Distinguished Percussionist Taku Hirano Makes His Mark with HARMAN’s AKG Microphones

NEW YORK, New York – As a recording and touring percussionist, Taku Hirano has worked with some of the most successful artists in the world, performing live with legends such as Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige and Usher, and working in the studio with Fleetwood Mac, Dr. Dre, Kanye West and Lionel Richie. Throughout these endeavors, Hirano has relied on only the highest quality microphones from HARMAN’s AKG.

“I have always been a fan of AKG microphones for both tour and studio applications,” said Hirano. “Working with AKG has afforded me superior microphones that meet my needs for both sonic precision in the studio and the rigors of the road.”

As a microphone for overheads in his percussion setup, Hirano uses the C414 XLS to capture the best patterns during every application. It can cover everything from handheld percussion instruments to cymbals and gongs. Most recently, Hirano also acquired a Groove Pack, which includes an AKG P2, two P17 and three P4 microphones for multi-purpose use on the road.

“This has been my go-to kit for everything while I am on tour,” according to Hirano. “Whether I am conducting sessions in my hotel room, or live performances on stage, these microphones and the accompanying lightweight protective aluminum case cover all my needs.”

Having performed at high-profile venues recently such as the White House and Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL” world tour, Hirano requires his microphones to be durable and consistent throughout the duration of their lifespan. He believes AKG microphones fulfill this criteria matching the longevity of his career.

“It’s no surprise to me that all of the AKG products I own have performed flawlessly,” said Hirano. “Having recently visited the AKG manufacturing facility in Vienna during a world tour, I saw firsthand the meticulous attention to detail that AKG follows. The quality of sound and durability of the physical microphone casing means that I can have peace of mind in the studio and on the road.”

HARMAN designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of 14,800 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.7 billion for the last twelve months ended December 31, 2013.

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Singing Wells Records, Archives and Shares Traditional African Music with HARMAN’s AKG Microphones

VIENNA, Austria – Working to raise awareness and manage traditional East African music for future generations to listen, refer to and take pride in, not-for-profit group Singing Wells travels throughout the continent to capture beautiful melodies of the people of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and others. With a studio pair of HARMAN’s AKG C414 XLS reference recording microphones, Singing Wells captures the sounds of local musicians and offers young artists an opportunity to collaborate and incorporate traditional music into their own work. 

Beginning in 2011, with a successful pilot recording in the coastal province of Kenya, Singing Wells (a collaboration between UK-based charity Abubilla Music Foundation and Ketebul Music) delivers engineers to help with audio and video recording during performances.

“The time we spend in the field must be used productively, so being able to set up quickly and capture as many high-quality recordings as possible was an important factor when considering microphones,” stated Andy Patterson, Singing Wells. “I’ve used AKG throughout my entire career for vocals, guitars, overheads and ambients in various studios and they have never disappointed.”

A matched pair of AKG C414 XLS is used on a stand to record in the field and have been featured on every recording Singing Wells has developed. From the vocals to the percussion and even the performers’ stomping feet, C414 beautifully captures the rhythm, soul and heart of the performers.

“The C414’s produce a reliable image and balance of the sound, which we complement with extra lapel and spot mics.” Patterson continued.  “We are confident that in the event of failure of the other microphones, we will have an accurate stereo recording from the main pair of AKG C414 mics as a fallback if necessary. In such differing outdoor environments, I was worried we might suffer equipment failures, but the C414’s have never let us down.”

Singing Wells pays a gratuity to all artists for their recording time and in the event any money is made from the recordings, royalties are also paid.

“We see ourselves not just as archivists and seed collectors, but as cultivators and seed planters, helping to conserve and grow this magical type of performance,“ said Patterson. “The next stage in our project is to try and raise the profile of Singing Wells and the musicians we have recorded. We’ve worked with amazing artists, and anyone in any culture can surely appreciate and respect their passion.”

For more information on the Singing Wells project, please visit http://ww.singingwells.org

For more information on the AKG C414 XLS, please visit http://www.akg.com/C414+XLS-788.html

HARMAN (www.HARMAN.com) designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 14,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of $4.3 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013.

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