Continued from Part I
Ted: What is a common mistake you find instrumentalists making?
Brian: Frequency overlap like we discussed. Playing too much. Not playing off each other. Assuming they have to be playing all the time.
When I mixed for large church in Austin, TX, they had professional musicians that exemplified humility. They knew when to play and when not to play. That comes with maturity which is rooted in humility. Man, when you can mix for a group like that it is heaven on earth from my perspective!
Ted: How about singers?
Brian: I guess how to use the microphone. Good singers know how to do that based on their dynamics and the type of mic they are using. So I would say, knowing your equipment and knowing how to use it and trusting your engineer.
Ted: Amplifiers on stage or off?
Brian: Depends on the environment you are in. If the environment is super small and the musician needs the amp to be a certain level to get the tone…. it needs to be isolated or put in a closet, etc. That is true for guitar and bass.
I used to be of the opinion to always put the amp in the closet or isolate them. Going to Austin Stone I had a paradigm shift that you can actually have amps on stage and mix well. I like to have amps on stage sonically as long as it can be managed. If not, steps have to be taken to help manage the stage noise.
I would say there is no absolute and it depends on the environment.
Ted: Tell me about miking amplifiers? Where do you normally place the mic?
Brian: If the equipment allows it, I like to double mic a cabinet, watch out for phasing. I EQ those differently to get different sounds. I have mostly used and had access to Shure SM57s and Senheiser 609s mics.
With the SM57 I like to point it off axis towards the outside edge on the front of the speaker cone. This tends to get less harsh tones from the amp.
With the 609 I generally focus right where the cone meets the dust cap. With the 57 I’m trying for the warmer feel and with the 609 I’m capturing the crispness. When eq’d and mixed correctly it sounds like you have different guitars. Or like you have two amps.
There are so many different ways to mic things and you learn from trial and error. I’ve seen people do some crazy stuff, but in the end if it sounds good roll with it no matter how unorthodox it may seem.
Ted: How do you like to mic a bass drum?
Brian: I’ve settled on two mics for the kick. A Shure Beta 91 boundary mic to pick up the attack inside the kick on an eq pad/blanket . Then I use a Shure Beta 52 (assuming you have a port) half way in to get the meat of the sound. My preference is a punchy kick not a boomy one. I want it to feel like the subs are punching you in the chest
Then you have the bass guitar to fill out that sustained low end. I don’t want resonance from the bass drum, its meant as a punch.
Ted: How do you like to mic a snare drum?
Brian: Usually default to a Shure SM57 for the top and sometimes a condenser like an I5 to get the snare from the bottom. This will get the crack from the top and then the snare from the bottom. Then you can combine those two to your liking.
Depending on the sound you are going for, I usually point the 57 between the center of the head and the hoop of the snare about 2″ off the head pointed diagonally.
Ted: Advice you would give to soundmen starting out?
Brian: Be a sponge. Soak up anything you can. Listen to any feedback and don’t be afraid to fail. Put yourself in an environment where you can learn. Just dive in head first. Always be a learner. Be humble! That’s true for everyone, even people who aren’t new to mixing.
Ted: Any closing thoughts?
Brian: Approach everything with humility. Every environment, every band, every event: Check your own pride, title, years of mixing, etc at the door… You will grow more and get further in your career. This puts you in a position where you can learn. Most of the dudes that are awesome at mixing are just the humblest guys. They know what they know because they are humble. They know they don’t know everything because of their humility. None of us know as much as all of us!
Constantly check yourself. Why you are doing what you are doing? As far as in Worship, I can’t over emphasize the importance of being a constant learner “Disciple”.
Contact Brian Clark:
brian@resonatemovement.org
