überblend blog

How seriously is radio taking its own craft?

Pretty basic audio branding knowledge video interview with the author and marketing/branding expert Martin Lindstrom over at Hear 2.0. More interesting however is a comment by fellow imaging guy Jeff Schmidt:

How many of our "copywriters" churning out hundreds of spots a month could test out of a Copywriting 101 class?
How many of our Marketing and Promotions people have studied Game Design and theory?
How many of our "talent" have actually studied comedy, entertainment and creative writing?
How many of our production people have studied the aesthetics and emotional impact of sound?
And how many of our managers are afraid of training their people in these areas for fear they might get "too skilled" for radio and leave?
From my perspective - not enough for the first 4 - and too many of the last.

While I'm not sure if managers hold back because they fear people might leave or because they just settled on an overall notion of "good enough" I think Jeff hit the nail pretty much on the head.

What radio can learn from Pixar

Fantastic interview with Ed Catmull, the president of Pixar. One strong quote that stuck with me:

...if you go entirely for the art side then eventually you fail economically. If you go purely commercially then I think you fail from a soul point of view… we’ve got these elements pulling on both sides, the art side and the commercial side… and the trick is not to let one side win. That fundamentally successful companies are unstable.

How often are exactly those forces at work while you are working on a commercial or promo? And more often than not we (and the programmers we work for) surrender to the commercial side. Why not just keep it unstable next time?

Timbernerds

Made my day today... well done, really well done.

(via Holy Kaw)

Get rid of the crappy stuff

Steve Jobs advice to Nike: “Just get rid of the crappy stuff, and focus on the good stuff.” In other words, edit, edit, edit, edit... so true.

(via Minimal Mac)

Making music from sand

Diego Stocco is an experimental sound designer and composer. Basically, he records anything and then transfers it into beautiful sound-scapes/compositions. Here is how he makes music from/with sand:

Diego Stocco - Music From Sand from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

(via designboom)

“Learning the technology is important, but learning to use your ears is more important.”
-Randy Thom
(via http://designingsound.org/2010/03/ears/ )

Acoustic treatment as art piece



Beautifully designed acoustic wall panels that deal with the sound issues in modern architecture. The panels by the Swedish company Offecct are flexible, create artistic patterns and have pretty sweet noise-reducing capabilities. What a great way to combine design and great sound!

(via Interiorzine)

Design is a Process

How can creativity be learned and why is design a process? Interesting article about Professor Peter Robbie’s Design Thinking class in Thayer School’s MacLean Engineering Sciences Center. Shows different tools (and the thinking behind them) to improved the design thinking. While the article mainly focuses on engineering design - several key elements apply nicely to any form of design:

"Engineers often love to jump right into making things, but early in the design process it’s often preferable to focus on deeply understanding the needs of end users.”

“As with learning foreign languages, fluency and flexibility in design thinking come from repeated practice, so my design courses include multiple projects that allow for iterative practice of design processes.”

“The world is at the point where we can’t just keep doing things the same way. There’s going to have to be more emphasis on rethinking the design of everything with a focus on life-cycle analysis and searching for radical new solutions.”

Re-think the existing, do it over and over again and always start with the needs of the end user - not bad advise for making radio stations sound interesting.

The entire article about design thinking can be found here (via Core77)

Making radio imaging disappear

Finally! !BOOM is up and running. Essentially, !BOOM is a comprehensive imaging solution for modern CHRs: a cutting edge production sound that can be fully customized with any station's name, frequency and language. We created !BOOM with PPM in mind. The goal was to have the production elements flow naturally between the songs eliminating the clutter and noise of typical CHR imaging.

Here is how that sounds:

And here is the press release:

überblend radio branding launches a new CHR imaging package called !BOOM, designed to integrate a station’s branding messages seamlessly with its music. 

Michael Stuber, founder of überblend explains the genesis of !BOOM: “for years, I’ve been thinking there’s something missing with CHR imaging. It’s been too noisy, too cluttered and too focused on blaring station slogans and promotions at the listeners. I wanted to create an imaging sound that doesn’t draw attention to itself, but instead becomes part of the entertainment value of the station” !BOOM is noticeably different: the pieces have a high-energy-hip-hop-meets-electronic sound, mirroring the current evolution of pop music in all its genre-bending glory. The sound is more musical and less “radio.” 

