Audio-Technica Microphones Featured At Vh1 Divas Duets

For the fifth year in a row, Audio-Technica showed a strong presence at the annual VH1 Divas concert. Hosted by Queen Latifah and billed as VH1 Divas Duets: A Benefit Concert for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, the show was held May 22, 2003 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. This year’s Divas concert featured leading artists such as Chaka Khan, Beyoncé Knowles, Lisa Marie Presley, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Jewel, Ashanti, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler, Stevie Wonder, Pat Benatar, Shania Twain, Bobby Brown, and the Isley Brothers.

Over 50 Audio-Technica microphones were used on stage, including the new Artist Elite® 5000 Series UHF Wireless System, which continues to gain recognition as the wireless mic of choice for high-profile broadcast shows such as the 45th Annual GRAMMY® Awards and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. New York City-based Wireless First, a leading source of wireless sound equipment for major television and production companies nationwide, supplied all the wireless microphones. Location recording specialists Effanel Music, under the direction of Music Mixer John Harris, mixed and recorded the event in their L7 all-digital remote recording truck.

Chaka Khan, Beyoncé Knowles, Lisa Marie Presley, Mary J. Blige, Jewel, Stevie Wonder, and Shania Twain all used Audio-Technica’s Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System for frontline vocals. In addition, a broad range of Audio-Technica wired microphones was employed for VH1 Divas, including AE5400 (back-up vocals), AE2500 (kick), AT4050 (overheads and percussion), AE5100 (hi hat and percussion), AT4047 (guitar and bass guitar cabinets), and ATM35 (horns).

President of Wireless First Kevin Sanford, whose credits include the MTV Video Music Awards, GRAMMYs, NFL Kickoff in Times Square, and numerous Buena Vista Pictures movie premiers including Pearl Harbor, recently purchased eight channels of Audio-Technica’s Artist Elite Wireless and explains why he supplied VH1 Divas with those systems. “I’m driven by engineers who specifically want a particular system for their event and that’s what I provide. When the GRAMMYs came to New York this year I had the opportunity to try the new Artist Elite Wireless and was impressed not only by the sound quality, but by that fact that in this system, Audio-Technica had addressed concerns I expressed in the past. It’s nice to see a company that listens to the people out in the field. Certain engineers for whom I provide systems, like John Harris, really like that AE5400 wired sound and this Artist Elite Wireless captures that same sound quality. Audio-Technica has made a very stable wireless I can support and supply for live television broadcast because 99% of what I do is live with no second takes.” .

John Harris, Music Mixer for VH1’s Diva Duets with such credits as classic MTV Unplugged segments, numerous VH1 Storytellers, A&E’s Live By Request series, U2’s Elevation 2001, Live From Boston DVD, and the historic 5.1/HDTV broadcast of the 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards, comments on his ongoing use of Audio-Technica: “For the past five years I’ve been using a wide selection of Audio-Technica hard-wired microphones with remarkable success and have received great feedback from a variety of artists. I continue to use the AE2500 every time I have to mic a kick drum, and this Divas show was no exception. When it comes to wireless, there is a real consistency between the AE5400 hard-wired mic and the Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless System. For example, Jewel, who has been using the AE5400 on her tour, had no problem using the Artist Elite 5000 Series because it has the same capsule she is familiar with on a truly stable RF system. Giving the artists what they need, while providing me with consistency in the audio, makes my life a lot easier.”

VH1's Divas specials raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music programs in America’s public schools, and to raising awareness of the positive impact that music participation has on students. Since VH1 Save The Music was created in 1997, more than $25 million worth of musical instruments has been donated to 1000 public schools in 75 cities, improving the lives of more than 500,000 children.

The above image and article are from Music Gear Review's web site