freddy mercury micro

[mikelkun]

I would like to know which micro freddy mercury used on the first 6 queen albums. The sound seems different in "play the game" and later albums. I look for this information on the whole web, but it is impossible to find it. It seems to me the lead vocal is pick with a dynamic micro, and backing vocal with static micro.

[Stan]

Freddie was great live performer - my guess - he used 'live mics' (dynamic microphone) in the studio - Awaiting expert correction ..

[ramthelinefeed]

I can't remember what make of microphone Freddie had in the early days,
but I do remember reading he used to carry it to gigs and band practices in a special black velvet-lined box,
just to be a total ostentatious queen bless him.

[Neil C]

I thought this thread was going to be about some kind of new miniature rock star technology, alas no.

From looking on the net I'm reading that it was a Shure Unisphere which is a predecessor of the SM58.
This page seems to have the most authoratative mention of that:
http://www.londonstereo.com/modern_stereos_queen1.html
And in the pictures most revealing of his mic that I've found it does seem to have the switch on it as the Unisphere does.

(these are not Freddie's one)



Shure 565 UniSphere 1 to be precise.

[intense]

In a television programme about Freddy's career, possibly shown on the anniversary of his death, IIRC there was footage of him singing to a AKG C12 in a studio in Switzerland. It might have been the reissue C12VR. That was probably during some of his last recordings.

Chris

[Stan]

no matter what the make, i'll bet it was hand held.

[The_BPP]

I think AKG was definately his thing on later albums...

One Vision Studio Clip

I miss Freddie Mercury. Anyone my age (40) grew up listening to him, even when people older than us were happy to jump on a Queen backlash bandwagon.

He knew he was HIV+ five years before his death, and yet all the Queen albums during that period were relatively upbeat. He was the ultimate showman.

Now, when Michael Jackson died, I felt the same way as when I heard the tragic news about Princess Diana. I didn't give a toss.

[ryan mead]

I thought this thread was going to be about some kind of new miniature rock star technology

Me too-- a VST. Just add some lyrics, a MIDI melody, some automation data, and there's Freddie doing your demo. Sigh.

[JamesSimpson]

At one point they used 2 AKG's in stereo X/Y thing, while at trident anyways....

[mikelkun]

I thought this thread was going to be about some kind of new miniature rock star technology, alas no.

From looking on the net I'm reading that it was a Shure Unisphere which is a predecessor of the SM58.
This page seems to have the most authoratative mention of that:
http://www.londonstereo.com/modern_stereos_queen1.html
And in the pictures most revealing of his mic that I've found it does seem to have the switch on it as the Unisphere does.

(these are not Freddie's one)



Shure 565 UniSphere 1 to be precise.

Unisphere was his live microphone, but for the studio ....

[mikelkun]

At one point they used 2 AKG's in stereo X/Y thing, while at trident anyways....

At Trident, so it means for the first albums. Where did you get this information ?

[Tomás Mulcahy]

I have no proof apart from the sound, but on Killer Queen he used the Shure, which is why it sounds a bit more nasal than usual.

But I think Freddie would sound gobsmackingly amazing on any microphone.

[JamesSimpson]

At one point they used 2 AKG's in stereo X/Y thing, while at trident anyways....

At Trident, so it means for the first albums. Where did you get this information ?

Producer friend, Ken Thomas, he cut his teeth at trident back in the day engineering on early Queen records... Better known for his work with post rock bands like Sigur Ros.

[mikelkun]

At one point they used 2 AKG's in stereo X/Y thing, while at trident anyways....

At Trident, so it means for the first albums. Where did you get this information ?

Producer friend, Ken Thomas, he cut his teeth at trident back in the day engineering on early Queen records... Better known for his work with post rock bands like Sigur Ros.

interesting, but do you thing it was for the lead vocal ?

[Stan]

But I think Freddie would sound gobsmackingly amazing on any microphone.

my wife and i agree - well said Tomás

[Stoney]

I think most would agree Freddie was an amazing singer, but even so, I still think he is underrated.

"Barcelona" for example - easily holding his own against a professional opera singer. If not in fact out-singing her.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

Under rated? I don't know about that. I've never met anyone who disagreed that he was one of the best male vocalists of all time.

[ramthelinefeed]

er yeah - who the hell ever "under-rated" Freddie?

[vinnyburns]

A big part of the vocal sound was the Dolby 360 used as a compressor that was inserted between tape machine and desk when mixing.
All the very best.
Vinny.

[Tomás Mulcahy]

Not quite a compressor in the usual sense. More like a multiband compressor. The trick was to record with the NR "in" and playback with it "out".

[vinnyburns]

Not quite a compressor in the usual sense. More like a multiband compressor. The trick was to record with the NR "in" and playback with it "out".

Well, I stand by what I said. Mike used it AS his vocal compressor. I know what it is and what it does but in this instance I mentioned, it was used as the vocal compressor.
It was not recorded onto the track while the vocal was going down either, it was inserted between tape machine and desk and patched in during the mix.
All the very best.
Vinny.

[Chas_SourceDist]

We have a serious Queen fan here in the office (long-term fan club member, attends all the rallies etc), she's just consulted the Queen fan club forum and she confirms that it was the Shure Unisphere...

Chas

[mikelkun]

We have a serious Queen fan here in the office (long-term fan club member, attends all the rallies etc), she's just consulted the Queen fan club forum and she confirms that it was the Shure Unisphere...

Chas

For studio lead ? not only for live ?

[mikelkun]

Not quite a compressor in the usual sense. More like a multiband compressor. The trick was to record with the NR "in" and playback with it "out".

Well, I stand by what I said. Mike used it AS his vocal compressor. I know what it is and what it does but in this instance I mentioned, it was used as the vocal compressor.
It was not recorded onto the track while the vocal was going down either, it was inserted between tape machine and desk and patched in during the mix.
All the very best.
Vinny.

Really interesting, but from where you get this information ?
I don't understand "The trick was to record with the NR "in" and playback with it "out"" ?

[vinnyburns]

Not quite a compressor in the usual sense. More like a multiband compressor. The trick was to record with the NR "in" and playback with it "out".

Well, I stand by what I said. Mike used it AS his vocal compressor. I know what it is and what it does but in this instance I mentioned, it was used as the vocal compressor.
It was not recorded onto the track while the vocal was going down either, it was inserted between tape machine and desk and patched in during the mix.
All the very best.
Vinny.

Really interesting, but from where you get this information ?
I don't understand "The trick was to record with the NR "in" and playback with it "out"" ?

I got the info from working with the late, great Mike Stone who mixed and engineered all those albums.
The bit that you quoted that you did not understand was not from my post.
The method is basically to push the Noise reduction on/off switch to on (clear switch lit) and press the red record button in (red switch lit). That's it. Mike used the same thing for the Journey albums Escape and Frontiers too.
All the very best.
Vinny.