DPA Microphones Hit Every Beat for Spirit of Atlanta Drum Corps

ATLANTA, NOVEMBER 7, 2024 ― Spirit of Atlanta is a non-profit youth organization that provides musicians and performers aged 16 to 21 with opportunities to develop skills in music, marching and performing arts through an intensive tour. With a strong emphasis on both teamwork and personal growth, Spirit of Atlanta fosters an environment where young people can learn valuable life skills. Often considered the “NFL of marching bands,” the organization competes against similar organizations across the country. This year, the group travelled over 6,500 miles — from Georgia to Texas, up into Pennsylvania, and across to Indianapolis — for the 2024 Drum Corps International World Championships.

To enhance the group’s 12-minute production with a full percussion-filled front ensemble, Spirit of Atlanta relies on a variety of DPA Microphones. This includes the brand’s 4099 Instrument Mics on snare, trombone, flugelhorn, trumpet, trombone and aluphone; 4097 Micro Shotguns to amplify bongos; 2015 Wide Cardioids mounted onto the marimbas; and 4055 Kick Drum Mics mounted on each of the gong drums. “We turned to DPA after looking to create a more acoustic, clear sound from our performers on the football field,” says Ken Masaki, Head of Audio Design, Spirit of Atlanta. “Since working with the brand, I’ve come to the conclusion that they are the best microphones to help amplify our performances.”

According to Masaki, one of the main benefits of using DPA for the Spirit of Atlanta performances has been the clarity of the mics. “Before DPA, I had to apply a lot of processing to the instruments, but I have been able to avoid that with the DPA mics,” he explains. “Now, with any of the DPA solutions, I typically just use a low-pass filter, cut some low-mids for feedback reasons, and it sounds extremely accurate to the instrument, which is great.”

Another favorite feature of the brand for Masaki is the durability of the mics, which are primarily handled by students during the outdoor performances. “The craftsmanship of the DPA solutions speaks for itself,” he continues. “With DPA, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for durability. We have students dancing around with their instruments in their hands during each performance, which are outdoors all day, every day, and the mics have held up great.”

Additionally, the DPA team have made it possible for Masaki and his team to solve various issues that the group previously experienced with other microphones. “In drum corps, because our ensembles are so loud, we would often run into a lot of audio feedback problems with our microphones,” he explains. “We are now able to turn up the output on all these instruments without distorting or losing the quality of the sound. The audio on the DPA mics also doesn’t clip as easily as other microphones, which is a major upgrade from brands that we previously used.”

The DPA mics have also impacted Spirit of Atlanta’s overall competitive strategy. “We are often evaluated from a distance, with the judges elevated on the field, sometimes about 200- to 300-feet away from the ensemble,” explains Masaki. “I think the cleanliness of the DPA microphones helps the judges get a very accurate listen to the performance. The mics amplify each individual instrument, which not only benefits us in the judging phase, but also provides the paying audience with that same experience. It’s usually very difficult to replicate these sounds, which are amplified fairly aggressively, and I think using DPA provides a great opportunity for audiences to hear the ensemble the way we intend. In the end, that is my job—to make sure that I’m bridging that gap between the performers and the audience.”

Furthermore, Masaki says the group has received significant feedback from sound designers, judges and audiences alike. “Everyone who has listened to our recent performances has told me that the ensemble sounds significantly clearer this year than in the past,” he says. “We have been getting compliments left and right.”