{"id":1,"date":"2008-06-16T00:20:00","date_gmt":"2008-06-16T07:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danoday.com\/blogWORDPRESS\/2008\/06\/16\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/"},"modified":"2008-06-16T00:20:00","modified_gmt":"2008-06-16T07:20:00","slug":"always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the current issue of my Radio Programming Letter<\/a>, I wrote at length about \u201cMUSIC, CONVERSATION and THE ILLUSION OF FORWARD MOMENTUM.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a nutshell:<\/span> In response<\/span> to a subscriber\u2019s query, I said it\u2019s stupid for radio stations to have a music bed playing underneath every jock\u2019s voice every time a jock speaks.<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, my remarks generated lots of feedback.<\/p>\n

Mostly along the lines of, \u201cTHANK YOU! I\u2019ve been trying to explain this to my PD\/consultant.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

But Alex Duffy<\/span> of Chiltern Radio (UK) attempted to put me in my place:<\/p>\n

Dan,<\/span><\/p>\n

I love reading your newsletter, it\u2019s so often full of useful tips and advice, but I think I can pick apart your argument about using beds…<\/p>\n

You said that AMERICAN IDOL doesn\u2019t use beds when the judges are giving their comments. Maybe not, but what about at the end when there are two contestants left and it is being decided which one is going home? I bet there\u2019s a tension bed running in the background! There is here in the UK on X FACTOR, BRITAIN\u2019S GOT TALENT, DANCING ON ICE, and all our other reality TV shows. And the reason these beds are there? A bed can change the mood of what is happening.<\/p>\n

Why do we get incidental music in films? When the happy couple finally get together at the end there\u2019s always a happy tune that strikes up in the background \u2014 it\u2019s emotive, it\u2019s building on emotions, tugging on heartstrings, and enhancing the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

If I\u2019m wrong then I\u2019m wrong, but if that’s the case, then why is there music in films???<\/span><\/p>\n

First, Alex, thanks for your kind words about my Programming Letter.<\/p>\n

But….<\/p>\n

I\u2019m afraid you didn\u2019t succeed in picking apart my argument, because I was referring specifically to the practice of always putting a music bed underneath conversational elements \u2014 i.e., one or more people talking.<\/p>\n

The examples you gave are using sound to enhance the emotional impact when conversation is absent.<\/p>\n

If your caller has 10 seconds to come up with the answer to your tough trvia question, playing the \u201cmusical clock\u201d adds to the fun and to the suspense.<\/p>\n

The only two reality shows I\u2019ve ever seen are THE CONTENDER (Season One) and PROJECT RUNWAY. (Don\u2019t jump to conclusions; my 15-year old daughter loves the show and asked me to watch it with her.)<\/p>\n

(It was to her tremendous chagrin that I picked the winner every week. Look for my new line of O\u2019Day Apparel \u2014 perhaps O\u2019pparel \u2014 to debut next month.)<\/p>\n

The climax of each episode of THE CONTENDER was a tightly edited, condensed version of that week\u2019s fight. There was \u201cexciting\u201d music during the fight\u2019s highlights. But when the ring announcer pulled down the microphone to declare the winner, the music came to an abrupt halt.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because everyone wanted to hear what he was going to say.<\/p>\n

On PROJECT RUNWAY, tension-enhancing music plays at the end of each episode, while two contestants remain onstage…knowing that one of them is about to get kicked out.<\/p>\n

No words are spoken. Not by the hosts. Not by the contestants, who stand uncomfortably for what seems like an eternity.<\/p>\n

But the music stops immediately before Heidi Klum \u2014 the wooden, incredibly famous supermodel I never heard of \u2014 says, \u201cHector? You\u2019re out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because at that the moment, the drama is in the words.<\/p>\n

Then why is there music in films???<\/span><\/p>\n

First: <\/span> Most music in films isn\u2019t used very well. I\u2019m guessing the percentage of \u201cbadly used film music\u201d is approximately the same as \u201cbad radio.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t take my word for it. Ask any good film composer.<\/p>\n

Second:<\/span> When used properly, the music enhances the emotional response the filmmaker wants to elicit<\/p>\n

Third:<\/span> Just as in radio, many directors use music in an attempt to force the illusion of an emotion the scene is not able to deliver on its own.<\/p>\n

The action ISN\u2019T exciting; but maybe if we add loud, pulsating music we can make the audience THINK it\u2019s exciting.<\/p>\n

Or\u2026.<\/p>\n

The tender moment between these two characters plays out completely flat. The actors share absolutely no chemistry. Or they\u2019re not very good actors. Or the dialogue is bad. Or the story is lame. Solution? Bring on the violins!<\/p>\n

