Los Angeles, CA… Puerto Rican/American producer, musician, dancer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Draco Rosa’s career is running at full throttle. After gaining fame with the Latin pop band Menudo, Draco further established himself as both an accomplished artist and record producer. In addition to a storied career producing hit records such as Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ la Vida Loca,â€? Draco’s own solo efforts including Vagabundo, Mad Love, and Vino were runaway successes. Recently, his live album Teatro won Best Rock Solo Vocal Album at the 2009 Latin Grammys. Offering a combination of hard rock and more vintage Draco, Teatro was recorded using a combination of microphones from Mojave Audio.
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As chief engineer at Draco’s Phantom Vox Studios in Hollywood, Recording Engineer/Record Producer Seth Atkins Horan has recorded all of Draco’s records over the past ten years, including the hugely successful Vino,
which Horan considers to be his best recording. In addition to his projects with Draco, Horan also recorded Puerto Rican rock band Black Guayaba’s No Hay Espacio, which won Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards. So when it comes to recording, Horan is more than qualified to discuss microphones and his preference for Mojave Audio.
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“I have several Mojave microphones that I’ve become extremely fond of,� says Horan. “I presently own four Mojave MA-200’s, two MA-100’s, as well as their MA-201fet. I absolutely love the results I get from the MA-200’s when I use them for drum overheads or for room ambient sound. On the Teatro project, I leaned more toward the MA-100’s for drum overheads, as I get a bit more control over the sound in a live environment. The MA-100’s are also terrific for recording toms and I genuinely feel they are the best tom mics I’ve ever used. They have the warmth of a tube mic with the transient response and focus of a small capsule condenser mic.�
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As for capturing the kick drum, Horan is a strong advocate of the Mojave MA-201fet. “I love the MA-201fet for use on the outside of the kick,� says Horan. “When I combine it with a dynamic placed inside, it adds the big bottom and air that I’m looking for—without getting too woofy.�
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Horan finds his Mojave mics provide the versatility to handle a wide range of recording tasks. “I really love the full and open sound of the MA-200s,� he continues. “They have a very smooth and enjoyable high end with a full body that brings out the right characteristic in almost every source from drums to vocals to piano. Similarly, the MA-100’s have become a staple for acoustic guitars, percussion, and drums. I used these on all of the percussion tracks for Draco’s new album Amor Vincit Omnia with percussion legend Luis Conte—and he was blown away by the sound. The option of the omni capsule makes the MA-100 one of the most diverse mics in my arsenal.�
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When you’re operating at this level, customer support becomes more critical than ever and, here too, Horan has nothing but praise for Mojave Audio. “Everyone at Mojave has been great to deal with,� Horan says. “The only time I’ve ever actually needed service was on one occasion when someone scored a field goal with the MA-201fet, and this happened out of clumsiness—not anger. The company is extremely responsive and this is a big part of my reason for expanding our Mojave mic collection.�
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Before turning his attention back to his studio work, Horan offered this closing comment on his success with Mojave Audio microphones. “The entire Mojave microphone line is extremely musical,� states Horan. “With a big, full-bodied, warm sound and their fast transient response, they make a great choice for all types of recording jobs. I could record a whole record using Mojave mics—and maybe cheat a bit by throwing in a couple of (sister company) Royers.�
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To learn more about Seth Atkins Horan, visit him online at www.sethatkinshoran.com. To learn more about Draco Rosa, visit the artist’s website at www.phantomvox.com/draco/.
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About Mojave Audio
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Located in Burbank, California, Mojave Audio is a manufacturer of quality microphones for the recording professional. Additional information on all Mojave Audio products can be found online at www.mojaveaudio.com.
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Photo info: Image of Seth Horan in this studio.
