Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1277927
C A S Q U A R T E R L Y I S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 51 records, and video packages. For the Grammy performances though, Tom gets separate 5.1 music mixes from each music truck. Unlike the Oscars, all the music performances are done in 5.1. Tom's job is to balance the mixes from each music truck and blend them in with the house ambience mics to create a cohesive sound that puts you in the arena. This show, after all, is a concert—a really big concert. Over the last 20 years, the Grammy Awards have racked up 16 Emmy nominations and eight wins for sound mixing. Thirteen of those noms and six of those wins were with a Tom Holmes production mix. Tom credits it this way: "It comes down to the performances sounding so good, which is to the credit of John Harris and Eric Schilling. Then, the great house sound and the quality of performances enabled by the work of the monitor mixers." What Mikael Stewart and Ron Reaves put in the house helps him get the room sound he needs to tie it all together. He also counts on the monitor mixers to make sure the performers are getting what they need. "If the band is not enjoying themselves up there, then they're just going through the motions. But when they hear stuff they want to hear and they get into their groove and they're happy, they absolutely play better," says Tom. Tom continues, "With mixers like Eric and John in the truck, I think I've got the easiest job on the show." With the high caliber of mixers who work in live television in all areas of the show, top production mixers like Tom understand how they can't do what they do on their own. Professionals like Tom always credit their teams with the success of the production. Sitting in the truck is also sweetening mixer Bob La Masney. And just like the Oscars, sweetening is a subtle touch that fills in the dips in the moment and helps maintain a consistent sound throughout the show. In most cases, there is not a ton of sweetening going on. Tom noted that the mosh pit in the front of the stage helps with the excitement of the performance. This is especially important as the main audience is made up of so many industry people, as opposed to an arena full of that artist's fans. Tom concludes, "The people I work with on the Grammys are great people, I love them all to death. There's no better experience than when we come together and work on the same show." Facts and Figures for the 2020 Grammys The Schedule • General Load-in - Nine days before show • Audio Load-in - Tuesday before show • Rehearsals - Start Thursday morning and run through Saturday evening • Dress Rehearsal - Sunday (show day) 11 AM to 2:30 PM • House Doors Opens at 3 PM • Show goes Live at 5 PM The Team • Production Mixer - Tom Holmes • Broadcast Music Mixers - John Harris and Eric Schilling • ATPB Mixer - Eric Johnston • Audio Manager - Michael Abbott • FOH Production Mixer - Mikael Stewart • FOH Music Mixer - Ron Reaves • Monitor Mixers (SL) - Michael Parker • Monitor Mixers (SR) - Tom Pesa • Sweetener - Bob La Masney • Stage Pro Tools Operators - Pablo Munguia and JP Velasco • ATK - Rick Bramlette, Jeff Peterson, and Andrew Fletcher • Foldback Mixer Assistants - James Young and Andres Arango • IEM Techs - Craig Robertson and Billy McKarge • M3 Engineer-In-Charge - Peter Gary • Pro Tools Operator/Horizon - Doug Mountain • Mixer Assistant/Horizon - Robert Wartinbee • Pro Tools Operator/Eclipse - Brian Vibberts • Mixer Assistant/Eclipse - Marc Repp • A2 Team - Steven Anderson, Craig Rovello, Bill Kappelman, Kirk Donovan, Peter San Filipo, Ric Teller, Mike Faustino, Mike Cruz, Phil Valdivia, Damon Andres, Eddie McKarge, Paul Chapman, Alex Hoyo, Jimmy Goldsmith, David Mounts, and Bruce Arledge • Denali Audio Engineer - Hugh Healy • Network Tech - Ian Gutierrez • RF Coordinators - Steve Vaughn, Corey Dodd, Michael Hahn, Roderick Sigmon, and Christopher Nakamura • PL - John Arenas, Niles Buckner, Trevor Arenas, and Bob Milligan • IATSE Local 33 Stagehands WHAT YOU DON'T SEE This level of audio production doesn't happen overnight or in a vacuum. People like Grammys audio manager Mike Abbott spend months designing the systems used in the broadcast. At these shows, teams of people manage RF allocation of frequencies, with 60+ channels being used just in the audio world. Teams of A2's manage huge audio routing systems, like an LA freeway system (without the traffic jams), with massive amounts of two-way traffic connecting everything to anything. In the new (hopefully soon) post-COVID world, what changes might we see? Will presenters want to pair up or be solo? Will sharing of podium or lav mics go away? Mike Abbott predicts that "Musical artists will always bring their own mics going forward, no one will share a mic." Oscars audio director Paul Sandweiss wonders, "Will we go to using boom mics for presenters?" The story continues. Overhead of the FOH mix at the Grammys.