While seeking and developing a more pleasing and current sound for CHR imaging, Stuber simultaneously became concerned about the financial challenges the industry is facing and the fact that many stations could no longer afford top-notch jingle packages plus top-notch daily production service. This is where !BOOM comes in. By integrating the jingles directly with the day-to-day production, and delivering station messages on a 808-and-auto-tuned fueled canvas, !BOOM matches the aesthetic of today’s hit songs in a cost-effective manner. Stations no longer need to purchase a several thousand dollar jingle package in addition to paying for ongoing production service. überblend can deliver both at a price that is affordable for most stations. 

Will !BOOM really make radio imaging disappear? Well, to the listeners’ maybe. Stuber says “our goal is to have the station imaging pieces be indistinguishable from the songs. If we can come out of a popular song with an imaging piece that’s equally exciting and relevant, we will see an increase in TSL.” To radio programmers, the imaging certainly isn’t going away, but it may be a little more camouflaged than the standard imaging sound, becoming more a part of the music programming of the station, rather than an interruption from it. 

Check out the official !BOOM site at www.boomCHR.com. 

The key to success

Interesting piece about Apple's head designer Jonathan Ivy in BusinessWeek. The core message:

For Apple, he outlined, the end game isn't commercial success. "Apple's goal isn't to make money. Our goal is to design and develop and bring to market good products," he explained. "We trust as a consequence of that, people will like them, and as another consequence we'll make some money. But we're really clear about what our goals are."

While I definitely take this statement with a grain of salt (c'mon, Apple wants to make money as much as everybody else) it is still great to see that the key to success not always has to start with "the bottom line."

What does listening to your station say about your listeners?

Are you a brand new Nike wearing, sunglasses in the hair, shorts sporting, world traveler - or more the twittering, shaggy hair, skinny jeans concert goer? No matter who we are we use symbols, actions and products to help construct our self-identities. By sporting certain brands, behavior or interests we give cues to the outside world about how we would like them to see us. Each individual constructs an idea about him or her self -- consciously or not -- and constantly communicates this idea.

So, how does your radio station fit into the self-identity of your listeners? What is the signal your listeners send out by blasting your station through their car stereo? And how well does your overall presentation match your listeners' self-identity? 

While "playing today's hits" is a way to market your station it doesn't necessarily match your listeners lifestyle and identity. In other words: your station has to represent a lifestyle. And while the music you play is a very strong indication of that lifestyle, the elements between the music must also communicate why and how your station fits into your listeners self-identity. 

Therefore, consider this for your next promo: 

• Don't start with your call letters.
• Instead start with how and why the promotion fits into your listeners' life.
• Don't talk about what YOU do but about what your listeners get.
• Show how the promotion complements your listener's lifestyle.   

Here is how that could sound:

Now imagine hearing this piece blaring from the car next to you at a red light. Who is sitting in this car? You bet it is a fun, sexy person that loves life - at least that's how he or she gets to portray him or her self by listening to your station. And all of a sudden your are more than just another radio station - you are the match to your listeners self-identity. 

Delighters - or why not spread some joy?

Ever been to a hotel and found a piece of chocolate on your pillow after you returned from dinner? These little unexpected surprises are called "delighters." Little things that punctuate an experience. Not only the hotel industry uses "delighters." Dopplr, the social travel network, has a "delighter" built into their logo. Over time their logo changes color. Something users typically don't spot until the 3rd or 4th time they use the service. Zappos, the online shoe store, has built their whole business model around "delighters." They always ship overnight no matter what shipping speed the customer chooses. 

Couldn't radio production use a few more "delighters?" Little things in a promo or imaging production piece that go un-noticed the first couple of times but eventually delight anybody who notices them. Here is an example: 

Regular promo, right? Well, listen again and now not only listen to what the VO is saying but also how Christina's lyrics fit with the copy. Yes, it was a little bit more work to make everything fit and flow but people who listen closely will get an extra kick out of the production piece. And all of a sudden the promo sounds fresh (and makes you smile) even after hearing it 5 or even 10 times.

