[ATTACH=CONFIG]196374.vB5-legacyid=4378[/ATTACH]Burbank, CA … Set in the 60’s and broadcast on the AMC cable TV network; The Emmy® Award winning show Mad Men has earned a loyal following among TV viewers. Created and produced by Matthew Weiner, the show stars Jon Hamm as Don Draper, creative director of the fictional Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce ad firm. David Carbonara is the show’s composer and his winning mix of contemporary score and period jazz has inspired a number of Mad Men soundtracks as well as the Mad Men Revue, a live show starring cast members that Carbonara produced. When recording the show’s musical tracks, Carbonara insists on capturing every last musical nuance. Thanks to his combination of microphones from Mojave Audio and sister company Royer Labs, he gets exactly the sound he envisions.
Recording engineer and mixer James T. Hill works with Carbonara on the show’s musical recordings. In addition to his work on Mad Men, Hill worked with composer James Newton Howard on numerous movie scores including The Sixth Sense, as well as composer Jane Antonio Cornish’s In Luce and numerous additional projects. Together, Carbonara and Hill know what it takes to properly capture a musical instrument’s sound and that’s precisely why they use Mojave Audio’s MA-201fet and MA-100 condenser microphones as well as Royer Labs’ R-121, R-122V, and SF-24 ribbon microphones.
“Jim started using Royer’s in 2003 and Mojave mics in 2007—the year we began work on Mad Men,” Carbonara reports. “In the five years we’ve been working together on Mad Men, we’ve deployed the Mojave MA-100 on acoustic guitars, drum cymbals, and hi hats; and the MA-201fet on vocals, acoustic guitar, and a variety of other soloists. We’ve been equally pleased with the performance of our Royer ribbons. We find the R-121 works really well on brass, woodwinds, and guitar amps while the R-122V does a great job on woodwinds, acoustic guitars, and strings. With the Royer SF-24 being a stereo microphone, we typically use this for piano, drum overheads, and room ambience.”
Based upon his successful experience in the commercial studios where Mad Men tracks are recorded, Carbonara recently acquired a Mojave Audio MA-300 multi-pattern vacuum tube condenser microphone for use in his personal studio. “I started work on a film where it will be necessary to record acoustic guitars and some strings in my home studio—something I’m not accustomed to doing,” he explained. “So, of course, I asked Jim’s advice for my microphone choice and he quickly recommended the Mojave. Jim suggested the MA-300 would be right for anything I might need to record in my own studio and I’m pleased to report the mic is performing exactly as I had hoped.”
Carbonara was equally complimentary of the Royer ribbons he and Hill use, “Jim likes using the R-121 and R-122V ribbon mics because of the null points, which help provide isolation between instruments when used in a room full of musicians. We’ve also used a pair of R-122V’s in a Blumlein configuration for capturing acoustic guitars, small acoustic groups, and drum overheads.”
With the level of success both Carbonara and Hill have achieved, they can certainly use any microphones they might want. When queried about their preference for Mojave Audio and Royer Labs, Carbonara says that, in addition to the microphones’ audio performance, customer service is an equally important consideration. “Jim has consistently said how responsive the Mojave and Royer folks have been and this led me to call Dusty Wakeman at Mojave Audio,” Carbonara said. “Dusty was quick to offer assistance and is there whenever I have questions. This really helps inspire confidence in their products.”
Before turning his attention back to the business of composing, Carbonara offered this parting thought, “Jim and I have been using the Mojave and Royer mics to help create the sound that gives the music of Mad Men that touch of elegance that goes so well with the overall style of the series. For me as the composer, it’s a perfect match all around.”
To learn more about AMC’s Mad Men, go to [URL]http://www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men[/URL]. For additional information about David Carbonara, go to [URL=”http://www.davidcarbonara.com”]www.davidcarbonara.com[/URL].
[HR][/HR]
About Mojave Audio
Located in Burbank, California, Mojave Audio is a manufacturer of quality microphones for the recording professional. Additional information on the MA-300, MA-100, and all Mojave Audio products, visit the company online at [URL=”http://www.mojaveaudio.com”]www.mojaveaudio.com[/URL].
About Royer Labs
Located in Burbank, California, Royer Labs’ microphones are a staple of leading recording and broadcast facilities. For additional information about the R-121 and all Royer microphones, please visit the company at [URL=”http://www.royerlabs.com”]www.royerlabs.com[/URL].
