Jeff Zahos

During January and February 2010, Andy Krumeich and I began work on a Digital Audio Station (DAW) based studio at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Recently, Faster Forward played a short recording session at the Krannert Center for students in the audio production class (I am not in the class – I was just drumming and singing background vocals. In fact, I was forbidden from touching microphones or other audio gear – I could just “Ask questions”. I asked many annoying “questions”!). Sound files from this session

…will never be heard in public! (You could say it was an “off night” for FF, which is to say “a night”. That said, we did 3 songs in as many hours, which is an insane pace).

The good 2/3 of Faster Forward

Jay on bass

Hamptone keeping it real on kick and snare

Robert at the DDA console

Chris, Beth and Robert, our engineers for the session

On Tuesday, March 30, 2010, Krannert Audio had a great time setting up the system and running the show for R&B/gospel legend Mavis Staples and Hammond B3 master Booker T. It was a ton of fun – one of the best shows I’ve worked on or seen.

Booker T's Band

Darien Gray's Drums

Contemplating monitor placement...

Beautiful Hammond B3 from Analog Outfitters (http://analogoutfitters.com/)

Andy mixing at FOH

The view from the FOH mix position

Aaron mixing monitors at soundcheck

Nexo array and Bag End 4X18in subs

John Phillips Harpsichord in Follinger Great Hall, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

On 01.04.10 and 01.04.10, I had the wonderful opportunity to assist engineer Jon Schoenoff in recording harpsichordist Charlotte Mattax performing several suites of baroque comoser Pierre Fevrier for an upcoming release on Centaur Records.  The session took place in the Foellinger Great Hall of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, my favorite space (for sentimental reasons in addition to sonic ones).  Keyboardist/Choral Conductor Kerry Heimann was present as producer.  Added to all that, Mattax performed on a beautiful new instrument by John Phillips of Berkeley, CA, which belongs to the University of Illinois School of Music.  Phillips was present to assist with production and with keeping the instrument in tune – a challenge given the extremely cold and dry weather (the instrument had to be moved in on the first day of recording).

Mics used:

• 3 Schoeps CMC6
• 1 Neumann U87

Techniques:

Two CMC6s were placed L and R, on high (~12′) Atlas iron-based stands.  A single CMC6 (wide cardioid) and the U87 were placed next to each other (giving two options for “main” mics) about 4′ high and about 5′ or 6′ in front of the instrument.