PS: ever noticed how there are little audio surprises behind some titles and pictures at uberblend.com?

!BOOM - the logo preview

 

For the last couple of weeks we have been pouring all our energy and time into a new service. An imaging solution for modern CHR's that can be fully customized. While the demo is not quite ready yet we just got the logo in from our designer. Sorry, but we are so excited, we have to show it off...;-) Sandra, you truly rock! 

Stay tuned for the debut of the service. Should be ready early next week.

What is your signature sound?

A Zippo lighter sounds like a Zippo lighter - that metallic click when flipping open the top is instantly recognizable as a "Zippo." Other brands have tried it but failed in the end: Harley-Davidson for example tried to calibrate the sound of its engine to get it trademarked. Apparently they litigated for seven years to copyright the sound - with no success in the end (more on brand's audio efforts in this article.)

Radio stations have tried it in the past. Some stations apply a specific EQ setting to their signal - others consciously manipulate the sound of their microphones and pre-amp/compressors for a grittier or smoother finish on their DJ voices.

Not many stations, however, have tried to introduce their listeners to unique signature sounds. While jingles and station voices are signature sounds, there are other sounds you can explore as well. So why not start to introduce signature sounds? Sounds that are unique to your station. Sounds that are recognizable enough to stand out but don't burn and annoy quickly. It might be a zip or a whoosh - maybe a note - or a certain instrument. Think of the sound your Apple or Windows computer makes when it starts up.  Instant brand recognition there.  Not an easy task but the right sound might trigger as much of brand recognition for your station as the click has for the Zippo.

Your personal soundsource

While radio talks about personalized programming inventor Woody Norris makes personalized listening possible. Imagine a movie theater where every guest can choose their own soundtrack... Fascinating idea - I think I have seen/heard it before but never thought about the physics behind it. Found it through ted.me.

The Devil is in the Details Pt. 3: Music and Sound Effects

Assuming you've read part one and part two of this series, you've got the writing of your production piece locked down and you now have a great performance from your voice talent recorded to your audio editor.  You cut up the takes you like and the final step is putting it all together.  We've been discussing the "details" that matter, so when it comes to music and sound effects, here are the details to consider:

Music:
1.  What does a piece of music say?  Does it support the message of the piece overall?
2. What is the energy level and flow of the different music pieces used?  Do they match with each other?  Do they match with the overall programming of the station?  (too different?) Might they conflict with songs programmed on the station? (too similar?) 
3. Does the music overpower or distract from the voice and the message?  This could be because it is actually too loud in volume, or too busy or noticeable in a more subtle way.  Or maybe certain instruments in your music bed (such as horns, saxophones or guitar solos) sit in the same frequency range as your voice and therefore your voice does not have enough room within the EQ spectrum.

Sound Effects:
1. Are there too many?  Are we slapping the listeners in the face with lasers and bombs for no reason?  Are we jarring them?
2. Are there too few sound effects?  Does the promo lack a certain energy or "ummph?"  Might some carefully selected sound effects create a better "theater of the mind" or help the listener immediately get the feel faster?  For example, crowd noise and cheering always makes the listener feel like they are at a concert even if you haven't told them yet that the spot is for a concert...
3. Are you using the right sound effects in the right places?  Is a sound masking an important word or the call letters?  Does a particular sound jump out and sound strange? 

These details are all important to consider throughout every stage of the process.  The subtleties of the different elements interact to create a good, great or mediocre piece.  Remember -- the devil is in the details!    

Bend the voice your way

Plug-ins to alter the pitch, time and tune of a voice are widely used in pop music today (even TIME is writing about it!)  The Time article notes that Cher's 1998 song Believe is the classic example, but more recently we've been hearing artists like T-Pain, Akon and Kanye West using Autotune to give their voice a more distinctive sound. Plug-ins like Autotune are used not only to give vocals a perfect pitch and time but also to create sounds that wouldn't exist otherwise. 

We've used a similar technique here at überblend with Melodyne.  The goal is the same: alter the pitch and rhythm of already recorded voice tracks. Often, we use it to subtly adjust the pitch of certain syllables or slightly change the rhythm of a word.  Other times, we use it to create sounds that will sonically define the whole piece.

