Producer Adrian Hall - from Shoeps to Starlights...

Producer, engineer and mixer Adrian Hall is also an invaluable member of the Aston 33, the industry testing panel who ensure, through pre-release blind listening tests, that each Aston microphone sounds the best in its class.

Adrian’s impressive list of credits includes Depeche Mode, Goldfrapp, Black Eyed Peas, Robbie Williams, Anna Calvi, All Saints, Simply Red and many more. Formerly house engineer at Metropolis Studios in London, Adrian turned freelance in 2004. A longtime user of Aston mics, he explained how he uses his Starlights and Spirits during recent sessions with singer Dexy and London alt-rockers The Wild Things:

“I used the Aston Spirit on vocals, and the Aston Starlights on overheads, acoustic guitars, percussion. In the studio, the Aston Starlights are my small-diaphragm condenser of choice, again always used on drum overheads, acoustic guitars and percussion. I used to have a pair of vintage Schoeps, but I actually sold those when I got the Starlights.”

Not only did the Starlights stack up against the vintage competition, they offered Adrian far more in terms of versatility:

“I love the Vintage mode. With the flatter EQ, they sound really close to the Schoeps, and if I use the Modern mode with the EQ lift, it sounds very close to the pair of AKG 451s that I have, so the Starlights are like having two great pairs of mics in one.”

With Starlight pencil mics favoured for overhead, acoustic guitar and percussion duties, Adrian uses the larger diaphragm Spirit as one of his go-to vocal mics and for certain tasks when recording drums.

These days Adrian majors on mixing, although the ProTools powered ‘garden office’ where he does much of his work also includes a booth with drum kit permanently set up so he can record artists “when budgets are really low.”

Limited space dictates a one-in, one-out policy for gear, so we were obviously pleased to learn Adrian’s Aston mics are still very much present and correct on his equipment list!

Thanks for all the help and support Adrian – Aston family!

Read our full interview with Adrian here: https://www.astonmics.com/EN/artist-details/Adrian-Hall

To read more about mixer, producer and engineer Adrian Hall please visit his website here: http://www.adrian-hall.com/