Localizing the Show: The Easiest Way to Make Slow Jams Sound Like it’s Coming from your Studio…


Here’s the simplest way–with the least amount of work and manpower–to make Sunday Night Slow Jams (or the weeknight version) sound like it belongs to you YOUR station.

1. Create imaging categories and numbers. Assign numbers and build the following imaging categories into your music scheduler:
a. SJ REJOINS-BOTTOM OF HOUR
b. SJ REJOINS-TOP OF HOUR
c. SJ INTO STOPSET
d. SJ OPENS

2. Build those categories into your clock. Clocks should look like this:
 
8PM
SJ OPEN
SEGMENT 1
SJ INTO STOPSET
LOCAL SPOTBLOCK A
SJ REJOIN BOTTOM OF HOUR
SEGMENT 2
SJ INTO STOPSET
LOCAL SPOTBLOCK B

9PM
SJ REJOIN TOP OF HOUR
SEGMENT 3
SJ INTO STOPSET
LOCAL SPOTBLOCK A
SJ REJOIN BOTTOM OF HOUR
SEGMENT 4
SJ INTO STOPSET
LOCAL SPOTBLOCK B

And so on…

3. Elements: I’ll send you dry liners for all of the above (rejoins, opens, etc.) to load into each respective category and rotate. They should be ran over the intro of each segment, as the start each segment usually has an instrumental ramp, meant to run these rejoins over. See example here:


So, after the show segments are loaded into your log each week, you can (and should) just slide the local liners over the instrumental ramp of each segment, shown circled above, in red.

4. Should I “produce” the local imaging? No. Since they’re meant to be ran over the beginning of each segment–meaning, played over music–you’ll want to keep them dry. But if you have a kick-ass imaging/production dude/dudette that wants to filter them, add some light effects, etc, that’s great–just no music or beats, since these elements are meant to run over music.

5. What about imaging from my voice guy? Absolutely! I think this show sounds best with a combination of local imaging from me and your station voice! 

6. I see some “LOCAL I.D. INSERT” notes in the middle of the segments, what are those about? Well, that’s if you were running the show live, with a board-op who could fire off local imaging during the show. Ahh, the good old days. Of course, some stations have someone load Sunday Night Slow Jams into Adobe Audition and place local liners throughout the show, before loading it into the system, and that sounds even more incredible on the air. Not everyone has the staff or manpower to do that, I understand. 

7. How do I get local liners from R Dub? Just email me: rdub (at) Slow Jams dot com. I got you!

Any other questions, just ask! And thank you for giving me the privilege to work with you and serve your listeners! I’m here for anything you need.