Apr 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Steve Jennings

Sting is playing to sell-out crowds on his theater tour supporting his new CD, Sacred Love. Mix caught up with him at the Ohio Theater in Columbus, and spoke with front-of-house engineer Jim Ebdon about this tour's gear.

“I have been using the DiGiCo D5 for the last year now through all its minor teething problems and it has proved very successful,” Ebdon says. “I have the standard console with the basic 56-input configuration. I am using all of the onboard dynamic and effects features, except for a Lexicon 480L purely for a different ‘shade’ of effect. I use the snapshot feature to its fullest, which makes life even easier. I am recording each show to Pro Tools and can mix together certain input channels on each snapshot and send them to different audio tracks on Pro Tools. The link between the two is one coaxial cable carrying 56 digital channels into a MADI converter.

“I'm using the Clair Bros. i4 system and typically hanging six to eight per side with i4-bs whenever possible, as we are at the mercy of the amount of points we get in these smaller venues,” he continues. “I use two S4s per side, which adds punch to the system when we are unable to use the i4-bs.

“Sting's vocal mic is a Sennheiser 865, which was designed for him. On wireless, he uses an SKM5000 body with a Neumann 105 capsule. In monitor world is Sting's longtime, exceptional monitor engineer, Vish Wady.”

Mix Books

Modern Recording and Mixing

This 2-DVD set will show you how the best in the music industry set up a studio to make world-class records. Regardless of what gear you are using, the information you'll find here will allow you to take advantage of decades of expert knowledge. Order now $39.95

Mastering Cubase 4

Electronic Musician magazine and Thomson Course Technology PTR have joined forces again to create the second volume in their Personal Studio Series, Mastering Steinberg's Cubase(tm). Edited and produced by the staff of Electronic Musician, this special issue is not only a must-read for users of Cubase(tm) software, but it also delivers essential information for anyone recording/producing music in a personal-studio. Order now $12.95

Newsletters

MixLine

Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, MixLine takes you straight into the studio, with new product announcements, industry news, upcoming events, recent recording/post projects and much more. Click here to read the latest edition; sign up here.

MixLine Live

Delivered straight to your inbox every other week, MixLine Live takes you on the road with today's hottest tours, new sound reinforcement professional products, recent installs, industry news and much more. Click here to read the latest edition; sign up here.