The event's production will see significant changes - the show will move back to the giant Earls Court 1 arena after several years in EC2. The move to digital in the BRITs' broadcast audio follows the successful transition to digital of the live PA sound by the long-standing team of sound designer Derrick Zieba and PA supplier Britannia Row Productions.
Describing the move as "an advanced way of recording a complicated, multi-artist show", Alington says, "we've constantly strived to evolve better audio solutions for shows like the BRIT Awards and the MTV Awards, and for 2006 we've evolved a totally digital recording concept designed to match the agility and quality of the digital live sound consoles. Rather than using two or three analogue trucks we'll now just be using one digital truck for the whole show."
The challenge the audio team faces at the BRITs is considerable, with 12 major artists featuring on an as-live two-hour broadcast with almost instantaneous changeovers. "The speed and complexity of the turnarounds has grown steadily," says Alington, "so moving to one truck with instant recall of multiple setups and automated patching and routing will make an immense difference. It will provide even more capability than digitally controlled analogue or other hybrid solutions."
The Floating Earth truck was designed from the outset with the very highest audio specification in mind and was fitted with the first SSL C200 digital mixing console in the UK, with 96 microphone inputs and 5.1 and 7.1 capability. Alington will utilise the truck's fibre optic connectivity, taking a single fibre feed from the stage splitters some 200 metres distant and recording to the truck's two multitrack Pyramix recorders.
"Floating Earth have a lot of experience in working with digital trucks and recording setups," adds Alington, "and the latest truck is a fine example of a mobile which was built for digital technology from the ground up."
He used the Floating Earth mobile in early December to capture a David Gray show on the Pyramix system at Hammersmith Carling Apollo for Done & Dusted. The two-hour show will be post-produced by Alington in January for DVD release by Warner Music later in 2006. "The truck behaved beautifully on the night - it was a joy to work in," he comments.
The mobile, which has a long classical pedigree, has recently provided recording and broadcast services for the V, Isle of Wight and Reading festivals, and has an 'A list' of artist credits.
"In the future," adds Alington, "I'd hope to continue integrating ever more closely with the digital PA systems, losing our analogue split at some point in the future and connecting directly to their digital hub."
(Lee Baldock)
