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The Genius In Front of the Microphone Niko Bolas just mixed The Terms’ record with Greg Ladanyi and recorded a challenging live rock show for a television pilot show aboard, of all locations, an aircraft carrier. His past and current credits include Herbie Hancock, Neil Young, Fiona Apple, Puff Daddy, Melissa Etheridge, Keith Richards, Herb Alpert, X, and Stan Getz and, in Greek, your name just happens to translate to “up is louder.” Sweet. At Radio City Music Hall Bolas also recently applied his trademark vocal production touches to Lightning In A Bottle, a collection of over 50 artists performing there including Bonnie Raitt and India.Arie. “This recording of Lightning In A Bottle was the closest I will ever
come to the Royal Family of music,” says Bolas with much respect. “The
genius is in front of the microphone, not in what comes after it.”
NIKO: It always changes based on the feel I get from the music, groove, artist, etc. And also I must admit sometimes it is based on what I listened to that morning before the session. RED: Talk a bit about your audio chain and tracking with EQ, dynamics processors, and preamps—does it change depending on what you're recording? NIKO: It all depends on what, whom, and where you are recording. But, for the most part, I keep it simple: I start with a microphone, and then I listen to it.
NIKO: The color of the mic is important—no pun intended here with the “Blue mics”—as it relates to the instrument. Is it a dynamic? A ribbon? Tube condenser? Large diaphragm, or little? They all individually have color to them. Experiment with it all, and you’ll get a toolbox in your brain. The size and obstruction of the mic, especially if it is huge and bulky in a band situation, might be a hindrance for more than a few reasons. What kind of spl is it living in? [A microphone’s sound pressure level handling rating.] Some microphones are not built to handle some stuff.
NIKO: Well, for instance, an old ribbon mic won’t work inside a jet engine.
NIKO: On one track for Herbie’s new record I used a large diaphragm tube mic for the piano. Basically, I stuck my head in under the cover and, while Herbie played, I moved the mic around until it sounded the fullest—that’s exactly where the mic ended up. It was placed right side up to get the reflection off the lid of his piano.
NIKO: On most anything where Steve Jordan [drummer] suggests something beginning with the phrase, ‘But what happens if??’ [laughs.] That’s an accident!
NIKO: Less and less really good analog chains.
NIKO: Ha! That’s easy—whatever I did yesterday.
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