‘Creating your own podcast can be an extremely fun and rewarding experience. If you ever dreamt of being a podcaster but were not sure where to begin, this course by Jono Slatter will show you how to get started the right way!
Podcasting is bigger than ever, and it doesn’t look like its popularity is going to slow down anytime soon. It is one of the most accessible platforms for home-based reporters, musicians, business owners, etc. to reach and build an audience. In this course, you will learn everything you need to start recording your own podcasts, from connecting your gear, to recording and editing your voice using the free software Audacity.
This course starts by looking at all the essential gear you will need to start recording your podcast. You learn how to choose, handle and connect your microphone, and how to record your voice with the free software Audacity. Jono then explains how to edit your recordings, how to import music and adjust everything to get a well-balanced mix. You also learn to correct mistakes with punch-ins, how to record interviews with multiple microphones, and export your final podcast. Jono closes the course by sharing some invaluable tips to make your podcast even better.’
The the new Father’s Day radio commercial for Funky Pigeon. If you need a card or a lovely gift for something like Father’s Day…it’s quick, it’s easy…it’s funkypigeon.com
I sang my first radio jingle back in 1990 for none other than Radstock Superstore and since then I have been singing and producing jingles for clients and stations across the UK. I sing for all sorts of styles of jingles – pop & rock, classical, singalong and comedy.
These days producers tend to send me the backing track and I record the vocals, double tracks and harmonies here in my studio in Bath, and then I send all the separate ‘stems’ back for the producer to mix in their studio. I provide a competitively priced and fast service – and I even have a demo rate to make things even more flexible.
Recording a jingle with the Neumann u87 mic
Mixed and mastered jingles
However if you need the vocals produced, mixed and mastered then I have a pro recording studio in house. And if you’re looking for someone to create a jingle from scratch then I can provide that too. To find out more or discuss a project just use the contact form at the bottom of the page or give me a call on 01225 470011.
The key to getting that thick rich and clear jingle sound is double tracking – or stacking. The art of recording the same vocal part over the original – often up to three or four times. The magic happens because the small differences in the performances blend together to create a thicker more appealing sound. In other words you can’t just duplicate the track in the computer, it’s the human element that makes it come alive and stand out. Those double tracked vocals can then be individually panned to create a very satisfying ‘wide’ stereo vocal that lifts out of the mix.
Take a listen to Karen Carpenter’s studio recordings or many of John Lennon’s lead vocals in the Beatles to hear it in action, plus there’s a video below of Michael Jackson stacking up some vocals in the studio with legendary producer Quincy Jones. Quincy has him stepping further and further off the mic on each double track to create more difference and depth. The old finger in one ear whilst recording is really useful as it helps you hear the part your singing in one ear and the backing that you are trying to double in the other.
I have been singing advertising jingles for over 20 years and there is one type of jingle I love to record more than any other… I’m talking about a cappella barbershop style jingles – jingles made up of just vocals without musical instrumentation and full of rich double tracking and lovely close harmonies.
To produce them well takes quite some time and patience in the studio to get everything recorded spot on, but these days it’s certainly easier with the help you can get from things like Logic Pro’s flex time and flex pitch.
Here’s a recent example of an a cappella jingle – ok there is a tiny bit of electric piano but it’s predominately made up of about 14 tracks of vocals. Have a listen…
Or how about an a cappella jingle for a pine shop…
If you’re interested in having a jingle recorded for your business or client, you can contact Jono on 07738 470011 – or use the contact form here.
I’ve spent the past 20 years singing jingles for radio and TV adverts. Part of the trick to getting that rich full sound is to stack the same vocal line over and over. It’s often called ‘double tracking’ , and although you need to match the previous recording pretty darn close – those tiny differences in performance create that thick creamy sound.
A jingle can often be sung by just one singer, but in the ‘vocal stack’ there might be three or more lead vocals, and then each harmony line would be at least double tracked – so pretty soon you can have a stack of easily 8 or 9 tracks – sometimes many more.
For me the best double tracker ever was Karen Carpenter. So flawlessly done you can hardly tell the lead vocal is ‘multi-tracked.’
As for recording technique when you’re stacking vocals, it can really help to close one ear off with your finger to make it easier to hear yourself whilst at the same time hearing the previous take on the other side of the headphones. Also stepping gradually further from the mic as you double track a vocal line, can help create a sense of space and texture. See the video of Michael Jackson working with Quincy Jones for an inspiring demonstration.
How to download quality British production music for free. No sync fees, no MCPS licences required.
Sounds Visual Music offer free production music and sound effects to editors and producers working on broadcast productions. The library is a BBC approved music production library for BBC in-house editors and producers, and offers a nice choice of quality British production music all pre-cleared for use on broadcast productions. No sync fees are required, no MCPS or PPL licences are needed. You need to join the site as a member, and once approved you will be able to access the library and download WAV files of the music. Apply here – free.
Below is a screenshot from a section of the Sounds Visual Music Library.
A section of the Sounds Visual Music Production Music Library
The company also offer a service whereby if you let them know the type of programme you are working on and the sort of music tracks you are looking for they will prepare a selection of music for you to audition. To find out more contact Sounds Visual Music here.
Just before Christmas 2014, at the last minute, Equity published a new rate card for voiceover rates for radio commercials, in-store commercials and Spotify. This didn’t give much time to implement the suggested increase without warning so I continued charging the old rates during January. From February 2015 these new rates apply and you can see all the details below:
