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Each show, channel, brand, artist, producer has the opportunity to establish their norm, an aesthetic. It can be the draw or it can serve to enhance and characterise the content in a sometimes understated but important way.
Any media that primarily uses voice over to attract, hold and maintain attention has the opportunity run their input through something (software and hardware) before or while outputting. Even if it is ‘live’ — that is to say, something being performed and delivered for audience consumption immediately (though typically in some contexts with some delay). It could be minor equaliser adjustments, pitch adjustments, noise reduction, compression and/or hardware tuning but of course, it can be any sort of effect.
Radio stations do this all the time. When combined with the content that they deliver, the language they use and other bits and pieces that contribute to their aural profile it makes the whole thing unique. It creates and perpetuates a sort of atmosphere, vibe or feel that for the most part people might not overly think about but is a creative consideration. It is one of those things where if you were to remove a few of crucial elements things would begin to change quite quickly.
Not dissimilar to how your favourite store or café might generally carry the same goods as any other, but you just enjoy being there. They play the nice tunes at the right volume, the people who work there are helpful but are not noisy or snarky. Top stuff — keeps you coming back. After a few more times, you associate these attributes with the place. But change one person, discontinue something, or change the management — some combinations will eventually change your perception.
Consider commercial broadcasting that might have a crisp cool air to it in as many facets that it can control — the talent, pace/length, content, music, production, language. For comparisons compare it to community radio which typically features a warmer, more personal voices delivering a deliberately paced show. Even in those two major categories, there can be huge creative differences between competing stations or shows from the same group.
[Maximillian Dood’s setup YouTube video. STREAMING MICROPHONE/AUDIO GUIDE]
Taking a few steps backwards, there is no understating that it all begins with the original performance, delivery, and cadence of each aural element, particularly in regards to voices. Space in can affect recordings as well, and it is one can add to the experience. It is a selling point as to why people will want to go and see their favourite musical artists live, or at a certain venue and it is one of the reasons why acts opt record live sets outside of documentation.
[Song recorded in a live music set.]
Quote from MPC reading about live music artefacts
Each of these elements is used to further enhance what the audience is listening to. Acting as non-verbal signatures that consolidates into a unifying aural brand. Not unlike how a guitarist might gravitate towards a certain tone, guitar manufacture or amp.
It is an interesting thought experiment to consider all the things that go an audible output, not unlike the media audit in the early weeks of Media 1. So many minor alterations can make the whole production greater than the sum of its parts. There’s so much to gain from being recognisable or more noticeable.
