Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Richard Meredith Selects DPA for Challenging Location Sou...

01/06/2025

The Piano, which just wrapped its third season, is an acclaimed UK reality competition that invites undiscovered, amateur pianists to perform emotionally charged music amid the bustling sounds of some of the country's busiest train stations. The concept of the show was borne from the practice of commuters sitting down to play the upright pianos commonly found in England's train depots. Capturing those heartfelt moments with high-quality sound in unpredictable public spaces requires precision, creativity and exceptional gear. With this in mind, Award-winning Sound Supervisor and Founder of Audio Dept UK, Richard Meredith, turned to his trusted toolkit, led by DPA Microphones, for the recordings, as well as Wisycom wireless RF solutions.

The show's premise is so pure it's just people sitting down at a public piano and expressing themselves, explains Meredith. It's a very soft competition format. They play a piece of their choice in the middle of a busy station, right on the concourse, with people coming and going. The commuters become the audience, whether they intend to or not. The technical brief from the production team was to keep things low-key and let the realness shine through. To accomplish that, we needed compact, high-performance equipment that works subtly in the background while delivering outstanding sound. That's where DPA and Wisycom came in.

With an upright Steinway piano arguably serving as the star of the show, Meredith knew it was critical to capture its sound most naturally. He mounted two DPA 4099 Instrument Microphones directly inside the pianos for a low noise floor, high dynamic range and practical versatility. We chose the 4099s because they just work. No rehearsal. No fuss. They can handle anything from delicate ballads to high-energy, percussive playing, he explains. Unusually, we kept the lid of the piano closed to reduce station noise, even though it made the sound a little constrained. This allowed the pianists to play within that noisy concourse. The 4099 was perfect for isolating the piano's tone from the outside space. It gave us a beautiful, focused sound separated from the high ambience of the station. It let the music breathe without losing detail.

One of the biggest audio challenges the production team faced was subtle amplification to the live audiences. We realized the piano wasn't loud enough in some stations, so I designed a battery-powered PA system hidden under the stage and fed it with a Wisycom wireless system, Meredith explains. To ensure robust transmission in the congested RF environments, Meredith deployed Wisycom MTK980 Wireless Rack Transmitters and Portable Receivers.

In addition to the passersby in the stations, the performers' family and friends attend the performances alongside host Claudia Winkleman. Behind the scenes, professional mentors Mika and Jon Batiste judge the musicians to determine who is best suited to moving along to the finale. When it came to miking this selection of participants, Meredith relied on DPA's new 2061 Lavalier Microphones. The 2061s, coupled with Wisycom MTP61 Wireless Transmitters, were able to capture even the quietest moments nervous whispers, emotional reactions without any noise issues, he says. They handled everything from subtle dialogue to joyful outbursts, and we barely needed to touch the EQ. Their noise floor is very low, and the clarity is stunning.

Boom mics are a no-go in stations. Long metal poles and electric cables near platforms don't mix, so the entire show is wireless, which is very much in my wheelhouse, continues Meredith. Wisycom's wide tuning range and reliability are second to none. We were dealing with complex RF conditions, but Wisycom never let us down. That peace of mind is priceless on a fast-moving shoot like this one.

Meredith also praised the simplicity and efficiency of his setup, which was essential given the show's scaled-back production approach. We had to be agile there wasn't room for a big sound crew with all this complex rigging, he explains. With DPA and Wisycom, we were able to keep things minimal but still maintain maximum quality. The real magic of The Piano' is in those quiet, unguarded moments.

Following the judging round of each episode, the show culminated in a public concert at The Glasshouse in Gateshead, a venue as visually stunning as it is acoustically distinguished. Here, Meredith moved from capturing performances in public to producing a refined live recording with a full audience. For a more open, cinematic sound, Meredith rigged two Steinway grands with a pair of DPA 4099s, along with a pair of 4011s, which were chosen for their tonal accuracy and visual discretion. These are massive instruments, Meredith says. We benefitted greatly from the four mics per piano, which gave us a full range of sound. The 4011s took us to another level.

The 4011s were a dream for capturing the full dynamic range and spatial depth of the instrument, along with extra depth and an ultra-extended lower end, he explains. I wanted something discreet as the cameras constantly feature close-ups and utilizing the extension cables helped keep everything virtually unnoticeable on camera. The combination of the DPA 4099 and 4011 mics accommodated a wide range of styles and the broad tone of the piano in a very compact and discreet way.

The string accompaniment for the finale performances were also miked using 4099s, while the host, mentors and other speakers were outfitted with the 2061. Again, Wisycom wireless was utilized for the production with Wisycom MTP61 transmitters feeding MCR54 receivers in an MRK16 rack.
LINK: https://kitplus.com/news/richard-meredith-selects-dpa-for-challenging-...
See more stories from tvbay

Most recent headlines

09/11/2025

Dalet Unveils Agentic AI Media Workflows at IBC2025

Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...

31/10/2025

Tribute: Remembering Segomotso Keorapetse (28 May 1968 22 October 2025)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 30 October 2025 It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Segomotso Keorapetse, an award- winning South African television d...

31/10/2025

Nexstar Extends Chairman and CEO Perry Sook Through 2029

IRVING, Texas As station groups move into an era that promises rapid tech, regulatory and economic changes, Nexstar Media Group said its board has extended chai...

31/10/2025

Late Night Thrives on Social Media With Billions of Views in 2025

While some analysts have questioned the ongoing economic viability of broacast-TV late night shows amid ongoing declines in linear viewing, new data from Tubula...

31/10/2025

Disney Programming Dropped From YouTube TV

The contentious contract negotiations between The Walt Disney Co. and YouTube TV have resulted in a blackout of Disney-owned programming on the pay TV operator....

31/10/2025

tvONE Integrates CALICO PRO Video Processing With Matrox ConvertIP Series

CINCINNATI Video conversion and AV signal distribution specialist tvONE and Matrox Video have struck a strategic partnership, combining CALICO PRO's video p...

31/10/2025

IAB Urges Standards for CTV Ad Measurement

NEW YORK The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) today released a new industry guide that discusses the urgency of adopting new standards that will help advert...

31/10/2025

Late Night Shows Thrive on Social Media with Billions of Views in 2025

While some analysts have questioned the ongoing economic viability of late night shows on broadcast TV amid ongoing declines in linear viewing, new data from Tu...

31/10/2025

Berklee Celebrates the Inauguration of President Jim Lucchese

Berklee Celebrates the Inauguration of President Jim Lucchese In his inaugural address, Lucchese highlighted Berklee's power to connect, create, and heal ...

31/10/2025

Family, Food, and Films: Netflix's 'Dining with the Kapoors' Arrives November 21

Back to All News Family, Food, and Films: Netflix's Dining with the Kapoors...

31/10/2025

DPA 4055 Featured in Technologies for Worship Magazine

The review highlights DPA 4055 Kick Drum Microphone for its compact design, ease of placement, and authentic tone that captures the true character of the drum p...

31/10/2025

RT Raidi na Gaeltachta Award 2025 to be presented to Piln N Chiarin

The RT Raidi na Gaeltachta Award 2025 will be presented to journalist P il n N Chiar in at the Oireachtas na Samhna in Belfast tomorrow, Saturday 1 November,...

31/10/2025

Share the magic: RT lyric fm Choirs for Christmas Competition 2025 open for submissions

RT lyric fm is calling for choirs across Ireland to share their festive music-m...

31/10/2025

Dnall Mac Ruair, Cuan Seireadin and Ts ite among the winners at the Oireachtas Communications Awards 2025

Three awards were presented to RT Raidi na Gaeltachta broadcasters at the Oire...

31/10/2025

RT is Supporting 29 Arts and Cultural Events across Ireland this November

RT continues its proud tradition of championing Ireland's vibrant arts and cultural landscape through its RT Supporting the Arts initiative. This November...

31/10/2025

RT selects Irish independent production company to produce Christian Worship on RT One and RT Player

RT selects Irish independent production company to produce Christian Worship on...

31/10/2025

Korea Joins AI Industrial Revolution: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Unveils Historic Partnership at APEC Summit

Amidst Gyeongju, South Korea's ancient temples and modern skylines, Jensen H...

30/10/2025

SVG Students To Watch: Sam Newitt, Kansas State University

SVG Students To Watch: Sam Newitt, Kansas State UniversityThe South Dakota native thrives in many roles behind the scenes at K-StateHD.TVBy Brandon Costa, Direc...

30/10/2025

SVG Sit-Down: Swerve Sports' Christy Tanner Explores the Young FAST Channel's Early Success

SVG Sit-Down: Swerve Sports' Christy Tanner Explores the Young FAST Channel&...

30/10/2025

SVG Campus Shot Callers: Andy Liebsch, Senior Director, Video Services, Kansas State University

SVG Campus Shot Callers: Andy Liebsch, Senior Director, Video Services, Kansas S...

30/10/2025

Diversified Names Paul Lidsky CEO, Expanding Leadership Role After Serving as Board Chairman

Diversified Names Paul Lidsky CEO, Expanding Leadership Role After Serving as Bo...

30/10/2025

NBA, Cosm Enter Long-Term Partnership for Shared Reality Production, Distribution

NBA, Cosm Enter Long-Term Partnership for Shared Reality Production, Distributio...

30/10/2025

FanDuel Sports Network to Deliver Select Live NBA, NHL Games to Major Streaming Services for In-Market Viewers

FanDuel Sports Network to Deliver Select Live NBA, NHL Games to Major Streaming ...

30/10/2025

If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You, East of Wall, and More Sundance Institute-Supported Films Nominated for 35th Gotham Awards

As the year comes to a close, we can feel the invigorating wind sweeping in for ...

