The Saint Brigid’s Team
The Saint Brigid’s Sessions are made possible by the dedicated efforts of this volunteer team:
- Stephen Neale, host and co-producer
- Stephen, formerly of CKCU-FM, and whose programs were noted for their diversity, is drawn to all styles of music and has traveled to festivals and shows across Canada, the United States, including Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, the Caribbean and Africa.
- David Bignell, sound and co-producer
- David is both a musician and a producer/engineer. He performs as a sideman in many
Ottawa bands as well as in his own 2 projects: the Lake Effect Sound and Cloud of Rock.
David can also be found in his studio recording and mixing releases for a wide range of
artists, including: Lucky Ron, Ian Tamblyn, The Hammerheads, Sneezy Waters, Chloé Laberge, and many others.
- David is both a musician and a producer/engineer. He performs as a sideman in many
- Robert Patterson, video
- A camera man, photographer and video editor with well over 25 years of professional experience, Robert is also an avid music fan. Robert brought a strong dimension to the sessions by capturing and co-producing the videos.
- Jason Leroux, video
- Jason is an experienced camera man and video editor, who, like the rest if the team, has a passion for music. He is also one of Ottawa’s most dedicated Lucky Ron fans.
- Michael ‘tic’ Houston, photography
- tic, among many other community minded endeavours, is the producer of Barn Storm, an annual music festival of country, rock, folk, ambient, instrumental and metal that is held in his Odditorium, a converted 150-year-old barn, in Finch, Ontario.
- Josée Robillard, photography
- Josée is a mixed-media artist/printmaker, a founding member of the New Edinburgh Artists’ Studio Tour (NEST) and music enthusiast. Actively participating in local art exhibitions, Josée is inspired by the myriad of individuals on their own journeys to better themselves and their communities.
- Patricia Traill, photography
- The energy and soul of Frou Frou Boutique, an independent business located in Ottawa’s Lowertown, Patricia volunteered for the sessions to reignite her interest in photography.
Some Technical Information
Microphones
The Saint Brigid’s Sessions used the following microphones:
- One stereo ribbon microphone made by AEA
- One Brauner Phantom C microphone
- Spot mics and/or DI boxes were used to enhance the presence of quieter instruments or vocalists
Each session was tracked to a Pro Tools HD Native System and mixed post-session.
Instrumentation
In line with the overall concept, the space and the fact that the session were first broadcast on a morning radio program, we did not want to work with anything LOUD. That meant, for example, no full drum sets, small drums played loud, full-on electric guitars or bagpipes!
The goal was to capture a natural sound in what really is a magnificent sounding space. The louder the music gets, the murkier and indistinct the sound becomes.
It sounds counterintuitive because it is a big church space, but it worked best with an intimate ensemble. Think of it as a small studio but without walls. What we sought were performances with 1 to 3 people. That is what worked best.
Broadcast Sound and Video Sound
The sound file used for radio broadcast was: 44.1k / 16 bit.
The sound file used for the video is: 48k / 24 bit.