PACAD249-ALL ACCESS/Spring

The most successful recording artists become stars. The most enduring stars become legends. But what do you call the entertainers for whom the word “legend” is an understatement? sir elt on! WhATEVER TERM YOu uSE , ThERE ’S nO DEnYIng ThAT SIR ELTOn JOhn belongsinthatelitecategory. Fourdecadesintohiscareer,aftersome50albums(more, ifyoucountallthecompilations),Johnremainsmorevitalthanever. Bothhisclassicalbumsandhisnewreleasescontinuetosellinthe millions.heperformshundredsofelectrifyingconcertseachyear. AndeverytimeSirEltonrecordsorperforms,Yamahaisrightthere withhim. SirEltonhasusedYamahaDisklavier ® grandpianosexclusively Songs From the West Coast , the latest release from Elton has been nominated sincehefirstplayedonemanyyearsago.“Whenitcomestomy for 2 Grammys: Best Pop Male Vocal piano,”hesays,“Yamahasharesmyphilosophythatanythingshort and Best Pop Male Vocal Performance ofperfectsimplyisn’tgoodenough.IfeelthatIcanalwaysrelyon for the smash hit "I Want Love." myYamahapianotogivemeitsbest.” To learn more, go to www.eltonjohn.com ButtheYamahaconnectionismorethanpiano-deep.Thecompa - nyalsoprovidesmostoftheelectronicinstrumentsandsoundgear thathelpensurethatSirElton’sconcertsliveuptothesinger’s notoriouslyexactingdemands. “Yamaha,”saysSirElton, “understandsmyneedsasaprofessional musicianandperformer.” “Yamaha shares my philosophy that anything short of perfect simply isn't good enough.” 16 yama ha all access spring 2 k2 17 sir elt on! Yamaha Products on the Road with Elton THE STORY OF THE WORLD’S BEST-LOVED KE Y BOARD otherstendtobeflownaroundfor,say,specialone- 4 – CFIIIs Midi hourperformancesorasingle-songtelevision Concert Grands appearance.Becausethey’vebeenplayedsomuch 2 – PM1Ds less,theyinevitablyfeelstiffbycomparison.Butwe 2 – PM4000s IT hAS cIRcLED ThE gLOBE “Pian oA”were.Theytoldustherewasoneattheuniversity, recentlymanagedtogetpianosB,c,andDintoone 5 – 01Vs countlesstimes.Ithas whichwasapparentlybeingusedfororchestralcon - placeatthesametimeforrehearsal,andtheboys 2 – 02Rs K EI TH BR A DL E Y beenplayedeverywhere certs.Wewentandpickeditup,anditneverwent fromYamahacameoutforalittleconference.They 8 – Motif Synths fromtheKremlinandthe back.IthinkseveralfactorswonEltonover:the lookedatthepianos’actionandeverythingelse,and Whitehousetogianni weightingofthekeys,thefasterresponsetime,the nowIfeelwehavethreeexcellentpianosthatarevery 4 – P300s Versace’slivingroom.They brightertone.Atanyrate,itinstantlybecametheA similartoA.” 1 – AN1X evenwantedtoputitinto pianoandhasbeeneversince.” DoesEltonagree?“Well,”saysBradley“pianoA 4 – TG-77s theSmithsonian,butEltonJohnsaid,“no!Istillneed ButareaudiencesactuallyhearingpianoAat isinforservicerightnow,sopianocisgoingup 2 – DTX TREME Kits ittoplay.” “It’s probably Elton’sconcerts?Absolutely,saysSticha.“Everything onstagefortonight’sconcert,andEltonisvery,very 1 – RS7000 It’s“pianoA,”thefirstandfavoriteofElton’sfour youhearreallycomesfromhim.There’snosequenc - happywithit.Infact,hesayshe’soverthemoonwith 1 – MDF3 the most played, 9-footYamahaDisklavier ® DcFIIIconcertgrands. ingortapesoranythinglikethat.Thepianoismiked, howhispianosareperformingrightnow,andhe Various Yamaha Mixers “It’sprobablythemostplayed,mosttraveled butit’salsoaMIDIcontrollerthattriggersother couldn’tbehappierregardingtheservicehegets most traveled piano pianoontheplanet,”saysKeithBradley,Elton’stour soundssuchasstringsandtheelectricpiano director.