Enter The Giveaway HERE: https://gleam.io/IdkEd/roswell-cab-mic-giveaway
Download The Multitracks Here: https://producelikeapro.lpages.co/david-bowie-ziggy-stardust-form
Check out the Colares here: https://roswellproaudio.com/products/colares
Check out the Cab Mic here: https://roswellproaudio.com/products/cab-mic
There are moments in recording where the past and present collide in the best possible way. This was one of them. A modern microphone, a classic song, a brilliant group of musicians, and a shared love for music that has outlived trends, formats, and more questionable fashion choices than most of us care to admit.
This is the story of capturing Ziggy Stardust through the lens of Roswell microphones, and why the Roswell Cab Mic turned out to be far more than just another piece of internet hype.
The Roswell Cab Mic, More Than Just Buzz
Let’s get this out of the way first. Yes, the Roswell Cab Mic has had a fair bit of buzz around it. The sort of chatter that usually makes you a little cautious.
However, this one earns it.
Designed specifically to sit on-axis with a guitar speaker, the Cab Mic captures brightness, bite, and detail, then leaves you the flexibility to shape it in the mix. It is not pre-sculpted into something overly dark or overly hyped. It just gives you a really solid, honest starting point.
Placed about six inches off the centre of the cone, it delivered clarity, presence, and a focused midrange that sat beautifully in the track. What really stood out, however, was how well it worked beyond just guitar cabinets.
Electric, acoustic, layered parts, it handled all of it.
Matt McGlynn, The Philosophy Behind the Mic
A big part of why these microphones work so well comes down to Matt McGlynn.
Matt is also the founder of Mic Parts, and if you have spent any time in the recording world over the last couple of decades, you will know his reputation. He has helped countless engineers and musicians understand how microphones actually work, not just what they are supposed to do, but why they behave the way they do.
That educational foundation really shows in Roswell.
These mics are not designed to trick you. They are designed to give you usable, musical information. There is a clarity of intent behind them that is quite refreshing.
One of the things I have always appreciated about Matt is that he does not just promote his own gear. He talks about microphones in general, dynamics, ribbons, condensers, the strengths and weaknesses of all of them. He has even spent time inside the Produce Like A Pro Academy doing exactly that, helping people make better decisions regardless of brand.
That kind of honesty tends to lead to better products.
A Timeless Song, Revisited
Covering Ziggy Stardust is never just about learning the chords. It is about capturing a feel, an attitude, and a kind of looseness that made that era so exciting.
The original recording, featuring David Bowie and brought to life with Mick Ronson, is alive in all the ways that matter. It moves, it breathes, it is slightly unpredictable, and that is exactly why it works.
Roan Martin, A Young Artist with an Old Soul
For this version, we brought together a fantastic group of musicians. Roan Martin handled the vocals beautifully, Darby Todd delivered world-class drums, and then there was me, doing my best not to drag the average down too far.
So really, two incredible musicians and me enthusiastically holding a guitar and hoping confidence counts for something.
Roan was the perfect choice. Discovered on Instagram doing Bowie, Queen, and Beatles covers, he has that rare ability to connect with this music in a completely natural way. It never feels forced or overly studied.
Tracking him through the Roswell Colares was a joy. The mic captured his voice in a very open, honest way, which meant I did not need to do much. A bit of compression, a light touch, and let the performance speak.
Recreating the Guitar DNA of Ziggy
The guitars are such a defining part of Ziggy Stardust. The aggressive acoustic, the doubled electrics, the attitude of Mick Ronson’s playing, all of it matters.
Using the Roswell Cab Mic on both acoustic and electric turned out to be incredibly effective. On the acoustic, it behaved like a detailed condenser, responsive and lively. On the electric, it captured brightness and attack, which I then shaped with EQ.
A dip around 2k to control harshness, some added low mids for body, and a gentle roll-off on the top end gave me a tone that felt energetic but controlled.
The key thing was that the mic gave me options. It did not lock me into one sound.
Why the Original Still Feels Alive
One of the joys of revisiting this track is realising just how imperfect it is by modern standards.
There are tuning inconsistencies. Timing fluctuations. Moments where parts rub against each other.
And yet, none of that detracts from it. In fact, it enhances it.
That slight unpredictability, that push and pull, is what gives the song its character. It is the difference between something that is technically correct and something that feels like a performance.
Bass, Drums, and the Bigger Picture
The bass was a blend of the Roswell Mini K47 KD and a DI. The mic gave me midrange character and grit, while the DI provided the low-end foundation. Together, they recreated that slightly forward, melodic bass tone that works so well in this arrangement.
Darby Todd’s drum recording leaned heavily on Roswell and Mic Parts microphones, and the results were fantastic. The overheads sounded natural and balanced, the ambient mics added size and vibe, and the overall kit felt cohesive from the start.
When the source sounds that good, mixing becomes a joy rather than a rescue mission.
Compression, Then and Now
There is a common misconception that older records were less compressed. In reality, they were often heavily compressed, just in a different way.
Compression was printed on the way in. Tape shaped transients. The sound was committed early.
You can hear it here. Sustained acoustics, flattened electric transients, bass with a strong attack and controlled decay.
It is not about less compression. It is about using it musically.
Final Thoughts
This project brought together so many things I love. Bowie, Mick Ronson, great musicianship, and tools that genuinely help serve the music.
Roan Martin delivered a fantastic vocal. Darby Todd brought power and finesse to the drums. I contributed guitars, bass, and what I like to think was at least a solid effort, if not quite the same level of brilliance.
And at the centre of it all, the Roswell Cab Mic proved itself to be a genuinely useful, musical tool. Not just a niche mic for one job, but something versatile enough to earn a place in a real session.
A lot of that comes down to Matt McGlynn’s approach. Build tools that make sense, sound good, and help people create.
That is exactly what this mic does.
Enter The Giveaway HERE: https://gleam.io/IdkEd/roswell-cab-mic-giveaway
Download The Multitracks Here: https://producelikeapro.lpages.co/david-bowie-ziggy-stardust-form
Check out the Colares here: https://roswellproaudio.com/products/colares
Check out the Cab Mic here: https://roswellproaudio.com/products/cab-mic
Have a marvellous time recording and mixing.
