For those of you who want to listen to the original Gronk Song, don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere.

This is the country version of what I managed to put together… For someone who doesn’t listen to or enjoy much modern country, I think I did okay. I can’t imagine everyone will like it, but hell, what would the fun in that be?

I was inspired after seeing him score two TD’s against the Bills in the last game of the season, and wrote/recorded/produced three separate songs. If you like it, let me know, if you don’t, well that’s okay too. If You’re Gronk, Yo soy fiesta!

I originally wanted to make a video for the whole thing, but I figured I could do it in parts, so I managed to make this over the weekend. Finished it just in time for the game. It’s not a very serious undertaking, but I had a blast making it. Not sure if he will ever see it, but Rob if you’re reading this, I hope you like it.

Review of the Rode NT3

What’s in the Box: The mic, A padded zipper case, a sticker, a clip for your mic stand, a small foam windscreen, instruction booklet.

Physical Characteristics: It fells well built, much like the other Rode mics I’ve had a chance to use. The NT3 can be powered by a 9 volt battery or phantom power from your preamp. It is roughly 9 inches long and the bottom unscrews to access the battery compartment. The battery option is one that is great to have if you’re considering using this mic with a camera for video production. It’s durability and size make an excellent choice for a field mic. There is a power switch so you don’t have to remove the battery every time you use it.

Potential Applications: I use this mic mostly for acoustic guitar and hand percussion. It Represents the high end very well with a lot of presence in the sound, and the design allows for good room ambiance. It actually records room and outdoor conversation pretty good. I imagine that this would be a great field mic for low-budget video production.

Sample Recording with the NT3

Overall Thoughts: I think that this mic has multiple of uses in a home studio. It can be used to record any acoustic instruments, which is a plus, but it also sounds good when recording from slightly farther away. I like the way it sounds as a reinforcement mic. Take a listen to these two tracks.

Solo take with the Rode NT3

NT3 and NT1-a blend

The first one is the NT3 by itself, positioned roughly 10 inches from the 12th fret of the neck of the guitar. The second one is the NT3 blended with the an NT1-a located roughly 12 inches from the back of the body of the guitar. As you can hear, the two mics compliment each other pretty well. I would imagine that this would make a fairly decent overhead mic on a drum kit based on the response I was getting from it. Unfortunately I am not able to try that at this time, however other reviews of the NT3 have said that this is one of the things it does best.

I also used the Rode NT3 to record the electric guitar parts in this cover of Here Comes Your Man (Ham), as opposed to my usual SM57. Not bad.

Listen to Here Comes Your Ham

All in all I would say that this mic would make a fine addition for any home studio. It’s multiple uses make it a great asset to have.

“Here Comes Your Ham”

I had done a little catering work with Dave (who owns the Pig Kahuna, best pig roasting in the Northeast BTW), and he had mentioned that he made up a joke band, called the “Pig-sees” and had already re-named a bunch of songs- “Where is My Swine”, and my personal favorite, “Here Comes Your Ham.” I figured now was as good a time as any to see if I could pull it off. Fortunately, since I have a couple instruments at my disposal, I had a feeling I would. It was harder than I had originally thought, just because I’ve never set out to copy something exactly how it was done. Admittedly the effort was somewhat hasty, but Dave loved it.

Listen to Here Comes Your Ham

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The day of the show came around 10am I get an email asking if I want to have a lobster dinner with the band before the show. Yes. Yes, I would. Not everyone could make it, but Joey wasn’t going to miss out. He arrived around 5:30, bringing our total to 8. Soon, we were enjoying a few pre-lobster drinks. I talked some nerdy guitar stuff with Joey about his equipment, which was awesome. Then Dave mentioned that I was the one who recorded “Here Comes Your Ham.” Joey told me he heard it and liked it, to which I smiled like a buffoon. He said that I took some liberties with the guitar tracks, but overall he liked what I did. He then asked what I had used to record it on. I told him about my modest home recording set up, and mentioned that I probably would have put a little more effort into it if I knew he was going to hear it.

Then he asks “How long did it take you to record it?”
“Roughly three days, on and off.” I reply.
“Oh, we recorded Doolittle in two weeks. No, wait. On second thought make that 11 days.” He says with a big grin. With that the ice was broken, and the rest of the dinner was a smashing success. Dave had enough lobster and steak for everyone to fill up on. Soon enough it was time for the show, which was amazing. If you’ve never seen the Pixies live, you should do it. Enhance any of the photos to see a slideshow from the State Theater show.

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Pizza, Magic, and The Pixies watch the Pixies

After the concert, we met up with Joey and David Lovering, the drummer for the band. They had heard about a Pixies tribute that was happening after the show, and wanted to crash it. I couldn’t wait for this, however we “needed” to refuel with some more beers and pizza. During dinner in a relatively empty Pat’s Pizza, David started doing some card tricks for us. He is skilled in the magical arts to say the least, however the hilarity and awesomeness of getting a free magic show from the drummer of one of the most talented and influential bands ever would not hit me till later in the evening.

