Lloyd Webber has long been an AKG advocate, which has been his microphone of choice for his cello both live and in the studio for some years. Currently, Bossa Nova's gigs utilize an all-AKG mic set-up, explains Lloyd Webber's long-term sound engineer, Ben Fitzgerald. These are all supplied via AKG's UK distributor, Harman Pro UK. His favourite for the cello is the classic AKG C414, a superlative quality microphone specially designed for accurate and finely detailed pickup of acoustic instruments.
The band tours their own mics everywhere, so they're a vital element of the show, and then utilise the venue's sound system. "One of the many beauties of using AKG," says Fitzgerald, "is that you get the same response whatever control console you're using for the mix." He adds that it's this natural response and continuity of AKG that first attracted Lloyd Webber to the mic and to the AKG brand in general. "The C414 brings out the gorgeous natural warmth of the cello and has plenty of power . . . and it suits Julian's cello whether it's Bossa Nova or classical - and also in the studio," he says.
For guitarist Adam Goldsmith, Fitzgerald uses an AKG D440. This is a unidirectional dynamic microphone, primarily for tough onstage use including for guitar amps and drums. It uses a patented AKG 'Varimotion' diaphragm and has a cardioid polar response, meaning it's most sensitive to sound arriving from in front of it, less sensitive to sound arriving from the sides, and hardly responds to sound from the rear. This pickup pattern is virtually the same for all frequencies ("frequency independent").
On the drums he uses an AKG D112's on the bass drum, and 418 clips plus two 414s on the overheads. The D 112 is generally renowned as the best kick drum microphone ever made, handling a massive 160 dB of SPL with no audible distortion! The C418 is a miniature condenser clip-on microphone with a specifically tailored frequency response for drum and percussion mic'ing applications.
Percussionist Nick France uses an AKG C451B and there's an AKG C419 on the sax. This condenser clip-on microphone has been designed specifically for wind instruments including saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, etc. When the congas are used, they also benefit from a C451B.
"AKG's an absolutely great brand to work with, and the Harman Pro UK team are really good at ensuring I'm kept up to date with all the latest options available" concludes Fitzpatrick. Bossa Nova are gigging regularly at the movement and are shortly due to announce a record deal.
(Lee Baldock)
