NASHVILLE — Reflecting the preferences of top country artists and music mixers, Audio-Technica and Sennheiser were among the top microphone brands represented at the 43rd Annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, with live performances broadcast from Sommet Center on ABC. ATK/Audiotek provided the sound system with FOH (front-of-house) mixers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer, and the broadcast music mix was handled by New Jersey/California-based Music Mix Mobile’s John Harris and Jay Vicari. The 5.1-channel surround sound production was overseen by audio producers Michael Abbott and Tom Davis.
Audio-Technica Mics
Audio-Technica, marking its 16th year of supporting the CMAs, was represented with over 250 of its microphones at the event, including an array of hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless Systems, including the one used by Taylor Swift, who paired the 5000 Series system with the AEW-T4100 Cardioid Dynamic Handheld Transmitter for her lead vocals and AEW-T1000 UHF UniPak transmitter for her acoustic guitar. Swift swept the categories in which she was nominated, winning awards for Female Vocalist, Album of the Year, Video of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
Audio-Technica endorsers Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean each performed with the 5000 Series and the AEW-T5400 Cardioid Condenser Handheld Transmitter, with Chesney performing a duet with Dave Matthews, who also used an AEW-T5400.
Other 5000 Series users included Billy Currington, who also used the AEW-T5400, and Chris Daughtry, also an endorser, who performed using an AEW-T6100 Hypercardioid Dynamic Handheld Transmitter. Jamey Johnson went a different route, choosing the wired AE6100 Hypercardioid Dynamic Handheld Microphone.
The backline mic complement of A-T wired microphones included the AE3000 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone on snare and rotary speaker; AT4050 Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone on guitars and bass; AT4040 Cardioid Condenser Microphone on overheads; AE2500 Dual-Element Cardioid Instrument Microphone on kick drum; AE5100 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone on hi-hat and ride cymbals; AE5400 Cardioid Condenser Microphone on rotary speaker; ATM450 Cardioid Condenser Instrument Microphone on ride cymbals; ATM650 Dynamic Instrument Microphone on snare and rotary speaker; and ATM350 Cardioid Condenser Clip-On Microphone on toms and fiddle/violin.
Sennheiser Mics
Other top performers on “country music’s biggest night” relied on Sennheiser wireless and wired microphones to help tell their stories, with two of those artists, Sugarland and Lady Antebellum, picking up three awards in the process.
More than a dozen channels of 5000, 2000 and 500 series wireless microphones, in addition to 16 channels of G2 plus new 2000 Series wireless personal monitors, were in operation at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville as a succession of Sennheiser endorsers and users, including Miranda Lambert, the Zac Brown Band, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Sugarland and Reba McEntire, took to the stage. The Sennheiser acts additionally made use of a mix of SKM 2000 wireless handhelds fitted with MMD 935 capsules, as well as SKM 5200 RF handhelds with MD 5235 capsules on background vocals.
Country Music Association awards have typically gone to the genre’s stalwarts but this year saw some of the new generation of talent honored. Relative newcomers Lady Antebellum, recognized just 12 months ago as New Artist of the Year, picked up two awards this year, beating out more established artists in the “Vocal Group,” category and also picked up “Single of the Year” for “I Run to You.” Sugarland pulled off a hat trick, with a third consecutive Vocal Duo of the Year award.
Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott and Charles Kelly sang their ballad, “Need You Now,” with Sennheiser’s SKM 5200 RF handheld with dynamic MD 5235 capsule. Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush performed their ballad, “Keep You,” using wired e 935 mics and with string accompaniment.
For ABC’s 5.1-channel HDTV broadcast, Harris and Viccari mixed in Music Mix Mobile’s two remote trucks. Along with Baltzell and Shimer at FOH, Mike Parker and Jason Spence (who made use of four 2000 Series and four G2 PM systems) served as monitor engineers, and Dave Rickmers was RF coordinator. Additional wireless and communications supplied by Kevin Sanford and Wireless First, again under the auspices of audio producers Abbott and Davis.
Miranda Lambert, singing through a Sennheiser SKM 2000 wireless mic with MMD 935 capsule, performed “White Liar” from her latest album, Revolution. The Zac Brown Band, who came to the show with multiple nominations, gave a nod to old school country with a rendition of “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” originally performed by the Charlie Daniels Band, using the same combination of handheld and capsule.
Tim McGraw was back at the CMA Awards following a four-year absence to perform “Southern Voice,” from his latest album, with the help of an SKM 2000 wireless handheld and MMK 965 capsule. Reba McEntire performed “Consider Me Gone” from her latest album with an SKM 500 wireless handheld outfitted with an 865 capsule, paired with an EM 2050 receiver.
On the backline of the show’s two stages, close to two dozen Sennheiser e 602s were in place for kick drums and floor toms. In addition, ATK provided eight Neumann KM 184 microphones to capture audience reaction. All voiceover packages for the evening’s broadcast were pre-recorded using Neumann TLM 49 mics.
This year’s CMA Awards three-hour telecast attracted an average audience of almost 17 million viewers for ABC, an increase of nearly one million since last year and the best viewing figure since 2005.
For more information, please visit www.audio-technica.com and www.sennheiserusa.com.
