Recording Engineer, Producer, Musician and Mixing Engineer Dontaniel Jamel Kimbrough is not any stranger to the manufacturing of gospel music, having labored alongside worship artists similar to Kirk Franklin, Dorinda Clark-Cole and Byron Cage. His most up-to-date undertaking concerned American gospel musician Todd Dulaney’s latest album, “The Journey Continues,” which was recorded stay at Calvary Church in Naperville, Illinois. Producing a stay album at all times presents its personal challenges, and Kimbrough’s purpose, whether or not recording in studio or stay, is to seize voice and instrumental audio as naturally as potential. Beginning with an genuine sound supply is commonly key to producing a clear and pure recording.
For Kimbrough, this meant calling on a number of options from DPA Microphones, together with the 4099D Instrument Mics and 2011C Twin Diaphragm Mics, in addition to the model’s new 4055 Kick Drum Microphone. “The very first thing I observed about DPA mics was how they translated the supply,” Kimbrough explains. “The recordings sound as pure and unprocessed as potential. After the lead vocals, the drums are most likely the most important focus of any recording. You actually wish to hear that beat. What makes a drum stick out is the standard of the recording. DPA has by no means let me down relating to an ideal recording, and this undertaking was no exception; all the things turned out loopy good with the DPAs.”
Equipped by Chicago-based skilled AV manufacturing firm, Sven Professional, nearly all of the DPA options have been used for Dulaney’s drum equipment ― such because the 4099s on snare and toms. “What I like in regards to the 4099s is the transparency; they remind me of a basic mic, however with out the colour,” Kimbrough provides. “They’re probably the greatest mics we’ve ever used on snare and toms. I like which you could hear each ghost notice on the snare. The mics choose up all of the frequencies proper the place the meat of the snare lives, round 350-450 Hz. With most different mics, we must bump the frequency to really feel and listen to that, however that’s not mandatory with the 4099s.”
With the sound of the drums on the prime of Kimbrough’s priorities, he rounded out his drum miking with the brand new DPA 4055 Kick Drum Mic, in addition to the 2011C Twin Diaphragm Mics for the hi-hats and as left/proper overheads on the cymbals. “The brand new 4055 can be tremendous clear. It has an ideal presence and thump, which is what all of us form of search for in gospel music,” he explains.
One of many first issues anybody thinks about with gospel music is the tonality of the vocals, which is why it was essential for Kimbrough to pick out a microphone that will spotlight each Dulaney and his backing vocals. “We opted to make use of the DPA 2028 and d:facto 4018 Vocal Capsules with Sennheiser wi-fi techniques, which made all the things really easy,” Kimbrough says. “With the d:facto, you’ll be able to simply swap the mic off, and shortly swap capsules. I used the identical ones within the studio and on-stage to take care of a consistency within the recordings. These options are nice for any software. All of the capsules are linear and clear; you hear each frequency as a result of nothing will get washed out.”
Kimbrough is equally impressed by his expertise with Sven Professional, which offered help all through the stay occasion. In accordance with Kimbrough, having a strong relationship with Sven Professional has been key to connecting artists with the audio world. “Sven has by no means let me down; the corporate is nice at bringing musicians and producers collectively and connecting us with manufacturers that assist elevate our creativity,” he says. “Communication is all the things in any relationship and Sven goes above and past. With their assist, we’ve even been capable of maintain Billboard’s No. 1 spot on previous productions.”
With “The Journey Continues” set to launch this summer season, Kimbrough appears to be like ahead to sharing the album’s impeccable sound with the world. “I’m excited so that you can hear Todd’s vocals,” he finishes. “The last word aim with mics is to get clear sound, which lets you do no matter you wish to do with the tip consequence. These DPA mics have all been ridiculously good for that.”
As an engineer, producer and musician, Kimbrough has earned quite a few GRAMMY, ASCAP, Dove and Stellar awards and nominations, and was named Gospel Music Contact Awards’ Producer of the 12 months in 2014. Kimbrough additionally prides himself on being the music director at Calvary Church ― one of many largest multi-ethnic church buildings in Illinois, the place “The Journey Continues” was recorded. A longtime collaborator of Dulaney’s, Kimbrough has helped the musician create a number of chart-topping hits, with runs lasting so long as six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel record.
A former skilled baseball participant turned gospel musician, Dulaney first joined the recording trade in 2011 along with his breakthrough album “Pulling Me By way of,” which earned a Prime-50 spot on the Billboard Gospel charts when first launched. He subsequently launched it on digital platforms in 2013, taking the album to No. 23. His 2016 album, “A Worshipper’s Coronary heart,” hit No. 1 on that very same chart, earned a spot on the Billboard 200 and obtained a GRAMMY Award-nomination for Greatest Gospel Album. Dulaney’s subsequent albums ― “Your Nice Title” and the stay “Anthems & Glory” additionally pulled in No. 1 accolades, and he’s presently touring in help of “The Journey Continues.”
