LAS VEGAS – Lee Pepper of RRS Audio used a SAC Software Audio Console for a televised tribute to composer Michel Legrand at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The event, hosted by Jon Voight and Jennifer O'Neill, featured Dionne Warwick, George Benson, Melissa Manchester, Frank Sinatra Jr., Andy Williams, Jerry Lewis and others performing with a 66-piece orchestra.
Lee also used a speaker system from 3G Productions including of a large d&b audiotechnik J Series rig, configured with a main left, right and center, an "outer" left and right, plus subs and front fills (inner and outer).
The SAC virtual mixing, software based system, was in a host computer located backstage. This provided the engine for the monitor mix position as well as the FOH, which was controlled via a remote computer. The FOH position also used a small 16-channel fader "surface" for hands-on adjustments.
In addition to the myriad of zones, mixes and feeds from FOH and monitors, SAC also facilitated easy 62 track recording of rehearsals. This gave the show producers two important, yet disparate tools that proved invaluable – first, the ability to play back rehearsal recordings as a virtual orchestra allowed Lee and Bob Lentini, SAC company founder and monitor mixer for this event, to walk the room with a wireless netbook and tweak the house mix after the orchestra and other performers were gone, and second, Lentini was able to quickly mix down a rehearsal segment and provide an accurate audio mix, which was then in turn used for the show's opening video segment.
Given the demands of a 10 camera shoot and audio splits to a broadcast and recording truck, not to mention many instrument and star performer staging changes made to please the video director, it fell on Lentini to constantly adjust for the changes and make Michel's on-stage sound studio-like and give the composer a high level of comfort. Using a small netbook computer during rehearsals, Bob was able to sit next to Legrand at his piano and make real time adjustments to the monitors per his suggestions and needs.
Seven on stage stereo mixes were used, not as many as one might think given the scope of the show. Lentini took advantage of SAC's ability to split FOH into 24 monitor consoles and created an environment on stage that felt more like the control room (sans couches) of a recording studio than an arena stage. Lentini said, "Being able to freely roam the stage with my netbook was a great advantage in setting the monitors. Standing side by side with the stars of the show was awesome for me."
Pepper added, "I have had 35 years of experience in this business and to my mind the SAC mixing system is one that puts it all together. It's got a small footprint, near unlimited routing capabilities, and most importantly, a dramatic improvement in sound. These high profile symphony shows have a ton of dynamic range and we aimed high in terms of audio performance. I think we achieved it."
Jay Cline, director of operations at the MGM Grand Garden summed it up with, "That night the sound in the arena was right up there with the best that we've ever had."
For more information, please visit www.rrsaudio.com and www.softwareaudioconsole.com.
