Show notes
What goes into being a musical & exec producer for a live TV special? How do you manage 40+ musicians on stage? And how do you plan and prepare for it all within just a few weeks?Keith Everette Smith is here to break it all down for us. Keith and I have been friends for long enough to make us both feel old, and he recently invited me to run playback for a live TV special that he was producing — A Chaotic Christmas and K-Love Turns 40.The event was a blast, but there were only a few weeks to prepare for it. From arranging all the songs, preparing for the event, running rehearsals, and actually putting on the show, you’ll hear Keith break down his process and how he managed the whole thing.We cover things like:His organization and planning processHow he got stems from the original recordsRehearsing and prepping with so many different artists and musiciansThe challenges & stress on the day of the eventAnd a whole lot moreAlso, I put together an entire course breaking down my playback setup for this gig. You’ll learn about my rig, how I prepped for rehearsal and quickly edited things on the spot, and even watch me build the entire set in real-time (including the frustrating, pull-my-hair-out moments). Check it out here 👇[https://fromstudiotostage.com/courses/a-chaotic-christmas-and-k-love-event-review-watch-me-build-my-ableton-sets-from-scratch/](https://fromstudiotostage.com/courses/a-chaotic-christmas-and-k-love-event-review-watch-me-build-my-ableton-sets-from-scratch/ "smartCard-inline")Keep up with what Keith’s up to on his website and on Instagram 👇[http://www.keitheverettesmith.com/](http://www.keitheverettesmith.com/ "smartCard-inline")[https://www.instagram.com/producerkeith1](https://www.instagram.com/producerkeith1 "smartCard-inline")K-Love Turns 40 👇[https://ondemand.klove.com/k-love-turns-40-trailer](https://ondemand.klove.com/k-love-turns-40-trailer "smartCard-inline")A Chaotic Christmas 👇[https://ondemand.klove.com/videos/a-chaotic-christmas](https://ondemand.klove.com/videos/a-chaotic-christmas "")---0:00 How Keith Smith Put Together a Show with Over 40 Musicians in Just a Few Weeks0:19 Behind the Space Bar: Introducing Keith Smith and What to Expect in This Episode2:52 Welcoming Keith Smith to Behind the Space Bar3:18 What is something that comes effortlessly to you that attributes to your success today?5:36 Keith's Background: Song Writer, Horn Arranger, Music Director, and More7:41 Would you be bored of being known for just one title (MD, Songwriter, etc.)?10:39 What was the event and what were your different roles?12:10 How far in advance was the event planned and confirmed?14:10 How important was it to hand off tasks you are fully capable and skilled at?18:34 When Keith Contacted Will About the Event and Began Collaborating21:47 Preparing for the Event: Keith's Organization and Planning Process26:39 How Keith Got Stems from the Original Records31:40 Why Teamwork and Communication Were Critical in Every Aspect for the Event37:14 Rehearsal Tracks: The Importance of Proper Preparation with Artists and Team40:56 What did prepping look like the day of the event?46:10 Keith's Most Stressful Challenge During the Event49:49 Wrap Up: Will and Keith's Appreciative Takeaways from the Event52:13 Where to Learn More About Keith Smith54:00 Subscribe for more interviews and thanks for watching! ★ Support this podcast ★