Podcast
Features
CommentsThis is the second year that the Third Coast Festival has commissioned original work – or “short docs” Julie Shapiro says they received 120 proposals – they chose 4 and now the festival is opening with a session on “darkness” Jay Allison is up on stage with the four winners of the Short Doc competition, Adam Burke, Jude Fletcher, Hugh Levinson and Rick Moody the famous author. As we listened to each piece – we turned out the lights, perhaps when the pieces are posted (Julie says they will all be featured on the third coast website near the end of November) and you can give them a listen in the dark as well.
As soon as the lights went out and the first piece started off I was reminded how wonderful it is to listen to radio in a room with filled with giant speakers and finely attuned ears.
I know an editor, however, who believes that radio producers should only listen to their pieces through crappy speakers – because “thats how most people listen to radio” what do you think?
I understand how, perhaps especially so as an editor, it might seem like a good idea, but it seems like a shame to me to only listen to your pieces on crappy speakers. I do think it’s important to be aware of what your audience will hear, of how they will be listening to your work, but I also think it’s one of life’s great pleasures to listen to your work — but also the radio, music, whatever — on big, high quality speakers. And even better, listening on big, high quality speakers with a room full of audio focused people…. people who you know share both your love of sound, and your pleasure in listening.
I understand how, perhaps especially so as an editor, it might seem like a good idea, but it seems like a shame to me to only listen to your pieces on crappy speakers. I do think it’s important to be aware of what your audience will hear, of how they will be listening to your work, but I also think it’s one of life’s great pleasures to listen to your work — but also the radio, music, whatever — on big, high quality speakers. And even better, listening on big, high quality speakers with a room full of audio focused people…. people who you know share both your love of sound, and your pleasure in listening.
Well, as much as admire those audio geniuses of the sixties who did in fact mix for crappy car radios, I don’t think that things are that bad any more. Most car and home stereos are pretty good, and most radio stations have reasonably good processing on their signals.
Certainly you should consider the sonic realities of radio broadcast when producing – compression, limiting etc – but that still leaves a lot of room for good audio.
Now, if we’re referring to most of the cheezy speakers that are included with computer purchases, I’ll agree – yuck.