A first for me, I helped transform a huge open space into a yoga studio and reinforced a harp.
Yogis stretched on colorful mats, a harpist’s fingers danced across strings, and Nick from Yoga Den guided the class through their poses.
For Nick’s voice, I reached for a trusty DPA headset. These mics are the unsung heroes of clear communication. They’ve survived being dropped, sweated on, and probably a few downward dogs. Today, it would ensure every “breathe in” and “hold that pose” floated effortlessly to eager ears.
For the harp, I chose a vintage Sennheiser MD 421, positioning it a meter away, angled towards the higher strings. Those high notes needed a little extra love to soar across the deck, while the lower tones rumbled through just fine on their own. The untreated wooden floor helped, too.
As the class began, I noticed the harpist’s brow furrow. She’d been asked to play to specific chakras, which she interpreted as sticking to F Major. It sounded fine, but I could almost see the musical questions bouncing around in her head. Note to self: next time, suggest a pre-event jam session between the musician and instructor. A little harmony before the harmonizing, if you will.
Bodies swayed to plucked strings, breaths synced with musical phrases. A gentle 3 dB boost was all it took to wrap the entire Foyer Deck in a blanket of sound. Just enough to fill the space without overwhelming the om.