A Note About Sound Alikes

It is very easy to overuse kids. They are very catchy on radio, and there is hardly a product out there that wont benefit from some dimply brat yodelling the product name. Use them too often, however, and their appeal can ware off very fast.

However, when a good use comes along, you should go for it. The Nanny commercial I wrote for Black Pig was one good example. Another, and more obvious one perhaps, is the music I have just produced for Northamptonshire Childcare services. The idea wasn't mine, the creative at Northants 96 come up with that, but the execution was. A gentle bit of orchestra and a handful of willing voices from the local theatre school and we have the perfect accompaniment for their message and help to get across an awkward phone number.

Great, sensible advertising.

Okay, I have to admit with most client when I propose a very gentle orchestral or ambient jingle, I normally get the comment, "when do the drums come in."

So it was a little bit of a surprise when the chap from Voice Mobile said he preferred the one WITHOUT the drums. Well to be honest, so do I, and I am very pleased that he went that way. However, in the life of a jingle or music ident there can come a point when you need something that is a little more hard hitting. So, we have supplied him with a second set of mixes with some great drumming in it, just in case! No skin off our nose, and may give him that extra variation in the future.

Below is his preferred one, however, and it is rather lovely.

I am told this will be a very interesting place to visit. It manages to be a cool bar during the day and a cooler venue at night. Gave us a bit of a challenge - a jingle in two parts to go with Adam Jones' (he of Essex FM) creative ideas. In the end we did several mixes with the split point at different places, depending on the script.

Kim Chandler supplied vocal effects, bless her.