• Listening to perfume
• Interview:
  Klaus Doldinger
• Raiders of lost flavors
• The palate has ears
• The scent of an evening
• From closing doors and fizzing bottles
• Tasting sound

"It all comes down to the microphone"

Klaus Doldinger, Germany's foremost jazz musician, has been composing music for advertising, television (the German crime series Tatort) and film since the 1960s. Doldinger is known internationally for his screen scores for Das Boot and The Neverending Story. The jazz saxophonist and his band, Passport, have been performing together for over 40 years. On the occasion of his 75th birthday, Doldinger talks about music's sensuality and gives his insight into how to choose the right microphone.

Is there a smell or taste to music?

(Laughs) That would make it all the better. When music grabs you, it evokes all kinds of feelings, though I am not sure one would get the same sense of enjoyment as sitting down to a nice meal of alpine trout. However, I do believe that good sound and the right music can trigger a physical sense of well-being.

Wild Freshness, the advertising jingle you composed in 1969 for the beauty soap Fa, has become a classic. Is it possible for music to conjure up a sense of the "wild freshness of lime"?

Back then, I had just started to write music for films, documentaries and TV commercials. All of a sudden, that took precedence, not the band. Questions like "Who's playing?" or "Who can play what?" were expanded to include questions on content, sequences and synchronization. It's possible to create an atmosphere that evokes the feeling of being at the beach – possibly even smelling limes. Whether that can be translated to every feeling – or even should – is a question for another day. But having to address these questions broadened my reach as a composer. Wild freshness is just an example. But, in the end, it's about writing something meaningful … something of lasting value.

Is playing the saxophone sensuous?

When you play, you are fully connected and totally involved in the instrument. Though you may not get the same feeling you do when listening to music, playing adds a whole new dimension. The location, such as a theater with relatively dry acoustics, a large concert hall or a sports arena, makes a huge difference.

That's a bit disappointing to hear. Your music seems so full of emotion and now you tell us that the saxophone and sensuousness don't go hand in hand …

I know the feeling (laughs). I was a pianist at first. My enthusiasm for the saxophone suffered a big shock when I started practicing. It was a painful sensory experience for my lips, hands, arms and neck. I associate the first few years of learning to play the saxophone with bloody lips. It isn't an easy instrument to master. But don't take it too badly. The more you practice, the more sensuous it becomes.

How important is the interplay between microphone and mouthpiece?

The mouthpiece is a very important part of playing a wind instrument. But so is its bamboo reed. There has to be a synergy between the reed, mouthpiece and instrument. Couple that with the right microphone, a room with great acoustics, a good audience and the right music, then nothing can go wrong (laughs).

You are a trained sound engineer and have your own studio …

That's true. But what I learned in the 1960s no longer applies today. That is, other than a natural curiosity in technology. Actually, I learned the most about sound technology in the late 1970s, when I set up my own studio. I had a room that we used for recording – sometimes even with two microphones. In other words, we started out very, very small.

Today's music software is making a lot of studio equipment obsolete. Would it be fair to say that all you need today is a fast computer and good microphones?

It's not as though analog technology has to be thrown out completely. The microphone connects the artist with the recording equipment. The microphones you use make all the difference, especially when recording expressive things like the voice and other instruments.

Now that you work with software, do you miss analog devices? With buttons to rotate, they could be very sensual.

Recording has become less complicated. In the past, I was a prisoner to the studio as well as the sound engineer and his assistants. Today, I can do it all myself. Digital technology has its own sensuality; for instance, clicking on a mouse to achieve the effects I want. I have always considered sound technology as a natural extension of my musicianship.

You use Sennheiser microphones both on stage and in your studio. What do you like about them?

EW-500 wireless microphones give me freedom of movement. However, when it comes to acoustic improvisation with jazz piano and bass accompanied by the discreet rhythm of the drums, I prefer a stand microphone so that I can increase or lower the dynamics by moving toward or away from the mic. When I record myself, there's nothing better than the tried and true Neumann microphones.

Have you experimented with different types of microphones?

On stage, we worked exclusively with condenser microphones – never tubes. It's a whole other story in the studio. To me, Sennheiser is the name. I like their world view and commitment to artists. I don't know of any other company that pays as much attention to an artist's needs as Sennheiser.

You've accumulated a tremendous amount of experience. After all, you've been in the music business almost all your life. Now that you're coming up to 75, do you find it easier or more difficult to compose, improvise and play?

I keep myself fit. There are other factors as well: where you perform and with whom. The only difference I have noticed is that every concert has become its own moment of truth.

You've won prizes, written hits and traveled the world. Is there anything you feel like you haven't achieved?

I never really thought about what I wanted to achieve. Of course, one recognizes the successes. But that was never my main motivation. When things don't go right, you have to be able to take a step back. At the same time, you can't ever stop rehearsing or working on yourself. That's the bottom line. Seen superficially, the benchmark for success is set slightly too high. But what's important to me is that I come to terms with myself.

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