“Actually,Eltonhasfourtouringpianosys - on‘Daniel.’SoinsteadofEltonhavingtoswitch on the planet.” tems,whicharerepresentedbythelettersAthrough instruments,wemakethepianobecomethose D A L E ST I CH A D.EachsysteminvolvesaYamahaDisklavierpiano instruments.Also,thepianotriggersexternalpiano andarackofgear.There’salsopianoE,a7’6” modulesthatreinforcetheacousticsound.Theaudi - Dale Sticha with “Piano A” YamahagrandinLondonthat’susedformostofthe enceusuallyhearsalayeredmixofacousticandelec - studiowork.ButElton’sdeepestemotionalattach - tronicpianos,whichallrunthroughtheYamaha01V mentistopianoA.” mixerinElton’srack.” “pianoAwastheinstrumentthatmadeElton EltonhaslongreliedonYamahap300sforhis switchtoYamahafromthebrandhe’dusedbefore,” supplementalpianosounds,buthe’scurrently saysDaleSticha,Elton’spianotechnicianforthelast switchingovertotheYamahaMotif.“AlltheMotif decade.“Thatpianohasseensomanythings:the soundsarefantastic,andEltonisveryhappywith princessDianamemorial,theAcademyAwards.I them.”AndElton,ofcourse,pilotseverythingfrom reallybelievethere’ssomemagicthere.Eltonhas thepianoAkeyboard. becomeveryattachedtoit,andnowit’sapartofhim. ButarepianoA’sdaysnumbered?“Maybe,” Idon’twanttocallita‘marriage,’butit’sdefinitelya sighsSticha,“Eltonhasplayeditsolongandsohard musicalpartnership.” thatit’sshowingsignsofwear,thoughYamaha’s Bradleyrecountshowthepartnershipcameto techniciansworkhardtokeepitgoing.Maybeitis pass:“Atonepointabouttwelveyearsago,before timetobethinkingaboutanewpiano.” EltonplayedYamahas,hesuddenlydecidedthatthe Actually,Eltonandhisteamhavealreadydone pianohe’dbeenplayingwastoomuddy.hesimply morethanjustthinkaboutA’ssuccessor.“Ourprob - walkedoffstageonenightandtoldmehecouldn’t lem,”saysBradley,“isthatAhasbeentheoneused playitanymore!IimmediatelycalledYamahaand forthenightly,three-hourtouringshows,whilethe “Piano A” is a 9-foot Yamaha Disklavier ® DCFIII Concert Grand askediftherewasapianoinnewOrleans,wherewe 18 yama ha all access spring 2 k2 19 sir elt on! “Itendtostaywithartists “I like Elton’s perfectionism. long-term,”saysRichardson.“That’s becausethemoreIgettoknowthem, thebetterjobIcandoforthem.Elton new,”saysAlan, “thoughit’sastepupinqualityfromtheYamaha02R John Mahon: Elton’s Trigger Man It keeps me on my toes.” IuseforElton’ssolopianoshows,andIlovethesoundofthatmixer. knowsthatI’llgiveitmyall,andIknow JOhn MAhOn hAS BEEn ELTOn JOhn ’S thatheiscompletelyuncompromising. Bothboardshaveinstantrecall,whichIalsolove,butinaddition,the percussionistandbackingvocalistforfive Ilikehisperfectionism.Itkeepsmeon pM1DletsyoustoreallyoursettingsontoapcIcardsmallenough years,butsometimeshestillfeelslike mytoesandkeepsmeinterested. tofitinyourpocket.ThatmeansI’llbeabletosimplycarrythecard pinchinghimselfonstage. Frankly,itcangetboringworkingfor withmeandhaveinstantaccesstomyexactsettingsonanypM1D “Thesearesomeofmyfavorite someoneforwhom‘prettygood’is anywhereintheworld.That’sgoingtobeamajorstress-saver.” songs,”hesays.