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Backstage at The Grammys from our friends across the pond…
Our fellow Shure-ite Ryan, who looks after the AR at Shure in the US, was lucky enough to go to The Grammys and this is his story…….
“This year’s show featured a diverse line up of legendary as well as up and coming artists. The same holds true for microphones. As usual, many Shure products were requested and put into action; from top of the show featuring a star-studded line up of 5 tremendous female singers, to one of the last segments featuring Mick Jaggers’ first performance on the Grammy’s.
The show’s opening, a tribute to Legendary Aretha Franklin featured Shure endorsers Yolanda Adams signing on a UR2/KSM9 wireless and Martina McBride on a UR2/SM58. R & B artist Jennifer Hudson also used a UR2/SM58. The same 58 wireless handhelds were later used on the upbeat Cee Lo Green segment featuring Gwyneth Paltrow and the Muppets. Finally, the Legendary Mick Jagger used it for his segment with the Raphael Saadiq band to cover “Everybody Needs Somebody.” Mick also used Shure’s PSM 900 ear monitor system and the horn section for Raphael Saadiq used the versatile KSM32.
Other Shure products that made their way onto the Grammy stage included the KSM313 ribbon mic on numerous guitar amps, the Beta 56A on hi-toms, and the Beta 91 in certain kick drums. There were also several appearances by the SM57 on snare and the occasional SM58 as vocal mics, like on the last number with Arcade Fire.
As always, it’s a pleasure to hang backstage and see all the same crew members behind the scenes making it all happen. It’s amazing to watch how everything comes on and off stage so quickly and organized. The crew has been doing this for so many years that if problems arise, they are quickly solved. Our hats go off to all of the stage hands, wireless coordinators, A2’s, engineers and production staff that spend countless hours making the show the best that it can be.
I also made time to catch a few endorsers backstage like Julianne Hough and Yolanda Adams, who both have so much going on. Julianne is working on a few new movies while Yolanda is busy with touring and her popular radio show.
Before the broadcast, I went over to the convention center to catch the pre-telecast awards presentation. While walking around the ballroom, I happened to run into Endorsers Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, Darrin Vincent and Jamie Dailey of Dailey and Vincent, and Israel Houghton…all within 5 minutes of each other. After those encounters, I continued to watch 4 endorsers pick up Grammy’s: Diamond Rio, Switchfoot, Kirk Whalum, and Israel Houghton! Congrats to all of them!!
Other endorsers who won Grammy awards this year included Herbie Hancock, Patty Loveless, The Black Keys, and Buddy Guy. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!”
Ryan
…….thanks Ryan…….and yes we’re all very jealous…… 
Launched at NAMM 2011
At the NAMM Show taking place in sunny Anaheim, USA, we’ve just introduced several new products and here we have the first pictures and details about them……….
The PSM 1000 In-Ear Personal Monitoring System offers a dual channel, full-rack professional monitoring solution. It is designed to tightly integrate with Shure Wireless Workbench software for the most efficient set-up and control plus with a true diversity-equipped, low profile bodypack receiver, the PSM 1000 system provides the best in audio and RF performance.
For semiprofessional DJ’s and audio enthusiasts Shure has developed the SRH550DJ. This ultra-lightweight headphone has full range frequency response with enhanced bass. Its closed-back, supra-aural design with adjustable collapsible headband and 90° swivel ear cups make it suitable for both DJ mixing or general listening.
The new high end SRH940 headphones are designed for critical monitoring and mastering applications in professional studios. The SRH940 provides accurate response across the entire audio spectrum delivering smooth high-end extension with tight bass. The premium padded headband and velour ear cup pads offer superior comfort for long recording sessions.
The SE215 Sound Isolating™ Earphones deliver detailed audio with extended bass. A detachable, Kevlar® reinforced cable with formable wire allows for easy replacement and secure, comfortable fit.
We expect that these cool new products will be available in Europe during the first half of 2011 – fingers crossed!
