Brick and Mortar

There is something very special to me about a physical location as opposed to serving up MP3’s via the World Wide Web. Internet radio may catch on, but the hands on contact with the music I play and the people I interact with through terrestrial radio will never be replaced with an electronic substitute. I started this weblog with the intention of recalling “old fashioned” methods of radio and the tools we used to get our message out to the public. Right now when I do my podcast I record my voice tracks first, assemble the music, sound effects and other elements separately then combine them all for a complete show in pristine multi-track digital. This process has its advantages and editing by random access makes possible the once impossible in the analog world. However in the old days the process was much more organic, live and to some extent more alive. I would intro a record, let it play through then return again live at the end. This all happened in real time. In contrast to live presentation digital lacks soul, it is hard edged and unforgiving.

When I began in broadcasting in 1983 I became aware of “voice tracking” through observing documentaries profiling Top 40 syndicated radio shows. The host would stand in an isolation booth in front of a microphone recording their contribution to the show while technicians would add in music and other elements of the show later. So a four hour show would take the talent only a fraction of the time to produce. The announcer had to imagine that music was playing in his headphones so even with the best vocal talents their performances could seem detached. Nice work if you can get it.

Those of us not fortunate enough to have a multi-million dollar contract with Westwood One spent from four to six hours on-air actually hearing and responding to the natural rhythms of the music we selected, taking phone calls and sometimes making personal appearances when freed from our brick and mortar radio stations. When I resume broadcasting on the GRIN (my hobby web station) this fall I intend to bring to the Internet this organic method of radio mixed with the new tools on occasion. I never have rejected new technology or voice tracking for that matter I just feel the classic ways of doing things are still valid and should be preserved for a new generation that refers to me as old school.

Stay tuned.