When it\u2019s used well in movies, music enhances the emotional impact that already exists in a scene.<\/p>\n

For a superb lesson in how to use music in movies, watch THE SIXTH SENSE again. There is almost NO music in that film. Very, very little. But when there IS music, it notches up the scene\u2019s creepiness to an almost unbearable level.<\/p>\n

Sustaining tension throughout a 90-minute film without resorting to cheap tricks requires a lot of artistry and skill. Even 40 years after it was made, FAIL-SAFE remains what critics would call a \u201cgripping drama.\u201d It\u2019s relentlessly tense.<\/p>\n

FAIL-SAFE benefited from an immensely talented director; a good story; a fine script; and a consistently strong cast.<\/p>\n

Oh, and one more thing:<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t use a drop of music. Not a single note.<\/p>\n

Y\u2019see, when in just a few minutes a nuclear war (started by accident) might destroy Life As We Know It, we really don\u2019t need John Williams to musically yell, \u201cHEY, THIS SURE IS TENSE!!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How About Live Theatre?<\/span><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Although \u2014 especially in recent years \u2014 \u201cincidental music\u201d occasionally is used in stage productions, I\u2019m not aware of any non-musicals that play music while an actor is delivering his lines.<\/p>\n

Why should they? They\u2019ve got the actors. They\u2019ve got the audience. It\u2019s an intimate experience.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what makes good (even not-so-good) theatre so exciting: The performers and the audience are collaborating to produce a dialogue between them.<\/p>\n

Intimacy.<\/p>\n

Y\u2019know, kind of like radio\u2019s biggest strength: the ability to communicate one-to-one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the current issue of my Radio Programming Letter, I wrote at length about \u201cMUSIC, CONVERSATION and THE ILLUSION OF FORWARD MOMENTUM.\u201d In a nutshell: In response to a subscriber\u2019s query, I said it\u2019s stupid for radio stations to have a music bed playing underneath every jock\u2019s voice every time a jock speaks. Not surprisingly, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"yoast_head":"\nAlways Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj\u2019s-voice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In the current issue of my Radio Programming Letter, I wrote at length about \u201cMUSIC, CONVERSATION and THE ILLUSION OF FORWARD MOMENTUM.\u201d In a nutshell: In response to a subscriber\u2019s query, I said it\u2019s stupid for radio stations to have a music bed playing underneath every jock\u2019s voice every time a jock speaks. Not surprisingly, […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj\u2019s-voice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DanODayRadio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2008-06-16T07:20:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dan O'Day\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Dan_ODay\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Dan_ODay\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dan O'Day\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dan O'Day\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/afe504342187ed9676675802d9c9b19c\"},\"headline\":\"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice\",\"datePublished\":\"2008-06-16T07:20:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":999,\"commentCount\":37,\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/\",\"name\":\"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2008-06-16T07:20:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/afe504342187ed9676675802d9c9b19c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/2008\\\/06\\\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO\",\"description\":\"Straight talk about radio programming, radio advertising, radio production...Well, you get the idea.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/afe504342187ed9676675802d9c9b19c\",\"name\":\"Dan O'Day\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/danoday.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/assistant\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj\u2019s-voice\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO","og_description":"In the current issue of my Radio Programming Letter, I wrote at length about \u201cMUSIC, CONVERSATION and THE ILLUSION OF FORWARD MOMENTUM.\u201d In a nutshell: In response to a subscriber\u2019s query, I said it\u2019s stupid for radio stations to have a music bed playing underneath every jock\u2019s voice every time a jock speaks. Not surprisingly, […]","og_url":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj\u2019s-voice\/","og_site_name":"DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DanODayRadio","article_published_time":"2008-06-16T07:20:00+00:00","author":"Dan O'Day","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@Dan_ODay","twitter_site":"@Dan_ODay","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dan O'Day","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/"},"author":{"name":"Dan O'Day","@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/afe504342187ed9676675802d9c9b19c"},"headline":"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice","datePublished":"2008-06-16T07:20:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/"},"wordCount":999,"commentCount":37,"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/","url":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/","name":"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2008-06-16T07:20:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/afe504342187ed9676675802d9c9b19c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2008\/06\/always-putting-music-under-dj%e2%80%99s-voice\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Always Putting Music Under DJ\u2019s Voice"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/","name":"DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO","description":"Straight talk about radio programming, radio advertising, radio production...Well, you get the idea.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/afe504342187ed9676675802d9c9b19c","name":"Dan O'Day","url":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/author\/assistant\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}