Heidi Marcum Electronics.

Production Station

Creating a radio ad is getting simpler and simpler. There are 3 basic steps involved.

STEP 1: GET A SCRIPT

First, you need to figure out what goes in the script. You need to figure out - what is the one message that you want customers to remember from your radio ad? Bear in mind that people listening to the radio ad are often driving or cleaning the house or doing something else while they're listening to the radio. It is not a captive audience. So you need something that someone can easily remember. Don't be tempted to put too many facts and benefits of your product into your radio script. The simpler the better. What is the ONE thing you want to say about your product? Is it that there's a half price sale on? Is it that you have great service? It can't be both.

Once you've figured out what that one thing is, you need to dramatise it in the most memorable and interesting way possible. Think of all the drivel you hear on the radio. Your ad will be nestled in between a bunch of those other ads. You need to make your ad stand out from the crowd.

It has to be punchy, entertaining and creative. Don't bother with the long phone numbers. If you have a web address you'd like people to go to, make it easy to remember and to spell.

If you'd like your ad to really stand out from the crowd, it's best to source a professional copywriter to write your script. You can do this buy googling "copywriter" or checking out Linked-In or Elance. Make sure when you brief them, to explain to them the ONE thing you want people to know about your product.

STEP 2: PRODUCE YOUR SCRIPT

Once you've got your script finalised, there are a few options available to you. You can contact a sound studio directly to produce your script. Their rates tend to be between €150 and €250 per hour. A 30 second radio ad shouldn't take more than an hour to produce. They can advise you on which voiceovers to use, and they'll sort it all our for you. Voiceover rates are between €140 - €500 depending on which stations your ad is airing on.

If you like to be more hands-on, you can also manage the process yourself. You can source your own voiceovers online. Many voiceover sites will send you free samples of your script in advance, so you know what you're getting. Once you've chosen a voiceover, you can then approach a sound studio with your script and chosen voiceover/s. If you are on a very tight budget, some voiceovers have home studios, in which case they could produce the ad for you. However, the production values will not always be as good as the sound studios. Remember, they're trained voiceovers, not trained sound engineers.

Another option is to get the radio station that you are airing your ad on to produce it for you. They will often do this at a reasonable price, since they are making money off selling you ad space. It's still best to source your own voiceover, since the radio stations tend to use their own DJs or hire from the same pool of voiceovers... in other words, your ad won't stand out on air, it will sound like all the others.

STEP 3: GO TO AIR

If you've already got media space booked, that's great. You or the sound studio can simply email the final mp3 file to the station.

If you haven't, you need to figure out what station to use. You don't always need to go for the big breakfast slot on the massive national radio station. Sometimes your money will go further on a selection of smaller radio stations. Each slot on the radio station has a different audience, so be careful where you book. For example, if you are targeting house wives, there's no need to buy the expensive "drive time" slots, because if you wait an hour or two, you can still reach the same housewives, but at cheaper rates. Ask the radio station to provide you with information regarding each of their shows and who listens to them. Then you're able to make a more informed decision.

Relatively speaking, the production of the radio ad is very cheap in comparison to the cost of the media space. That's why you need to stand out on air. What's the point in spending so much money on media space - and then nobody listens or cares about your ad?

Priscilla Groves
WE'LL WRITE, PRODUCE AND DELIVER YOUR RADIO ADS
http://www.piehole.ie/pages/audio-production

Kurzweil PC3K8 Production Station $3495 Kurzweil PC3K8 Production Station

Kurzweil Pc3k8 Production Station $3495 Kurzweil PC3K8 Production Station

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Akai Professional XR20 Beat Production Station $299 Akai Professional XR20 Beat Production Station

Yamaha Tenori-on Orange Visual Music Production Station $636.99 Yamaha Tenori-on Orange Visual Music Production Station

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Akai Professional Xr20 Beat Production Station $299.99 Akai Professional XR20 Beat Production Station

Used Korg Emx1 Electribe Music Production Station $359.99 In Store Used USED KORG EMX1 ELECTRIBE MUSIC PRODUCTION STATION

Open Labs NeKo Keyboard Production Station Touring Case (61-Key) $699 Open Labs NeKo Keyboard Production Station Touring Case (61-Key)

Open Labs Neko Keyboard Production Station Touring Case (61-Key) $699 Open Labs NeKo Keyboard Production Station Touring Case (61-Key)

Akai XR20 Beat Production Station $299.99 Take your sound to the next level with this beat production center that features more than 700 sounds and an easy-to-read backlit LCD display.

