SOUND. IN THE EAR(or Minds "Eye") OF THE BEHOLDER.
Sound. Something so simple is really quite complicated. Especially when it comes to Radio.
A lot of people over the years told me that I "had a great sounding station". What does that
mean? Is it the music? The Microphone? The control board? The transmitter? The DJ's?
The over all audio chain? Sound is so subjective, that any ten people could(and probably will) disagree.
Every person has a different receiving apparatus...the EAR! Each individual is different in
his or her ability to "hear". It could be the size or placement of one's ear. It could be the
physical limitations of one's audio range he or she is born with. Some people can't hear
very high notes....some can't perceive the low or bass notes in a frequency range.
But before any recorded sound reaches the ear, it has more than likely been "tinkered"
with. Studio engineers, producers and talent have had their sound "product" adjusted to
their hearing, and what they want the final product to sound like. I know many major
recording companies used to engineer their music played on radio stations to have a
frequency mid range which would sound best on car radios. In the 1950's and '60's, most
car radios had a cut off frequency in the 7,500 cycle range, therefore "DJ Promotional"
copies of records were usually adjusted to that range...the general cycle range of the
typical AM radio station as well. Music usually "popped" more, sounded stronger in that
mid range. Once FM came along, it's range was much higher and lower in the extreme
ends of the frequency spectrum. Then somewhere in the 1970's, many savvy radio
engineers sought to add various sound tweaking devices.Then appeared graphic equalizers
and sound compression units which would be added to microphone amplifiers, to the audio
chain itself ..before and after going through the transmitter. Now, in the digital age, there
are enough technical devices to enhance and edit sound, I really don't know what I'm
ACTUALLY hearing anymore. Then, after all is said and done to a radio station's audio
signal, the listener will have your radio station running through his or her receiver with
their own settings of loudness, bass or treble...most likely undoing what sound modif-
-ications were done to the station or it's music or sound settings beforehand.
I always had in MY minds "ear" what I wanted my station to sound like according to
what format was being aired. High energy, soft approach, mellow sounding...whatever you
decide, make sure you, and only you, make the final approval of "sound" for your radio
station. What type of air talent, jingles, music, make sure they conform to one person's
hearing that matches yours. There's way too much jumbling and mixing of "sound".
Make it basic, simple and as close to the original sound of a "normal ear"as possible.
Now, I guess the next "sound" mystery to tackle will be which sounds better? Digital
or Vinyl? Or, what's the best speakers or earphones to use. Well, "to 'ear' is human".
I say: Too many sound"cooks"(or kooks) just may be spoiling the sound broth!
Like I said..it's all in the ear of the beholder isn't it? That's MY RadiOpinion..what's yours?
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