According to 5.1 surround mixer Paul Sandweiss, the idea to mike the audience areas came from a series of conversations with the show's producer and NARAS about the importance of covering live audience reactions. “[Producer] Ken Ehrlich was so impressed with the sound of the audience in a post-production mix [for a previous show at the Staples Center] that he requested special arrangements be made for the Grammy Awards,” Sandweiss says. To capture the enthusiastic response of the various artists' fans and radio station promo winners, multiple mics were positioned at a number of locations throughout the Staples Center’s seating areas..