Radio doings (Dec 1930-Jun1932)

Page Twenty-two RADIO DOINGS February, 1931 THE TECHNIQUE OF SOUND EFFECTS By CHARLES FORSYTHE Charles Forsythe, KHJ staff sound effeet engineer, will conduct a monthly column in RADIO DOINGS. He will answer all questions concerning the perfection of sound effect devices which broadcasters submit to him. The object being to improve and develop this very important phase of modern radio productions. There are vast inconsistencies in our programs daily as regards sound effects. The most glaring of these is the rail' way train. In this article, Mr. Forsythe will attempt to bring out clearly what he means by "glaring inconsistencies." To begin with any of you who have ever heard Raymond Paige's orchestra, over the Don Lee Stations, playing the current hit from "Monte Carlo" entitled "Beyond the Blue Horizon," will undoubtedly recall the train effect augmenting this vocal number. We mention this as an example of perfect sound imitation. This effect is the outcome of years of study in attempting a perfect reproduction of a train. Mr. Forsythe continues: "Have you ever known of a steam railway train coming to a regular stop at a station with the chug or exhaust continuing and said chug slowing down with the momentum of the train to a complete stop? This is the most conspicuous mistake in broadcasting a train effect. In the first place, a railway steam locomotive is very similar to your own automobile as regards stopping; for instance, if you were approaching a place where you expected to stop, the first thing you do is to throw out the clutch of your car. Now this we all know, disconnects the power from your transmitter or wheels, therefore, at the time you actually come to a stop your motor has been reduced to the idling speed. When coming to a stop the engineer closes the throttle of a steam locomotive, therefore immediately stopping the chug; this is done long before the train actually comes to a stop. When a train comes into a station there is nothing heard except the rumble of the weight of the wheels on the rails and slight exhaust of steam. The effect of arriving trains are invariably done exactly this way, the only exception to this rule is when a train is stopped on an incline from sheer lack of power to pull the hill. All railway men know that no matter where a railway station may be located, in building and grading such yard limit, several hundred feet are made level by the builders of the railway. This makes it possible, except for an extremely long freight train, for the average passenger train to coast into the station, regardless of how long a hill he may have climbd before arriving at the yard limits. The chug is the most important element as a train leaves the station. "Most all train effects when done over the radio, for one reason or another, are at fault in this first part of the effect. In other words, most radio trains are in a hurry to get away. There should be an exhaust of steam that alternates between chugs; in the term of a musician, we would say we have our chugs down on a piece of paper as notes. The down beat in 4-4 time is the chug, and the second beat is for the steam exhaust, and this exhaust is more or less sustained and is not staccato like the chug. There is real labor behind the chug, and this hiss of steam should be almost sustained as a background for the chug; however, it should have an impulse so that it is standing out as the object of the chug — chug — hiss — chug — hiss. Of course, in a disappearing train this hiss of steam is a detail that isn't •necessary much more than the first 1 5 or 20 chugs as the LINES AND ANGLES By TED OSBORNE Some folks' idea o' gettin' behind th' government is to attack it from th' rear. Th' wise man measures his words by th' weight; th' fool measures his by th' length. Ambition an' hard work are all right in their place, but it don't do no good t' chase an express train on a handcar. Mebbe th" reason women talk an' gossip more'n men is 'cause they have th' men t' talk an' gossip about. Th' world seems t' be made up o" two kinds o' people — them as has more appetite than dinner, an' them as has more dinner than appetite. Th' fellers who are always tryin' t' save trouble for themselves often find that they've saved more'n they can take care of. Love is like an owl, an' gets along best at night. If every proposal o' marriage was made on a crowded street at noon, a lot o' divorce lawyers 'ud starve t' death. A rollin' stone don't gather no moss; but most of 'em get so smooth y' can't get nothin" else on 'em neither. Advice is somethm' like a rainstorm: th' easier it falls, th' deeper it sinks in. There's two possible reasons why a man won't mind his own business. One is, he hasn't got any business, an' th' other is that he hasn't got any mind. When a feller is climbin', he sometimes has t' step down a bit so's he can get a better foothold. train would disappear sufficiently far from the hearer to make it unheard. "And now for signals, practically all train rules are the same as regards whistling for stations, whistling for crossings, arriving at stations, and leaving stations. Probably everyone of us know the crossing whistle, which is too long and two short. But isn't it inconsistent to broadcast a real convincing effect of a train and then spoil the whole thing to give a crossing whistle for a train pulling out of a station? "In the next issue I will take up the subject of Correct Whistles and will also go into the subject of rail clicks, and various sounds which are used as the setting for interior railway coach scenes; at the same time answering all questions pertaining to sound recreation for the microphone." CORRECTION! — Too late to catch an error on the index page we hasten to correct the listing of the National, Columbia and United Broadcasting Company programs. These schedules are for the month of FEBRUARY and NOT for January.