My first Radio Imaging Demo, HELP!

Azd Mamuad

Hi All!
I've been a member on Voice123 for just a matter of days now and I just finally produced and compiled a Rhythmic/Urban Imaging Demo.
I would love to hear some feedback! (+/-)

Thanks for listening..

~AZD
Maui, Hawaii

Robert Jadah · **Voice Talent** Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 2627

It's a tough row to hoe, AZD.
I hit the STOP button six seconds in.
Just too much pops and whops and bells and whistles for me, Sir.

I do believe that pro clients want to hear YOU. Anybody and their software can add the fancy stuff, and producers likely have staffers who can even do it better.

Let's hear more Mamuad, and less Digidesign (or whatever).

VOICE On!

Scott Pollak · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 02:52 (GMT) Post subject:

Y'know, Robert, I did the exact same thing, although I may have hung in for 20 seconds. Admittedly, I'm about as far from the target audience as imaginable. But all I could think was "I'm getting a headache here!". While I'm dazzled by the engineering acumen that must have gone into such a demo, it's overwhelming and distracting. I think you reach a point where the bells and whistles call all of the attention to themselves and that becomes a bad thing. It was, simply, to my poor white ears, overkill.

Okay, after typing this I went back for a second listen to try to be more objective. Same thoughts. The effects are used over and over til I got tired of them. And trying to focus in on your VOICE I noticed a lot of distortion and over-pumping. Now I KNOW an R&B and/or urban demo is going to need pop, but I'm talking about plain old distortion on the vocals.

I dunno. Just doesn't do it for me, but again, what do I know? I'm not an R&B/Urban kinda guy.

Jacob Keebler · **Voice Talent** Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 329

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Victor Harris · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 03:11 (GMT) Post subject:

AZD,

You have some madass skills. Its all good...some are better then others though. Now you need to sift through it all and find your best :60 worth. Its just too damn long right now and it all starts to sound the same after a while.

Remember, if you are selling yourself as a VO for Imaging, you need to make your voice the main attraction, using the elements sparringly. However, if you are selling yourself as a production mad-mixer, then do your thing, but mix in some different peoples VO...understand? When I get into the studio in the morning I will listen to it with better speakers. Im on a laptop right now. I'm not picking up any major production issues.

Good job though bro! If you feel like swaping a run of elements, let me know. You got a few I haven't heard before. Wink

Vic

Lance Blair · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 03:40 (GMT) Post subject:

It was too long and not varied enough, but I thought it was excellent. Hip-hop/RNB is already frenetic in its own style, and you took it up a notch as it deserves. Sounded true to me.

Did I like it? No...but I kinda hate ALL imaging (and almost half of my radio presets are hip-hop/r'n'b, so it's not the genre that turns me off).

Jacob Keebler · **Voice Talent** Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 329

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Azd Mamuad · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 04:35 (GMT) Post subject: Yah

Azd Mamuad · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 04:39 (GMT) Post subject:

Allison Scussel · **Voice Talent** Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 928

Hey AZD.....Your demo is right up my "ALLY". {no pun intended}
I've been in radio for the past 20 yrs.. the past 17 of them in hip hop/R&B radio. My boss seeks my approval on imaging often. Maybe b'c I'm a female and overall; radio has to appeal to women regardless of your format.

Here's what I got from your demo:
1) Within the first 10 seconds I had a hard time understanding the name of the radio station. The production was too HOT and it was louder than the identity of the station's I.D.
2) You have to remember that WOMEN are the #1 decision makers and radio station imaging has to please women. You're examples were fine for a saturday night party, but think about the station during PM drive or evening hrs. As a female in the car who wants to hear Kanye West or Beyonce songs, your delivery was too hard. Knock it down a peg or two.

3) Bells, whistles and sfx are great for the hip hop/R&B format, but the first :05 sec of the liner/ sweeper has to identify the station clearly. Move the sfx after the first :05 sec. After that, it's ok to explode.

For the most part, you have great talent and definately have the skills to become a great imaging guy for a hip hop/ R&B statiion. If you have the time, listen to my station online and hear what our imaging guy is doing. We have a syndicated morning show, but if you listen outside of the 6am-10am daypart (eastern time), you'll hear his work and how my employer wants him to sound.

www.kiss1017.com

Good Luck!!

~Ally~

Colin Campbell · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 13:04 (GMT) Post subject:

I generally agree with most of the comments here. Generally... too much "sameness." It felt like one loooooong image piece. Same left-right spacial voice. That technique like many others need to be used sparingly to make them stand out.
BUT....ROBERT...

Victor Harris · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007, 13:45 (GMT) Post subject:

Okay, I had a chance to listen on the studio speakers. I am good with most of it as a Production Demo. I would suggest throwing in some other peoples VO to change it up. There is a few of us here who would cut you a couple lines. As a Production Demo take it to about 1:30.

If you are going to do a VO Imaging Demo for yourself, then just cool it down a bit. Thats it. Trim it down to :60. Take a listen to my Imaging Demo. You will notice that "I" am the main attraction. I also have a Production Demo that I send out to Radio Stations, where "I" am not the main attraction so much.

You got it going on bro.

Vic Wink

Doug Parks · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 227

AZD kicks A$$!!!

Loved it from beginning to end. Agree that you have to edit it and get more of you in there. But I wish I had half of your production know-how. Just really really awesome! Do you give classes?

Emmanuel Soussan · Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2007, 19:20 (GMT) Post subject:

This demo works for me ! A little too processed but it's nice .

Kathleen Keesling · **Voice Talent** Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 746

I like it...but I like it as a whiz bang production demo as well. I do hear your range and personality. I love it...you sound fun with some attitude.

Someone on RadioDaddy posted a famous demo from Kelly Kelly Kelly that I love. It shows her range, personality and ATTITUDE quite nicely. Now, she's rock....but has a cool demo

For fun, I attached it. She's my imaging idol...really Wink