What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?
My Shure Super 55.
How did you come across this particular item?
Well most people are familiar with the original Model 55 unidyne microphone from watching old clips of singers from the 50s & 60’s. It was a total classic being the first single-element unidirectional dynamic microphone. The Super 55 is a modern take on this mic and exhibits most of the same characteristics as the original but in a casing that is less susceptible to damage on stage!
What is that you like so much about it?
Well, it’s a no brainer. Apart from it being a great vocal mic, it just looks super cool!
How do you use it, and how has it shaped the way you write music?
As we generally try and keep our drum micing to a maximum of 3 mics, we tend to get a bit selective with what we use. Generally we try to go for a range of mics that sonically pick up a broad range of frequencies. We try to go for gear that sounds good without having to affect them too much during mixing. I originally bought the 55 for vocals but found it really crunchy and tough in the mid-range for drums – by finding a sweet spot between the snare, hi-hat and kick and the drummer mixing his intensity whilst playing (essentially mixing himself) we were able to get a really amazing drum sound through the one mic.
Any other interesting points/stories about it?
Most of the guitar on the album was also played through the Super 55.
When’s the next show?
The album launch for our 3rd album Come Alive is coming up at the Corner Hotel on May 21.
For the latest news on Deep Street Soul Show, head to deepstreetsoul.com.
