BTS: WKTI Jingle Session

One of the fun things I get to do every couple of years is to produce a new jingle package for WKTI. I like jingles because they identify the station while giving it personality. The last session I produced was back in September with a company in Dallas Texas.

I was cleaning out my CD rack this morning and found a session CD. That is a raw recording of the jingle session as it is being produced. The director of our session was cool enough to let me slip a blank CD in and record the whole process. I've always loved to know how things are done - so I thought I would share the process with you.

The first step is for me (the client) to meet with a director and find the right jingle package. Any reputable company will have a decent catalog (just like a musician would do looking for their next hit song).

Before anything else, the music tracks are laid down. Typically percussion and guitar go first. Then if there is any brass or keyboards - they are laid down next. By the time the musicians are done, we have the entire track done as an instrumental.

Next, the singers come into the studio and lay down their tracks. This is always the hardest part for me - because they lay down the harmony first. All I hear through my headphones is an off-key version of our jingles. Then they lay down the main chorus and it all begins to take shape.

Finally, each track is taken into a digital recording studio and goes through the process of post-production. This is where they process the singers voice and match it with the level of the music on the track. It's quite a lot of work for 5 second jingle!

If you click the link below, it will take you directly to our PODCAST PAGE at WKTI.COM where I have posted a condensed session of our "Great Milwaukee Weekend" jingle. The stage I have posted is where the musicians are done and the singers are trying to get the lyrics correct. Remember, this is before the 'post-production' stage, so levels are not as important.


http://podcast.wkti.com/WKTIEvents/tabid/931/Default.aspx

It sure sounds like they are having fun - I know I did ...