As a audio producer, I deal with production "elements", all the necessary ingredients that come together to make a radio commerical, promotional announcement, or related material, like station ID's (also known as "liners"). These "elements" are usually "music beds", instrumental music specifically composed for being played behind the announcer (also called "stock" or "production" music) various "drops" or lines of dialogue from a TV show or movie, even little clips of "noise" which can be called anything from "stagers" to "sweepers", but also commonly called "whooshes".
The one last major component of a commerical or promo is the sound effects. if they are used right, they often create a "theatre of the mind" aspect for the listener, so the listener has his own very intimate image of what is going on in the commerical (which is one advantage of radio over TV!!) the effects should be suttle, to the point of natural based on what you are creating. Few people are actually aware that today's hollywood movies actually employ a "Foley Artist" who creates virtually all of the effect of a movie (from footsteps to the closing of a door, to a barroom fight) on a foley recording soundstage. the foley's artists work is done well, when you don't realize it's artificial.
Admittingly, one other usage of "production elements", especially in radio station promos, is not so suttle. It is often a "in your face" type of production, where elements mentioned above are coming at your fast and furious, in a effort to get your attention. The best promos and production, often combine in your face, with a suttle approach at the same time, because it is very easy to overdo the in your face type of production by adding various types of effects like stutter, echo, flange etc, of which are available in the better wav editors. There is a fine line between overkill and "just right" that experience and learning by example teach you.
But enough of the production tutorial, this is a page which demonstrates my "foley wannabe" skills. All of the effects here are basically me and my Minidisc Recorder out and about with a stereo mic. I am planning on a CD eventually, and might sell it for a reasonable cost, as lord knows there isn't enough CD's that are cheap and good. OK, so I am tooting my horn a bit, I am NOT Sound Ideas, or The Hollywood Edge Sound Effects Libraries, and never will be, but here's some stuff that maybe someone has a use for besides myself. I enjoy the challenge to record them, to get what I want recorded, based on listening to many FX libraries (including the 2 mentioned above) over the years, and hopefully you will have some use for them as well. All I ask is that if you use them, let me know, as I always like getting feedback, it helps me focus and do better next time, just leave the 4 letter words elsewhere....thanks...and enjoy!
These files are a bit large, but are encoded at 192kbps stereo, which I find is a acceptable file size, while maintaining high quality. a zip file is set here to be downloaded with the mp3 in it, another page will popup confirming download from tripod, this page's web host.
Recorded Summer 2000, in the Highfield Square mall parking lot in Moncton NB, The "Cruise To The Square" Hot Rod Show, gets a little interesting...
They are all over Canada, maybe not in other countries (what? you still pay CASH??), but here is a debit machine sequence. you will notice a compressor about 1/2 way through, coming from a cooler within the store I recorded it in, so I also recorded some room tone, also on the mp3, for a seemless match in whatever you decide to use it for.
More FX to come based on my time to record and edit them, and web server space Any suggestions, drop me a line using the link on the main index page. Thanks!
