Hollywood, CA (February 23, 2009) –Veteran drummer and studio owner
Mark Zonder is loading up on Lauten Audio microphones.
Zonder is an industry veteran with album credits dating back to the early 1980s L.A. metal scene. He is the owner of the famous "
Bill's Place" recording and rehearsal studio in North Hollywood, which remains the launching place of many top artists and bands. He first earned a name for himself in the band Warlord, which some metal veterans refer to as legendary and far ahead of its time. He later joined Fates Warning, considered one of the most influential contributors to the progressive metal genre. Zonder spent almost 15 years with Fates Warning before departing to start his own band
Slavior in 2006. He contributed to numerous side projects including Kevin Moore, Chroma Key, Jim Matheos solo project Away with Words, solo album of Joacim Cans from Hammerfall, and a reunion with Warlord, among others. In 2007 Zonder released a new full length album on the Inside Out Music label for his band Slavior.
"I was first introduced to Lauten microphones by the guys over at Summit Audio. Having loved their gear for many years I asked if they could recommend a few microphones, unaware they were representing Lauten microphones. So, they sent down a couple
Horizons. They sounded amazing on my drums as overheads and room mics." Since then Zonder has added two sets of
Torches and an
Oceanus as a vocal mic. "I really dig the small diaphragm Torches, and the ability to use tube mics on my drums is amazing," Zonder added. "After a couple positioning tips from Lauten, my toms sound huge! For a large portion of my drum sound, I have officially switched from some really big names to the 'Lauten sound;' this company is really making some special mics."
In recent months Zonder has been holding a large number of
drum clinics throughout California at musical instrument dealers as well as at the Musicians Institute. "I am really lucky to have been able to stay in the industry all this time," Zonder says of his 30-plus-year career behind a drum kit. "Getting the opportunity to pass on my knowledge and skills to a new generation is really an honor."
Something unusual is the fact that Zonder has been taking his Lauten microphones on the road with him for these clinics. "I called Lauten and spoke to
Brian Loudenslager about the mics' ability to handle the road; he said it's not the first time he's heard of someone taking them out. He said as long as I can deal with the power supplies the Torches and Horizons should do fine but recommended keeping the Oceanus in my studio." You can check the news section of Zonder's website at www.markzonder.com for upcoming clinic dates in Los Angeles and San Diego where you can see him and the Lauten microphones in action.
Mark Zonder
http://www.markzonder.com
The most up-to-date drum clinic dates are available on Zonders myspace: www.myspace.com/markzonder
Lauten Audio
www.lautenaudio.com
Lauten Audio's Oceanus tube condenser microphone makes an immediate bold statement by virtue of its hefty size (3.5x7.5x3.6-inches; 5 pounds), innovative design and great sound. Oceanus uses two tubes—a military/scientific grade pentode NOS 6J1 (6AK5W) wired as a triode for the capsule amp and a 12AU7 (dual) triode output stage. The mic's internal construction is good: a circuit board is hand-wired to two tubes encased, side by side, in an aluminum heat sink that makes up the back half of the mic's body. Read more.
