Though he now makes his home in Studio City, CA, I first met Berklee graduate Paul David Hager in the 1980s Boston club scene.
For the last five years, he’s been mixing the Goo Goo Dolls, who are busy touring this summer in support of their new recording “Something for the Rest of Us,” a release that was delayed so that Hager could remix it.
He’s also been mixing Miley Cyrus live for the last two years.
Hager has his own mix room at Encore Studios in Burbank, and some recent studio credits include Hannah Montana, Devo, Avril Lavigne, Pink, Katy Perry, Our Lady Peace and the Jonas Brothers.
As an “in the box” Pro Tools guy, Hager’s list of plug-ins includes Waves SSL Channel, SSL EQ, C4, L1 and Renaissance Bass, as well as Crane Song’s Phoenix.
I caught up with him at Jacksonville’s Times-Union Center, where he provided a backstage tour.
Perhaps the biggest secret behind his input list is the rack of XTA DS800 active microphone splitters.
Hager employs a Sennheiser 5200 Series wireless system with a Neumann KK 104 capsule on John Rzeznik’s lead vocal, while his BadCat “dirty and clean” guitar cabinets are mic’d with dual Heil Sound PR 30 large diameter end-address dynamic mics.
Rhythm guitarist Brad Fernquist’s Divided by Thirteen 4 x 12 cabinet is double mic’d with a pair of Audio-Technica 4050 large-diaphragm condensers, and all background vocals employ Audix OM-5 dynamic mics except for bass player Robby Takac.
Robby sings the occasional lead of the band’s early material into a Sennheiser MD-431 supercardioid dynamic.
Multi-instrumentalist Korel Tunador’s Matchless Chieftain guitar amp is mic’d with a Neumann TLM 103 large-format condenser, and his tenor sax is outfitted with an Audix RAD-360 wireless with an ADX-20i miniature condenser on a shock-mount gooseneck clip.
The five-piece Tama drum kit used by Mike Malinin is handled in a studio fashion, using an Audix i-5 dynamic above the snare and an AKG C 414 condenser.
More TLM 103 large condensers are applied for rack and floor toms as well as overheads, and hi-hat and ride cymbals employ Neumann KM 184 condensers.
On kick drum, Hager uses a combination of a classic AKG D 12 dynamic in front with a Shure Beta 91 condenser inside.
These are supplemented with a DIY version of a Yamaha Subkick, which is simply a white 6-inch woofer from a Yamaha NS10 nearfield monitor.
Mark Frink is Editorial Director of Live Sound International.