Win a Pair of SE115s with The Fly Magazine
If Santa didn’t bring you a pair of our fantastic SE Sound Isolating earphones then don’t despair, here’s your chance to win a pair.
This month we’re giving away three pairs of Shure SE115 in-ear earphones on The-Fly.co.uk, the website for The Fly Magazine – Britain’s favourite new music monthly.
The compact sound isolating SE115 is designed for music lovers looking to upgrade their mp3 player earphones. They are the perfect accompaniment for your in-ear monitoring system as well as your MP3-Player or iPhone.
These multi-award winning sound isolating earphones block out up to 90% of background noise for a near to live sound experience and the single Dynamic MicroSpeaker II driver gives a warm, detailed sound.
Good luck!
Win Shure DJ Gear with RA!
We’re running another competition this time with Resident Advisor – one of the coolest online electronic music magazines out there……Win one of two DJ prize packs including headphones, DJ carts, sound isolating earphones and limited edition slipmats.
You can win a pair of M35X DJ carts (worth £140) and precision engineered for house and techno playback, a set of SRH750DJ pro headphones (worth £139) and a pair of limited edition Shure slipmats. One runner up will receive a pair of the brand new Shure SE315 sound isolating earphones (worth £189).
To enter the competition:
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| You must be a registered member of RA to enter the competitions.You can register free here or if you are already a member of RA and simply need to login, click here to log-in. | |
Merry Christmas from Shure UK :-)
I was recently introduced to the shimmering talent of Brett Domino………I can’t say how grateful I am to my Shure colleagues for this intro, if you don’t know who he is check out his videos on You Tube – a particular favourite of mine is What Would You Do ( If a shark started eating you).
And so to wish you all a Merry Christmas from us all at Shure UK, here’s the heart warming Christmas single from the lovely Brett Domino!
New Beta Drum and Instrument Mics
With a tip of our hat to the tireless Shure Product Development team and a thank you to some great FOH Engineers, as promised here is a special insight into the new Beta mic’s that will be appearing in store soon………….
The ‘new and improved’ additions to the Shure Beta microphone line include the Beta 181 side-address condenser microphone, Beta 91A boundary microphone, Beta 98A miniature instrument microphone, and Beta 98AMP miniature drum microphone.
“We had three goals in mind when we set out to design these new Beta mics,” says Chad Wiggins, Category Director for Wired Products. “To improve sound quality, to improve reliability and durability in the field, and to offer simple, secure mounting and placement. Engineers will love the functional advantage you get with these mics versus their predecessors.”
Let’s take a closer look at each one………..
Side-address Condenser Mic
Beta 181 Cardioid
Beta 181 is an ultra-compact, side-address condenser microphone designed for discreet placement and control in live and studio environments. What’s so great about it? It’s the first wired performance microphone from Shure that features interchangeable polar pattern capsules – cardioid, supercardioid, omnidirectional, and bidirectional.
Already a winner. Beta 181 earned Pro Audio Review’s Par Excellence Award at the 129th AES Convention in November 2010.
“This mic is aces in tight spaces,” raves Wiggins. “It’s so compact; it can really fit in anywhere, whether it’s under a piano lid or in, around, and over a drum kit. Paired with the interchangeable capsules, musicians and engineers can get really creative with their mic placement, depending on the sounds they’re trying to achieve.”
That’s true. The small diaphragm design provides audio with consistent polar responses in a form factor small enough to get close to the source in the tightest conditions.
“In many applications where a large diaphragm side-address condenser might be a desirable, but impractical choice for live music, the Beta 181 offers a fresh solution,” says renowned front-of-house engineer Roger Lindsay. “It gives a full, rich, well-defined sound in a microphone that goes where many others can’t…impeccable performance in a neat, versatile package.”
Half Cardioid Condenser Boundary Mic
Beta 91A
The Beta 91A is a half-cardioid condenser boundary microphone for kick-drum and low frequency applications. Its new cartridge design provides a smoother, more natural response. The Beta 91A’s low-profile design, with integrated preamplifier and XLR connector requires no external hardware to maximize setup efficiency while minimizing stage clutter. It also features a low-mid frequency EQ switch that offers additional tonal flexibility.
