Colbert & Fallon: Mixing Music for Late Night TV
Summary
Host Dallas Taylor interviews Harvey Goldberg and Lawrence Manchester, the music mixers for The Late Show and The Tonight Show, to reveal the secrets of late-night audio production. They discuss the technical challenges of mixing live bands versus pre-recorded tracks, the diplomatic pressure of managing artist egos, and the distinct acoustic environments of their studios. The episode features anecdotes about Van Morrison’s erratic performance, David Letterman’s strict anti-lip-sync policy, and Harvey’s emotional journey from watching The Beatles as a child to singing with Paul McCartney on …
Topics discussed
Introduction and advertising appeal
Guests Harvey Goldberg and Lawrence Defeo introduced
Band nerves and audio differences with audience
Studio acoustics and pre-show setup routines
Broadcast mixing vs. front-of-house mixing
The diplomatic role of making artists comfortable
Challenges of mixing vocals with pre-recorded tracks
Technical failures and Van Morrison's late start
Troubleshooting a missing bass signal live
Sponsors: Gusto, Shopify, and Quo
The debate over lip-syncing and pre-recorded vocals
Music directors: Questlove, Paul Shaffer, and Batiste
Letterman's anti-track stance and Colbert's musicality
Lawrence's Beatles inspiration and final show
Harvey's musical journey and passion for mixing
Post-show plans and closing announcements
Listen ad-free on Castria