Well, the other night we did a microphone comparison with around 10 microphones from different manufactures. The ones I will be speaking on today are the Neumann’s, Telefunken USA & Wunders.

Photo #1. Top: Neumann U47 with the M7 capsule with the VF14 tube. Bottom: Telefunken USA U47 New Old Stock Telefunken VF-14 tube, a custom built BV8 transformer, and a newly manufactured M7 capsule. Left & Right: Wunders CM7-GT/K47-2 and CM7-GT/M7-4

Photo #2. Left side top, Neumann U47 ( early 1950’s). Left side Bottom, Telefunken USA Ela M 250, comes complete with a GE JAN 6072a tube, a new CK12 dual membrane capsule. Right side of photo, see above.

Photo #3. Steve P. FBS mastering and audio sherpa. testing out a BLUE Bottle with a B6 capsule.

Photo #4. Steve enjoying the evening with the Telefunken Ela M 250 and Neumann U47.

Fastback Studio is one of the sponsors of Rock The Blues benefit show supporting the West Seattle Food Bank. This All-Star cast of musicians will bring the house down this Saturday the 24th at the Rock Sport in West Seattle. This is one event you should not miss! Many legends of rock & blues will be there performing all the hits.

The API 7600 fits into one rack space unit and it includes a genuine API mic pre, a compressor and a real 550A EQ right out of the glory days of rock ‘n roll. The 7600 mic pre is the same 212L mic pre used in the Legacy Consoles. The EQ is an exact re-issue of the famed 550A, offering 3 bands of EQ with 7 frequency choices per band. The compressor is the 225L, the same one found in the all-discrete Legacy Console currently in production.

Features:

• Complete API input strip with bussing
• API 2520 Op-Amp
• API 212L Mic Preamp, 225L Compressor
• Re-issue of the famed 550A EQ
• Four Aux sends, Pre or Post fader assignable
• Four busses
• Stereo bus with internal rotary fader
• Solo, SIP, Mute, Insert, Polarity, and Compressor Link
• Complete patching facilities on rear panel
• External fader jack
• Three 7 segment LED VU displays
• Output clips at +30 dBm

We received new microphone in the studio, the Telefunken AK47. In the spirit of the famous U47 and M49 microphones, the R-F-T AK47 features a new circuit design based around a custom B47 transformer hand made in the United Stated by TAB Funkenwerk, a dual sided 6 micron gold sputtered capsule, custom 10-meter Gotham Audio cable, a remote 9 polar pattern external power supply.

This is a note to all new independent audio engineers, the “how to approach a studio”.

Hello all you student’s and graduates of “such & such” audio school, I want to take this moment to help you to be ahead of the curve when emailing / calling a studio. Like a majority of commercial studios around Seattle we get a lot of people contacting us, Here are a few tips to help you succeed.

Don’t:

1). Please do not say that you will clean toilets you would never say such a thing like that if applying at Microsoft, Boeing, or a law firm. Be proud of what you do! 9 times out of 10 you spent a ton of money to graduate from audio school, you need to be confident in your path as an audio engineer.

2). Never ask to be a part of the staff in an email, you must prove yourself as an independent engineer. Bring in clients on your own accord and show “such & such” studio that you have what it takes to be apart of their crew.

3). Be diverse in location(s), You might live in Tacoma and the artist might live in Monroe, Visit several studios so you can choose the best layout (room size, gear & mic collection) for you & location for your clients, many times it is easier for you the engineer to commute than it is for a band with 4 to 7 members.

4). No mass emails to recording studios. We see right through that form letter and round file it.

Do’s:

1). Research the studio you are contacting, learn about what that studio offers the music community

2). Be pro-active go out and find clients to record, bring them to “such & such” studio

3). The little things add up to the big things, keep in contact with studios in your area on a regular basis, time is on your side.

4). Go out and support the music scene, you can wear a few other hats other than studio audio engineer.

5). keep your chops up record something each week, subscribe to audio trade magazines, go to audio conferences.

Bill Mattocks, band leader, vocalist and a Fastback Studios harp session player. Bill’s powerhouse blues album called Covers is rich with guitar and harp driven leads. Bill’s style of harp playing is a true Chicago grit with precision control over each note.

Ron Hendee, Trumpet and vocals and all around “last of the hippies”, Ron has been on more albums and in more bands than than any other musician I know. When an artist needs a horn section either on stage or in the studio Ron is on that short list of players.

Fender sponsored artist Greg Koch will be at Roy’s Place in Lynnwood, Wash. this Monday May 5th at 7pm. It’s free and you have the chance to win a new Fender Telecaster.

I work with a lot of musicians on a weekly basis and these guy & gals work hard to bring the public really good music. Now since I am a guitar / bass player it would be natural for me to just showcase “gunslingers”. In my line of work (recording studio and PR agent) I have the honor to meet, record & promote everybody playing almost ever instrument. So I will do my best to be as instrumentally diverse as possible to make sure I highlight great players across the board, and give you the public a chance to see a musician that are note-worthy.

Their are two band leaders that I want to give a “shout-out” to this week. What I mean by band leaders is just that, the do-all guy that sometimes gets more grief than glory but keeps looking ahead for the good of the band.

Tom Boyle is the fabulous guitarist for Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies! Tom is one of those guys that you just go WOW!, once you hear him. His swing style ( be it Tex-Mex or Chicago) of rhythm playing and shuffle sweeps is really unmatched. Tom Boyle is one of those artist that will continue to receive awards as long as he plays because he is just that good.

Dudley Taft is everywhere his past bands consist of Sweet Water, Second Coming, Omnivoid to his current bands such as Spike and the Impalers and Dudley Taft Blues Overkill. When you have the chance to see either of Dudley’s present bands play, it’s both entertaining and educational because of this stage presence and musical technique.

Recording studios Seattle

We just received these two heavy relic Nash Strat’s. The 57′-V neck Daphne Blue has a tremelo and the Mary Kaye-ish is a 60’s Medium-C rosewood neck, hardtail. If you are looking to get relic Strat’s you should consider Nash Guitars they are a very well balanced, broken in fit in your hand piece’s of art.

Guitar and Bass Specs Include from the official webste:

Ash and Alder Bodies in all the period correct “F” colors. 100% Nitrocellulose Lacquer.

Maple or Maple with Rosewood Necks with 10 Radius Fretboards and Dunlop 6105 Frets. Single action truss rods with heel adjust. Vintage Kluson style tuners.Tusq Nuts. Back Shapes are Medium C, V and Fat.

OEM Pickups on Guitars are Lollar Hybrid Sets. Bass OEM pickups are Dimarzios. Other pickups from Fralin, VanZandt, Duncan, Rio Grande, Fender and others available - contact dealer.

Aging Levels are Light (Church Gig), Medium (Workingman) and Heavy ( Louisiana Roadhouse)

Seattle recording studios.