Sound

Sound

Fame! FX

| jamesstodd

Here’s something for  all of you who work in radio production , particularly those of you who need to create station imaging, promos and other ear candy.

My friends Andreas and Oli at SoundQuadrat have just launched their own production library called Fame FX. I’ve  been sharing audio with them for a while  over at the BenztownBranding blog.  For aspiring imaging producers and those with lots of experience too, it’s a great read.

Here’s the demo:

When I was running the production department at Capital FM, we were constantly bombarded with news of the latest sound libraries – all designed to help give our imaging added bite. Some were great. Some were absolute tat.

In the end, we ended up working with Jeff Thomas as a production consultant – with a custom created package, and then access to his legendary library. Now that is the Godfather of movie trailer-esque sound design elements.

But for many stations – completely out of their budget.

Fame FX is a fantastic collection of ready to grab sounds – neatly categorised into 2 folders – FX and Impact Loops. And is just $299+VAT.

They say:

“The only Sound FX buyout package you need this year – an energetic, bad ass and powerful tool to make your stuff stand out. Fame FX comes with tons of mix outs, solo workparts and includes: impacts, hits, sonic IDs, starters, electronics, flyIns, combos, slow downs, stops, impact loops, zaps and much more. Get your station on the next level. This package brings you Fame.
Fame FX delivered via download and ready to roll in 3… 2… 1…”

The FX are huge – and there are a real variety – all nicely named to explain what they do – rather than random words. As a producer, I find this sort of thing really useful – random naming doesn’t really help – unless you are great at remembering that the name of the effect you need to end promos is called “HyperStaticNoiseConfuser1” or similar. I would personally like to have seen these effects categorised into more folders – since I tend to work that way – but I doubt it would take long to go through and sort out your own system.

The Impact loops are also excellent – particularly for last-minute promo elements, or if you need to slam together a top of hour for the weekend with 30 minutes notice. Many of them have a number of versions, with different elements, so that you can mix and match and use different parts within a promo.

Whether you’re producing in a big market or for student radio, this is a fantastic package.

Head over to http://www.fame-fx.com/ And tell them I sent you…

The new sound of Radio 100 Copenhagen

| jamesstodd

Today, I’m in Copenhagen for Radiodays Europe 2011.

Yesterday, I took the chance to catch up with my friend Bjarke, who is the imaging director of Radio100 in Copenhagen. It’s a station I visited last time I was here – and I worked with the Programme Director Nik Goodman back when I was running the production team of the original Capital FM Network.

They’ve just launched an updated logo and refreshed on air sound – including a new station voice and new jingles – all composed and produced in-house. I was listening last night – and it has a really clean sound.

Here’s a quick video from Bjarke to show the thoughts behind the new sound – and an example of how it sounds on air.

Radiodays Europe 2011 #rde11

| jamesstodd

The case is packed. I’ve got a pocket full of Danish Krone. And I’m off to Copenhagen for Radiodays Europe  2011.

It’s the first time I’ve been to this European conference, though I spoke at Radiodays Denmark a couple of years ago, and am very much looking forward to experiencing the hospitality of this fine city. In fact, there’s a particularly nice bar round the corner from Radio 100 where @jamescridland, @newsleader and others enjoyed a nice variety of local brews. I’m also looking forward to catching up witha couple of old radio friends including Ryan Seacrest’s Executive Producer, Dennis Clark who I last saw when Ryan broadcast his show from Capital FM’s studios in London in 2007.

I’m on a panel entitled “Imaging and Branding – from strategy to successful branding” along with a number of other producers and presenters from the USA and Europe. I’ll include some insight from BBC Radio 1 and 2 about how their strategy feeds into their production – and how it’s more than just imaging and promos.

There’s one thing I’d have liked to show – but time precludes – and it’s this film produced by the agency PHD Worldwide. It was designed to stimulate marketeers about what our young audiences want from brands. And it’s a real eye opener. Nik Goodman wrote about it on his blog a couple of weeks ago – but if you haven’t seen it – it’s worth a watch.

So, if you are coming to RadioDays, hopefully you’ll come and say hello – or maybe Skål


MTV: It’s all about the music – again

| jamesstodd

According to a report on Bloomberg.com, MTV is going back to it’s roots and focusing more on music again.

I used to love MTV back in the 1990s – it used to play non stop on the TV screens and sound system of our student’s union building in Canterbury when C4 Radio (now CSR Canterbury) was off air – in fact the sound from MTV was our off air sustaining service. (Rights – what rights…?). High rotation of songs, lunchtime requests, Ray Cokes and Euro news.

Then they discovered Reality TV.

They have just launched the MTV Music Meter – which scans social media worldwide to find the new bands generating a buzz in the social media space.

Bloomberg quotes Dermot McCormack, who oversees digital operations:
“We want to re-associate and new-associate the MTV brand with music.” “This is aimed at finding those artists who are rising fast in the social-media conversation.”

And, as Sam Zniber noted on his blog – this could be another useful tool for radio programmers looking for the next big thing.

http://www.mtvmusicmeter.com/

Absolute Radio – Behind the sound

| jamesstodd
Absolute Radio logo
Image via absoluteradio.co.uk

This week at the Radio Academy Promotion and Marketing Awards, Absolute Radio picked up another haul of awards.

Along with the Creative Gold Award, they won Best National On-Air Promotion (with Faces for Radio), Best On-Air Sponsorship (for Baddiel and Skinner) and Best On-Air Imaging. This adds to the bronze award they picked up at this year’s Sony Radio Awards for Best Station Imaging.

A couple of weeks ago at the Broadcast Symposium 2010 in Nuremberg, I presented a session on Station Imaging in the UK, which featured a video with Absolute Radio’s Creative Director Vince Lynch.

Take a look now behind the thinking of what makes the sound of Absolute Radio.

You can hear more about this year’s awards on Steve Martin’s Earshot blog here.

Expect the Unexpected

| jamesstodd

Turn on a TV drama like Doctor Who and turn off the sound. Does it change the viewing experience?

This afternoon I went to free talk at the Royal College of Music hosted by Matthew Sweet – focusing on the work of Doctor Who’s sound effects editor Paul Jeffries and dubbing mixer Tim Ricketts. And these aren’t people who merely add some sound effects and random music to the pictures. They provide an integral part of defining the pace of the narrative, the mood of a scene, and the intensity of the drama.

Being someone who works entirely in radio, the sound element of TV shows has always fascinated me. But working in radio promotions, it amazes me how often the sound mix is a mere afterthought. For dramas like Doctor Who, this is clearly not the case.

They revealed some pretty amazing facts. Like how the sound of Davros’s claws was 5 coins taped on someone’s hand whilst tapping a Le Crueset lid. Or how one alien sound was merely the sound of a squirrel barking. And if you counted the number of separate cyberman sounds in the most recent episode – it was in excess of 25,000 sound cues! (slightly dubious if this is exact number – failed to write it down – but was a lot – honest!).

Tonight, a few thousand people will enjoy some of the experience of the music that adds so much to a programme like this – live in the Albert Hall – as the National Orchestra of Wales play selections of Murray Gold’s musical scores.

But next time you watch, close your eyes and listen to the sounds that enhance the drama. You’ll be amazed what you hear!