[IainJohnston]

NEVER in a proverbial million years would I have imagined BBC Radio Scotland commissioning a custom package from reelworld …
…but they have – even if its not quite the “Seattle Sound” but the UK/Europe division :^)
http://www.jinglenews.com/2017/11/30/bbc-radio-scotland-gets-new-sound-from-reelworld/

(…although it does sound a wee bit like the (excellent) previous instrumental package (and logo) provided by a producer Down South)

And all credit to them for using the Scottish Symphony Orchestra on the tracks – and thankfully no “screaming over-processed vocals” Len !

[scotronMember]

Hi Iain, Heard this last week, when I was in working at the BBC. Who would have thought it. Well done BBC Scotland. And all recorded at the City Halls in Glasgow with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Then again, good as these cuts are, what would Jam have provided.?

[LenGroat]

Hmmmm… Yes there are no ” “screaming over-processed vocals” ” Iain – … and yes it’s the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.. but… … don’t ALL symphony orchestras sound exactly the same?

And do listeners REALLY have ANY idea that the ‘sonic logo’ is meant to be ‘BEE-Be- Ce-Ray De-Scot-Land” ?

If they had just 2 or 3 cuts with a soloist SINGING the logo melody it would have reinforced it.

All I’m hearing is cliched 1970s ‘library music’ style arrangements they could have bought ‘off the shelf’ and then have the ‘logo melody’ added on a £500 synth session + a £500 soloist. Instead, the BBC once again (recklessly) spend licence payers money (it is getting less of) on ‘jingles’ that are not jingles….

…they are like 2 slices of bread – classical one side <> country the other – they lack the JAM in the middle…

Doubtless the ‘station manager’ (or are they now ‘content controllers’?) will accept an award for them at a glittering LONDON ‘award ceremony’ in 2018 ?

Lucky you got me on a good day !

[glen]

Fingernails on a chalkboard vocals

[MarcMannetje]

A cannot completely agree with this, Len.

I have been in creative industry for over 20 years too. A lot of logo melodies were introduced by big brands (T Mobile) and not only reinforced by a sung version. You can (subliminally) connect a sound or audiosignal to a brand in a lot of different ways. Visually, by repetative use, by cross media use (ringtone, tv ident, push message sounder, on radio).

And licence payers money went to the talented musicians of a great local orchestra. What could you want more?

[jonnoMember]

I agree Marc, a great case in point in France is the SNCF sonic logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=8eGq3dyzH-o
The 4 notes in the logo most likely stand for the four letters S N C F but whether people make that connection or not, I think is irrelevant.
The logo has been incredibly successful in identifying the brand, as Marc says, by repetitive use across all media (including platform announcements!) https://www.sixiemeson.com/en/brand-music-portfolio/sncf-audio-identity/

[IainJohnston]

Some interesting comments about the logo Gents :^

As someone who “out-ted” a certain J***in T********d last year for ripping off TM Productions
Rhytm of the City, this “exciting new sonic logo” for BBC Radio Scotland was similarly rattling in my head.

Anyone old enough to remember “(The) Wreck of the Ed-mond Fitz-ger-ald” by John. D Loudermilk
(Canadian singer???) somewhere in the very early 1970s? An exceedingly long single that was part
of the Canadian “30% minimum Canadian-originated content” radio rule introduced at that time.

“…meant to be ‘BEE-Be- Ce-Ray De-Scot-Land…”

At least it “fits” Len, as did the precious package from (can’t find the link)!
Unlike many a “contemporary” USA station’s etc re-sings.

[rakMember]

It’s mainly a speech station https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl8d/2017/12/02 so these would sound fine, I imagine.

They’d also fit the likes of BBC Sussex and Surrey, or BBC Radio Bristol etc…

I wonder if the BBC own the rights to the musical logo, as I think was part of the deal with the Radio 2 Wisebuddah package.

[MarcMannetje]

Great example, Jonno!

SNCF (French Railways) pitched this sonic logo and Sixieme Son won because they proposed ‘a human sound’ (i.e. a female voice) which had to connect the ‘iron cold environment’ of a railway to the ‘welcome feeling’ passengers should have. The notes also had to have a ‘attentional feel’ – to be used at announcements.

[jonnoMember]

I love the SNCF logo.. Typically elegant and stylish example of French design.

It is my SMS text message alert tone on my phone.

[GrahamCollins]

What no bagpipes ?

I actually really like these and hope that they get the airing they deserve.

[rakMember]

I love the SNCF logo.. Typically elegant and stylish example of French design.

It is my SMS text message alert tone on my phone.

People are uploading SNCF train announcements to YouTube? Suddenly it’s feeling quite ‘normal’ to like listening to jingles!

[bobgreenradioMember]

interesting discussion. this is the direction of the industry future. almost total approval of the new sound.

reelworld is the new (international) king of the mountain, and time continues, the sun still comes up in the morning, and taxes are alive and well.

having just one less than enthusiastic observation out of the lot is most telling

[mjb1124Member]

This is definitely a well-done package, and I do appreciate the versatility that the European division has shown. Wish that most of the US output wasn’t so samey, but I guess that the programmers could be just as much to blame for that.

[IainJohnston]

Just for comparison, this is some clips from the BBC Radio Scotland “emergency tape/CD” for TX/link failures,
and it has some of the material used until last week, produced by Tony & Gaynor Sadler, who have a production
company Down South.

https://soundcloud.com/allthebestjingles03/bbc-radioscotland-tandgsadler

A bit “lighter” than the reelworld production, and with a more of an atmospheric “Keltic” sound including more
noticable traditional Scottish instruments which seem to get a bit swamped in the reelworld effort.

As with this previous package, I suspect many of the 90-second and above length reelworld beds will rarely
make it on-air, or will get faded down after 20 seconds as programme intros. And they certainly WON’T get
run under the traffic news etc – too “heavy” in texture.

But VERY nice to listen to in full in headphones… ;^)

[mbMember]

I actually think these are rather nice and well done. You’ll find that they are most likely done on the same basis as the Radio 2, Local radio and Wales packages. The time of the orchestra comes from thier rehearsal / live hours. ~There are only so many logo variations. And I think its in a league above what Mcasso produced for BBC Local Radio in the last package.

[IanF]

They sound good from here. Well done Reelworld Europe

[IainJohnston]

Slightly surprised reelworld have let the new package out for perusal so quickly, but here it is
http://reelworld.com/jingles/packages/bbc-radio-scotland
Click on “Listen to the full package” for the cut cues.

And indeed makes all the the Mcanno stuff sound utterly dull poor production;
no wonder BBC Scotland didn’t attempt to use them for their custom work.

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