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beyerdynamic’s TG-X 60 is the Bees Knees

UK artists The Bees have recently released their third album, “Octopus”, to an enthusiastic reception from both their fans and the media. The band members (who originate from the Isle of Wight) recorded their 2002 debut album, “Sunshine Hit Me”, in a garden shed. The album subsequently received a Mercury Music Prize nomination! Material from this and a second (2004) album, “Free The Bees”, has featured in several prominent TV commercials, bringing the band’s music to millions. The Bees’ individual style shows a diverse mix of influences including ska, blues and 60s rock. Their songs feature strong vocals with warm harmonies and effective brass lines.

During a recent tour, The Bees’ FOH engineer Steve Colley road tested beyerdynamic’s classic TG-X 60 microphone on the band’s vocals, alongside some established competitors.

“During the sound check on the first day of the tour I was auditioning a variety of vocal microphones - dynamic and condenser offerings from the usual manufacturers, and a few from some alternative manufacturers. I was impressed with the clarity and smoothness of some of these condensers, though the monitor engineer wasn't too pleased with their rejection. Then, Martin Mittler (Candie Payne/Zutons/Embrace) handed me a TG-X 60. The first thing I noticed was its high output and then, when we bought it up on front of house, everyone noticed it. It floored the competition. Instantly the voices were fuller and clearer, on front of house and in the monitors. Just in case, I repeated the test for the next 7 or so nights in a variety of venues and on a variety of systems. The TG-X 60 was always the microphone of choice. Myself, the monitor engineer and the vocalists have all noticed the positive difference that these microphones have made.

I'm happy because the microphones give me a smoother sound with the body and the clarity I've been looking for, without the harsh break up at around 4KHz that Paul’s voice seems to incite in some microphones. The monitor engineer loves his Beta 58s, but even he was impressed at how well the TG-X 60's monitored. They seem to exhibit excellent control without sacrificing the ability to cut through. It's not just working well on one voice that counts either. The lead vocal and the keys vocal microphones have 3 different vocalists on them throughout the show, each with totally different properties in their voices. The changeover to the TGX-60 has been welcomed by all.

As for the M 88, it's probably the ultimate 'desert island' dynamic. We use this on brass and kick drum predominantly, but I'd quite happily put it anywhere - except maybe on overheads.”

And Steve’s final conclusion: “If you own a PA or a studio and don't own a couple of these, you should be rectifying that.” Martin adds: “The amount of beyerdynamic mics in our arsenal has steadily grown. Every addition has been a helpful and satisfying one”.