Q It Up: Do you use EQ and/or dynamics processing on your music tracks?
The RAP Q It Up Panel weighs in on this one: Do you use EQ and/or dynamics processing on your music tracks? For example, do you use EQ to boost highs or bass, or perhaps subtractive EQ in the mids to allow the VO to punch through? What about dynamics processing on music tracks, or perhaps on a bus? What about other non-voice elements such as sound effects and imaging FX? Do you process these? If you answer yes to any of the above, explain your reasoning and methods/plug-ins used.
Interview: Darren Scott, Director of Creative Services, Vista Ideas Group, Vista Radio, Kelowna, BC
Vista Radio recently took a huge step in modifying the production departments throughout their entire chain of nearly 40 radio stations throughout Canada. The concept was bold: gather the producers and writers in the various markets, and put them all together in one facility. Vista Ideas was launched earlier this year, handling the large majority of commercial and imaging production for the entire chain. At the helm is Darren Scott, Director of Creative Services, who shares the story of how Vista Ideas came to be, how it’s structured, and how it’s doing in its first year. Check this month’s Soundstage for a sampling of some of the work coming from the group.
Production 212: I Feel The NEED For SPEED!
by Dave Foxx
Some days, I picture myself walking down the rolling deck of an aircraft carrier, past an impressive line of F-14 Tomcats, helmet in hand as they take off, one by one, and climb up into the wild blue. I’m ready for combat and stoked to be up there myself, ripping along at Mach 1 with a full complement of ordinance, just aching to be given a reason to deploy. Of course, since Tom Cruise thrilled the world in Top Gun, the US Navy has moved onto FA/18 Hornets, but the feeling remains every time I walk down the halls to my studio, loaded with ideas.
The Commercial Chronicles: Rejection
by Dennis Daniel
Rejection. Nobody likes it. Hey, it’s only human. And yet, we as commercial writers and producers have to put up with it on a daily basis. “That sucks!” “That doesn’t make sense!’ “That’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard!” I have had these wonderful phrases thrown at me more times than I could ever count! Over 35 years doing this, and still, I get slapped in the face with all these “opinions.” Well, the great writer Harlan Ellison once said, “I don’t believe everyone has a right to their opinion. That’s ludicrous! Everyone has a right to they’re INFORMED opinion.”
Feature: Who Owns You? - The Other Side of Copyrights
By John Pellegrini
Over the past years I’ve done a few articles on Copyright laws and how they affect radio stations, particularly in the areas where radio stations may be in violation of those laws and what ‘fair usage’ really means. But there’s another side to copyright laws that I’m now becoming more aware of, and it occurs to me that I may not be the only one who would benefit from knowing this information. That’s the area of being a copyright owner.
Radio Hed: Stan The Man - Inspiration from Stan Freberg
by Jeffrey Hedquist
My Dad knew some interesting characters. One was Bob Harrington - a writer, jazz aficionado and raconteur – kind of a combination of Nat Hentoff and Ernie Kovacs. When we were kids, Dad would bring my sister and I to visit Bob at his home every Sunday morning. Bob knew I was a budding writer with my first radio show. It was his influence that encouraged me to pursue my career as an audio creator, that and the magic of Stan Freberg.
The R.A.P. Soundstage
We get things started this month with October’s Editor’s Choice Award winner, our second broadcasting student to get the ECA. Tayler Shaindlin offers this great morning show promo, a parody on the Bruno Mars song “The Lazy Song”. She’s even playing the ukulele on this one! Track 2 is an impressive montage of work from Darren Scott and the Vista Ideas Group as featured in this month’s interview. Track 3 is the commercial Dennis Daniel talks about in his Commercial Chronicles column, and yes, that is Dennis on the VO! Track 4 is the promo Dave Foxx mentions in his Production 212 column. Commercials are on tracks 5-15 and includes three :30s from a great campaign from Matt Redmond on track 8. One promo was submitted, a pretty good one, from Tom Baker on track 17!