Kurzweil PC3K8 Production Station 886830284298 $1747.5 The PC3K, already loaded up with the many impressive features and sounds of the PC3, allows users to tap into the massive wealth of samples and programs developed for Kurzweil's legendary K Series over the past two decades. Capable of loading .KRZ/25/26 sample files, WAVE and AIFF files, as well as most of the K Series programs and setups, the PC3K presents a whole new world of choices to players, and once again underscores Kurzweil's commitment to the concept of non-obsolescence by design. You can choose to delve into the extensive libraries of existing K Series samples or decide to fill the PC3K's flash memory with your own signature samples. In either case, you'll have the most powerful version of Kurzweil's V.A.S.T technology ever developed at your fingertips to help sculpt your sounds and attain a level of detail and expressiveness truly worthy of your music. Sample files can be loaded via USB from a thumb-drive or directly from a computer.Esto Immortalis~ "Let it be lasting, immortal" (Latin) User samples that do not "go away" when a keyboard is powered off - this is a feature that's been requested by keyboardists since the introduction of digital sampling in the early '80s. Clearly demonstrating the virtue of enduring quality, the PC3K offers 128 megabytes of user sample memory and compatibility with K Series files, while also taking an enormous leap forward by allowing user samples to remain intact while power is off. Once samples are loaded into the PC3K's flash memory, there is zero load time for those samples when powering on the instrument. Advanced program, keymap and sample editing features allow you to customize your sounds with surgical precision. You're able to map any sample to any key, tune individual samples, change the start, alt start, loop point and end point of samples and even assign a controller to adjust sample start point in real-time. Light Years Ahead Under the hood of the PC3X is simply the most powerful synthesis engine ever created by Kurzweil. Dynamic V.A.S.T. picks up where the K series left off. Having up to 32 layers per program means that emulations of real instruments can be extremely detailed and accurate, while the synthesized sounds can be extraordinarily large and complex. Expanding upon Kurzweil's V.A.S.T. architecture, the PC3X's new architecture delivers more power and flexibility combined with unprecedented ease of use. Users can now create and store their own DSP algorithms, with nearly limitless possibilities for routing. In another huge development, Kurzweil has resurrected the VA-1 Virtual Analog Synthesizer, having built it's synthesis engine right into the new system. Hear the VA-1's power-shaped, anti-aliasing oscillators (including supersaw, triplesaw, and hard sync oscillators) combined with a newer, larger set of V.A.S.T. filters (like the classic-style 4pole low pass w/ resonance) and non-linear processors and you'll understand why the internet is buzzing about this feature. It's The Sou

Radio Production $56.95 This classic book is a must-have for anyone involved in radio production, covering everything from operational techniques and producing different programme formats, to conducting interviews and writing for radio. The fifth edition features new and updated information on: * digital production, such as the computer editing process, digital recording and DAB * the internet and internet-only radio stations * automatic playout systems * ethics * storytelling, showing simple ways of creating different acoustics for drama * station management * scheduling * remote reporting This edition is further enhanced by a supporting CD-Rom, packed with examples, exercises and resources. * Learn from a trusted classic - with editions spanning over 25 years, a generation of radio broadcasters have benefited from this book * Get up to speed fast on digital production techniques and modern working practice * Listen to examples and check your knowledge using exercises included on the free CD-Rom

