DPA Microphones stays on tempo with international keyboard Odyssiad and festival
Veteran recording engineer and producer employed medley of DPA products for recording and live commentary
International Keyboard Odyssiad and Festival (IKOF), an annual competition dedicated to promoting the next generation of pianists, tasked the recording engineer and producer Mirko anji with recording the intensive five-day event. The engineer recommended the high-resolution, Direct Stream Digital (DSD) in simultaneous 5.0 multichannel and stereo formats, and turned to DPA Microphones to ensure the most accurate recordings.
Seeking the most accurate recording of the master classes, evening concerts and semi-final and final rounds of the event, anji, who specializes in chamber and orchestral music arranged a combination of DPA Microphones powered by Grace Design's m802 remote-controlled microphone preamplifier to do the job. He employed DPA's d:dicate 4006A Omnidirectional Microphones in stereo and surround setups, respectively. He also selected the company's d:facto Vocal Microphones for commentary during the series of events, which took place in the Griffin Concert Hall at the University Center for the Arts at Colorado State University.
This is the first time in the IKOF's four-year history that the team decided to record the event, so my goal was far greater than to make a recording.' I wanted to capture the moment of the performance with such realism that when you listen to the recording you are transported to the concert hall for a visceral experience. says anji. I chose DPA because of its history, reputation, design, flexibility and, above all, incredible accuracy. The comments from those who heard the live recordings from the event ranged from a speechless gesture and spectacular' to the best piano recording I've ever heard.' To ensure that this goal was met, I spent a lot of time in the concert hall during rehearsals, analyzing the subtleties of the particular piano and the way it interacted with the acoustics of the hall and determining the ultimate position for the mics. This way, I was able to obtain the most natural sound of the instruments.
One of the main challenges anji had to account for during the festival was the constant shift of the acoustical environment due to changes between venues and piano positioning, among a number of other factors. Any one of those changes had an impact on the sound of the piano, he explains. In addition, the acoustics of the hall were sometimes adjusted to accommodate the artist's preference. This required me to frequently relocate the microphones, with minimal time for a sound check; so I had to rely on my experience, combined with the reliable and consistent sound of the DPAs. Only the finest microphones stand a chance under such sonic scrutiny.
When it came time to record the live performances, anji used matched stereo pairs ofd:dicate 4006A Omnidirectional Recording Microphones on shock mounts, which he complemented with a surround arrangement of five matched d:dicate 4006A Omnidirectional Recording Microphones. Using DPA's customizable S5 Surround Mount kit, the engineer arranged the five microphones in a distinct formation that he found to be best-suited for the recording.
The performance of the microphones and the accessories during the festival was impressive, adds anji. Design-wise, DPA is a perfect blend of form and function. When I want to capture the acoustic environment and preserve the natural imaging of an event such as IKOF, the microphone placement and spacing are critical. The shock mounts perfectly minimized the foot noise and vibration from the stage, while the design of the surround mount was visually consistent with that of the microphones, which made for an aesthetically stunning design in its own right.
In addition to using the DPA Recording Microphones to capture the pianos, anji selected the company's d:facto Vocal Microphones to project the announcements and subsequent artist interviews, which were also used in the recordings. The d:facto Mics sounded great, and I did not feel a need to do any EQ for the recordings, concludes anji. In fact, I intentionally stayed away from compression, EQ or any other processing in the audio chain in order to preserve the natural character of the piano. Thanks to the high-resolution DSD recording technology used, the sound that the DPA mics delivered into the signal flow was exactly what came out.
Headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the IKOF is a non-profit organization that supports the exchange of keyboard students and faculty via scholarships and fellowships, conferences, workshops, master classes and performance opportunities around the world. While the main IKOF competition is hosted annually in the U.S., it is shared with music schools in countries around the world through a network of participating member associates. The IKOF in each member country hosts its own competition and festival under license of the U.S. headquarters, which provides a turnkey operation for distribution to member associates.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games Chris Bolte '16 is a technical sound designer at Sucker Punch Productions, where he helps create the...
18/03/2026
Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4.
Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...
18/03/2026
SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...
18/03/2026
The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...
18/03/2026
(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...
18/03/2026
Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville
Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...
18/03/2026
Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded
Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...
18/03/2026
Mix-reference plug-in overhauled
iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...
18/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
18/03/2026
Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture
18 March, 2026
Media releases
New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...
18/03/2026
Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...
18/03/2026
London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...
18/03/2026
SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...
18/03/2026
Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...
18/03/2026
Brainstorm transforms productivity and sustainability with Suite 7 at NAB Show 2...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today unveiled its educational presentations for the 2026 NAB Show. This year SMPTE will ...
18/03/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming, and more, today ann...
18/03/2026
Digital Alert Systems
Preview
2026 NAB Show
April 19 - 22
Booth C3452
At the 2026 NAB Show, Digital Alert Systems will showcase Version 6.0 of its DASDEC ...
18/03/2026
Setplex today announced that it will showcase its complete, fully integrated Zapflex platform for the first time at the 2026 NAB Show, introducing powerful new ...
18/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking DP for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Director of Photography for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy Feature Film- I...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Location, Sound for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Location/Sound for Low Budget Dramed...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Film - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
Calrec Redefines Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026 with its Most Powerful Hardware...
18/03/2026
Oscar Nominated Two People Exchanging Saliva Posted with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio handle...
18/03/2026
Boston Conservatory Presents Celebrated Musical Satire Urinetown Performances for this Center Stage production will take place at Boston Conservatory Theater ...
18/03/2026
Charlie Puth Joins Switched on Pop at Berklee NYC The Berklee alum spoke with host and Berklee NYC professor Charlie Harding for a live taping, answering audi...
18/03/2026
X-Rite Pantone Demonstrates Advanced Color Management Solutions to Support Smart...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
BAFTA winner James McAvoy to star in Sky Original serie...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing announce multi-year agreement for the UK and Ireland
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing have announced a new mult...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Unveils Poster and Trailer for Original Feature Fil...
DPA Microphones stays on tempo with international keyboard Odyssiad and festival
