I was in full “record everyone that walks into the studio” mode in 2011. I was working on so many creative projects and meeting new and talented people throughout the DMV. It was such an exciting time for sure.
I was helping a group of creatives with a promotional video for a spectacular performance staged at the The Atlas Performing Arts Center: Liner Notes. I asked the folks involved if they wouldn’t mind contributing a performance, a poem or something on camera for my eclectic-docuseries, The Angle.
When Akua and Kris did this… I had chills all over my body. It was the very first performance of the day. We did only this take. This seemed to happen out of nowhere and it was hard for me to record this because I was I was blown away and wanted to just listen and watch without working the cameras. We did this in the rear room of the first floor where I had set up my paper backdrop and some lights and three cameras. My set-up was nothing special as the space was about 150 sq ft, with inadequate lighting. But that didn’t matter, it was all about the musical performance.
In terms of sound, I’m embarrassed to say, I have no idea how I captured it “so well.” I had a couple lavs, a shotgun mic somewhere and the mics on the cameras. I spent two days mixing it over the Christmas break in Pittsburgh. I made up new ways of mixing the bass with the voice. Layering, filtering, splitting and simply adding and removing filters along the way. I will say, my $300 Countryman B6 Omni mic came through for Akua’s vocals.
What they did elevated my space in ways it’s never been lifted. This addition to my little web series was remarkable and lifted my spirits about continuing it.
