Pictured at TRI Studios in San Rafael, CA, are Ryan Loftus, Jeff Pehrson, Jeff Chimenti, Alan Veniscofsky, Bob Weir, Jason Scheuner, Robyn Sylvester, Jonathan Wilson, and Richard Gowen. Photo by Paul Vnuk Jr.

San Francisco Bay Area, CA, December, 2012 -- TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik and TRI (Tamalpias Research Institute) Studios have partnered for a private performance event and recording workshop for the press, industry professionals, and TELEFUNKEN dealers.

Recorded in hi-resolution audio and HD video, the performance featured musicians from the Grateful Dead inspired family of bands, including Furthur, Ratdog, Box Set, The Fall Risk, Sovoso, and The Sunshine Garcia Band. A tour of the facility was conducted by one of TRI’s engineers, Dennis “Wizard” Leonard, well known for his work at Skywalker Sound.

Performers included studio owner and Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir (Furthur, Ratdog), Jeff Chimenti (Furthur, Ratdog keyboard player), Jeff Pehrson (The Fall Risk, Box Set, Furthur backing vocalist), Robyn Sylvester (Ratdog bassist), Jonathan Wilson (prominent LA producer / musician credited with reviving the Laurel Canyon sound), Richard Gowen (Jonathan Wilson’s drummer), and Sunshine Becker (Sovoso, The Sunshine Garcia Band).


On hand from TELEFUNKEN were director of operations Alan Veniscofsky, design engineer Ryan Loftus, and artist liaison Jason Scheuner. TELEFUNKEN microphones owned by Weir include two ELA M 251s, two C-12s, three ELA M 260s, two AK-47 MkIIs, eight M80s, six M81s, and a vintage AKG C-24 restored by TELEFUNKEN.

In addition to the mics already on hand at the studio, TELEFUNKEN brought in other mics, such as the CU-29 Copperhead, the new version of the AR-51 with the dual-membrane edge-terminated TK-51D capsule, and a prototype of the new M82 Dynamic. The entire performance was recorded exclusively with TELEFUNKEN microphones.

Highlights of the TRI Studio sessions included the use of the TELEFUNKEN ELA M 260 TRI-MONO system, a 3-channel Decca Tree-type microphone array developed in tandem with TRI Studio engineers and designed for recording room and ambient environments. TRI Studios employs the Meyer Constellation System, which combines a patented algorithm, digital processing, and miniature transducer technology with acoustical research to provide sonic flexibility not normally attainable without movable walls or orchestra shells. TELEFUNKEN’S TRI-MONO system proved to be the perfect tool for recording the unique sonic capabilities of TRI Studios.

Jason Scheuner, TELEFUNKEN’s artist liaison, has worked for several years with the team at the studio. “This was a one of a kind event,” he remarked. “The musicians were all exceptional, the studio and their audio/video engineering team are unmatched, and it proved to be the perfect situation to push our TELEFUNKEN mics to the limits -- the results were incredible.”

For more info about Tamalpais Research Institute (TRI Studios), visit:
TRIStudios.com.