Recently returning from a sell-out tour supporting The Fray in the U.S. and Canada, British pop act The Feeling is now on a nationwide tour of the UK accompanied by a complete arsenal of Sennheiser and Neumann mics, together with Sennheiser wireless personal monitors.
“The band are very much hands-on when it comes to microphone choice, and we recently auditioned the Neumann KMS 105,” says production manager and FOH engineer Jon Sword. “We tried it out, and that was it! The band specialize in close harmonies onstage, and the sound was breathtaking. We find that the mic’s characteristics totally compliment the band’s style. Midrange is very sweet and velvety, and despite running them as loud as we would ever want them, the top end still has plenty of air and is devoid of any harsh sibilance.”
The supercardioid polar pattern means that onstage levels can be maintained without any feedback, and coupled with the audio quality of the Evolution 300 IEM G2 wireless monitors, the band is helped even further with its performance. The combination is such that each member hears a clear balance of their close-knit harmonies, which lets them focus on what they’re playing.
“Lead vocalist Dan Gillespie Sells wanted to try the wireless KMS 105 and the quality was tremendous,” Sword says. “Not only do we love the warmth of the sound, but Sennheiser wireless has lived up to all expectations. Throughout the U.S. and UK tours, frequency management has been rock-solid. We have never experienced a single dropout, no altercation with the sound quality, and everything’s been so stable it’s frightening!”
Sword is using four Evolution e606s on amps with an additional e609 on bass. These mics have been designed to hang right in front of the speaker, and Sennheiser has re-engineered the capsule for a punchier sound to capture the raw energy of the guitar amps.
For drummer Paul Stewart, Sword likes to pair an e901 and e902 on kick, which gives high SPL capabilities and a solid, fast attack. “The e604 clip-on mics have always been my favorite for toms,” Sword explains. “Apart from their unobtrusiveness, they have a really big sound that requires minimal EQ. On hi-hat and tambourine, I use two e614 condenser mics, which pick up the presence of the cymbal and give me a much cleaner overall sound than other mics I have tried. I’m also loving the size of them—so small!”
The Feeling has already booked a further tour in the UK for February 2007, continuing on into Europe and America in March.
For more information, visit www.sennheiserusa.com and www.thefeeling.com. Get your touring update at mixonline.com/livesound/tours.
