I just spent the past three weeks in and out of the studio and editing vocal takes. At this point in the year, it’s been just over 7 months of recording.  I got some really amazing stuff at my friend Bob’s place, using his vintage McCurdy mixer and tube pres in combination with some glorious ribbon mics. I rented the SE RNR1 from Economik as well as a Coles. Ended up using the Coles for main vocals on one song and back vocals on most. I’m hoping that out of 23 takes I did for “So Sad” I have the definitive one. Oddly enough, I think I’m leaning towards one of the first ones I did.

I’m definitely in love with the sound of the SE (for those of you who know who Rupert Neve is, it’s his first collaboration on a mic design) and it sounded amazing at Bob’s studio. I have been flirting with the idea of owning it…but only if i can resolve the fact that it picks up RF (Radio Frequencies) when I use it at home in the inexplicably saturated Plateau here in Montreal. I don’t understand why every powerful tube amp I’ve owned plus this mic sound great elsewhere…take ’em home to the Plateau and they’re unusable…but some fellas have attributed it to the fact that Montreal buildings weren’t properly grounded to begin with. It seems every sound engineer has their own theory, I’m getting more involved with gear and production as each year goes by so I find myself shooting the bull about these theories more and more often. Maybe one day soon I can beat that notorious bugger RF…and then the SE and I can be reunited.