DPA Microphone University

On August 18, 2015, Gerr Audio hosted a DPA Microphone University presentation at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music in Montreal. Bo Brink, Global Application Support Specialist with DPA Microphones in Denmark was on hand to offer presentations on DPA microphone technology and live applications.

I happened to be vacationing in Montreal, and attended the afternoon Live Application presentation.  As one would expect, the DPA microphones are very versatile in their applications, owing in large part to their smooth on and off axis frequency responses.

 We had opportunity to hear live demonstrations of the microphones, with a jazz saxophonist and vocalist (a volunteer from the audience). An understanding of a sound source’s polar sound radiating pattern combined with an understanding of the even off-axis microphone frequency response and level roll-off of the DPA microphones enables one to use the off-axis response balanced with the on-axis response to control the close-mike pickup of an instrument:  point the off-axis at the part of the instrument that you want to have a lower contribution to the mike pickup (eg bell of a saxophone), and the on-axis to the part that you want enhanced (eg, the key holes), and you can control the audio pickup before using equalization at the board, and with much more effective results.

 I am familiar with much/most of the DPA catalogue, but there was one clever doo-dad which I had not encountered… a Velcro wrist-band that holds a miniature DPA capsule (eg 4060).  One could attach these to the arms of a percussionist, and wherever he/she traveled, you would get an ideal pickup, say for example, a bongo, or vibraphone. Or an accordionist, or bagpipes someone suggested… although there was a consensus from the audience that this instrument did not require miking.

Not sure what problems might be encountered with accidental banging of non-intended surfaces, or whether the mike cables would tangle easily, but the idea is novel and worth exploring.

Thanks to Andrew Hope and Bob Snelgrove at Gerr, Sonotechnique and McGill University for making this presentation possible.  Worth coming out of summer hibernation for!