YA, IA

The saxophone is the premiere instrument of Smooth Jazz.

Recently, longtime Smooth Jazz fan Kathleen Gregory of Lockport sent over a formidable list of questions, so it gives us the perfect excuse to bring you the latest edition of YOU ASK, I ANSWER.  Here's Part I.

1. How long do you give a new song to catch on with listeners before deciding not to play it or add it to the rotation? Does it make a difference if the new song is a vocal or instrumental? Does it matter if the song is played by a new act? If a song doesn't quite catch on (for example, Basia's "From Newport to London") will you play it from time to time, or is it gone forever?

Here's how we've always approached "adds" going back to the days of WNUA.  Adds are what the industry likes to call new tracks that make the playlist, by the way.  First of all, we don't give new tracks a chance "to catch on with listeners."  When we add a new track to the playlist, we make a firm commitment to it.  We don't throw a new tune onto the playlist as an audition with the chance that we might pull it off if it doesn't meet our expectations.  That's why we like to take a good deal of time before deciding whether a track merits airplay.   We'll listen to a new tune often eight, nine, ten times or more, and sometimes we'll even evaluate a new track by committee.  Several of us will lend our ears to it.  Then, we'll arrive at a group decision on it.  Vocal or instrumental, new or established artist, it makes no difference.  This is the process every new track has to go through before we make a decision on it.  I hope I've made it clear that new music is serious business to us.

Once we commit to adding something, we break in the new track on the air slowly.  It begins in a low frequency rotation.  As listeners become more comfortable with it, we bump it up into a higher rotation.  We'll give a new track anywhere between 100 and 300 total spins in current rotation, which take anywhere from five to six months on the air.  That's usually enough exposure for us to observe if our listeners have embraced it.  If we feel positive about it, we'll stay on it a little longer.  Then, we'll move it into a slower rotation by putting it into our permanent active library.  If we don't, it goes into an "icebox" category and might surface from time to time on a weekend program such as Dinner Party.

2. When you put together your show, do you have a vocal to instrumental ratio per hour? Do you have a ratio for male to female vocalists?

We have software that schedules our music--after we program it to obey certain rules of scheduling.  As was the case on WNUA, we by and large have a 55-45 ratio of instrumentals to vocals.  There is no set ratio for male to female vocalists.  At the same time, we try and shoot for optimal variety in our mix of vocal tunes, alternating males and female voices, pop and R&B and so on.

3. Do you have a limit for certain instruments like piano, bass, or saxophone?

The saxophone is the signature instrument of Smooth Jazz.  I'm sure you could have guessed that!  As such, we try and make sure there is at least one saxophone-based instrumental every four tunes.  It doesn't matter where or how often the other instruments play.

4. How do you put together a show? Do you have themes?

Our weekend shows (e.g., Dinner Party and Sunday Brunch) lend themselves to themes and featured artists.  That's where we have the best opportunity to do special features.  Thematic shows can be polarizing (listeners can love or hate them), however.  That's why we rarely do them during the week, when we're trying to build the largest listening audience we can.

5. How far in advance do you do it?

Personally, I like to plan things at least one month out.  But, if I've learned anything from 30 years in the business, it's that you always have to be ready for last-minute changes. 

6. How much time do you dedicate for requests per day?

I'll generally leave room for one or two requests each hour.

7. Do you use CDs?

Very few stations play CDs anymore.  Most music gets copied from CDs or downloaded song by song into a hard drive, as audio files.  Our music scheduling program then grabs them and puts them on the air at the proper times.

(We'll get to Part II of Kathleen's list in a few days.)

Got a question you'd like me to answer?  Got a list of them I can start working on?  Drop me a line anytime:  [email protected]

~Rick O'Dell

Our Smooth Video of the Day:  Our newest "add" at SmoothJazzChicago.net, Paul Hardcastle and "Easy Street."

 

Comments

[nikki]

Great segment, and excellent questions! Very interesting, and looking forward to Part II! :)

[DJWoo]

Wow! What a fantastic set of questions by, Kathleen! Certainly thoughts that I have had. Rick, thank you for answering and I'm looking forward to Part 2.

[Mark M.]

Thanks Rick! & Kathleen! I've wondered some of the same myself!

[Art B.]

Kudos to Kathleen on Great questions, I, like Nikki, DJ Woo and Mark look forward to Part 2 !!!

[Margie]

I always find it fascinating to get a peek inside of someone else's profession, especially one whose "product" I use and enjoy. Great questions and responses. Thanks.