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IMPROVING THOSE VOICE TRACKS Chris Byrnes I was conducting an announcers training seminar recently, and during Q&A I was asked for suggestions on ways to improve the sound of voice tracks and tricks to make them sound live. It was a great question, so I thought I'd share some of the ideas I passed along:
Show Prep: Garbage in-garbage out is very true when it comes to voice tracking a show or a number of shows in advance. It's very easy to wing it and voice track a four-hour shift in twenty minutes or less. But it's a four-hour shift, so you need to put in the time to generate great show prep to make up for the fact that you can't talk about the weather, the time, or involve listeners live on the air. How to show prep smartly is a one day seminar I deliver to radio stations, but I'll tell you for free.. unless you walk into the booth with at least one or two good bits per hour that will be of interest to your audience then you are cheating both your audience and the radio station.
Listen To the Music: Different digital storage systems allow you to listen to part of, or the entire event that you are about to voice track over. Take the time to listen to the last 15 or 20 seconds of the song so your delivery will fit the tone and pace of the previous track. If you have a smart system you can also listen to the start of the next event, which allows you to really match your delivery to both events.
Know the System: Take the time to learn all the features of the digital storage system you are using. Many jocks do not ever use some of the smart features, because they were quickly shown the system by another talent who does not know how to do anything but the most basic of voice tracks. Therefore read the operations manual, check out the system's web site and read the discussion groups. If they operate a training school for air talent and then get at least one member of staff to that school and pass along the tips. At the very least have a laminated "how to" book in each voice track booth, and a place for other talent to write and pass on tips they have learned.
Think About Your Audience: When this show airs, what will your audience be doing, what will their mood be and what are their needs? Often you will be voice tracking a night show in the mid morning or a Sunday afternoon show on Friday morning. To truly relate you need to pause before you open the microphone and think about the time and the day this voice track will play on the radio. Try and be reflective of that time/day in both your delivery and what you say.
Take A Break: It is a mistake to spend four or five hours live on the air then go straight into the voice booth to voice track two or three shows. You need to take a break, do some show prep and catch some fresh air before launching into a major voice tracking session.
Listen Back To A Few Breaks: After you've put down a few breaks, go back and listen to them. Check that they don't sound the same, and that the delivery and content are on target. Also check to ensure you are sticking to the station format. When you are voice tracking it's so easy to forget the format and not execute the required elements in the correct place in the clock.
Re-Record Some Breaks: One of the true benefits of voice tracking is that you get more than one opportunity to get it right. Also if you think of a better way to deliver a line, you can go back and re-do the break. So make the effort to re-record the breaks that don't work. Some jocks actually voice track ahead one or two breaks at a time, even when they are "live" on the air. This enables them to make the most of every break.
Listen "Live" To A Complete Show: This is a great way to check your overall performance. Actually listen live for a couple of hours and give yourself a rating for each of the critical areas (content, features, delivery, basics, overall strengths, weaknesses). If you are unable to actually listen live because you are voice tracking into another market, have some-one roll a tape, and listen to that in real time.
Tie Into Events: If there is a big event on in your market when your show will be airing, use this to your advantage. When you say things like "it's coming up to 9pm and I've just had a call to say that Rod Stewart is about to take the stage at the Sky Dome" as you play one of his #1 songs, you sound like you are live and in touch with what's going on. Hopefully you will have checked with the promoter to get the finish time of the show and play a big song from this core artist as the concert audience is driving home.
Telling the Time: The dead giveaway with voice tracking is when the talent never tells the time or makes reference to the current weather conditions. Frankly, telling the time outside of morning drive is not that important. But you can give an approximate time once or twice an hour in your voice breaks, and providing your technology starts each shift on time, you will be within a minute or two of being right.
Don't Always Be Perfect: When you are live, you make the odd mistake; so don't sweat the small stuff. It doesn't hurt to leave the odd fumble in a voice track, as long as it sounds natural and does not distract from the voice break.
Use Cards: If you find yourself slipping into the sameness in your delivery, grab some small cue cards and brainstorm different ways of starting your show, or cross promoting another daypart. Then rotate the cards, and once a month update twenty percent of them.
Be Yourself: Peter Bie, the PD of KLITE 101.7 in Santa Barbara, says, "Being yourself is one of the toughest things to do when it's just you and a voice-track. Instead of reading the liner or the promo, talk to the listener about it. Give it your own flair and delivery, instead of just flying through the copy. Above all, relax! If you haven't taken acting classes do so sometime. You'll be surprised at what they can bring out in your voice image."
Mike McVay, Founder and President of McVay Media says "Voice tracking has not only allowed for a better quality of air talent on radio stations, it has allowed talent to make more money and advance their career without relocating their families. The ratings show that audiences have zero problems with listening to voice tracked talent. Ask yourself, why do the Sopranos do so well in first, second and third runs? That is what it comes down to. It is good programming. While I am not a "fan" of voice tracking, it is not going to go away. The really smart radio personalities will be those that figure out how to grow and succeed in this new "virtual" world. I wish things would go back to the way they were before consolidation, but they are not going to do that. We need to change the way we "do" radio".
Conclusion: As you read this the Fall 2001 NAB will be in full swing in New Orleans (Sept 5-8) with a convention floor packed with suppliers offering the latest voice tracking software. But no matter how good the software, you still need smart talent at the station level to make every break sound compelling. Even then the system will occasionally hiccup, so you need systems in place to quickly fix any problem so your audience won't punch out to another station. The first automation system I worked with in the early 80's was famous for playing yesterday's voice tracks with tomorrow's music log today, which made even the best jock sound stupid! I like voice tracking, because it allows the radio station to spend some of the savings on marketing and investing in the future of the brand. I'm not a fan when this is done at the expense of the benefit to the listeners. |
