— Popular Internet radio stream equips its new mobile studio with Audio-Technica mics for live music capture, in-studio performances and voiceovers —
NAB EXPO, LAS VEGAS, NV, April 12, 2010 — Audio-Technica, a world leader for microphone solutions for over 45 years, was recently selected as microphone of choice employed by the new mobile studio for the Folk Alley live streaming web radio program from Kent, Ohio-based WKSU-FM. Audio-Technica microphones are used for announcement/voiceover applications, live music broadcast and in-studio guests/performances in the mobile broadcast vehicle, which has been up and running since August 1, 2009, and was part of the team for the National Public Radio (NPR) stream from the 50th Anniversary Newport Folk Festival later that month.
WKSU and Folk Alley Executive Director Al Bartholet stated, “When we first developed our plans for Folk Alley’s mobile recording studio, we put Audio-Technica microphones on the top of our wish list. Music and radio are industries that revolve around audio, and having the ability to use mics of Audio-Technica’s outstanding quality makes it easier for us to do our job well.”
Included in the studio’s microphone arsenal are AE5400 Cardioid Condenser Handheld Microphones, AE5100 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphones, PRO 35 Cardioid Condenser Clip-on Instrument Microphones and AT875R Line + Gradient Condenser Microphones.
Joe Gunderman, Folk Alley Production Coordinator and Senior Producer, stated, “I’m very enthusiastic about the AE5400s. We have in-studio guests, and in the past, we might normally have used a large-diaphragm with shock mount, but the AE5400 sounds just as great and is friendlier visually to put in front of our guests. We’ve used AE5400s also in the studio and at live events, for recent performances by some really great folk artists – Madison Violet, Solas, The Greencards, Ann Heaton and Natalia Zukerman from Winter Bloom, and lots more. Also, the AE5100s are great too – we use them in front of acoustic guitars, acoustic bass, bouzoukis, mandolins, and more, and they’ve always given us a real nice response.”
Adds Linda Fahey, Folk Alley Director of Programming and Marketing, “We built the FolkAlley.com mobile studio to enable us to capture the best folk and roots music performances at venues and festivals around the country. Using Audio-Technica mics – the best in the business – makes our final audio better and provides an enhanced listening experience for the thousands of people streaming Folk Alley’s interviews and concert recordings online.”
About the Folk Alley Mobile Recording Studio
With its new Mobile Recording Studio, WKSU’s Folk Alley is now able to take its show on the road. The vehicle was paid for through a generous grant from a Folk Alley fan and helps promote FolkAlley.com and Kent State University. In August 2009, the mobile studio provided live audio to National Public Radio (NPR) for broadcasts from the 50th Anniversary Newport Folk Festival featuring music legends Pete Seeger and Mavis Staples, indie folk act Iron & Wine and many others. The mobile studio carries state-of-the-art equipment and can serve as living quarters for staff on location. WKSU plans on taking the mobile studio to other music festivals and major events in the future.
About FolkAlley.com
FolkAlley.com went online in September 2003, offering live-streaming music over the Internet 24 hours a day. The hosted stream is produced by WKSU-FM in Kent, Ohio, which also built and maintains the web site. The Folk Alley playlist is created by senior host Jim Blum and Folk Alley Music Director Linda Fahey, and features a distinctive blend of the best of singer/songwriter, Celtic, acoustic, Americana, traditional and world sounds. Folk Alley strives to bring folk music to the world via the Internet, reaching across the miles and the generations to provide global exposure for an art form with longstanding tradition and a loyal fan community. Since July 2008, Folk Alley’s programming stream has also been aired as a subchannel on WKSU’s HD Radio over-air feed.
About WKSU
WKSU-FM went on the air 60 years ago as a service of Kent State University. A National Public Radio affiliate, WKSU airs the best in classical music and public radio entertainment programming. Folk music has also played an important role in WKSU’s broadcast history, thanks in part to Kent, Ohio’s longstanding connection with the folk community, including hosting the Kent State Folk Festival for over three decades.
For more information, please visit www.FolkAlley.com and www.au dio-technica.com.
