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Murray[_8_] Murray[_8_] is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

Hi Guys,
I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator. The
training is a bit sparse (very sparse). There's a lot of live reading
of Newspapers etc, interspersed with sponsor promos etc and it's main
purpose is to support print handicapped people.

So my questions a

What makes a good mix?

What could I learn (heaps) and where can I get some guidelines to what
other use as goals for program quality etc to AIR.

I already know -
1 Avoid Dead Air
2 Plan Ahead
3 Adequate levels - and avoid clipping.
3. Pre cue everything and always have something as backup to go to
air.
4. Monitor, monitor, monitor.

But I am more on what I can do as far as mixing, background music,
intro's and Outro handling to make it sound as though I know what I am
doing.

(BTW I do have a background in audio systems from an Air traffic
control environment; but lack insight into professional and broadcast
techniques and equipment).

Any thoughts appreciated.
Murray
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RD Jones RD Jones is offline
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Location: Nashville
Posts: 393
Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

On Aug 7, 10:41*pm, Murray wrote:
Hi Guys,
I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator. The
training is a bit sparse (very sparse). *There's a lot of live reading
of Newspapers etc, interspersed with sponsor promos etc and it's main
purpose is to support print handicapped people.

So my questions a

What makes a good mix?

What could I learn (heaps) and where can I get some guidelines to what
other use as goals for program quality etc to AIR.

I already know -
1 Avoid Dead Air
2 Plan Ahead
3 Adequate levels - and avoid clipping.


You should NEVER have to worry about avoidance of clipping.
There will be (or should be) plenty of AGC, gain riding, leveling,
peak limiting and similar types of processing in the air chain so
that a clipped audio signal is vitually impossible.
Same goes for the production room.

3. Pre cue everything and always have something as backup to go to
air.
4. Monitor, monitor, monitor.

But I am more on what I can do as far as mixing, background music,
intro's and Outro handling to make it sound as though I know what I am
doing.

(BTW I do have a background in audio systems from an Air traffic
control environment; but lack insight into professional and broadcast
techniques and equipment).


Listen to your competition.
Don't ever let them be better than you,
strive to be every bit as good as and better than they.

No competition in your genre ?
Treat every other place on the dial as your competitor.
Treat your listeners as intelligent humans, don't 'talk down'
to them.
Offer a feedback avenue (such as a listener line) that's
answered or recorded and pay attention to it, with appropriate
grains of salt.

There's consulting services that do nothing but answer the
types of questions you have, and make good money doing
so. You shouldn't need such a service in your case. Just
take yourself seriously and your listeners will too.

It's easy to sound boring and monotonous when reading copy.
The best trait of a good announcer is to sound animated and
exciting, like a good TV actor, except more so since there's
no picture to help the listener "get it".

The techniques of broacasting books I have are probably out of print,
but there has got to be stuff out there.

Good luck
rd
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Richard Crowley Richard Crowley is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

"RD Jones" wrote ...
You should NEVER have to worry about avoidance of clipping.
There will be (or should be) plenty of AGC, gain riding, leveling,
peak limiting and similar types of processing in the air chain so
that a clipped audio signal is vitually impossible.
Same goes for the production room.


ESPECIALLY in a facility like that where engineering crew are
sometimes blind themselves. (Speaking from experience with a
similar operation in my region.)

Is this a new operation? Don't they have proper audio processing
equipment in the air chain?

(Substitute the politically-correct word of your choice for "blind".)


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[email protected] 0junk4me@bellsouth.net is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?


On 2008-08-07 said:
I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator.
The training is a bit sparse (very sparse). There's a lot of live
reading of Newspapers etc, interspersed with sponsor promos etc and
it's main purpose is to support print handicapped people.

No matter what RIch Crowley says here, don't use the
politically correct euhpemism for "blind" because that's
what we are in most cases g.

I've ben known to utilize such services when available where
I lived in different communities over the years. so my
perspectives are from a user's point of view.

So my questions a
What makes a good mix?

INtelligibility is job one. Remember many of your listeners
aren't listening on full range systems. sOme are listening
while doing the housework, or via headphones. cLarity of
the spoken word is your primary concern.
#2 is timeliness. IF I tune in at 1:30 P.M. expecting to
hear the classified ads from my local paper chances are good
that I'm not wanting to hear the newsletter from the local
Baptist church.
LIke others I"m a busy person with a life to lead. THough
the nature of the format dictates that I make time to catch
the broadcast of segments or publications I want to read I"m
making compromises in my klife to do this. I.E. NOt taking
business calls THursday afternoon to hear the grocery ads at
the time they're aired g.

1 Avoid Dead Air

INdeed, that means work with talent (readers etc.) to
pre-record as much as possible so that segments start and end
on time. Having these segments prerecorded also means it's
easier to avoid dead air.
Also helps with keeping scheduling tight, and tight
scheduling keeps satisfied listeners. remember these are
busy people with lives too. Unlike who can pick up the
local paper "on demand" to read it at leisure they have to
fit their scheduling of time to read the local paper around
when you air the segments of interest. Happy listeners mean
they'll speak up for your operation when it comes time to
request funding or get those grants. Unhappy listeners
won't speak up for you.


