How To Create A Radio Advert

Throughout this write up you will understand and be able to create a radio advert/jingle using the software Logic Express 9. it will be played out in a simple step by step guide as there are many steps and information you need to consider to ensure that you create a perfect and clear radio advert/jingle. It is highly important that you follow the steps that will be implemented in this write up as it will make your experience easier and more enjoyable.

The equipment

This is the list of the equipment/things that you will use to create your radio advert;• Apple Mac Mini• Apple Mouse• Apple Keyboard• Computer screen• 2 Fosteks monitor speakers• Line 6 midi keyboard• Logic Express 9 • Microphone • Microphone stand• Cables to connect all the equipment together (XLR/Jack)

Studio Monitors (Fosteks) Computer Screen

Apple Mac Mini Apple Mouse

Apple Keyboard

Midi Keyboard Line 6

In order to be able to create your radio advert you will need to be able to use a software. The reason for this is so that you can record yourself and be able to play it back but also you can add a beat in the background which will give a different feel to your advert and keep the audience enticed. The software that will be used is Logic Express 9 which is a simple software to use once you know they key areas within.

Logic

Logic express 9 is a music instrument digital interface which allows you to create things such as beats and melodies and also record audio clips. Logic is simple to use as many of the buttons are clear on the software itself. The software allows you to do many things such as record instrument sequences, audio sequences, edit sounds and also mix all the instruments together to create an ensemble.

During the creation of our radio advert we used logic express 9 as it was what we had access to but this was okay because it had all the tools/features that would allow us to create a clear and understanding radio advert that is informing and entertaining to our selected audience. Logic was the basis of our work as it was the software which had everything we needed and it made the work easy for us to do.

Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)

Midi stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and this is when you use a piece of hardware such as a midi keyboard or synthesiser that is plugged into the music software which is then mapped to the music software. This will then allow the piece of hardware to send an electronic signal which will then generate a musical note to whatever instrument is selected on the software. Using a MIDI keyboard allows you to easily create melodies and simple beats which will be recorded onto the music software. By using a MIDI keyboard you get a real feel for the piece of music you are creating as it shows that you can play it and its not just about clicking a mouse button.

Within the creation of our radio advert we used one MIDI keyboard which was Line 6 and from the MIDI keyboard itself we could control the volume of the sound that would be coming out of our monitor speakers. I like to use a MIDI keyboard as at a time when you cannot think of a good melody or beat pattern you can just play around on the MIDI keyboard and maybe come across a good melody that could fit your piece of work. Also i believe that using a MIDI keyboard allows you to get a real feel for the piece of music that you have created as you are properly creating it and playing it.

Software Instrument / Audio Channels

Within logic there are many software instruments on the software. A software instrument is all the different instruments that can be used when for example using MIDI keyboard you can select a software instrument such as a guitar and each key on the keyboard would play the corresponding note on the guitar. This can be done with any instrument that is loaded onto the software itself. Using different types of instruments can determine how you piece of music will feel and how it will be heard by the audience. Once you have picked a software instrument you can then record what you want on that specific instrument. When you want to record a different instrument you have to add a new track and this can be done by pressing the button and this will then allow you to pick a different instrument.

Audio channels is a channel which allows you to record audio frequencies using a microphone which is plugged into the software. By doing this you are able to record whatever you like by using the microphone which will pick up any sound that it hears, thats why when you are recording you must be aware of any sounds that you do not want to hear.

Within the making of our radio advert we used 14 different software instruments and this was a range from different drum kits to then using guitars and basses. By using different software instruments it will give your piece many layers which sounds really good or may not sound good which is why you will then have to mix all the instruments together. We only used one audio channel as we decided we will record all of the speaking in one go as it it seemed the most easiest way to do it and it worked well.

