Grammy-Winning Quartet Relies on Bartlett Microphones

A two-time Grammy winner, the Turtle Island Quartet is known for its lush string sound and genre-bending musical innovation. Now celebrating its 25th year as a quartet, this Fall the group has chosen Bartlett miniature instrument microphones for their live-sound reinforcement.

Violist Jeremy Kittel says, “The mics are sounding great — no EQ at all necessary most of the time.” The quartet had previously used microphones that needed a fair amount of EQ at the mixer to reduce harshness, but the new Bartlett mics are tuned specifically for close-miking stringed instruments.

“I recently heard the Quartet perform at the University of Notre Dame” said microphone designer Bruce Bartlett. “It was a thrill to hear these virtuoso players using our mics in concert. The house sound was warm, sweet and easy on the ears.”

Since 1985 the Turtle Island Quartet has created new trends in chamber music for strings — playing jazz, bluegrass, swing, be-bop, funk, R&B, rock, hip-hop as well as the music of Latin America and India. Their latest album “Have You Ever Been” features the music of Jimi Hendrix and Turtle Island Quartet founder and composer-in-residence David Balakrishnan.

With over a dozen major-label recordings and motion picture sound tracks, the group has appeared on the Today Show, All Things Considered, and Prairie Home Companion.

Bartlett Microphones, located in Elkhart, Indiana, designs and builds specialty microphones for acoustic instruments and theater productions. Owner/engineer Bruce Bartlett says, “As long-time fans of the Turtle Island Quartet, we are honored to help convey its beautiful sound to its audiences.”

www.bartlettmics.com