
Brand's Vocal and Instrument Microphones Assist Varying Musical Performances With Sound Quality, Clarity and Reliability
Despite the varied cultural differences across the U.S., one constant theme you can find throughout the country is a love for music. Whether it's used as a tool to celebrate, educate or invigorate audiences, live music has long brought people together and quality audio is always the key to success in these performances. Audio engineers around the globe have consistently turned to DPA Microphones to provide that level of sound reliability and clarity that impresses professionals and enraptures audiences. Such was the case for recent U.S. events including the Catalina JazzTrax Festival, Belmont University's Oratorio Chorus and Orchestra, Danny Elfman at the Hollywood Bowl and the upcoming Los Angeles Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker at the Dolby Theater.
The annual Catalina JazzTrax Festival set on Catalina Island has been made possible for the past 26 years by Production Manager and Audio Engineer Gregg Hudson of Hudson Audio. Hudson has also been aided by FOH Engineer Spenser Bishop of MixOne Sound since 2008, and this season was no different. With 22 bands performing across two weekends, the festival required a quality audio production made possible by a wide selection of nearly 20 DPA Microphones, including 4099 CORE Extreme SPL Instrument, 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid, 2028 Vocal and 4055 Kick Drum microphones.
The room is like a giant fishbowl, one of the hardest I've ever mixed in, and the microphones made it all better, Bishop shares. Everything felt separate and controlled. Normally, I can't put that much of the drums into our mix, but with DPAs on basically the entire drum set, I had a lot of control, which was awesome. The vocal mics were also super focused for the singer to be within 10 feet of the drums and to not get a lot of noise was wild. The 2028 is the best wireless vocal capsule I've ever heard in my life. We haven't had this many great microphones for isolation and control before; the room really needed that.
At Belmont University's brand-new Fisher Center performance hall, DPA mics helped project an astounding presentation by the Oratorio Chorus and Orchestra of Requiem for Colour, a musical, literary and visual journey honoring the lives, legacies and history of Black Americans. Featuring an 80-piece orchestra and 400-person choir, the event was recorded under the direction of Doyuen Ko, Associate Professor of Audio Engineering Technology, who spec'ed the stage with 40 DPA mics. This included the 4006 Omnidirectional Condenser, 4015A Wide Cardioid, d:facto 4018 VL Vocal, 4097 CORE Supercardioid Choir and 4041-SP Large Diaphragm microphones, along with the 4055 Kick Drum, 4099 CORE Instrument, 4011A Cardioid, 4061 Miniature and 2011C Twin Diaphragm Cardioid microphones.
DPA microphones have always been my first choice for classical music recording, for more than 20 years, says Ko. Whether in the studio or for live concerts, they consistently provide a high-fidelity, truthful sound for any instrument or ensemble. The DPA 4011, 4015 and 2011C on strings, singers and percussion delivered a full spectrum and uncolored sound with excellent off-axis rejection and response. I barely used any EQ on them and, as expected, the main Decca Tree setup with DPA 4006 performed beautifully, striking the right balance between ensemble definition and hall ambience. The small form-factor of the DPA 4099, 4061 and 4097 mics allowed me to place them easily and inconspicuously on a jam-packed stage.
To set the mood this past Halloween season, Live Sound Engineer Troy Choi was called upon to run monitors for the Danny Elfman shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. To achieve prime audio for an esteemed performance, Choi relied on DPA's new 4055 Kick Drum and 4099 Instrument microphones for the orchestra and drum set, and the brand's 2028 Vocal Capsule for Danny himself. Every time I mix a show, I always try to use DPAs, says Choi. No matter the genre rock, pop or classical it always turns out great. The 4055 provided fantastic sound; the drummer and crew were so happy and awestruck by the quality. I always encourage people to use DPAs for drum sets, even complex rock drumming. If you're looking to go to the next level, DPA is it!
Choi also looks forward to serving as FOH engineer for the Los Angeles Ballet in late December, to mic the company's 65-piece orchestra for performances of The Nutcracker at the Dolby Theatre. For this, he plans to turn to his two DPA 4097 CORE Micro Shotgun, 2011 Twin Cardioid and 4011 Cardioid Condenser mics, as well as 30 DPA 4099 CORE Instrument mics with stand mounts. When I got hired to mix for the Los Angeles Ballet, the first question I asked was if we could use DPAs for the orchestra. I said: If you want me to create amazing sound, I need DPAs.' As a mixer, I will always have choices and options when it comes to mics, but DPA is the only choice in my opinion, especially for orchestras they make it so simple. With DPA 4099s on the brass and strings, as well as 2011s for the woodwinds and 4011s for ambience, you can achieve a completely natural orchestra sound.
Finally, known for providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience for young performers, the Santa Clara Vanguard (SCV) Drum & Bugle Corps took its team to the annual Drum Corps International World Championship Finals with DPA 4099 CORE Instrument mics along for the ride. The team, which competed against 11 other corps and ultimately took fifth place, relied on the experience of Audio Technician Jonathan Yoo, a longtime DPA user, to lead them throughout the competition.
The DPA 4099 is my go-to instrument mic, he explains. Right out of the box, the 4099 raises the clarity and quality of t
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
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 ...
25/04/2026
In the heart of Mexico City, music, culture, and fashion converged last night as Spotify and Vogue Latin America welcomed guests to an intimate gathering at Soh...
25/04/2026
New modular multi-effects plug-in revealed
The latest plug-in from Brainworx delivers a modular set of effects designed to offer a convenient alternative to...
