Patrick Derivaz and his new 'go-to ribbon mic', the Voodoo VR1
2012-11-19
Patrick Derivaz contacted sE recently via marketing@seelectronics.com to share some kind words with us;
“Hi sE,
I just wanted to let you know that recently I bought a sE Voodoo VR1 and I love the way it sounds on various sound sources. A couple of weeks ago I decided to do a blind test recording an electric guitar with different mics to check how the Voodoo will perform. During recording, the mics were at the same position and distance from the speaker and going to a preamp always at the same level. After playback, the guitar player and the other musicians and engineers all picked the Voodoo as their favorite...Thanks for a great job!”
Patrick Derivaz composes, performs, records, mixes and produces and has worked on numerous successful projects. He lives and works in New York whilst also finding the time to perform lectures at NYU and FIT. He is currently recording and mixing for the 5th season of ‘Nurse Jackie’, the award winning American comedy-drama for Showtime. After hearing his positive feedback about the Voodoo VR1, we were excited to hear more about his career and his new love for sE mics…
“Early on, I enjoyed listening to and playing a broad range of music styles and genres; jazz, rock, classical and world music, to name a few. I was born in France and stayed there to study music at the Conservatoire before moving to New York. I have produced, played and engineered many albums, films and commercials. John Cale, Will.I.Am, Philip Glass, Joe Zawinul, Tom Verlaine are amongst the many great musicians I have worked with.”
“I had heard great things about sE mics over the past 8 to 10 years but hadn’t had a chance to use them. I now own a sE Voodoo VR1 and it is not only a fantastic sounding microphone, but the craftsmanship and build are first class.”
“My focal area of work is studio recording and mixing, and my main music set up is usually various combinations of mics, preamps, eqs and compressors. I have used the VR1 on double bass and cello and I didn’t have to use eq either tracking or during the mix. As a room mic it adds a very nice element and dimension to the tracks.”
“Doing a blind test with some of the best mics around made the VR1 shine. The sound is fantastic! In an age of mass production, having something handmade makes you appreciate the expertise and care that went into it. Sometimes, working in the best studios and using classic mics, one can easily forget that some of the mics being built today are remarkable, and will be tommorrows classics.”
“I still appreciate the other mics used for the blind test however I much prefer the Voodoo VR1 the most overall; given its small footprint, it is very easy to use on tight spots. It also looks great and I am now looking forward to working with other sE products.”
“I recently used the VR1 on tracks for two upcoming contemporary classical music CDs, ‘Hopper Stories’ a documentary for Arte about Edgar Hopper, and another for HBO, ‘Fall to Grace’ which was about ex New Jersey Governer James McGreevey. I will be using it quite a bit on the new season of ‘Nurse Jackie’ for Showtime in a few days.”
“The VR1 has a very articulate sound, with a nice bass presence and smooth sounding highs. As with most high quality ribbons mics, the transients are handled very well. I have used a lot of different mics over the years, and the sE Voodoo VR1 is now my go-to ribbon mic! Between the sound quality, craftsmanship and price you owe it to yourself to have one (at least…).”
Thank you to Patrick for contacting us and for his kind words! If you would like to buy or audition the sE Voodoo VR1 or any of the other sE mics, please email marketing@seelectronics.com