Eric Liebowitz/NBC
Putting on a live concert is never easy, but when that concert is airing on TV, it creates some unique challenges. On April 1, NBC aired the John Legend-led Jesus Christ Superstar live from Marcy Armory in New York. Sound mixer Tom Holmes’ primary objective was to “get the principals’ and ensemble’s vocals over the 14-piece live band and 18-piece live orchestra, and all of those over the very exuberant live audience.”
“Most live concerts use handheld mics, which have better isolation,” adds Holmes, but the production chose to use omnidirectional mics. “They pick up everything around them. We didn’t want the mics to get in the way of the performances. It was a delicate balance between the mix for broadcast and the mix for the venue.”