Fates Warning Members Create New Group “A-Z” and Record Album Using Only Lauten Audio Microphones
New Album “A-Z” featuring vocalist Ray Alder and drummer Mark Zonder Available Now!
Photo: Mark Zonder
The new self-titled album from “A-Z” reunites former Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder and Fates Warning lead vocalist Ray Alder during Covid lockdowns from across the world, and adds Steve Vai bassist Philip Bynoe, Prog Metal guitarist Joop Wolters, and keyboard synthesist Vivien Lalu.
Tracked entirely with Lauten Audio microphones, the new album was captured remotely, with each member recording in their respective home studios.
Lead vocalist Ray Alder has strong feelings for the Lauten Audio LA-320 after choosing it for his personal studio in Spain. “I love that it can be warm and crisp at the same time. It keeps the true vocal sound, is a very well-built microphone, and it sounds great. I’m very happy with it.”
Read More »Focal Naim America Announces “Mixed on Focal” Playlist #4
New HD Audio 23-track streaming playlist includes music from Drake’s latest album ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ mixed on Focal Trio11 monitors
Focal Naim America, a leading North American importer, and distributor of premium consumer and professional electronics brands, has announced the fourth playlist for “Mixed on Focal” a program to highlight the true sound of music as the artist, mix engineer, producer, and record label meant the songs to be heard. This new HD Audio 23-track streaming playlist includes music from Drake’s latest album Honestly, Nevermind mixed on Focal Trio11 monitors. All four “Mixed on Focal” playlists are available today for Apple Music, Qobuz, Tidal, and Amazon Music HD with new playlists to be released periodically. With Spotify set to release its HiFi-Audio tier, we are also making Spotify playlists available for all four playlists. Mixed on Focal high-resolution audio playlists and are available to Focal HI-FI and Pro Audio dealers, as well as the Press Corps and current and prospective customers. Whether it be in a HI-FI or Pro Audio dealer demonstration, or their home or recording studio using Focal speakers, the music will sound as the artist intended since each song was mixed on Focal.
For Your Grammy® Consideration: “Walking on Moonlight”
Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
https://www.recordingacademy.com/
“Walking on Moonlight”
The Arroyo Collective
The Arroyo Collective is a group of old and new friends who like to play and record music. The title ‘Six Ways Up’ refers to the six players Hal Coy, Scott Thunes, Matt Eakle, George Shaw, Johnnie Bamont, and Paul J. de Benedictis who each kept their spirits high through music during the recent pandemic. George Shaw is featured playing muted trumpet on the vibey “Walking On Moonlight,” We hope this music lifts you up too.
Greg Kurstin Chooses Lauten Audio “Eden” Mic for Maren Morris
Hit-making producer reveals ‘Eden’ mic used on all Morris’ vocals; plus acoustic guitar, and drums
Country music superstar Maren Morris has released her third album, “Humble Quest,” (Columbia Nashville) with Grammy® award-winning producer Greg Kurstin (Adele, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters), recording all of the vocals and many other sources with one of his two Lauten Audio ‘Eden’ microphones.
Detailing the simple yet effective recording setup he used for Morris, Kurstin explained, “I didn’t have any of the outboard mic pres or compressors that are in my LA studio…so all of Maren’s vocals…the acoustic guitar, and some of the drum kit…were [recorded] right into the Lauten Eden mic and [a] Universal Audio Apollo.”
Read More »Snarky Puppy Uses 26 Lauten Audio Mics on New “Empire Central” Album
Engineer Nic Hard talks about why Lauten Audio mics “worked out perfectly”
Snarky Puppy’s upcoming album “Empire Central” is a return-to-roots masterpiece tracked live in front of a studio audience and slated for release in the Fall. Tasked with capturing 19 musicians simultaneously, recording and mix engineer Nic Hard employed 26 Lauten Audio microphones for use on the group’s 14th album. “I really believe that without these mics, the record wouldn’t sound the same. Lauten Audio mics are now an important part of my arsenal,” said Hard.