Here are three examples. They all start with the original read, followed by just the voice after we used Melodyne, and finally, the altered vocal elements incorporated into a production piece.

Still Ga-Ga for Radio

Sometimes - especially during the current radio times - it is nice to be reminded of what radio could be - or still is in other parts of the world. In a piece for Saturday's Telegraph BBC broadcaster Libby Purves celebrates the 'invisible' medium.

Television tends to steal your hours while radio doubles them. We are all tied to lonely physical drudgeries: driving, housework, cooking, dressing, searching for lost socks. Yet all the time the humble apparatus fills our mind with stories, ideas, sounds and jokes and meditations. And the hours need not feel wasted or lonely after all.

While I have to admit this is a very idealistic view of radio it nicely shows the potential radio - or audio entertainment for that matter - still has.

The Devil is in the Details pt 2: Voice.

In the last post, we talked about how the details of the writing can affect the finished product in radio branding.

The other all-important element is the voice and the vocal performance.  Let's just assume that you already have a great voice talent that matches the format of your station.  Now the challenge is to get the best out of that talent in each and every session.  Here are some of the details that are worth paying attention to:

1. Match
Does the energy, feel and cadence of the voice match previous sessions?  Does it match the copy of the current pieces?  Does it match the message of the writing?

2. Recording quality
Is there background noise (hum, hiss, ambient noise) that might be getting into your recording?  Are there other noises that need to be edited out (mouth sounds, breaths, clicks, pops, etc.)? 

3. Flow
Is there a natural and believable flow to the read from the voice talent or do they sound like they are reading a script?  Does the delivery actually enhance the message or just deliver it? 

Again, the importance of the details is that they are cumulative.  One mistake or a weakness in one area may not ruin the entire piece, but a bunch of details combined might be enough to make a noticeable difference in quality.  Pay attention to the details as you go through the process to ensure a better-sounding final product. 

Next post:  The Devil is in the Details part 3: Music and Sound Effects

The Devil is in the Details

The details always make up the big picture. Attention to detail from start to finish is what separates great-sounding radio from mediocre-sounding radio.

When it comes to radio branding, there are many small factors that combine to make up the whole, and the attention to detail during each step will determine the overall quality and sound of the whole.

Writing
It usually starts with a script, and this is the first stage where details are important. Are there extra words? Is the message clear? Are the sentences too long? Too short? Is this written to be read by a voice talent and produced with music and sound effects, (i.e. "written for the ear") or is this written more for just reading on a page or maybe to be done as a live read by a jock, but doesn't really work for a produced piece?

For example, writing a good promo is like writing a story. You may need to think back (way back) to those creative writing classes you had in high school or college. Do you remember the elements of narrative? Well, there's the set-up, the climax, and the resolution. As a listener, I need to be hooked, brought to a logical place, then brought back down with a nice conclusion that leaves me ready to take action on what I just heard. If one of these details is left out, you're losing a little bit of the effectiveness and the power of it, and those small mistakes or oversights are cumulative.

next post..... The Devil is in the Details part 2: Voice.

Yes, yes, yes.....

Read Mark Ramsey's interview with Seth Godin about the future of radio.... click here.

Elements of Good Radio Branding

There are four aspects to creating good radio branding:

1. Context
Where is the piece going to be played? What comes before and after it? What promotions or other messaging is it related to?

2. Message
Does the language used clearly convey the message? Does it generate excitement about the subject while getting across the important points? Is there one clear call to action (if applicable)?

3. Rhythm and Flow
Does the piece "feel" right? Does it hit you on a gut level and grab your attention? Is it jarring or harsh to listen to? Can I dance or sing along to it? Does the timing add to the message or confuse it?

4. Creativity
Does this piece stand out as unique? If there is humor attempted, is it actually funny? Does it paint a mental picture?

The story makes it unique

I went to Cirque du Soleil the other day ("the creepy french circus" - as my friend would call it). In many ways, Cirque du Soleil is like any other circus. But while sitting there, I began to think about the story the performance was telling -- the story of "The Innocent" -- a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. He goes on a journey that brings him into contact with a variety of characters: the king, the trickster, the pickpocket, the tourist, and a bad dog.

