NASHVILLE – The 45th annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards aired live in 5.1-channel surround sound Nov. 9 on ABC from the Bridgestone Arena. The audio crew, no strangers to live broadcasts, included audio producers Michael Abbott and Tom Davis; sound provider ATK/Audiotek; FOH mixers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer; monitor engineers Michael Parker and Jason Spence; and broadcast mixers M3 (Music Mix Mobile) with John Harris and Jay Vicari. The performances were heard via gear from Audio-Technica and Shure. More details from each company follow.
More details from Audio-Technica (www.audio-technica.com):
Audio-Technica Provides Microphone Solutions for 2011 CMA Awards
Leading music mixers and award-winning performers again pick A-T for sound quality and reliability
STOW, OH – Audio-Technica, a leading innovator in transducer technology for over 45 years, is celebrating its 18th year of supporting the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards by providing an extensive selection of vocal and instrument microphones for its annual awards show. The 45th Annual CMA Awards aired live in 5.1-channel surround sound Wednesday, November 9, on the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and featured over 200 Audio-Technica microphones, including an impressive array of hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless Systems. Audio-Technica microphones were chosen for their ability to provide clear and consistent audio quality for this star-studded live broadcast, for performers ranging from some of country music 's biggest stars to pop and rock acts on show-stopping collaborations.
The CMA Awards presentation is recognized as Country Music's Biggest Night and represents the pinnacle of achievement for those involved in country music. Once again, Audio-Technica microphones were featured for their accurate and reliable sound reproduction – characteristics that have dictated A-T's long-standing presence with country music artists.
The team responsible for the audio at this year's CMA's again included a who's who of broadcast audio. The audio was supervised by award-winning audio producers Michael Abbott and Tom Davis; ATK/Audiotek provided the sound system with FOH (front-of-house) mixers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer; the broadcast music mix was handled by New Jersey/California-based M3's (Music Mix Mobile's) John Harris and Jay Vicari. Stage monitoring was handled by Michael Parker and Jason Spence.
Several performers used Audio-Technica's acclaimed Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System during the course of the show. Audio-Technica endorser and winner of Album of the Year Jason Aldean paired the 5000 Series system with the AEW-T6100 Hypercardioid Dynamic Handheld Transmitter for his lead vocals. Aldean also won musical event of the year for his duet "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson. In a medley of Lionel Richie hits with Mr. Richie himself, the members of Little Big Town and Darius Rucker all used the 5000 Series system with AEW-T5400 Cardioid Condenser Handheld Transmitter for their vocals. Additionally, in a duet, Grace Potter and longtime Audio-Technica endorser Kenny Chesney, who shared the Video of the Year Award, both used hard-wired AE5400 Cardioid Condenser Microphones.
The backline mic complement of A-T wired microphones included the AT4080 Phantom-powered Bidirectional Ribbon Microphone on guitars; AT4050Multi-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 top and AT4050 on rotary speaker bottom (used by Gregg Allman with the Zac Brown Band); ATM650 Dyna mic Instrument Microphone on snare; and ATM350Cardioid Condenser Clip-On Microphone on toms and fiddle/violin.
Michael Parker, Monitor Engineer, stated, "I have used Audio-Technica microphones for years on prominent broadcast award shows, based on their ability to deliver clear, consistent sound. I particularly am fond of their instrument mics, as they are able to reproduce the true timbre and character of the instrument. Their reliability gives me an additional comfort level, which I never take for granted at such high-profile events."
More details from Shure (www.shure.com):
Shure PSM1000 Is The Invisible Star Of "Country Music's Biggest Night"
Artists and Engineers Rely on Newest Shure Personal Monitor System For 45th CMA Awards
NASHVILLE – Shure products shared the spotlight with several of country music's top artists and bands at the 45th annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards show, which aired live on ABC-TV on Wednesday, November 9. Monitor engineers Jason Spence and Mike Parker relied almost exclusively on the new Shure PSM1000 Personal Monitor System for most of the live performances in Nashville.
"The sensitivity and the noise floor on the PSM1000 are amazing," said Spence. "Sonically, the stereo spectrum is wide and the system has unbelievable clarity. What I can provide to artists with this system both sonically and in RF stability allows me to do my job better."
For the broadcast, Spence and Parker used 14 channels of PSM1000, with 28 receivers covering almost all of the performances on the main stage and on a satellite stage at the back of the Bridgestone Arena. Due to the varying distances of the two stages from the monitor mix position, they adjusted the output power on each of the transmitters with some at 10mW, some at 50mW, and others at 100mW to compensate for the different distances to each stage.
"The diversity beltpack is a key benefit in our industry," added Parker. "Artists must have and expect a solid RF signal first and the PSM1000 is unmatched."
New Shure endorsers, The Band Perry, were the evening's big winners, taking home awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year for their hit, "If I Die Young," and New Artist of the Year. They used three custom-painted Shure Super 55 microphones to perform their new single, "All Your Life."
Several other artists and bands used Shure UHF-R Wireless and PSM1000 Systems for their performances, including Entertainer of the Year award winner, Taylor Swift, who performed with a UR2/Beta 58, and Sara Evans, Vince Gill, Luke Bryan, and Rascal Flatts, who relied on UR2/SM58 transmitters. In addition, program co-hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley once again used Shure UR2 transmitters for their performances.
Longtime Shure endorser Martina McBride also performed, singing her hit, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," using her "go to" microphone, a wired SM58.
The PSM1000 systems and almost all of the UHF-R Wireless Systems were provided by ATK Audiotek.
The broadcast mix for the show was done by production mixer J. Mark King, and the music mix duties were shared by John Harris and Jay Vicari of Music Mix Mobile (M3). The live music mix was handled by FOH engineer Rick Shimer of Blackhawk Audio.
