Of Microphones and Warmth

When the "Heart Song" CD was recorded between 1996 and 1998, technology was different than today - there was no Garageband or Amplitube software in iPhones or iPads. Gear was not designed around USB, recording was not as easy or democratic. So, back then - "Heart Song" was recorded and engineered by an ace in the recording industry with "golden ears": Kris Solem of 52nd Street Digital and Future Disc Systems in Los Angeles. Unbelievably, he was able to obtain the use of a Sheffield Labs tube microphone which had a tube preamp built into it, courtesy of Robert Hadley and Doug Sax of the Mastering Lab. Anyone who knows sound equipment, knows if you want warmth in a recording, you gotta use tubes instead of condenser microphones. But a Sheffield Labs microphone? I was told then that those mikes rented for three hundred dollars an hour, used by artists like Barbara Strreisand. Today, it's an extremely rare and sought after microphone. only about a dozen of these mics were made for the industry-changing Sheffield Labs direct-to-disk recordings. This is absolutely one of the finest mics in the world. Two songs, played on a bass flute, were not recorded with the Sheffield Labs microphone - the bass sound distorted too much. So a Neumann was brought in for the bass songs. The Neumann itself is a prized microphone, but not in league of the Sheffield Labs microphone, hand-built and rare. Why was the "Heart Song" CD so graced? Was there something in the music that called for it? Or was it simply the generosity of the will of the universe? Listen to the quality of the recording, mixing and mastering - it is undeniable. Is the quality of the playing equal to the quality of engineering? You have to decide that for yourself when you listen. Downloadeable tracks from the out-of-print "Heart Song" CD are available via PayPal at this link: http://www.facebook.com/WhitePathMusic/WhitePathMusic/app_96687436973.  Dohiyi!

    - by Bill Neal