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Steve Gadd Takes Earthworks Along for the Ride!

2009.11.04

Drummer Extraordinaire Steve Gadd Takes Earthworks Along for the Ride on James Taylor Tour

The Drum FullKit™ captures nuances of Gadd's exquisite style, delivering accurate frequency response and natural sound.

Earthworks, manufacturer of High Definition Microphones™, announced that it has signed legendary drummer Steve Gadd as its most recently endorsed touring artist. Gadd is among the most accomplished drummers of our time and recently completed a European tour drumming for James Taylor.  

At the very start of the tour, well-respected front of house engineer David Morgan told Gadd about Earthworks' drum mics.  Morgan - who has a stellar track record in his own right, was already a fan of Earthworks PianoMic™, calling it "the most beautiful piano system I've ever used."  In his second life as a journalist, Morgan had also written enthusiastic reviews about both the PianoMic™ and the Drum FullKit™.  As a friend and a trusted professional, Morgan insisted that Gadd give them a try on the James Taylor tour.  

"I've had a lot of experience with Steve," explains Morgan. "We took the Earthworks mics with us over to Europe this summer and the results were absolutely astounding. I've been sold on these mics from the very beginning and now Steve has become an Earthworks believer as well."
 
On the James Taylor tour, Gadd plays a Yamaha drum set with a 20" x 16" bass drum, a 12" and 13" rack toms and 14" and 15" floor toms.  He's also got a rack cowbell on the bass drum and four cymbals: two crashes, a ride, a sizzle and a hi-hat.  The entire kit is miked using Earthworks' Drum FullKit™ system; this includes (1) DP25/C (on the snare), (4) DP30/Cs (on the toms), (2) SR25s (overheads), (1) SR30 (on the hi-hat), (1) SR30 (on the kick drum) and a KickPad.

Steve Gadd commented: "A lot of people were talking about these microphones, so I tried them out and they were really good. I have a lot of respect for Dave Morgan, who was very excited, and also got very positive feedback from everyone else involved.  They said the dynamics of my playing were really coming through and that mics have a really great, natural sound."

The DP25/Cs and the DP30/Cs yield an exceptional degree of detail due to their extended frequency range and fast impulse response.  Also, the diaphragms found on these mics settle much more quickly than competing microphone diaphragms, enabling them to more accurately capture the widely varying timbre and dynamic sounds typically found in a drum performance. The DP25/C, which is designed to excel on snare drums, features a frequency response of 60Hz to 25kHz. The DP30/C, which comes with a flexible gooseneck, has a frequency response of 30Hz to 30kHz.  Both microphones can handle up to 145 dB SPL; their polar patterns feature excellent rear rejection, helping engineers effectively control phasing issues.

Michael Hurwitz, National Sales Manager of Earthworks, commented: "It is an honor for Earthworks to sponsor Steve Gadd, who is a truly unique performer.  His track record as a musician is impeccable, and we are privileged for Earthworks to be his microphone of choice.  We hope to continue this relationship for many years to come."

read more about the Drum FullKit here

read more about the PianoMic System here