Caithness FM

[moncur]

Hi folks, wondering how/ who to get in contact with to advertise gigs for my bands through Caithness FM. Have heard them some nights advertising local events and id like to take advantage of this service

dickmoncur84@hotmail.com

cheers

Richard

[henry20]

Why not PM a message to CFM - they'd be best to tell you what to do ;)

[Scaraben1976]

http://www.caithnessfm.co.uk/whatson.htm

or email them on studio@caithnessfm.co.uk

It says there that it is a Tuesday and Thursday night that they read them out, so email them quick.

[Jeid]

Could always just pop in and ask

[CFM]

tel/fax 01847 890000

email studio@caithnessfm.co.uk

website form for whats on at www.caithnessfm.co.uk

or post to Neil Gunn Drive, Thurso, KW14 7QU

please note that while CFM is happy to promote local artists - we do have to be careful that we are not promoting local pubs!

we are also happy to listen to/and perhaps broadcast local bands if they send good quality recordings, preferably on CD. we do not guarantee broadcast as we have to judge the quality of the recording and, in some cases,the language used!

[The Pepsi Challenge]

I don't think John Peel ever said "don't send stuff in if the sound quality is not of good quality". A bit pretentious of CFM, no? As a local radio station I'd expect them to promote any local band or artist, regardless of their abilty - or quality of their CD recordings.

[DeHaviLand]

I don't think John Peel ever said "don't send stuff in if the sound quality is not of good quality". A bit pretentious of CFM, no? As a local radio station I'd expect them to promote any local band or artist, regardless of their abilty - or quality of their CD recordings.

SO do you really want to tune in and hear poor quality recordings? Dont forget, poor recording = poor playback. No matter how good the band or artiste, who wants to listen to them if the recording is so poor all you get is hissing and scratching. And its not pretentious at all

[The Pepsi Challenge]

SO do you really want to tune in and hear poor quality recordings? Dont forget, poor recording = poor playback. No matter how good the band or artiste, who wants to listen to them if the recording is so poor all you get is hissing and scratching. And its not pretentious at all

We clearly listen to different radio stations, then. Radio was around in the 50s - scratchy records back then, too, no?

[DeHaviLand]

We clearly listen to different radio stations, then. Radio was around in the 50s - scratchy records back then, too, no?

Now you're just living up to your signature. In case you missed it, things have progressed since the 50's

[The Pepsi Challenge]

OK. Before this goes any further, can you tell me - in your own opinion - what exactly a good quality recording is? For instance, imagine you're the producer of a radio show: how would you decide?

[golach]

I don't think John Peel ever said "don't send stuff in if the sound quality is not of good quality". A bit pretentious of CFM, no? As a local radio station I'd expect them to promote any local band or artist, regardless of their abilty - or quality of their CD recordings.
Did you leave Thursa under your own steam Pepsi? Or were ye ridden oot on a rail? What has Kaitness done to you that makes you so bitter? :confused

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Did you leave Thursa under your own steam Pepsi? Or were ye ridden oot on a rail? What has Kaitness done to you that makes you so bitter? :confused

Just asking a question, pal.

[Jeemag_USA]

In all fairness most record companies and radio stations make it a prerequisite that you have a good master. All good promoters in the USA will tell you that your first demo is everything and that it is most important that it is mastered well, most record companies will throw bad recordings out without a thought. I imagine the definition of a bad recording is four or five kids playing in a small room and hanging a mic from the roof and recording on to a boom box, everyone chooses their own amp volume and thew drummer ends up playing like thunder just to be heard etc... Its in every bands interest these days to pay particular attention to the mastering of their recordings.

Saying that, the original version of Louie Louie was one of the roughest recordings ever done, it was a one shot recording and was done so quick after writing the lead singer did not have the words memorised, he had them on a piece of paper on the floor in front of him, he continually kept moving his head away from the mic to read the words resulting maybe in the first instance of phasing :D Its now considered possibly the first ever punk song.

I think if every musician in a recording can be heard well at a good level and its tight with good timing from all, and you can feel how good the song is despite maybe some hiss then it shouldn't stop anyone from playing it.

I have heard some songs on the myspace and beo where you could not hear the singer but you could tell he was there, the guitars were so loud they melted together and the drums disappeared in the background, thats an example of not just a bad recording but the band not getting together and sorting out their levels, as you know musicians can be selfish and as long as they sound louder than anyone else thats cool [lol]

[CFM]

thanks for your support guys, I don't think we're being pretentious by saying the recordings have got to be of good quality, we certainly don't expect professional quality but we do have to make sure that what we broadcast is of reasonable quality, we have in the past had recording sent in not unlike the ones mention above, we also have had some that were basically just people shouting, or the recordings were so fuzzy you couldn't make anything out, the main problem is they seem to think everything is better the louder it is! Another problem is that the sound levels vary to much - people dont like to listen to stuff that they have to keep changing their volume on. Unfortunately another problem is that a lot of young bands want to try and write their own stuff which is great but they seem to think its cool to fill it with swearing.