24/04/2026
Earth Day is a chance to reflect on our connection to the natural world. To mark the 57th Earth Day on April 22, Spotify's editors have pulled together a co...
24/04/2026
This past weekend, Spotify was at the heart of the largest literary event in the...
24/04/2026
All data tells a story, and in our case, that story is written by you. To celebrate 20 years of Spotify, we're sharing bite sized moments that capture how t...
24/04/2026
Over the past 20 years, Spotify's look and feel has evolved with the way people use our platform, while ensuring we preserve an intuitive, personal, and fam...
24/04/2026
It's been 20 years since Spotify began, but the real story is what the world chose to play. For the first time, we're unveiling the most streamed artist...
24/04/2026
Whether you're relaxing at home or on the go, Spotify is there across more than 2,000 devices, ready with your favorites or something new to discover. Now, ...
24/04/2026
Nintendo and Spotify are welcoming fans to the Super Mario Bros. 40th anniversary and the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with new playlists and a speci...
24/04/2026
30 October - 1 November 2026
The Audio Engineering Society (AES) have announced that the AES Show 2026 will be held on Halloween weekend - Friday 30 October...
24/04/2026
New closed-back design promises honest' low end
Sennheiser have just announced the launch of a new pair of flagship closed-back headphones which they s...
24/04/2026
Powerful 12-channel hardware sequencer announced
Cre8audio are renowned for their innovative, and often visually striking, designs and although their latest...
24/04/2026
Room correction now supports full 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos setups
The software element of IK Multimedia's room-correction system has just received an update th...
24/04/2026
New content for BBO Tutti & BBO Riffs
VSL have recently introduced some new free content expansions for two of their most popular Big Bang Orchestra Packs: ...
24/04/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to highlight its R&S EVSD1000 UAV-based navigation analyzer at I...
24/04/2026
ITV's Director of Drama Polly Hill has commissioned six part propulsive, lun...
24/04/2026
AgileTV presents in Las Vegas its technological proposition to power safer, more scalable and efficient TV ecosystems for telecom operators, ISPs and entertainm...
24/04/2026
Canada's C gep de Jonqui re and Calrec take five with a substantial TV studio upgrade Underscoring its global reputation as one of Canada's most renowne...
24/04/2026
Redefining Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026 with our Most Powerful Hardware, Virtual and Hybrid Audio Lineup Yet We're looking forward to meeting up with you...
24/04/2026
24 Apr 2026
VEON Boosts Accessibility for Investors by Waiving Depositary Servi...
24/04/2026
Friday 24 April 2026
All episodes of espionage thriller series Ponies starring ...
24/04/2026
April 24 2026, 00:00 (PDT) Dolby Elevates In-Car Entertainment to New Heights at Auto China 2026
More Automakers, More Models: Dolby-enabled Vehicles Drive...
24/04/2026
April 24 2026, 06:48 (PDT) Dolby Cinema Arrives in Tamil Nadu: Dolby Laboratori...
23/04/2026
23 Apr 2026
VEON 2025 Integrated Annual Report: Record Digital Growth, Sovereig...
23/04/2026
FOX Advertising Launches FOX AdStudio, Unifying Audience Intelligence Across Its...
23/04/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced that Dalia, its agentic AI solution for media & entertainment, ha...
23/04/2026
Six crafts. Six lives.
Six reasons to believe that making things by hand
still...
23/04/2026
The festival programme promises a feast of drama, a bumper packed fringe festiva...
23/04/2026
Dermot Bannon's Celebrity Super Spaces airs Sunday 26 April and 3 May on RT ...
22/04/2026
Spotify and the New York Liberty are teaming up to give music and basketball fan...
22/04/2026
New 20-minute documentary explores iconic design The Focusrite Room in Mesa, Arizona, where John Aquilino hosts the Studio Console 005.
In 2025, Focusrite co...
22/04/2026
Offers compact wireless solution for pedalboards
Taiwanese audio brand Cloudvocal have announced the availability of a new pedalboard-friendly wireless syst...
22/04/2026
Latest hybrid sampling/synthesis instrument arrives
Arturia's Augmented series offerings rely on a mixture of sampling and synthesis, allowing users to ...
22/04/2026
Combines three distinct analogue EQ emulations
The latest addition to Acustica Audio's ever-expanding collection of analogue-emulation plug-ins combines...
22/04/2026
Final instalment in vintage-inspired instrument series
Analog Empire: Bass & Lead marks the final instalment in Melda Production's vintage hardware-insp...
22/04/2026
Fuzz pedal joins all-analogue Series A line
Given that Strymons reputation was built on unapologetically digital pedals, it was a little surprising to see t...
22/04/2026
22 Apr 2026
VEON's Banglalink to Bring Starlink Mobile to Customers in Bangladesh Bangladesh becomes the third market where VEON and Starlink Mobile partne...
22/04/2026
U have unveiled exclusive first-look images for their six-part police thriller Hit Point, starring Nick Blood (Day of the Jackal) and BAFTA nominee Saffron Hock...
22/04/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...
22/04/2026
Wednesday 22 April 2026
Sky announces fifth year of WNT Fund with 30,000 bursa...
22/04/2026
The move from Retail Media to Commerce Media is about broadening the scope of th...
22/04/2026
April 22 2026, 07:00 (PDT) Dolby and BMW Bring Dolby Atmos to the BMW 7 Series,...
22/04/2026
RT Documentary On One 7-part series breaks US market for first time
RT Programme Sales has announced its first deal with a US distribution partner for its 7-...
21/04/2026
Five years ago, Spotify arrived in Pakistan, opening a new chapter in the country's music scene. Since then, local listeners have explored across genres, ge...