Two questions mainly having to do with CHR

[bobdavcav]

1. This isn't exclusive to CHR but it seems the most common here, why do stations pitch up there music?
2. Why don't stations just play the album versions of songs? On a lot of CHR stations, I'll hear a different introduction than what is on the album.

 

[GeneSavage]

1. Because it sounds more upbeat and brighter than the station down the dial playing the same song.

2. Because they want to sound like they're playing a lot of music by playing more songs; also, if someone doesn't like the song, it's over faster. Often a single mix will also be more tailored to a pop audience than the album version.

 

[bobdavcav]

Don't you mean it will be over slower? Most of what I hear is what sounds like they've taken a segment from the middle of the song and put it without the vocals at the beginning. I can understand it on a station like KQMV, which does a lot of talking over the intro of the song, but KBKS has a tendancy to do it too.

 

[GeneSavage]

If they pitch UP their music they are playing it faster, and it will be over sooner.

Are you talking about longer versions of songs than what is on the album? Chances are those are dance mixes, and stations would play them because they feel the style fits the format better.

 

[bobdavcav]

No, like I said, it sounds like they are taking a section out of the middle of the song, removing the vocals, then putting that at the beginning.

 

[butlerguy03]

I think you're talking about the "intro" edits or what TMStudios calls the "EZ Mix" edit. Those prevent cold starts and easier transitions with all the turbo pop. For example, Fun. "Some Nights" may have a cold start on the disc or on a rock station, but on a rhythmic heavy CHR, you'll hear the intro version of the song so it flows better.

Most stations don't do their own edits, these are usually provided by the label or service.

 

[bobdavcav]

Thanks. BTW, I tuned into the station last week, hoping to hear some students on the air, and instead I got a looping video and a message saying "Your ihigh.com broadcast has not yet started, please check back in a few minutes." Do you not stream 24 hours a day?

 

[butlerguy03]

Thanks. BTW, I tuned into the station last week, hoping to hear some students on the air, and instead I got a looping video and a message saying "Your ihigh.com broadcast has not yet started, please check back in a few minutes." Do you not stream 24 hours a day?

Since the service is free, it can be spotty at times. When that happens, hit refresh and it'll reconnect sometimes. Also, we have had issues with the internet service at the school lately, so whenever that is down, the link will be broken.

Check us out sometime soon! Our top DJ's are on 4-6pm weekdays (Nick & Madeline's Afternoon Mix) and 5-7:30am weekdays (Scrambled Eggs Morning Show with Zach and Christian). All other shows are experienced individuals, and many during the weekend and during school hours are introductory level students.

 

[bobdavcav]

Thanks! You guys are eastern time, right?

 

[bobdavcav]

So I have a couple more questions,
1. When stations are using music in promotions, why is it sometimes pitched down?
2. Why do some stations pitch there music down? I thought we were trying to sound more lively, so why slow down the music?

 

[butlerguy03]

So I have a couple more questions,
1. When stations are using music in promotions, why is it sometimes pitched down?
2. Why do some stations pitch there music down? I thought we were trying to sound more lively, so why slow down the music?

Probably to fit the energy of the spot or promo. Maybe the inflection in the copy. Without an example, it's hard to tell.

 

[bobdavcav]

As far as the promos, I heard these on KRBB last time I listened to that station. As for the pitched down actual songs, I don't know of any station currently doing that, although KBFF used to do that. Actually, they were kind of all over the place when they first launched, some songs were low, others were high and others were normal.

 

[Info-warrior]

If the promos you're hearing are prerecorded, automation systems like Prophet/NexGen will sometimes pitch down the spots to make them or the block an exact amount of time. While this may work great to prevent dead air or returning back too early during a network show and catching the end of a cover spot, it can sound really bad at times.

 

[chriscollins]

If the promos you're hearing are prerecorded, automation systems like Prophet/NexGen will sometimes pitch down the spots to make them or the block an exact amount of time. While this may work great to prevent dead air or returning back too early during a network show and catching the end of a cover spot, it can sound really bad at times.

Modern time expansion/compression for satellite does not utilize pitching... That was the old school way to do it. In modern systems, there is no pitching artifact.

 

[Info-warrior]

Time expansion/compression is the better way to go so long as it's not pushed to the point of making words break up or sound clipped off. I've been away from a radio studio for about 5 years, and don't listen much to commercial radio with the exception of some late night Coast to Coast AM. However, I did recently hear a promo for the Saturday Morning Sports Show on WELI that was so pitched down, the Coach sounded like he had just woken up after only an hour of sleep.

No doubt NexGen has gone through numerous updates since I left, but I'd bet pitching is still an option in the system.

 

[chriscollins]

Hey Info...

You are probably correct that there is a toggle. It's poor programming (IMO), if people continue to use pitch to accomplish this. With the typical setup of long stop sets, through a combination of expansion/compression and overlap adjustment, it's easy to make the target without a perceivable change in the audio.

 

[JH_Radio]

I've never heard anything pitched down, unless its been for camercials or music played on CC stations on there web stream.
I understand they dont put the camersials that are fed OTA on a webstream, so tha'ts how they fill it.