Freebies

If you are as cheap as I am then you are probably looking for good deals all the time.

To be even more similar to me you like to find free software on the Internet. Two very useful programs that I have found are 100% free to use forever, no strings attached. They are free of ads as well. I give my personal recommendation.

If you need an awesome free word processor nearly equal to Microsoft Word ® try Open Office. Download at  http://www.openoffice.org

If you like to tinker with digital audio then get the beta version of Audacity for multi-track recording and editing. I find it very reliable and easy to use, weather you're a beginner or an experienced pro. I have been using Audacity for about five years. There was a slight learning curve in the beginning. With the on-line users manual, all features are comprehensively explained. I am not a beginner; audio has been a serious hobby of mine for 30 years: in radio production for a dozen years and church sound since I was 14. Devices and fads have come and gone, but I can truly say that Audacity is the most useful tool ever. It does things impossible for even state-of-the-art analog production studios when I began in radio. The only criticism: there is no real time preview of plug-in effects. Hey, it is free after all. You may download at http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Stay tuned

©2010 The Peanut Whistle. All rights reserved.

Freebies

If you are as cheap as I am then you are probably looking for good deals all the time.

To be even more similar to me you like to find free software on the Internet. Two very useful programs that I have found are 100% free to use forever, no strings attached. They are free of ads as well. I give my personal recommendation.

If you need an awesome free word processor nearly equal to Microsoft Word ® try Open Office. Download at http://www.openoffice.org

If you like to tinker with digital audio then get the beta version of Audacity for multi-track recording and editing. I find it very reliable and easy to use, weather you're a beginner or an experienced pro. I have been using Audacity for about five years. There was a slight learning curve in the beginning. With the on-line users manual, all features are comprehensively explained. I am not a beginner; audio has been a serious hobby of mine for 30 years: in radio production for a dozen years and church sound since I was 14. Devices and fads have come and gone, but I can truly say that Audacity is the most useful tool ever. It does things impossible for even state-of-the-art analog production studios when I began in radio. The only criticism: there is no real time preview of plug-in effects. Hey, it is free after all. You may download at http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Stay tuned

Where's the Reset Button?

I've been a bit leisurely lately. This blog has not demanded the attention as it once did. That might be a good thing,

Over my 44 years I have seemed to go through many fads not staying with them long. As a youth I played sandlot football and became obsessed with the sport; parental oversight prohibited me from actually playing in high school. "You could get hurt," my mother would often warn. Compliant children such as I listened only to regret much later what NFL franchise would have beckoned. In reality, officially competing would have been too much work  for a clumsy nonathletic clod. I went through many phases: gym memberships, tennis, bicycling, on and on. Finally, I decided that "bodily exercise profiteth little" so after a few years the fitness craze languished. I realize today that taking scripture out of context can be counterproductive. 

With my pollen filled lungs I have decided to be more proactive with my health lately. It may be a phase; but a 40 year age gap with such young children it's apparent that we couch potatoes must abandon leisure and get with the program. Wish me luck. Summer, here we come!

Stay tuned.

©2010 The Peanut Whistle. All rights reserved.

Love Grew

Easter of 1983 I recorded the Rhoden sisters (founding members of the Children of Light) along their brother, my dad, James. The venue was a residence that had been converted into a tiny church in Savannah, Georgia. It was recorded unplugged style with a JVC stereo electret condenser microphone wired direct into a Dokorder 7700 ¼ ” tape deck running at 7.5 ips. Years later the original reel-to-reel recording was transferred to cassette on a Tascam 122 B professional machine. I used the cassette dub as my source for today's post. Unfortunately, the voices overpowered the recording equipment on the choruses so a bit of distortion remains. The song is Love Grew Where the Blood Fell; press play to enjoy

Welcome Facebook Friends

If you have linked over from Facebook (or anywhere), welcome to my blog. This is mainly a career retrospective of my days in Christian radio and church sound. Recently, I have started a commemorative fan page for the Children of Light, a gospel group near and dear to the writer. In the companion Podcast Gospel Rewind the Children of Light have been featured more than once. You're encouraged to explore the shows and posts. In the future, the group will be subject of a more extensive write-up and possibly their own site. For all fans of the group we have big plans for reissuing their albums on CD. We have discovered the original multi-track session tape and would love to share the Presenting Jesus album in 21st century crystal clear digital audio remix. As for the two other superb albums, the location of the master tapes is uncertain. We have access to good clean LP copies of the albums, but working with the original sound source is the preferred method.

Stay tuned

©2010 Gospel Aircheck. All rights reserved.

Random Rant

Today’s post might not be popular,  I don’t care.

I was listening to the radio this morning; one of those typical man and woman hosted fluff shows. It does not matter which station. It proved why I elected years ago to listen exclusively to CD’s when in the car. The show was so sappy that I literally felt nauseous. Let me explain.

About 25 years ago a smart programmer in New York City took a struggling radio station, invented the Morning Zoo format and turned it into the number one Z-100 phenomenon popular to this day. FM radio was never again the same. In the place of a single DJ several hosts contributed to the morning show with well crafted wit and interesting banter. This format was cloned with varying success all over the country. Over the years many popular stations reduced the size of their morning shows down to typically one man and one woman; I think to increase their female listeners. In the age of political correctness these shows were biased to the female perspective. Male bashing has been en vogue for many years and these shows have reflected this upside down trend. As a result these male hosts have been emasculated ad nauseam.

The contrast between the sexes is what makes life interesting. Why then do I have to hear a man’s voice oozing  pseudo-sensitivity from my car speakers? We have gone too far. It’s time to man up! Radio programmers take note: women actually like real men.

Stay tuned 

©2010 The Peanut Whistle. All rights reserved.

I'll Be a Fool

There are April Fool's Day pranks all over the world today. Did you see the one from Google where they claimed to be changing their name to Topeka? One of my single Facebook friends changes his status to "married". Where was my invitation? Both very original. I struggled to put a prank together for the blogs but lost interest early on. Instead, check out this 1990 aircheck from radio home two. Witness the only times I actually looked forward to being sick; my hoarse voice sounded better to me, you be the judge.

 ©2010 Gospel Aircheck. All rights reserved.