 |
Chris Porter has worked with the biggest and best vocalists in his 26 years in the business including Tina Turner, George Michael, Take That and Sir Cliff Richard. So which microphone does this most experienced of engineers take into the studio to record the best vocals? The sE Gemini…
“I started off engineering for Tony Visconti at Good Earth studios in London,” remembers Chris Porter as he looks back over his 26 years in the music business. Then he adds, far too casually: “Not long after that I met up with Wham! and worked on all of their early records and went on to work with George Michael for 14 years. It was engineering and production, all the big hits, Careless Whisper and Wake Me Up – everything really. I then did Take That in the 90s and had a nice big hit with Back For Good. I’m currently working on the tour DVD, doing the audio for that. I’m recording the Manchester gigs and we’re going to make it from those two concerts.”
So in the space of 30 seconds we find that Chris Porter has worked with some of the biggest names in pop! But it doesn’t end there…
“I produced about half of the Discography album for The Pet Shop Boys and am currently working on an album called Story Man with Chris De Burgh. I’m also working with Cliff Richard doing a duets project with him. There’s also Hall & Oats and Tina Turner…”
It’s fair to say, then, that Chris has been around the biggest names in music, and all helped by that early intro to Messers Michael and Ridgley…
“I’ve worked with a lot of people but I guess I was very fortunate to do that stuff with such a high profile act like Wham! and George Michael,” he agrees. “It opens a few doors and brings you to the attention of quite a few people and you rub shoulders with stars all the time. I did a lot of live work with George and hanging out in LA you meet people.”
And having recorded the best, Chris surely knows a thing or two about microphones and his new first choice model is the sE Gemini…
“I immediately tried it out on some guitars and was very impressed,” says Chris. “I’ve since recorded some vocals with Cliff and he sounds fantastic, it suits his voice perfectly. It’s a lovely warm, crisp sound that it’s got. I was impressed with the construction as well. The units look really well made and solid. The sound is really, really good. I’m waiting for the opportunity to try others in the range.”
And sE don’t just make microphones. Chris is lucky enough to be one of the first producers to try out the company’s Reflexion Filter…
“It’s very effective,” he says. “I was recording a band at Metropolis and they’ve got a very large live area there and I was using the Reflexion Filter on the guitars to contain them. You do get a really good image and it takes out a lot of the background reflections so in that situation I found it very useful.”
“I also use it in my vocal booth. Generally so you can see the vocalist you have them standing not very far from a glass window and, of course, you are getting bouncing sibilance back from the window into the mic and it can give you really blurry s’s and t’s. The Reflexion Filter cleans those up nicely and I find it also helps control the bottom end; you get a really good bottom end on the vocal. It really does make it sound like you have a very expensive booth. Such a simple idea!”
Finally, after having worked with so many top stars, can there be anyone left that Chris wants to work with? Oh yes…
“Yeah I’d probably be willing to lose a couple of legs to work with Stevie Wonder!”
Chris’ Top Production tip
“I think you have to be reasonably calm, you’ve got to be unflappable and try and maintain a happy and co-operative atmosphere.”
|