[OceanVoyager]

Hi everyone, excuse my ignorance and lack of knowledge but can anyone please explain “stings”, “beds” etc.
I’ve been interested in jingles for years now, but have only just discovered this forum and the downloads available on the net.
Great to see so many like minded people out there!

Thanks and regards,
Andrew
Southampton

[DavidHemsley]

“only” as in 7 months ago ?

[OceanVoyager]

Getting married/new job/pc packed away/moving etc etc, now settled with broadband & first real chance to get involved!
Trust thats a “good” enough reason…

[topcat]

OceanVoyager wrote: Hi everyone, excuse my ignorance and lack of knowledge but can anyone please explain “stings”, “beds” etc.

It’s not ignorance, just lack of knowledge. Welcome aboard. Asking is how you learn. Strings are just that…. violins and such. Horns refer to trumpets and such. Now… beds are a different thing altogether. A bed is the musical background that announcers talk over. The singers sing into the bed, if it was meant to be sung over. In this case, it can be referred to as a backing track.

Feel free to continue to ask questions here… as this is how you learn!

Again… welcome aboard.

-TC

[Admin]

As TC pointed out, beds are used underneath jocks when doing a break / link.

Some others –

2 Punch – A weather / promo / travel bed with a seperate tag at the end.
Spliters – Canadian word for sweepers
Sweepers – A produced voice taelent with station name, frequency, strapline
Transition – A sung jingle that goes from fast to slow or slow to fast
Shotgun – A very short sung jingle usually no more than 3 secs
Stings – This term isn’t used now
Strapline – Something to idenify the station, “Todays Hit Music” or “Todays Best Mix”

Just a few there, but there are plenty more.

[rakMember]

Neal wrote: Stings – This term isn’t used now

The term ‘sting’ IS still used in TV studios – to refer to a short piece of music coming out of a break or Headlines/’Coming Up’ sequence.

[DavidHemsley]

Some general jingle terminology:

Acapella (modern spelling) – Singing without musical accompaniment. Also known as an Aca, Aca’s, A-cap or A-caps.

Bright or brightness – A term when describing a need to add or remove the upper high frequencies of a sound source.

Count off – To set rhythm in motion. A count in the exact rhythm usually 2 or 3 bars to the left of the start of the score

Donut – Single and double. Describes the center area(s) over a jingle (normally a 60 or 30) that is open music in nature and set aside for voiceover.

Flat – Term in reference to the flat status of NAB specifications of audio. Any alternation to these specifications would in effect be an equalization (or tone control) change. In theory any recording that is altered with EQ or processing may no longer be a flat recording.

Green – If you hear anything musical that is out of tune you may use the word “green” rather than flat, sharp, off key, out of tune, discordant or rotten in Denmark. It’s a kinder, gentler way to tell the musician or singer something sucks.

Hook – Key image line in a jingle set to a catchy melody. May be repeated several times in 60 or 30 second version. This is the single portion that is anticipated to be recalled for years to come. It is called the hook because it catches you.

License – A granting of permission and limited authority to use the property of others for a certain period of time. In the case of jingles it is often found where an audio production company grants a license to a distributor or end user for broadcast and/or non-broadcast use of a jingle. There is normally no transfer of actual ownership under a jingle license or lease.

Open back – In a series of jingle mixouts the open back is the portion with a vocal front and instrumental end or open back.

Parametric Equalizer – A style of Equalizer, normally with a series of rotary controllers, considered more flexible and accurate than typical rotary EQ on control boards.

Stack – In multi track recording – to add another layer of similar of complementary sound on additional tracks. Many recording artists stack their voices completely or on portions of various songs. Stacking is widespread in much of jingle recordings, especially in group recordings with many layers.

TM Century – Major jingle company. TM Century has made more jingles than any other continuously operated jingle company in the world.

Work tape – A tape used for rough recording and not the final master. Test recordings are on a work tape.

Extracts from The Jingle University – full listing available at http://www.jingleuniversity.com

[OceanVoyager]

Thanks guys, for the replies and the warm welcome!
Andrew

[Author]

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