Rob Mailman, front-of-house engineer for Santana, has been using the Beta 91A for some of his recent performances and says, “I’m certain I’ll use the Beta 91A until I retire.”
Miniature Cardioid Condenser Mic
Beta 98AC
The Beta 98A is a miniature cardioid condenser microphone for instrument sound reinforcement and recording applications. High SPL handling makes the Beta 98A a great choice for a variety of acoustic or amplified instruments, including drums, piano, reed, wind, and strings. The newly-designed cartridge features an extremely uniform cardioid polar pattern and provides a natural musical frequency response. It’s available in two variations with either a gooseneck drum mount (Beta 98AD/C) or with a stand mount (Beta 98A/C).
“While trying the new Beta 98A prototypes on the last Pretenders U.S. tour,” noted front of house engineer Roger Lindsay, “I was delighted to discover that Shure has managed to retain the essential character of the original SM98 with the latest advances in design and technology to further improve a much-loved model.”
Flexible Gooseneck with XLR Mic
Beta 98AMP
The Beta 98AMP is a new variation of the Beta 98A that combines the new cartridge with a flexible gooseneck and integrated XLR preamplifier. It ships with the new A75M Universal Microphone Mount for simple, accurate placement in any configuration of toms, snares, or percussion. These new features provide increased control and easier setup.
“Because the Beta 98AMP is a new design, we didn’t have a way to clamp it onto a drum,” says Wiggins. “We developed this very small, versatile mount that can be attached or removed in seconds. The A75M has almost infinite adjustability – it’s so universal that we’re also selling it as a standalone accessory.” The A75M’s dual-jaw, quick release design offers easy mounting to drums, percussion, drum hardware, and stands.”
These mic’s are hitting the UK shores as we speak, so expect to see them available online and in the shops soon.
Shure Gear Proves Its Mettle on Stage with SLASH
The 2010 touring season has been a busy one for rock icon Slash, who hit the road for tours of Europe, Asia, and the U.S. in support of his eponymous solo album, which was released this past spring. Slash, which has reached #3 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on its Rock, Hard Rock, and Independent album charts, features a variety of guest vocalists. After a successful world tour through Asia and Europe in support of the album, Slash began his highly anticipated U.S. dates in August.
Slash at Riviera Theater on September 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois.
Monitor mixing for the tour’s U.S. leg was handled by veteran independent engineer Monty Carlo for sound company Audio Analysts. Carlo, who is also president/founder of Book of Lies, a tour itinerary provider, remarks, “It’s basically an all-Shure stage, because Slash is a Shure endorser,” he notes, “and frankly, that makes my job a lot easier.”
Of course, Slash is best known for his distinctive guitar tone. Like many guitarists, Slash sticks with the tools that helped him make his name, maintaining a hardwired connection to his custom Marshall rig, which is miked with a pair of Shure ribbon microphones. “The KSM313 is very sonically neutral,” says Carlo. “What I like about these mics is that they sound like the guitar. It allows me to replicate the tone of Slash’s cabinets with virtually no EQ, typically just hi- and lo-pass filters. We’re using the front side of the 313 for the fuller, warmer sound.” The band’s other two guitars are miked with Shure’s SM27 condenser mics on the cabinets. In the final mix, all guitar mics are combined with a Palmer PDI-09 direct box.
Lead vocals for Slash’s touring band are handled by Myles Kennedy, who uses a Shure UHF-R® wireless system with Beta 58A® capsule. Backing vocals are hardwired SM58®s. The only other wireless systems in use on stage are a pair of PSM® 900 personal monitors, used by Kennedy and bassist Todd Kerns. Monitor mixer Monty Carlo and guitar tech Chet Huan wear them as well.
