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| Al Schmitt Bags his 11th Grammy for Diana Kralls Latest |
| 28.02.2002 Los Angeles, California |
Now solidly in two-figure territory, veteran engineer Al Schmitt added an eleventh Grammy to his impressive list of accomplishments for his work on Diana Krall's "The Look of Love" (Verve). He took the "Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical" prize, as he did on Krall's 1999 release "When I Look in Your Eyes," by maintaining an unswerving dedication to audio fidelity, warmth, and beauty. As always, Schmitt relied heavily on the true sound of Neumann microphones, a recipe that has earned him over 140 gold and platinum albums in addition to 24 Grammy nominations and 11 wins.
Al Schmitt bags 11th Grammy for "Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical" with Diana Krall's "The Look of Love"
This marks Schmitt's fifth recording for the hugely talented Krall, whose smoky voice and incredible musicianship are making her a legend in her own time. Apart from awards, "The Look of Love" has received immense critical praise and won the hearts of her fans, most of who believe it to be her best work yet.
Schmitt recorded the album at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios in London and made extensive use of their equally famous microphone cabinet. Nevertheless, he brought a few of his favorite Neumann mics with him, most notably one of Tommy LiPuma's vintage U 67 for Krall's vocals. When he speaks of it, he frequently uses the adjective "magical" and synonyms thereof - it's the best vocal microphone he has ever used!
Schmitt captured Krall's piano with a pair of Neumann M 149 tube microphones and the upright bass with a vintage U 47, a formula that he has used in the past to great effect. "I use a lot of tube gear," he noted. "It gives me the warm, natural sound that I like." -and that has put him on the cusp of a dozen Grammys!
The orchestra came to life with the Neumann sound, a veritable case study in optimal microphone selection. He used U 67s on the violins and woodwinds, KM 84s on the cellos, U 47s on the basses, and M 49s on the french horns. These spot microphones sat inside the luscious room image captured by a pair of M 150s, Neumann's new large diaphragm condenser inspired by the vintage M 50. "The M 150 is the best new microphone out there!" Schmitt proclaimed. "With its great omni polar response in the low end and directional characteristic in the high end, I often use it to record orchestras or surround channels."
Schmitt's heavy use of Neumann microphones on "The Look of Love" is not unusual. "I use Neumann microphones all the time," he said. "I just love the way they sound - I've been using them all my life. I use a combination of vintage and new as both have very admirable characteristics. They give me exactly what I want."
Of course, Schmitt backed up the Neumann's with first-rate processing and storage, using Neve consoles and analog BASF 900 tape. He committed the stereo mix to 1/2-inch tape and the surround mix to 2-inch 8-track tape. As always, he monitored through his custom Tannoy/Mastering Lab hybrid loudspeakers.
Neumann's award winning line of microphones has set the standard in the industry since 1928. In 1999, Neumann received the prestigious Technical Grammy(r) for their 70 years of innovation in microphone design and contribution to the music industry. A continuing commitment to provide innovative, technically refined products and engineering solutions of proven quality ensures that Neumann's stature will remain unassailable.
Sennheiser Electronic Corporation
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(860) 434-5220, Fax (860) 434-3148
http://www.sennheiserusa.com
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Contacts:
Karl Winkler, Director, Marketing Communications
kwinkler@neumannusa.com, (860) 434-5220
Antoinette Flosi, Publicity
tflosi@aadvert.com, (847) 998-0600
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