The Transport Bar

Within the logic software there is an area on the screen named the transport bar and this bar is located at the bottom of the screen. This piece of software equipment consists of the Play, Stop, Pause, record, fast forward and rewind buttons.By having these buttons will allow you to easily control the software and it will allow you to do things that you would want it to do. For example once you have created a piece of music and you want to hear it you would hit the play button. Thew transport bar also gives you information such as the bpm of the track (beats per minute) the length of time the track is and also the metronome of the track. By having this it gives you all of the information that you need to ensure that the track is perfect to your specifications. Without this helpful tool your track might not fit the specifications that you have been given, for example if your track has to be 30 seconds long you wouldn't know it is because there isn't a timer to show how long it is.

The Inspector

The inspector allows you to finalise each instrument that you have within the track and allows you to ensure that the mix is perfect for what you want it to be. It is basically a smaller version of the mixer and this shows the channel panel of the track you have highlighted and also the master

channel, by having it smaller it allows you to still see the recorded notes you have and so that you can make easy changes to it. The inspector allows you to add effects to the single channel such as Delay and Echo.

Within the making of our radio advert we used the inspector tool as it allowed us to finalise a single instrument that we would need to sort out so that the monitor mix is perfect on the track and that all of the instruments are nicely layered and sounds perfect.

Tool Box

Within logic there are many tools which allow you to fix anything wrong with the noted that you have recorded are to even place any noted that you would wish to through the piano roll. Each tool is useful in their own way which can help you create a good final track which has no mistakes within it.

Pointer tool: The pointer tool allows you to select certain noted and to move them around to the correct place if it needs to be moved. This tool is helpful because this means you can move any misplaced note if it needs to be changed. If this tool wasn't here to help then you would have to record all of your piece again.

Pencil tool: The pencil tool allows you to add notes in any position you would like on the piano roll so that it creates a sound when played. This tool is used when you want to make certain edits to an instruments note. This tool can also get used when you don't have a MIDI keyboard to use so you then can still create or carry on with your work because you can still add notes and melodies.

Eraser tool: The eraser tool deletes any note that you don't want to be there or that if it does not fit the whole song itself.

Velocity tool: The velocity tool allows you to change how forced the note is played. For example if you want the kick drum to be heard the most you would change the velocity of it to make it so that it is played harder out of the other notes. This tool is useful as it allows you to change up certain notes in a chord and it would sound good.

Quantising

Quantising is very useful when it comes to finalising tracks as this allows the notes that you may have recorded or drawn with the pencil tool to be exactly on point and in time with the bmp that is

set. this means that all the notes will be in time with each other and they will also be evenly apart so that everything is even. This is helpful as it allows you to correct all of the out of time notes in one click, but you must highlight all of notes in order for all of the notes to be corrected.

We did not have to use this within in our radio advert as all of the notes were in time with each other.

Automation

Automation is when you can fade in and fade out certain tracks that you would wish to do within a piece of music. Within automation you can also pan which will put certain instruments into whatever side of the headphones or speakers you would like. For example you might want to have the guitars panned to the left and then the vocals panned to the right. Within the volume aspect of automation if you had 2 drum kits within your piece you can automate on of them so that one is lower then the other, this makes the track not being over powered by drum kits.

Within the making of our advert we used automation on one of our sound effects, we done this to the sound effect so that it would smooth out towards the end and so that it doesn't completely cut off and end which would not sound good in the track.

Piano Roll

Within logic the piano roll is highly useful because this is the place where you can use all of the tools to create an accurate sequence of notes which would sounds like a professional track. within piano roll there is a full scale piano which you can click to test what certain notes do, pretty much what a MIDI keyboard does, and can see which notes sound well together.Within the making of our radio advert we used piano roll because for many of our instruments, such as the drum kit, we decided to draw the pattern for it as it would be more accurate then recording a big full drum kit. The piano roll is really useful.

Conclusion

The task we was given was to create a minute, 60 and 30 second radio advert with whatever product we would like. We done this task because we was told to do it by our teacher but it also allowed us to be tested on basic skills to use the Logic Express software and how to use audio channels within it. I believe this task was successful as we was able to complete all 3 adverts in time but also we was able to use the software sustainably without any problems, we was also able to use many of the things on the music software itself such as the velocity tool. Next time i would like to work on using quantisation and to use the MIDI keyboard more as this would feel more like our own song as we was able to play it ourselves. Overall this was a really good project.