2 Plan Ahead

THat goes along with my suggestion for #1 above. Many of
these community "radio reading" sources read multiple local
periodicals, and listeners tune in for what they want when
published schedules say it's going to be aired.
THe American FOundation for the Blind used to do an "in
touch" network which added national content to these, such
as national magazines and newspapers read. I noted a lot of
dead air, readers reading material they didn't understand
and therefore stumbled through, etc.
Example, a person with no technical literacy reading a
computer magazine. One of the readers of Downbeat couldn't
be bothered to learn how to pronounce names of individuals
featured.

I used to call "in touch" network "out of touch" network
because of this.

3 Adequate levels - and avoid clipping.
3. Pre cue everything and always have something as backup to go to
air.

True enough, avoid dead air, but endeavor to get talent to
pre-record the segments they volunteer to read, and help them
to understand how to use the systems to do this so you don't
have to babysit them.
YOur main competition these days is NFB newsline, operated
by the National Federation OF tHe BLind. HOwever, they
don't have all the small town papers etc. that you might be
reading.

WHile you're at it, ask your readers about favorite reader
in the Library of COngress "talking book" program. LEt your
volunteer readers have a listen to these folks. COncentrate
on readers that your listeners like who read nonfiction.

THat's probably your main consideration, teaching the
volunteer readers how to use the equipment to be able to
have them come in, use production facilities to prepare
segments for airing while you pay attention to what's going
to air.
YOur readers can catch and fix their own clams that way.

Proper training of your reader volunteers is the first step
toward better sounding broadcasts. YOur volunteers will be
willing to learn, if you're willing to teach. After all,
they feel good about what they're doing.


But I am more on what I can do as far as mixing, background music,
intro's and Outro handling to make it sound as though I know what I
am doing.


Avoid abrupt transitions. Fade down that background music
after you've pressed play on the source for the segment
that's going to air. You'll know when it sounds right.
THat doesn't mean a long slow fade, but fades sound better
than just abrupt cessation.

HOpe I've been helpful.




Richard webb,
replace anything before at with elspider

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Badmuts Badmuts is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator.

What makes a good mix?


What could I learn (heaps)


I've been doing local radio when i was really young, and i've learned that
it's not at all about your technical skills, but about being able to deal
with people with big ego's in a way so that they'll still get along with
you. About being political and not too upfront most of the time. And about
dealing with cheap, old and broken equipment connected in unlogical
manners - and how to deal with that by just sneaking in one weekend and fix
it, and then organize a training yourself.





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Laurence Payne[_2_] Laurence Payne[_2_] is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

On Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:29:44 +0200, "Badmuts"
wrote:

And about
dealing with cheap, old and broken equipment connected in unlogical
manners - and how to deal with that by just sneaking in one weekend and fix
it, and then organize a training yourself.


And then finding that "unlogical" setup actually enabled functions
that YOU didn't need but someone else did :-(
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WillStG WillStG is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

On Aug 7, 10:41*pm, Murray wrote:
Hi Guys,
I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator. The
training is a bit sparse (very sparse). *There's a lot of live reading
of Newspapers etc, interspersed with sponsor promos etc and it's main
purpose is to support print handicapped people.

So my questions a

What makes a good mix?


From the operator's perspective, a mix that is intelligible with
the TV or Radio set at low listening levels, that isn't harsh, ugly or
overly ambient, and that has levels constant enough to not disappear
into the noise floor (in a car or someone's living room) or to
suddenly jump out and startle the listener. How to accomplish this is
another question. Overall, I use the Opening and closing music as a
guide for where everything else in the mix should be, and match the
Billboards and the Talents' mics to that level.

Yyou can't get a good mix just moving the faders to zero, you'll
have to listen. In TV we actually have EQ's, and they let us use
compressors. limiters, etc. As I understand it, this is not
universally true in radio. But there are EQ curve settings built into
some microphones like EV RE20's. If you were doing TV, having audio
video timing match would also be an issue.

Be prepared, quickly monitor sources prefade so you know how loud
they are going to be and that the caller is still there (I prefer
mixers with a pull down prefade listen function), hit your cues
promptly, and most importantly never upcut a commercial. If you
occasionally upcut a studio mic because there is no way you could have
known to open a mic, that they may forgive. But upcut a commercial
and Sales likely has to make good on the whole thing, and in some
markets the advertiser is paying a whole lot more for one commercial
than they are paying an audio Op. I'll cheat a commercial or a
Billboard Cart, track it a bit before the Director calls it, because
even if a Director calls it late you'll take heat if you blow a
commercial.

Good luck.

Will Miho
NY TV/Audio Post/Music/Live Sound Guy
"The large prinnt giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits



What could I learn (heaps) and where can I get some guidelines to what
other use as goals for program quality etc to AIR.

I already know -
1 Avoid Dead Air
2 Plan Ahead
3 Adequate levels - and avoid clipping.
3. Pre cue everything and always have something as backup to go to
air.
4. Monitor, monitor, monitor.