“Shure has a fantastic handle on RF these days. I’ve been a big fan of the UHF-R system ever since it came out, and now the PSM 900 has really taken in-ears to the next level,” says Monty. “It sounds fantastic, and it’s clearly been designed to make life easy for monitor engineers.” He calls out the ability to program all transmitters with a single bodypack as a great time-saver, and finds the menu layout very intuitive. He characterizes Shure’s new patent-pending CueMode feature as “a lifesaver. Being able to listen to all my frequencies and mixes on a single bodypack is a great tool. And checking all my frequencies right before the band hits the stage is a nice change from having to carry a handful of packs around.”
The drum miking is Shure from top to bottom. Brent Fitz’s kick drum is captured by a Beta 91A boundary mic, mounted on a soft pillow inside the drum for stable, repeatable positioning. The three toms are miked by the Beta 56®A, attached directly to each drum with Shure’s unique A56D drum mount. “Those mics are great on the kit,” says Monty Carlo. “Between the articulating capsule and the drum mounts, we get the mics in exactly the same position every show, and the Beta 56 can take an erratic stick hit better than a smaller capsule might.”
Of course, no drum kit is complete without the venerable SM57, and Monty Carlo uses three of them, for snare top, snare bottom, and cowbell. “Using two mics allows me to give each musician a little more choice in their snare sound without having to over-EQ a single 57 on top. So if someone wants a little more ‘crack’ in their monitor mix, I can simply bring up the bottom mic as needed.”
Cymbals are all handled by Shure studio condensers, with a pair of KSM32s overhead, mounted 8-10 inches above the highest cymbal. For the hi-hat and the ride cymbals, Carlo uses the KSM141. “Brent Fitz likes a fair amount cymbal in his ear mix, and he’s really happy with the combination of mics we’re using,” he reports. “They all have a clean, smooth sound, and the compact size of the KSM141 makes them perfect to squeeze into tight spots on the drum kit.”
With Slash being a Shure endorsing artist, Monty Carlo notes that the input list “reads a bit like a Shure brochure, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Being a monitor engineer is all about giving the artists exactly what they want to hear, and having an all-Shure stage makes that a breeze.” After an end-of-year break, Slash will hit the road again in 2011, starting with U.S. dates in January and February.
Trusted Reviews Awards 2010
SE535 Bronze
The guys over at Trusted Reviews just got in touch to tell us that the Shure SE535 Sound Isolating™ earphones came 2nd in the Best Headphone Product category!
We’re just so pleased here at Shure, as not only is the Trusted Reviews website one we highly respect but the awards were based on reader’s choice too.
And being second place to a portable USB headphone amplifier and DAC combo……..which helps to improve the quality of music playback……..is all good by us
So thank you Trusted Reviews and thank you to all of you that voted for our SE535s.
I’m glad you love them as much as we do!
Win a Pair of SRH750DJ Headphones with Shure and Mixmag!
Our Shure SRH750DJ headphones have been going down a storm since they were released and we’ve teamed up with Mixmag “The worlds biggest dance music and clubbing magazine” to give away a pair.
To enter the competition visit the Mixmag website, answer a really simple question and you could be the proud owner of a new pair of Shure DJ headphones !
Just see what people have had to say about them:
“On looks alone the SR750DJ is a winner and that’s before you even listen to them! Great job, Shure.” IDJ
“They’re one of the best set of DJ Headphones in their price range and sound better then most the DJ-branded cans.” Future Music
“The SRH-750DJs offer great sound, quality and looks.” Scratchworx
Good luck everyone!
On Tour with Passion Pit
Passion Pit (Image by Justin Borucki)
Andrew Dobbins, Tour Manager and Francois Pare, Monitor Engineer for the latest Passion Pit tour were blown away with the Shure PSM900 in-ear monitors.
“With PSM900 I genuinely think Shure has built a fantastic product. And compared to the competition, well… it’s just a vastly superior system. We’re completely over the moon with them. We love them!”
Read the full story on www.shure.co.uk!
