Acclaimed British drummer and percussionist Gavin Harrison, best known for playing with the progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, has invested in a large set of AKG recording microphones - including a pair of C12VR's, seven C414's and the new D12VR kick drum microphone.C391's take care of the hi hat and ride cymbal.
Gavin won Modern Drummer magazine readers' poll for "best progressive drummer of the year" for four consecutive years. In 2011 he was voted best progressive drummer by the US DRUM! magazineand won the 2012 prog drummer award in Classic Rock magazine. In 2008, he joined King Crimson as part of a dual-drummer lineup with Pat Mastelotto. Last year Gavin was a featured performer on 'TheLate Show with David Letterman' as part of their "Drum Solo Week", along with such players as Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, and Sheila E.
"I used C414's on the last Porcupine Tree studio album at AIR studios when the engineer suggested using them on the toms.I had never tried that before - but I was blown away bythe clarity and punch that the C414's captured. They sound very even across my five toms", said Gavin.
At his home studio, Gavin is using a pair of C414 XLIIs to capture room ambience, making full use of their nine selectable pickup patterns.
"By changing the pickup pattern I can effectively change the size and response of the space. I A/B'd precisely against my previous mics and found the AKG's to go way beyond what I had before."
Capturing overheads are a pair of factory matched C12VR tube microphones which Gavin describes as "creamy heaven".
For the bass drum Gavin is using the D12VR, AKG's new generation premium bass microphone which features an all-new ultra thin diaphragm and the original C414 transformer from the 1970s. With a response somewhere between a vintage and modern upfront sound Gavin says "it really adds a nice solid punch to my bass drum".
Gavin concludes, "As a session drummer over the past 30 years I've used AKG mics so many times I've lost count. It's only been in the past 15 years - since I've had my own home studio - that I'vereally been paying attention to the kind of mics that made my drums sound great - and AKG's were always there".
For more information on Gavin Harrison please visitwww.gavharrison.com
Porcupine Tree's new live double CD and DVD 'Octane Twisted' was released on 19th November 2012. More information from www.porcupinetree.com
AKG is distributed in the UK/ROI by Sound Technology Ltd. For more information please call 01462 480000, email info@soundtech.co.uk or visit www.soundtech.co.uk