30/10/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Max Walker-Silverman, the Writer-Director of Rebuilding

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

30/10/2025

Excellent training at SGL Carbon's Bonn site

The SGL Carbon site in Bonn has a long tradition of training. For many years, young talent has been successfully trained here, regularly achieving excellent exa...

30/10/2025

SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce 2025 Digital Originals Shortlist

SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce 2025 Digital Originals Shortlist 29 October, 2025 Media releases SBS, NITV and Screen Australia are excited to unve...

30/10/2025

Remarks for the 2025 APEC CEO Roundtable

Jon Rambeau, President of Integrated Mission Systems at L3Harris Technologies, speaks about industrial collaboration at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (A...

30/10/2025

L3Harris Technologies Reports Strong Third Quarter 2025 Results, Increases 2025 Guidance

MELBOURNE, Fla., October 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) reports th...

30/10/2025

FCC's Brendan Carr Issues Draft Proposal for More C-Band Spectrum Sales

WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said he has circulated a proposal for the agency to auction additional midband spectrum in the U...

30/10/2025

Diversified Names Paul Lidsky as CEO

PLANO, Texas Technology solutions provider Diversified has named Paul Lidsky as CEO, tasked with guiding the company's next stage of growth, driving market ...

30/10/2025

Interra Adds Stream Recording, BATON Integration to ORION

CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems today unveiled ORION stream recording support and seamless integration with BATON Media Player, a combination that lets broadc...

30/10/2025

InterDigital Buys AI-Driven Video Codec Startup Deep Render

WILMINGTON, Del. InterDigital today announced the acquisition of Deep Render, an artificial intelligence startup with a team of AI experts focused on video code...

30/10/2025

TAG Video Systems Earns Two ESG Recognitions

NEW YORK TAG Video Systems has earned a higher-rated Digital Product Passport (DPP) Committed to Sustainability badge and the Aclymate Climate Wise Silver Tier ...

30/10/2025

Nexstar Extends Employment Agreement with Perry Sook Through 2029

IRVING, Texas As station groups move into an era that promises rapid tech, regulatory and economic changes, the Nexstar Media Group, Inc. has announced that its...

30/10/2025

Samba TV: 60% Of TV Time Spent Viewing Streaming Content

Television viewers are spending more time watching streaming content than linear TV, but sports continues to be a bright spot for broadcasters, according to the...

30/10/2025

Operative Media Names Mike Napadano as CEO

NEW YORK Advertising technology company Operative Media has named Mike Napadano as its new CEO....

30/10/2025

Walmart Selects Marshall Cameras to Power New Campus Broa...

Walmart Inc. has chosen Marshall Electronics cameras for use across its brand-new corporate campus studios and event center. The installation includes Marshall ...

30/10/2025

NETGEAR Academy Expands Into Industry-Wide IP Training Pl...

NETGEAR, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTGR), a global leader in intelligent networking solutions designed to power extraordinary experiences, today announced the launch of its...

30/10/2025

Clear-Com Gen-IC Virtual Intercom Connects Students World...

Clear-Com recently contributed its award-winning Gen-IC virtual intercom solution to power real-time communications for On-Air Student TV, a 24-hour global st...

30/10/2025

Maxon Strengthens Growth Strategy with Appointment of Kse...

Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, and more, today announced t...

30/10/2025

Studio Technologies Dante Enabled Model 394 GPI Interface...

Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, announces that its new Model 394 GPI Interface and Model 39...

30/10/2025

Astro selects Broadpeak for high performance streaming an...

Broadpeak , a leader in streaming and monetization at scale, has been selected by leading Malaysian content and entertainment company Astro to enable two major ...

30/10/2025

Riedel Communications Appoints Ulrich Voigt as Director L...

Riedel Communications is pleased to announce that Ulrich Voigt has joined the company as Director Live Production Solutions, taking over the SimplyLive business...

30/10/2025

LiveU and Kinetiq Launch Cloud Native Watermarking Integr...

LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video contribution, production, and distribution, today announced a new partnership with Kinetiq, the AI-powered platform un...

30/10/2025

FCC Plans Nov. 20 Open Meeting, Provides Shutdown Update

WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has called for an end to the government shutdown while providing some updates on the agency'...

30/10/2025

Carr Issues Draft Proposal for More C-Band Spectrum Sales

WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has announced that he has circulated a proposal for the FCC to auction additional mid-band spect...

30/10/2025

U&GOLD LAUNCHES ITS ANNUAL SEARCH FOR THE UK'S BEST CHRISTMAS CRACKER' JOKES

TIS THE SEASON TO GET PUNNY! U&GOLD LAUNCHES ITS ANNUAL SEARCH FOR THE UK'S...

30/10/2025

Rohde & Schwarz enables MediaTeks 6G waveform verification with CMP180 radio communication tester

Rohde & Schwarz enables MediaTeks 6G waveform verification with CMP180 radio com...