Archivist of New York's Live Indie Music Scene Takes Neumann and Sennheiser Along for the Ride

Defense Attorney by Day and Passionate Music Recording Aficionado by Night, 
NYCTaper Captures Performances of Established and Up-and-Coming Bands Using Sennheiser and Neumann Gear
By: Hummingbird Media
 
Dec. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- NEW YORK, NY: Since 2007, Dan Lynch (a.k.a. NYCTaper) has been burning the candle at both ends. A defense attorney by day and passionate recording aficionado by night, NYCTaper's services are highly regarded by indie bands and fans alike. For fans -- no matter where they are located in the world -- he brings the excitement of the NYC club scene directly their web browser, delivering pristine audio of shows they otherwise would have missed. He helps solidify bands' fan bases by posting complete packages of high quality music, photographs and editorial.

His site -- NYCTaper.com -- now boasts around 600 recordings and has several thousand daily visitors worldwide. When he started out, Lynch relied on a simple, two-track set up and soon upgraded his set up to a digital four-track. He also began using Neumann and Sennheiser, which now represent the core of his microphone and headphone monitoring system. "I want to make it feel like people were there; I want them to hear the room breathing and all the natural dynamics," Lynch says.

Since the beginning, Lynch's only motivation in making these recordings and making them available to fans has been his own passion and enthusiasm -- he charges nothing to the bands, record labels or fans. This passion -- combined with the results he has been getting by using superior gear -- has not only increased his credibility, but has opened many doors for him as well. "The fact that I am not making any money at this helps my credibility," he observes. "People understand that I am not financially motivated -- I have a day job for that."

The choice is clear: Neumann and Sennheiser
From a microphone perspective, Lynch says that he was drawn to the Neumann KM 150s for their authentic sound and clarity. "When I bring back the WAV files to my studio for mixing, it is a relief to know that what I heard at the venue is as close as possible to what I am actually getting on tape. I want to make it feel like people were there -- NYCTaper is the next best thing." Typically, he will use a spaced pair of KM 150s pointed right at the stacks -- about 30' out and 8' high -- for the first two inputs on his digital recorder. For the remaining two tracks, he will source a stereo feed from the soundboard.

To monitor his recordings, Lynch relies on a pair of Sennheiser HD 555s. "I am old school when it comes to headphones -- I prefer the giant ones that go over the ears, like the HD 555s." he says. "These headphones pick up a nice amount of space, especially in quiet scenarios; they are also very comfortable, which is important."

Monitoring in a high SPL environment can be challenging: "The reason I like the HD 555s is because they help me pick up on things that you can't necessarily pull off of a meter: for example, if a board feed is a little hot or some other anomaly needs addressing, these headphones help me zero in on the issue." For Lynch, Sennheiser and Neumann represent a consistently winning combination: "Between the KM 500s and the HD 555s, I know that whatever I am hearing will get picked up."

Lynch takes pride in knowing that in running NYCTaper, he may have had a small role in helping artists reach the next plateau: "One of the highlights for me of the last few years was when the Antlers made it big. I had taped them a year earlier in a room with about 10 people. Then there they were, selling out the Bowery Ballroom. That was a special moment where I felt that maybe what I am doing means something," he recalls.

As for the future, Lynch is open to wherever his path may lead: "This has all grown so organically and I am kind of just letting things happen."
End
Source:Hummingbird Media
Email:***@hummingbirdmedia.com Email Verified
Tags:Sennheiser, Nyctaper, Dan Lynch, Recording, Headphones, Microphones, Live, Indie, New York
Industry:Music, Technology
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