But I am more on what I can do as far as mixing, background music,
intro's and Outro handling to make it sound as though I know what I am
doing.

(BTW I do have a background in audio systems from an Air traffic
control environment; but lack insight into professional and broadcast
techniques and equipment).

Any thoughts appreciated.
Murray


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[email protected] 0junk4me@bellsouth.net is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?


On 2008-08-11 said:
I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator.
The training is a bit sparse (very sparse). ˙There's a lot of
live reading of Newspapers etc, interspersed with sponsor promos
etc and it's main purpose is to support print handicapped people.
So my questions a
What makes a good mix?

From the operator's perspective, a mix that is intelligible with
the TV or Radio set at low listening levels, that isn't harsh, ugly
or overly ambient, and that has levels constant enough to not
disappear into the noise floor (in a car or someone's living room)
or to suddenly jump out and startle the listener. How to accomplish
this is another question. Overall, I use the Opening and closing
music as a guide for where everything else in the mix should be,
and match the Billboards and the Talents' mics to that level.

True enough, from his target listeners' point of view, even
if they don't realize it. YOu'll note what he's doing,
quoted above. WHat many of us call "radio reading services"
usually on a subcarrier of an fm station, often public or
community radio station of some type.

Yyou can't get a good mix just moving the faders to zero, you'll
have to listen. In TV we actually have EQ's, and they let us use
compressors. limiters, etc. As I understand it, this is not
universally true in radio. But there are EQ curve settings built
into some microphones like EV RE20's. If you were doing TV, having
audio video timing match would also be an issue.

HE's not doing video so he won't have worries there. IF
he's some compression available he might want to use it,
especially if "talent" pre-records as I suggested earlier in
this thread and doesn't use it when tracking.

Be prepared, quickly monitor sources prefade so you know how loud
they are going to be and that the caller is still there (I prefer
mixers with a pull down prefade listen function), hit your cues
promptly, and most importantly never upcut a commercial. If you
occasionally upcut a studio mic because there is no way you could
have known to open a mic, that they may forgive. But upcut a
commercial and Sales likely has to make good on the whole thing,
and in some markets the advertiser is paying a whole lot more for
one commercial than they are paying an audio Op.

SOme good points too, probably not something he's going to
have to worry about for the most part. THere will be
bumpers though that have to be cued from pre-recorded
sources such as station ids and announcements etc. wHich
will be aired between reading segments.


REgards,




Richard webb,
replace anything before at with elspider

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Murray[_8_] Murray[_8_] is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?

On Aug 12, 10:13*am, wrote:
On 2008-08-11 said:
* * I have become involved in Community Radio as a Technical Operator.
* *The *training is a bit sparse (very sparse). ˙There's a lot of
* *live reading *of Newspapers etc, interspersed with sponsor promos
* *etc and it's main *purpose is to support print handicapped people.
* * So my questions a
* * What makes a good mix?



Hi Guys,

Thanks for the input. I was more interested in what I COULD DO as I
am not the vocal talent; I am the guy driving the panel and putting
the programme to air. But based on some of "the talent" whose program
I am putting to air, I may put my hand up to to do an audition.

I have listened a lot over the last few days - hearing the problems of
others off-air, the mis-cues, coughing and not using the cough
button, cueing up programs going to air, faders down etc.

Hopefully, this won't be happening on next Monday's shift.

Regards to all,

Murray
PS feel free to contact me off-site if you wish.
M
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[email protected] 0junk4me@bellsouth.net is offline
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Default What Makes a Good Broadcast mix?


On 2008-08-13 said:
I have listened a lot over the last few days - hearing the problems
of others off-air, the mis-cues, coughing and not using the cough
button, cueing up programs going to air, faders down etc.
Hopefully, this won't be happening on next Monday's shift.


Glad I could be of help. As an audio professional and one
who is a "consumer" of such programs as you air a couple
more suggestions.

TO help "talent" get a feel for whats happening, have them
listen to their work, raw and uncut. Tell them to picture
themselves as a busy blind homemaker or professional who
wants to acquire the information presented in his local
newspaper. THey'll appreciate how the miscues, dead air and
extraneous noises detract from the presentation.
I used to help teach people who would be readers for talking
book programs, in fact recruited and trained a couple who
were able to hit the ground running once recognized and
approved by regional library collection expansion
departments.

AS the engineer driving the console you can do a lot to
improve the level of service your facility provides, and to
help the volunteer readers to provide high quality product
for air. THese folks are volunteers who feel good about
what they do. Making your job easier driving the mixer for
broadcast starts with helping the talent improve their
presentation skills. tHe problem I see in most
organizations doing what you're doing is that the folks
running the operation don't provide this. AFter all, they
provide it, and a "good enough for who it's for" mentality
is often the norm. IF the warm body can read aloud at all
and is willing said warm body is plunked in the chair in
front of the recorder to read whatever fits within the time
slot said volunteer is available and what needs reading.
Most of these same volunteers will be more than happy to
learn though, and you can help them do so.

AGain, decode my email address and write me off the group if
you need further that might not be germane to this
newsgroup.

Regards,




Richard webb,
replace anything before at with elspider

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