Radio and television mirror (Nov 1939-Apr 1940)

from true pitch are right up in the running. Every once in a while I hear a new singer brush off advice of this sort with the comment, "What is the Monitor for!" Well, in a way it's a reasonable question and deserves an answer. The answer is that every time you make the Monitor twist a knob, you've forced him to do something unnatural to your voice; the very fact of a change can't help but alter the unity of your rendition. When he cuts your voice down suddenly, he thins it and cuts some of the qualities out of it. If he removes your fuzziness by cutting out your highs, he reduces your brilliance. His manipulation, no matter how clever, results in a performance that isn't as good as though he hadn't had to touch you; sometimes this loss is really marked, as in the wiping out of a soft or low note just after a loud passage. The moral is, Be Your Own Monitor. Learn to handle yourself so that the boys in the control room can go out for a smoke while you're on. They will learn to love you for it, and so — though it won't know the reason — will your public. AND when the Monitor's advice ** floats down from the control room during rehearsal, heed it. He's hearing you as you sound over the system; he has heard lots of others, and he knows best. Even if you did things differently at M-G-M last week, remember that this man knows his own equipment. The only time to argue with a sound-man is when he's too easily satisfied. Some Miscellaneous Tips See that you're comfortable; your music rack is in a spot where you can read your song without getting out of the beam, and your mike at the right height, placed so that you can see the control room, orchestra leader or accompanist, show director or announcer (anything or anybody you need to see as you sing), without turning your head. Learn the signals in use at the place where you are singing (sign language is a necessary thing when the mikes are "hot"). The universal signal is the "finger-circle," which with lifted eyebrows asks "Is it O.K.?" and with an affirmative nod means "That's perfect." Cast an occasional glance (especially during the doubtful spots) at the control room to catch the Monitor's reaction — by means of prearranged signals. Learn the etiquette of the place. It's radio etiquette to keep quiet and as motionless as convenient when others are on the air. At a recording, absolute quiet is obligatory. Always keep an eye on the red light or whatever gadget notifies you that the mike is hot or that a take is going on. Whether the red light is burning or not, the mike is usually open to the loud speaker in the control room, so watch your conversation. If you want to grouse about the engineer or tell the pianist what happened after last night's party, get away from that mike and speak softly. If you are in the control room, keep quiet while sound is coming in. The others in the control room are listening. And don't get between the sound-man and the loudspeaker which is guiding his monitoring. Time your numbers and all selections thereof. Stop-watches are as common as regular watches around radio and recording studios. If your 2:15 number must be cut to 1:40 nobody has time to sit about while you experiment with guesswork cuts. Know. Someone has said that radio singers whose watches are in pawn can time the boiling of an egg perfectly by singing three choruses of one of their numbers; if the egg is underdone, it's because they left out the eight-bar tag. p\ON'T put your chin in your chest '-' to read your music. If possible, know your number so well that the copy is simply a reassuring reminder. Keep in the habit of memorizing your songs against the day when you'll be singing to flesh audiences. And, lastly, a cure for mike fright. Imagine a porthole in the mike through which you see a friendly audience, and sing to them. But a better cure: Know your song and your trade so well that you have nothing to worry about. Suppose you've just been given your big chance — an opportunity to audition for a radio program or a dance band. Will you be able to "knock 'em cold" in that audition room? Or will you betray your lack of experience by doing all the wrong things? Get ready for that moment by reading next month's chapter of "How to Sing for Money," which tells, clearly and concisely, all the things you should and should not do at an audition — in the May Radio Mirror. CLARE POCKMAN, SENIOR AT SKIDMORE COLLEGE, SAYS: wiocte/uv vtotWu lock I AND IT'S YOURS WITH THIS FACE POWDER YOU CHOOSE BY THE COLOR OF YOUR EYES! Women have learned that there is no allure more universal than the natural charm of gay, young "collegiennes" — a charm that's yours with Hudnut Marvelous Face Powder, the powder you choose by the color of your eyes! For eye color is definitely related to the color of your skin, your hair. 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My eyes are: Brown □ Blue □ Haiel □ Gray □ Be sure to check color of your eyes I NaineStreet -City. APRIL, 1940 67