“Six Ways Up” New 3-song EP set for May 11, 2022 Release to Streaming
Mnemonic Records is set to release a New 3-song EP by The Arroyo Collective, “Six Ways Up” on May 11, 2022. The initial release will be to all Streaming Services, such as Apple Music, TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music HD, Spotify and dozens of others. May 11 Streaming update:
SPOTIFY
APPLE MUSIC
TIDAL
AMAZON MUSIC HD
SoundCloud Playlist
Mastering Engineer Michael Romanowski Nominated for Three Grammys
Michael Romanowski of Coast Mastering, Berkeley, CA, is nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best Engineered Album, Classical, and Best Immersive Album
[At Press Time: Note that Michael Romanowski has won all three Grammy Awards in the story below]
Mastering engineer Michael Romanowski of Coast Mastering in Berkeley, CA, is nominated for three Grammy® Awards for Best Engineered Album, Classical: Chanticleer “Chanticleer Sings Christmas” (Warner Classics); and two Best Immersive Album nominations, Alicia Keys “Alicia” (RCA) for the 64th Grammys; and US Army Field Band “Soundtrack of the American Soldier” (Navona Records) for the 63rd Grammys. Both 63rd and 64th immersive awards are being given this year. The 64th Grammy Awards will be presented on CBS, on April 3rd.
Read More »Musicians Rely on CEntrance to Live Stream During Quarantine
From LA to Dubai, artists around the world use MixerFace to reach their fans
As the music world stopped touring, musicians started streaming, and CEntrance, makers of the portable audio interface called MixerFace, found itself helping artists all over the globe to stream online. A great match for major online streaming platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, MixerFace upgrades the sound quality of smartphones and tablets based on iOS and Android. Using either built-in XY microphones or full-on home studio setups, MixerFace connects artists to their fans, with stunning audio quality.
When Quincy Jones called guitarist Jake Morelli (Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, The Roots) for a 3-month R&B gig in Dubai, Morelli (IG – @JMotone) couldn’t have anticipated getting stuck there in the middle of the residency. The club got closed and air traffic disappeared, so Morelli couldn’t return home to his family. Fortunately, he had the MixerFace with him and has been recording, communicating, and live streaming with it every day. “While quarantined in Dubai,” said Morelli, “I worked on several online collaborations—because an artist must create art, even under the most challenging circumstances. I’ve done projects remotely with drummer Daru Jones, eclectic UK artist Ivy Channel, bass pioneer Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and vocalist Rogelio Douglas Jr.” “I really cannot say enough great things about this little device” adds Morelli, “except that my guitar and bass have never sounded better! There is some serious mojo going on here. And if you plug in the CEntrance Pivot Mics, the exquisite detail that is picked up from vocals, or an entire band are simply astounding.”
See YouTube video of one collaboration: https://tinyurl.com/Jake-Morelli
‘McKechnie & de Benedictis’ Re-release 1980s “Inside Your Head”
“A dream-state assemblage of otherworldly musical landscapes.”
The album is a reissue of live-to-tape synthesizer music, originally issued as a cassette tape in 1984, now
re-mastered for digital and available on major streaming and download platforms…
The path to partnership can be instantaneous or a journey. In the case of McKechnie & de Benedictis, it was a journey. From teacher and student to colleague and partner, developed over years in the studio programming synths and experimenting with recording and mixing, and after getting Rhodes Chroma synthesizers in 1982, (serial numbers 104 and 105). The duo starting making music and playing live together, first as “New Logic”, then McKechnie & de Benedictis, and ultimately as partners in “The San Francisco Synthesizer Ensemble.” Today, they re-release “Inside Your Head”—a 60-minute work of extended live-to-tape synthesizer improvisations and compositions, re-mastered for digital and available on streaming services including Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music, and download platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby.
Read More »John Ginty Rocks with Vintage Vibe
John Ginty plays rock keyboards for top artists and his own band and always features his Vintage Vibe Electric Piano and Hammond B3 organ for a full-on roots-rock experience
Keyboardist John Ginty is a seasoned rock player, laying down tracks and playing live with the likes of Ryan Adams, Robert Randolph, Citizen Cope, Santana, Matthew Sweet, Jewel, Smashing Pumpkins, and recently a reformed rock-focused Dixie Chicks. As a bandleader, Ginty’s masterful use of Hammond B3 organ and Vintage Vibe Electric Piano take center-stage in his classic roots-of-rock sound. With four award-winning albums to their credit, including Bad News Travels, Rockers, and No Filter, Ginty and company’s songs have graced the charts of both Billboard and the Roots Music Report.