Digidesign to assist in MTV Video Music Awards

Digidesign is to support XM Productions/Effanel in the production of the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) telecast.
Once again, the XM Productions/Effanel audio team relied on the Digidesign ICON integrated console environment as the backbone of their L7 mobile recording truck to deliver outstanding music mixes for every artist who appeared in this year’s broadcast.
Last year XM Productions/Effanel installed an ICON system into their L7 mobile recording truck and created a groundbreaking workflow, relying on the system’s stable and flexible recording and mixing features to produce a number of live events, including Jazz at Lincoln Center, the 2005 VMAs, the 48th Grammy Awards, and more.
L7’s ICON system features a 32-fader ICON D-Control worksurface as well as redundant Pro Tools|HD systems. For the VMA telecast, the system allowed the show’s music mixers to capture the rehearsals and create snapshots—complete with effects, levels, EQs, and dynamics—for recall during the actual live performances. By recording the rehearsals, the mixers were able to refine and prepare for the live show with more accuracy and better sound quality than in the past.
John Harris, XM Productions/Effanel mixer, and Jay Vacari produced the live performance mixes for the VMAs telecast, and once again relied on their renovated L7 mobile production trailer’s ICON system.
Harris explained: “At the VMAs, there is limited time for performing artists to rehearse on stage. ICON allowed us to maximize that time by recording them and creating snapshots to use as starting points for each artist’s actual live performance. The performances ended up sounding great because each snapshot included our settings for EQ, dynamics, and effects processing, as well as channel levels.”
Joel Singer, XM Radio/Effanel lead engineer commented: “I chose the Digidesign D-Control as it has the power and flexibility we need for live broadcast and recording. It can mould itself to many different engineer styles and keep up with it all. We really feel Digidesign and our dealer Tekserve have offered brilliant support.”
(DS/SP)