CUSTOMER STORY GOOSE BELGIUM

From left to right: Dave Martijn, Bert Libeert, Mickael Karkousse and Tom Coghe, Picture credit: Universal Music Belgium PXL and Sennheiser reimagining Electronic Rock

“We are Belgium electronic rock band, GOOSE, has a fanbase that spans particularly proud Europe. 2020 marks two decades of success and also the tenth that we used this anniversary of their second album, Synrise. To mark the occa- sion, and to give their fans something special in these challeng- technology from ing times, GOOSE collaborated with Sennheiser and Belgium’s a musician’s/ PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts to produce an ex- producer’s point traordinary binaural recording and mix of the album’s title track. of view. We love GOOSE - that‘s Mickael Kark- and PXL, known for pushing the live instruments ousse (vocals/synth), Tom Coghe boundaries of innovation in audio and love to record (synth), Dave Martijn (synth) and technology, saw an opportunity to them in the most Bert Libeert (drums) - is never deliver something new and signifi- organic way. And afraid to think outside of the box cant in the development of immer- this is exactly when it comes to developing new sive audio. ideas in terms of music produc- “A couple of years ago, we were what we did.” tion and live shows. When the idea introduced to immersive sound for GOOSE came to record an immersive ver- multiple applications; such as a sion of Synrise, both Sennheiser new way of live mixing and of expe- CUSTOMER STORY GOOSE, Belgium

»It’s our answer to all the streaming shows riencing live music in a room, or by using the technology as musicians in our IEMs,” says GOOSE. “To be honest, none of these applications seemed useful to us. We love the sim- plicity of a good old rock ’n roll show; speakers left and right and a crowd jumping up and down. But now that this is all gone for an uncertain amount of time, we were looking for ways to engage with our fans. And suddenly the immersive technology made complete sense. Not as an effect or as a geeky experiment, but to help us to tell our story. “It’s our answer to all the streaming shows; the way we have always looked to build a real connection with our fans. And streaming in poor video and audio quality wasn’t up to both our fans’ and our own standard. So integrating im- mersive sound in a live record- ing shot in one take by one of our best Directors of Photog- raphy, Maximiliaan Dierickx, was the only way forward.” Reese Kirsh, Head of Sound for the London production of Come from Away Working with GOOSE was, according to PXL’s Tom Van Achte and Arthur Moelants, a natural process. Deciding on a binaural mix, which filters the sound, tricking the brain to believe a source comes from any given direction, the team at PXL partnered with Senn- heiser for the project, know- ing the audio experts’ AMBEO 3D immersive recording solu- tions, particularly the AMBEO VR Mic, would be ideal for de- livering the results they were looking for. CUSTOMER STORY GOOSE, Belgium

»We need the sensation of being in the room with us “At PXL, we are researchers “In ‘normal’ live circumstanc- these tracks were used in the in immersive audio, so we es, we would use a stereo PA final mix to give you an optimal know the recording set up to amplify our sound,” explains sensation of being in the room is always the starting point, GOOSE. “This means that all with us.” and you have to be aware of our instruments would come Whilst spot mics were used what the output will be,” says from only two directions: left in the mix to ensure the audio Tom Van Achte. “For Syn- and right. For the recording, came from the correct place rise, we made the decision we set up amps behind each relative to the position of the to record many sources and musician and made an organ- camera, making for a more use many mics. The position ic mix that was perfect in the natural experience, a Senn- of the band in the room was center of the room as a refer- heiser AMBEO VR Mic was crucial, but by fortune that’s ence point, but it was crucial also mounted on the camera, also how they rehearse, so that it also sounded great at using four SK 6000 bodypack it was a good starting point. any point in the room. This has transmitters for wireless op- We were in the lucky position the advantage that when the eration to allow the camera- where Sennheiser and Neu- camera travels in the room, it man free movement around mann supplied everything we records the sound of the ex- the room. The drum kit was asked for, along with some act spot the cameraman finds close-miked using two Neu- additional options such a himself in. Adding to that, PXL mann TLM 103s for overheads, Neumann KU 100 Dummy set up microphones in each a Neumann KM 184 for the Head mic, which we used as corner of the room to record hi-hat and two Sennheiser e a reference for the video ed- the full spectrum of sounds, 904s for toms, with electron- itor, but in essence was a re- giving us the opportunity to re- ic samples used for kick and search tool for us.” cord the room completely. All snare. A Sennheiser e 935 was CUSTOMER STORY GOOSE, Belgium

Audio mix follows the perspective of the camera used for the drummer’s vocal DAW according to the move- “The result was exactly what and two Neumann KMS 105s ment of the camera, as that we had hoped for,” concludes were deployed for additional was a vital component in be- GOOSE. “The camera invites vocals. Four overhead Senn- ing able to follow where the you in the room with us and as a heiser MKH 8020 omni mics sound is coming from. listener/viewer you really have were also used in the mix, as “It’s more our overall vision the impression that you are the camera did not only move and the position of the mics hearing the sound of the room. horizontally around the room, that’s important,” Van Achte When you stand closer to Dave but also vertically, so these explains. “With the help of you will hear his parts more opened up the overhead layer. Frank Voet, GOOSE’s FOH en- upfront than when standing The final result is a combi- gineer, we took a day to get in front of Bert’s drums. Really nation of the AMBEO VR Mic the sound we wanted into the like you were in the room with mixed using the dearVR Ambi mics. We did it ‘old school’, us walking around in the studio. Micro plugin, with direct lines just by listening. It sounds We are particularly proud that from the synths and mics, logical, but people forget. The we used this technology from a giving a balance between choice of mics also deter- musician’s/producer’s point of AMBEO and the multitrack mines part of the sound and view. We love live instruments recording. All sources, with there were not many alter- and love to record them in the the exception of the AMBEO natives to the VR mic on the most organic way. And this is VR Mic, were automated in a camera.” exactly what we did.”

Picture credit: Universal Music Belgium