What was interesting to me was how this story - told with real characters as well as monumental musical numbers - transformed this average circus experience into a Cirque du Soleil experience. In other words, while the artistic performances could have happened at any circus, the story between the performances made it a true Cirque du Soleil experience. By telling a story, an average program was transformed into a unique event.

Isn't that what we try to do in radio every day? Transform the songs --available to everybody else and not unique to the station --into an experience that is unique to the station. It all comes down to the story you tell between the songs. Because that story is what makes the experience unique.

Immediate Impact vs. Long Term Appeal

When working with any kind of audio piece, there is always an evaluation or audition stage where you listen to different options and decide what you want to go with. There may be several options for voices, music, copy, sound effects, or mixing.

One thing to consider is: how many times are people going to hear this same voice / spot / music? And...how is this going to sound after hearing it 20+ times? That's an important question because many times we gravitate towards the sounds, music and voices that sound the biggest and the loudest on first listen because they have the most immediate impact. The problem is that often these "big" sounds become irritating after hearing them more than once. Kind of like a Billy Mays infomercial.... sure it gets your attention, but it gets irritating pretty quickly.

Same thing with humor. That liner that was funny the first couple of times probably won't be funny to the audience after they have heard it 5 times.

So when deciding which option to go with, consider the long term appeal as well as the immediate impact and avoid the temptation to choose a sound that sounds great at first, but will become irritating after a few listens.

Is Radio Imaging no Longer Necessary?

With listening trends and the radio landscape changing, there seem to be some people who believe that the future of radio will be commercial-free, jock-free, promo-free music, delivered via a playlist programmed by the listener. In other words, an iPod on shuffle.

While I think most self-respecting radio professionals want to believe that we are offering something more than that, it seems that there are at least some people in the radio industry who think that it's only a matter of time before the only thing we'll have on the FM dial is talk, because music will be better delivered via user-generated playlists.

I don't think this is the future of radio at all.

While there is no question that traditional music format terrestial radio has and will continue to lose large chunks of listeners to iPods and internet music services like Pandora, I think radio has an additional appeal that many people in the radio industry are forgetting.

This point might be better understood if we look at TV. Why do people watch TV? Well, if someone is watching a sitcom, you could say it's because they are looking for humor. If someone is watching a reality show or drama it's because they are looking for drama. If someone is watching a show on the history channel, they turned on their TV looking for enlightenment or to be educated, right? Wrong. People watch TV because they're bored or they're lonely. Yes, there is plenty of "appointment watching" in TV, that we don't get so much in radio, but in general if someone just turns on the TV at a random time, not knowing what's on, it's because they are bored or lonely. It's the same when people turn on their radios. People tune into your station not because it's the only place they can get _____________ music. They tune into your station because they are comfortable with it. They like the lifestyle your station represents. They feel better/ younger / cooler / more sophisticated / better informed or any of the above when they listen. Yes, they like the music you play. Yes, the music is probably the initial draw, but radio is about so much more than that. It's about making people feel like they are part of something important and exciting and it's happening right now... local and live! You just don't get that feeling when listening to a playlist on your iPod or an internet channel programmed solely with software.

Thats why radio branding is so important. Your station has to stand for something. You have to make listeners feel and believe that when they are listening to you, they are part of something important. Make your unique selling proposition the entertainment value that you offer, not that you have a few less seconds of commercials than the other guys.

The magic of radio

Let me start this blog with copy from the entry form of this year's New York Festival:

Radio is the one place you need to think big. Really big. Because all you have is a voice, a little music, some sound effects, and your imagination. And using just those tools, you're called upon to create magic. To craft a story that holds and engages and captivates an audience that needs to quietly listen. To use words that create a picture in their minds, not on their screens. Well-crafted radio is a thing of beauty, blessed by those consumers fortunate enough to find it amidst the clutter.

Well, let's explore, discuss, explain, argue about and celebrate the magic of radio - or in the case of this blog -- the magic of great audio branding for radio stations.