An Unforgettable Production
Lady Gaga, who participated in the Super Bowl 50 festivities last year by singing the The Star-Spangled Banner before the game, once again chose a classic, reliable combination that has been a staple in her high-profile performances: the Sennheiser SKM 5200 handheld transmitter and an MD 5235 dynamic microphone capsule. Beginning the performance atop the highest heights of NRG Stadium in Houston's rim, she performed excerpts from God Bless America and This Land Is Your Land with Sennheiser capturing every nuance of her naturally dynamic voice - all before diving towards the stage in a feat of wires and acrobatics. Once on stage, she launched into a medley of her top hits.
Down to the Details
Lady Gaga's production manager Chris Vineyard worked with the artist in crafting the remarkable spectacle that was her 12-minute performance, which included elaborate staging, stunts, and dance routines. But high-quality sound remains at the center of a fantastic Gaga show, and the Sennheiser MD 5235 capsule and SKM 5200 transmitter also performed exceptionally well as she delivered her performance to millions of viewers worldwide. Sennheiser was really the easiest part in this whole process, Vineyard says. We've been using Sennheiser microphones for the last eight years and they perform well every time. Knowing that we could rely on Sennheiser left us with some extra headspace to focus on putting on a great show.
Perhaps Lady Gaga's front-of-house engineer Paul Ramsay knows better than anyone how the artist's voice sounds on the MD 5235 capsule. Having used the capsule extensively on her tours, he was confident it would once again give him exactly what he needed for both the in-stadium and broadcast mixes. When I came onboard Lady Gaga's team, I was pleased to discover that they were using Sennheiser microphones and wireless gear because the last two artists I'd worked with were on Sennheiser as well and we had great success, Ramsay explains.
Detail That's Fit to Broadcast
For Ramsay, the MD 5235 capsule has its clear advantages: That capsule really suits her voice. The high end is articulate and the low end has a nice warmth to it. Dynamic detail is important to capturing the artist's performances, as she covers a wide range of volumes in her vocal delivery. She can go from nearly a whisper to quite powerful and loud within a millisecond, and that mic handles it beautifully and captures every facet, he says. Ramsay also noted the capsule's excellence in rejecting off-axis sound from the band s backline, the PA system, and the roaring crowd, allowing quieter passages to be lifted without an obvious increase in bleed.
Ramsay, who had helped establish the core stadium PA mix during a rehearsal before handing it off to an engineer with production partner ATK Audiotek, was fully hands-on with the broadcast mix during the live event. With over 100 million tuning in at home I'm mixing for quite a large audience, explains Ramsay, who also mixed the Super Bowl half-time show back in 2010. With five weeks of rehearsals under their belt, Ramsay and everyone else involved had a clear playbook for the big day - yet Ramsay is always ready to make an adjustment on the fly if needed. I know her voice and how she sounds on the Sennheiser mic, so it's easy for me to find the areas where I can make adjustments to dial in the sweet spot.
More Than Music
Lady Gaga, who is appreciated for incorporating eye-catching visual elements into the presentation of her music, worked with Sennheiser to design three visually arresting customized designs for each of the three microphones used at different points in the performance. The Super Bowl 51 performance included one that featured a metallic wrap with the word UNITY engraved in it, a leitmotif of the performance. The Sennheiser team was incredible and really bent over backwards to make sure we had everything we needed technically and aesthetically for this show, says Vineyard. We have a great relationship both with the company and with the gear itself from years of working together.
Wireless That Soars
Navigating as dense a wireless environment as the Super Bowl is no small feat, but the Sennheiser SKM 5200 transmitters and EM 3732-II receivers were up to the task. RF is an enormous challenge with an event this size, and the production has Lady Gaga covering a fair amount of ground with staging, but the Sennheiser wireless gear really held up, says Vineyard. He and Ramsay also complemented the work of production provider ATK Audiotek and wireless experts Professional Wireless in ensuring smooth management of the crowded RF environment, enabling steady operation of their Sennheiser transmitters.
Every last bit of RF channel was being used either by broadcast or some other application, so it all had to be carefully plotted out, Ramsay explains. With ATK and Professional Wireless keeping the RF stable, we can rely on the Sennheiser transmitters and receivers to get clean audio. And in truth they never fail.
Though the New England Patriots came back against what would seem like long odds to claim another Super Bowl victory, Sennheiser was the one predictable element at this year's game. It is always a pleasure to work with an artist as inspiring as Lady Gaga and in doing so play a part in the excitement of the Super Bowl half-time show, says Byron Gaither, Sennheiser artist relations manager. Our team put their heart and soul into making sure that both the artist and her staff had the right equipment to deliver a memorable performance, and we are pleased that our equipment helped make the experience great to an audience of millions.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
An Unforgettable Production
