Engineer Sven Lens
Friday 25th July 2008
Engineer Sven Lens reveals how Snoop and Nelson's latest collaboration highlighted just how great the sE Gemini mic sounds compared to much more expensive competition…
Sven Lens is one of Holland's leading engineers. He's an expert
in Pro Tools, runs his own studio and works freelance in many other
facilities across the country. Recently he was involved in an
extraordinary recording session involving two international
superstars from what you might call very different sides of the
street. Rap superstar Snoop Dog and country icon Willie Nelson got
together to record the track My Medicine and Sven was engineering
the session and able to witness this meeting of very different
minds…
"I was asked by Wisseloord Studios, a big commercial studio over
here in Holland where I frequently work, to be the engineer for the
session," he says. "It went very smoothly. Snoop Dogg and Willie
Nelson are both very nice, talented guys, and easy going."
As well as an sE Gemini, the studio had other mics available for
the session, but Sven believes that the Gemini easily had the best
sound.
"I had a couple of expensive mics from Germany and Latvia plus the
sE Gemini," he says. "From the moment my assistant talked through
it [the Gemini], I knew it was something special. Actually, it blew
both of the other mics away. I can hardly believe that the Gemini
sounds so good. Willie Nelson also recorded another track with
Snoop, which I actually like better than the one which is out right
now, where he used the Gemini to record guitar and vocals, at the
same moment, balancing his voice and his guitar. The Gemini was
somewhere between his mouth and his guitar. It sounded
awesome."
"Actually, thinking about it," Sven continues, "when people sing
through the Gemini, it sounds like they are three feet closer to
the mic compared to others, which gives you a more modern sound -
that's addictive! I actually bought the Gemini I used with Snoop
and Willie right after the session, since it sounded so good. It is
my first [choice] mic for vocals now, so I don't have to look what
the studio has for me, as I always bring my own Gemini!"
Sven is currently in the studio with up and coming Dutch band Terry
Bogus and, since we interviewed Sven, we hear he's already used his
new Gemini with a certain Nelly Furtado - more on this later!
Sven's top recording tips
1. Have respect for, and listen to what the artist(s) have to say -
don't only do your own thing.
2. Try to be as prepared as possible.
3. Try to have a good time!