Production $6.49 Production

Station $9.99 Station

Used Akai Professional Xr20 Beat Production Station $262.99 The Akai XR20 is loaded with pro-grade, industrial-strength drum, percussion, bass, synth, sound effects; vocal and instrument hit sounds. Make your own beats with this machine that has the ability to lay percussion and other sound effects in a groove wherever and whenever you're ready, because inspiration can happen anywhere. Over 700 pre-loaded sounds, and an integrated effects engine for Reverb, EQ and Compression, put you in full control of your beat production. A microphone input is even included for mixing vocals with your patterns. Brilliant backlit pads provide visual cues for added beat precision. The Akai XR20 also features sounds of standard and electronic drums, single (one-shot) hits, bass and synth sounds to easily create your maximum mix in minimal time.Backlit LCD Bright, glowing, backlit pads that follow the beat Microphone input and Headphone output Pattern Play Mode - Different patterns can be triggered from individual pads Drum Roll / Note Repeat feature for realism and expression Battery Power capability and AC Adapter

Used Kurzweil Pc3k8 Production Station 886830284298 $1747.5 The PC3K, already loaded up with the many impressive features and sounds of the PC3, allows users to tap into the massive wealth of samples and programs developed for Kurzweil's legendary K Series over the past two decades. Capable of loading .KRZ/25/26 sample files, WAVE and AIFF files, as well as most of the K Series programs and setups, the PC3K presents a whole new world of choices to players, and once again underscores Kurzweil's commitment to the concept of non-obsolescence by design. You can choose to delve into the extensive libraries of existing K Series samples or decide to fill the PC3K's flash memory with your own signature samples. In either case, you'll have the most powerful version of Kurzweil's V.A.S.T technology ever developed at your fingertips to help sculpt your sounds and attain a level of detail and expressiveness truly worthy of your music. Sample files can be loaded via USB from a thumb-drive or directly from a computer.Esto Immortalis~ "Let it be lasting, immortal" (Latin) User samples that do not "go away" when a keyboard is powered off - this is a feature that's been requested by keyboardists since the introduction of digital sampling in the early '80s. Clearly demonstrating the virtue of enduring quality, the PC3K offers 128 megabytes of user sample memory and compatibility with K Series files, while also taking an enormous leap forward by allowing user samples to remain intact while power is off. Once samples are loaded into the PC3K's flash memory, there is zero load time for those samples when powering on the instrument. Advanced program, keymap and sample editing features allow you to customize your sounds with surgical precision. You're able to map any sample to any key, tune individual samples, change the start, alt start, loop point and end point of samples and even assign a controller to adjust sample start point in real-time. Light Years Ahead Under the hood of the PC3X is simply the most powerful synthesis engine ever created by Kurzweil. Dynamic V.A.S.T. picks up where the K series left off. Having up to 32 layers per program means that emulations of real instruments can be extremely detailed and accurate, while the synthesized sounds can be extraordinarily large and complex. Expanding upon Kurzweil's V.A.S.T. architecture, the PC3X's new architecture delivers more power and flexibility combined with unprecedented ease of use. Users can now create and store their own DSP algorithms, with nearly limitless possibilities for routing. In another huge development, Kurzweil has resurrected the VA-1 Virtual Analog Synthesizer, having built it's synthesis engine right into the new system. Hear the VA-1's power-shaped, anti-aliasing oscillators (including supersaw, triplesaw, and hard sync oscillators) combined with a newer, larger set of V.A.S.T. filters (like the classic-style 4pole low pass w/ resonance) and non-linear processors and you'll understand why the internet is buzzing about this feature. It's The Sou

Radio Production [With CDROM] $57.94 This classic book is a must-have for anyone involved in radio production, covering everything from operational techniques and producing different programme formats, to conducting interviews and writing for radio. The fifth edition features new and updated information on: * digital production, such as the computer editing process, digital recording and DAB * the internet and internet-only radio stations * automatic playout systems * ethics * storytelling, showing simple ways of creating different acoustics for drama * station management * scheduling * remote reporting This edition is further enhanced by a supporting CD-Rom, packed with examples, exercises and resources. * Learn from a trusted classic - with editions spanning over 25 years, a generation of radio broadcasters have benefited from this book * Get up to speed fast on digital production techniques and modern working practice * Listen to examples and check your knowledge using exercises included on the free CD-Rom