After dinner, we headed to the bar where the tribute show was happening. It was very busy for a Tuesday night, and it was very interesting to watch half of the Pixies watch a tribute to themselves. It was hard to get a read on how they actually felt about it, but not hard to see how shocked/excited the members of the band were when they realized who had been in attendance. Joey and David chatted with the musicians from the tribute band for a while before we all left. We took some photos together, I got my copy of Doolittle signed, and we were out. As we drove home, I just kept thinking to myself how crazy the past 6 hours had been, and realized that the “Where is My Swine” cover had better be awesome.

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HUGE thanks to My friend Dave of the Pig Kahuna and of course Joey and David of the Pixies.

Coming next week, I review the Rode NT3 mic. So far, I’m digging it, seems like a pretty nice all purpose condenser.

Today’s guest post comes from Bill Danziger, a writer at privatestudentloan.org.

The cost of radio ads and jingles is relative to return on investment. If within the initial stages of a radio advertising campaign, the increased sales and revenue driven by the new ad equals or exceeds the investment, then the ad/jingle costs you nothing. That would be the initial intention for any business considering a radio advertisement campaign and the hoped for outcome. The consideration of how to budget for a radio ad is different and more complex.

Why Advertise on the Radio?

Before discussing the costs of radio advertising we should understand what it is you are considering paying for. Radio ads are direct response advertising. This is a form of advertising that has a goal to create a response to the advertisement that can be quickly evaluated for its effectiveness. Direct response advertising is a quantifiable and accountable mechanism for generating specific information relating to and demonstrating its effectiveness or lack of effectiveness. Brand marketing in contrast, focuses on memory recall of a product, service or brand based on an emotion response to the ad. It does not require any action or input from the listener. The ability to assess effectiveness is delayed, often evident only in quarterly fiscal reports that are influenced by multiple factors.

The first consideration for cost of a radio ad concerns the advertising strategy and creative process. This upfront cost is essential to minimize the chance of failure and increased cost later in the process. Budget the costs of two test ads. The one that creates the best response is the test ad. If neither meets the break even threshold, redesign the ad with different content or to appeal to a different population of listeners.

Media Buying and Planning

The second consideration involves media budgeting. This is media planning and buying. In two parts, the first concerns are a test budget to assess the strategy, and review the creative and media variables affecting the fiscal outcome. While this expenditure can be daunting, it will generate response and revenue, and the intent is to bring you to the break even point. Anticipate a four week test period of review and adjustment of the ad spot to reach this goal.

Don't Burn Your Money

Roll out

The second part is referred to as the roll out. At this juncture the creativity and production of the ad is proven viable. Your returns are above the break even margin. Now comes the time for additional investment to increase market awareness. You are motivated to spend more on media to increase return profitability.

How Often to Run a Radio Advertisement

To determine the number of stations and frequency of ad air time depends on several factors. During the test period an average of ten stations provides an adequate exposure. After, the determining factors are your business readiness to expand and the guidelines established in the original plan. When determining optimal number of sports on a particular station, remember that the cost per spot is determined by the size of the audience, bigger audience translates into more expensive. The decision then is dependent on testing and determination of what works within the context of the campaign guidelines. Nothing is ever set in stone. Radio advertisements can be tweaked at every level to produce the optimal expectations at the most reasonable investment.

So what is the bottom line? How much do radio advertisements cost? That answer is still in the testing phase. If during the testing period you reach the break even point for the initial four week testing period, the ads will generate profit and the ads cost nothing. It the testing period returns 75% of your initial investment, it will be a small cost to gain the invaluable information needed to adjust the final product and ensure a successful and profitable campaign.

Bill Danziger is a writer at privatestudentloan.org.

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Like many of you, I order a lot of stuff online. I’m a big fan of services like amazon, newegg, and ebay because I can get stuff on the cheap. Sometimes I order things and they get shipped in insanely huge boxes, but no harm really comes of that. I read the in August that the United States Postal Service is going through some tough economic times, and is looking to make some cuts. Well USPS, it’s service like this that makes that news no surprise.

It rained pretty much all day yesterday. My bike ride into work was a wet one, and at times throughout the day it was coming down pretty hard. By the time I left for home at 4:00pm, it was still pretty wet out and misting a little. I got home to find some packages had been delivered. At first glance, it looks like a poor job putting the package in the mailbox.

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Upon closer inspection it appears the mailman created a clever rain catcher to collect as much water as possible inside the mailbox. Great technique for outdoor survival, not so much for delivering mail. Mail often contains important documents, electronics, or photos, none of which should be wet. That’s why I have a mailbox. That’s also why I have a side door and an easily accessible and visible shed. At any rate there was another package inside the mailbox, this was also soaked through.

How it's done. Click to enlarge.

The same day I got a package delivered from UPS, who is doing it right. This little bag can’t cost them very much, it is extremely thin, but for the purpose of keeping something dry for a few hours, it works great. It’s service like this that will make me think twice before sending anything of value through the mail. Fortunately the things in the mailbox were clothing, but still, had they been books or electronics, it would have been a major first world problem/headache. United States Postal Service, if you’re reading this, please invest in some bags. Or instruct your workers to not do this. I want to like you, I really do. You’ve always been there, but if you keep this up, our relationship isn’t going to last.

For those wondering, I’ve added a “Packages Around Back” note in my mailbox. I hope it works next time it’s raining.

UPDATE:
This arrived yesterday from UPS. I don’t even know what to think.

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