“WhenIsingsomething goodenough.ButEltonwantstogive IfanEltonJohnfanweretosteponstagetohearthesinger’s like‘Levon,’Ihavetoremindmyself,‘hey hisbestperformanceeverysingle personalmix,wouldanythingsurprisethem?“Thevolume,”says —I’msingingitwiththeguy!’” night,andheperformsbestwhen Richardson.“It’sjustphenomenal.peoplealwayshaveahardtime Instrumentally,Mahon’sexpertiseinbothacousticandelec - hedoesn’thavetoworryaboutthe believingElton’sonstagelevelisasloudasitis.hejustlikestofeel tronicpercussionmakeshimuniquelyqualifiedtorealizeElton’s soundhe’shearingonstage.Whenhe hisentirebodyvibratingfromthesoundofhisvoice.Trustme— hugesongbookonstage.herecreatesboththesubtlehand- feelscomfortablewiththemix,we’re it’spumpin’!” percussionshadingsoftheearlymate - bothhappy.” rialandtherhythmloopsthatdrive Whilemanysingersonlycareabout manyofthenewertunes. hearingthemselvesinthemonitors,Elton J O HN M A H O N TheheartofMahon’scustom- expectsafull,activemix.“hewantsitto designedsetupisasetofsixYamaha soundlikearecord,”saysRichardson. John Mahon’s set-up consists of six DTXreme pads DTXTREMEpads.“Theytrulyfeellike A L A N R I CH A RDS O N “hewantstohearthetoms,thedrum acousticdrums,”hesays.“They’re overheads,everybitofpercussion. mountedliketoms,sotheyhaveavery Alan Richardson with the PM4000M Essentially,Icreateafullstudiomixfor tom-likefeel.Ialsolikethefactthat himeverynight,incorporatingalmost they’resmallenoughtofitclosely everymiconstage.AndEltonisn’ta‘set together.Someoftheotherelectronic itandleaveit’sortofguy.It’safly-by-wire padsarejustmonstrouslylarge.” situationthat’sdifferenteverytime.” Therigalsoincludesadual-trigger Mixing Elton for Elton: A Talk with That’sonereasonRichardsonpreferstokeephisgearasmin - YamahabarpadandaDTXTREME Monitor Engineer Alan Richardson imalaspossible.“peopleareamazedathowsimplemymonitorrig kick-drumtrigger.Theninecontrolsur - is,”hesays.“Idon’tusemuchoutboardgearbecauseittendsto facesdriveaMotif.“TheMotif ELTOn JOhn IS Such An AuDIO pERFEcTIOnIST dirtyupmonitorsound.Remember,theartistshavegota60,000- drumandpercussionsoundsarejust thattheonlypersonhetruststorun wattpApointedawayfromthem,andalltheycanhearofitisthe great,”enthusesMahon.Alsoonstage: hisfront-of-housemixiscliveFranks, muddywashbouncingbackfromtherearofthevenue,sothey aYamahaMX12/4mixeranda12” anotedproducerwhohasworkedwith needclarity.Ifyoustartaddinggear,youriskfoggingitup.” YamahapeterErskinesignaturesnare. thesingersince1969.Butthejobofmix - Infact,theongoingsearchforsimplicityhasinspired “It’sabeautifulmapledrumwithavin - ingforthepickiestearsinthevenuefalls Richardsontoswitchto tage-stylefinish,”saysJohn.“Iplayit tothemanatthesideofthestage:moni - anewmixingboard. Clive Franks withbrushesonafewsongsandman, torengineerAlanRichardson. untilrecentlyheused itjustsings.” “I’mresponsibleforeverythingEltonhearsonstage,”says aYamahapM4000M, Ironically,Mahonfirstmadehis Richardson.“I’vebeenmixingmonitorsforhimsince’96,andIfeel “When I sing something like ‘Levon’, asmallercousintothe namesingingfrombehindadrumkit, wehaveareallygoodrelationship.heunderstandsthattherewillbe pM4000cliveFranks notapercussionrack.“WhenImoved nightswhenit’snot100%perfect,butheknowsthatI’musually I have

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