuff online? i was trying to tell some people about bono w/ the handheld, as i've heard of this too, but no one seems to believe me. "all of his vox sound way too good for a 58" they say.
Ive heard of bono useing 58s in the studio. I've also seen him
Ive heard of bono useing 58s in the studio. I've also seen him (on film) using LD condensors etc. I've had great vocal recordings with my Beta 58 BUT it was going into a real nice pre/comp chain. I'm shure the engineers wern't running bono's vox into Art Tube MP. (no offense...hell I own one to I think.) Bono's vox sounds good live (when he's not cupping the damn mic) and it's just an SM58.
I agree with John it's not ALL about the gear but nice gear helps ass loads. BUT if you cant make it sound halfway decent with the gear you have it's not gonna sound tons better with Neumann, Earthworks, ViPre, Great River etc...... Its all what you do with it.
Heres a story to prove this point. I mostly do recording but I do sit in with lots of my clients live. I recently played a SXSW gig with Spoke ( http://www.spoke.ws ) a band that I just recorded. When we showed up the sound guy kinda scared me. Nothing but 57's and cheapo shure condensors for the kit. He used 57's everywhere, some odd ball on the kick and 1 cheapo shure SD on the drums (placed by the floor tom looking at the snare. Small little crappy looking mains and monitors etc. I must admit, I've never heard a better sound on stage, I've never heard a better sound out of the FOH. It was great. Nothing but half ass gear and the guy did a stellar job. Its how you use your ears and do your job that is important. pass it on.
I'm beginning to think that there's no such thing as good or bad
I'm beginning to think that there's no such thing as good or bad equipment, just different sounding gear. It's all just a matter of context. If you could go back fifty years with a TLM-103, people would bow down before it, and beg you to swap for their ELAM 251! WOW, that Behringer has such an amazingly low noise floor -here's my C-12 -take two of them!
I always find it very funny at hi-fi shows when people bring along their audiophile records. Why not just bring along the good ones?
John, whenever I DO finally get to Ireland, I will track you down and buy you a drink for that post. (Ok, except for the Behringer, but I agree with the concept! :lol: 8-) )
VERY well put, a concept near and dear to my philosophy about all of this stuff. Talent is 95% of the recording anyway.
ooh ooh ooh. I know. How 'bout we have a convention by all crack
ooh ooh ooh. I know. How 'bout we have a convention by all cracking a beer at the same time in front of our computers, and then drink them as we post trivial fact ad nauseum.
I suppose out of respect for John, we ought to do it so it's about 8:00 PM Dublin time, right?
Come to think of it I don't know if I'd want to crack a beer at 7 in the morning or whatever.
Screw it! You guys are way too unreasonable!
THE CONVENTION'S OFF!!!
Well...I feel better
K
John, I guess we'll just have to wait and see....either I get ov
John, I guess we'll just have to wait and see....either I get over THERE, or you come here. (AES is next fall in NYC....)
I do like Red-pill's idea about a beer in front of our computers...and considering all the weird hours many of us put in, I suspect it might not be all that odd to be still up (not nec. DRINKING) at 8 p.m. Dublin time.... :? 8-) :twisted:
i don't think that is so extraordinary since those types of trac
i don't think that is so extraordinary since those types of tracks require a certain energy that with a condenser is more difficult... james hetfield recorded st anger vocals too with a dynamic (some kind of monster movie)
and actually don't think bono's voice is full of richness and dynamics like say dave matthews...