Neumann Gets Static

Los Angeles--Wayne Static, lead vocalist for the Los Angeles-based alternative metal band Static X, and the group's production manager and front-of-house (FOH) engineer, Bruce Reiter, recently chose a vocal mic after months of trying to find one that properly captured Static's unusual voice.

Having been touring for over 12 years, Reiter has worked with a number of heavy-metal and hard-rock bands, including Slipknot, Slayer, Limp Bizkit, Deftones, Social Distortion, Rancid, Stabbing Westward and Killing Joke. One of his key goals in mixing a concert effectively is making the sound seem loud without being excessive. "A lot of people mix concerts around 110-120 dB; I try to keep the volume below 104 dB," he said.

"We tried every mic out there," Reiter remembered. "We were using a number of different products for a while, but nothing that really stood out. I met Rob Treloar, assistant product manager for Neumann, at a radio show that the band was doing in Boston. Rob was out visiting the sound engineer for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. We got to talking about sound engineering, and he mentioned that he hadn't had a heavy band use a Neumann microphone yet. I said that I was interested in trying one out."

With Static on vocals, leading an ensemble that includes heavy guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and some programming, Static X is described as intense alternative metal. The band appeared alongside the likes of Incubus, Methods of Mayhem, Godsmack, Pantera and legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne during last summer's Ozzfest 2000. Static X plans to hit the road once again next spring to promote the release of their second (as yet untitled) album, a follow-up to Wisconsin Death Trip.

"We tried it out, and for once Wayne was blown away," Reiter said. "He is extremely familiar with how each show should sound. I think what makes this mic attractive to him is the clarity in the top end."