Jennifer Owens

SFL Group were tasked with the challenge of providing FOH, monitors and a recording solution for a live gig at Portsmouth Guild Hall for singer/songwriter Jennifer Owens.

Accompanied by a string quartet and classical grand piano, it was a live gig that was filmed and recorded for the upcoming release of her EP. Working alongside the video crew to ensure aesthetics were optimal meant discreet mic placement and cabling, while also maintaining high quality and isolated audio feeds for the multitrack.

By utilising a QL1 with Rio 1608 stagebox combined with 2 network switches, this provided us with a network infrastructure that meant we could take a split of all the mics (post-preamp, pre-processing) straight from the stage box to 3 Apple Macs for recording, while also feeding the QL1. The Dante patching flexibility also allowed us to take IO from the back of the QL1, such as the ambient mics.

We had Neumann U87s for ambience on figure-8 pickup pattern, which meant the PA was in the null-point of its rejection field, meaning the microphones picked up some of the brilliant natural reverb of the large hall, and also the crowd cheering after each number.

For the string quartet, the 2 violins, viola and cello were close mic’d with DPA 4099s with clips, primarily for FOH. There was also a Neumann 184 in a ORTF configuration to create a nice spatial image for the multitrack recording.

The Steinway grand piano had a Neumann 184 stereo pair for recording, and 2x AKG C414s placed in optimal positions for a wide stereo image but also to ensure the piano was reproduced over the PA in a tonally accurate way.

For Jen’s vocal mic, a Shure KSM9 capsule with a QLXD digital wireless system was selected for its ability to capture incredible vocal details with clear articulation, which is of paramount importance for live vocal reproduction and also recording.

A range of d&b audiotechnik products were used for the monitoring and front of house. d&b M4s were used for monitoring and Y10P with V-Sub were deployed at front of house.

The QL1 had the advantage of the premium rack, which allowed Harvey (production engineer) to utilise the Rupert Neve classic EQs and compressors that helped maintain clarity from source to PA. The challenge on this gig was keeping stage noise to a minimum, and isolating sources as much as possible to achieve a clean recording while also ensuring musicians can hear each other, and that the audience of 150 clearly heard the band. This event was about sound reinforcement and accurate reproduction of all instruments and supporting the release of the upcoming EP.