February 1999 RAP
February 1999 Highlights
How to Get Voice Work From the Big Time Agencies
(Really, No Fooling!) - Part Two
By John Pellegrini
Okay, so you think you’ve got a tape ready, and you’ve had everything
done up properly for it (the J-cards, the labels, the duplicates, the
resume, the whole schmear). You had a graphic artist do your label art (yes,
you must!), and you have a great looking cassette. Now you have to find an
agent(s). So why, you ask, am I putting an (s) on the end of agent? Good
question. That depends upon where you decide you want to try to get work.
RAP Interview: Christopher O'Brien, Production Director,
WYSP-FM, Philadelphia, PA
By Jerry Vigil
Christopher O’Brien is the Production Director at top-rated WYSP in
Philadelphia, cranking out imaging as hot as anything we’ve featured on The
Cassette, and he’s only twenty years old. His rapid rise to the majors is a
result of his passion for what he does, his determination, and the skills
that are obvious on his demo on this month's RAP Cassette. If you’ve heard
people say, "Radio isn’t growing anymore great talents," look again. One of
tomorrow’s mentors is keeping radio alive at WYSP.
Test Drive: MxTrax for DSP Factory from Minnetonka
Software
By Jerry Vigil
Multitrack DAW software has come a long way over the past few years,
thanks chiefly to parallel advances on the hardware side of things, and most
of this software has been designed for use with basic sound cards, even
inexpensive ones, leaving funds for more important things such as large disk
drives and multi-megs of RAM. However, sound cards have also benefited from
technological advances, and now we’re seeing cards that offer much more than
basic stereo I/O. You may recall the fanfare about Digital Audio Lab’s
elaborate V8 card a couple of years ago. Most recently, the super-card
spotlight has been placed on Yamaha’s new DS2416, the heart of Yamaha’s DSP
Factory. The DS2416 lists for $1,000 and packs the power of their 02R
digital console along with the effects power of two of their REV500
processors. Minnetonka Software developed MxTrax for the V8, and the latest
version of MxTrax was written to take full advantage of the DS2416. Together
they bring digital multitrack production on the PC to a new level, providing
a self-configurable automated mixer with a 16-track recorder in a PC
Windows-based system that comes about as close as you can get on a computer
to the feel of working with a physical mixing console.
Radio HED: Targeted Listening
By Jeffrey Hedquist
How do you become a better radio writer or audio producer? Become a
better listener. Each time you enter a new environment, do some "targeted"
listening. Listen to the sound of the room. How dead or live is it?
...And Make It Real Creative
By Andy Capp
There’s nothing wrong with imitation. It’s a great learning tool, and
some people have an uncanny gift for it, helping them truly stand out from
the crowd. But unless you’re one of those drop dead ringer types, it’s very
hard to make a career of being someone else. The good news is that you’re
the only person who is good enough at being you to make a career of it.
Q It Up: The RAP Network Speaks - What is your favorite
microphone for recording voice tracks in the studio, and what do you like
about this mic?
By Jerry Vigil
Choosing a microphone is a lot like choosing a pair of headphones; what
may sound good to you may sound bad to the next person. Nevertheless, we
thought a survey of microphones in use in radio production might help
shoppers narrow down their choices a bit. The top five mics mentioned were:
#1) the Electro Voice RE20, #2) the Neumann U87, #3) the Neumann TLM 193,
#4) the Sennheiser MD-421, and #5) the Shure SM7.
Way Off The Mark
By Mark Margulies
KISS ME YOU WRITER! No, that’s not some line out of an old Bette Davis
movie. And no, it’s not a department of the government directly reporting to
President Clinton. K.I.S.S. is an acronym that writers of all styles and
types should live by. Sure, you can substitute favored words of your own if
you like, but I learned it as Keep It Simple, Stupid. It’s a lesson that too
often we, as creative writers, sometimes forget.
RAP Forum: For Heaven's Sake
By Darren Marlar
Religious radio. The two words may sound like an oxymoron to some, but to
others it’s the best thing since the Resurrection itself. For seven years I
have spent my radio career there. I am now employed with the number one
Country station in town as well as an incredible Christian station at the
same time, so I feel I have a unique perspective on the differences between
these two worlds.