We are always happy to promote local bands and local music - we would never not play a recording that was sent to it just because we didn't like the music - each to their own - its only the quality of the recording and the content that we would base our decision on. So if you'd like to send us recordings please do so and we'll see what we can do - quite a lot of young bands visit the studio (mainly on the Jim and Aly show) and talk about their recordings as well

[Torvaig]

Well said CFM; quality counts!
Too often bands don't get their mix right and you don't get the quality that I'm sure they all strive for. Surely it is to any musician or band's advantage that they send in good quality sounding stuff to radio stations; after all the listening public are the ones potentially buying their music and hiring their sound.
I know not every band can afford the quality equipment needed to reproduce their sound but there are plenty studios around who would be pleased to do a demo for them.

P.S. Good luck Moncur!

[sweetpea]

Totally agree it needs to be heard or what's the point? I'm a John Peel fan but he was menatalist who would listen to everything that came his way. These days with all the money to apply for in the arts and music there shouldn't be much of an excuse for not having a good demo anyway surely. There are so many promoters out there as well that will sort it if they like you. By way I can never get CFM even on my digital one.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

thanks for your support guys, I don't think we're being pretentious by saying the recordings have got to be of good quality, we certainly don't expect professional quality but we do have to make sure that what we broadcast is of reasonable quality, we have in the past had recording sent in not unlike the ones mention above, we also have had some that were basically just people shouting, or the recordings were so fuzzy you couldn't make anything out, the main problem is they seem to think everything is better the louder it is! Another problem is that the sound levels vary to much - people dont like to listen to stuff that they have to keep changing their volume on. Unfortunately another problem is that a lot of young bands want to try and write their own stuff which is great but they seem to think its cool to fill it with swearing.

We are always happy to promote local bands and local music - we would never not play a recording that was sent to it just because we didn't like the music - each to their own - its only the quality of the recording and the content that we would base our decision on. So if you'd like to send us recordings please do so and we'll see what we can do - quite a lot of young bands visit the studio (mainly on the Jim and Aly show) and talk about their recordings as well

Cheers for replying, CFM. I agree much with what you're saying. However, the line "we also have had some that were basically just people shouting, or the recordings were so fuzzy you couldn't make anything out, the main problem is they seem to think everything is better the louder it is!" - is this a matter of taste? Just asking.

[CFM]

Having given this some thought I have to admit that yes it is a personal opinion but it is also (for want of a better word) a "professional" opinion.(and no I don't claim to be a professional) I discussed the matter last night with a couple of the other presenters and a couple of listeners (one of whom is a singer and has featured on several shows on the radio) and they are of the same opinion.

If music is performed too loudly and recorded too loudly it just distorts - you don't get the best of the performance. If it is performed and recorded at a reasonable level you get a far better sound and you can then play it as loud as you like.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Yeah; but what if distortion and increased levels is the intention of the musician/ artist performing it? It's their art after all. Sounds very judgmental to me.

I quite often listen to country, blues and funk radio shows - a lot of the music played on it sounds like was recorded on a ghetto blaster in Mary Anne's Cottage. Others, like blues' R.L. Burnside has songs that often blow up in your face with large amounts of fuzz. The sound quality - or lack thereof that you suggest - isn't the point. Nor should it matter. It's all about feel, and the way the message of that performer wants it to come across. I've presented a few shows on local and regional radio, and judging bands on whether or not the record levels were too high, or whether I could hear the singer's voice (intended or otherwise), had little or almost nothing to do with being selected to be aired.

Anyway, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this point. No?

[Chobbersjnr]

Distortion created in a mix down/mastering setting is IMHO wrong. Distorted guitars, vocals, drums, bass heck I was distorting organ the other night, it's all good

when the distortion is created by clipping levels everywhere it's nasty on the ear & really unpleasent regardless of how good the musos are. Especially these days when 75% of people are working in the digital domain (complete with dithering....). The distortion produced from a digital system is pretty much avoided like the plague

So it is judgemental..............Son you've overdriven your master levels. Go away & remaster, come back with it then we'll give it a shot.

I've heard recordings that have been so loud..........without a trace of distortion & recordings that are loud & distorted because the peaks are to much & end up creating a sound something like the entire mix being put through a PC speaker & turned RIGHT UP

As I said distortion is generally created in the tracking stage & then mixed/mastered or it is recorded clean & FX etc etc used to make it distort. It is rarely made to distort on the run up to printing a stereo master

ho hum ho hum......

[Gleber2]

All records played on the air are compressed to a very high degree and, when a CD that has not been properly compressed at the mastering stage is played, we get a high degree of pumping(sound falling and rising and sounding rank) which makes the recording and the radio station sound gash.
No-one wants to hear their treasured masterpieces sound bad on radio as this can really put off potential fans and consequently it is in the interest of the station and the aspiring artist that a degree of judgement is exercised by the men in charge. If your demo is turned down by a radio station, try again and again until you get it right.