Bartering studio time for radio ads...... any advice?

[pandemic]

Hi all,
I have been approached by a local radio station to help sponser a singing contest. They want me to produce and record a song for the winner in exchange for radio advertising. The station is a top 40 station that I cannot stand and the contest is basically a karaoke contest where the winner gets to record an original song that gets played on said top 40 station. I am certainly not too busy to turn down a chance for free advertising (even on a top 40 station) but I just do not know what to charge (for barter). I figured I could knock an original song out in a few days with looped drums but I don't know if the winning singer is going to have a song or if I have to write something (most likely).

Has anyone done this before? I was planning on charging for 30 hours studio time but do I discount my rate.....do I inflate my rate.

Also, If I write the song (or co-write it) should I get a contract as a writer/producer.

It's just a karaoke contest but I keep feeling it's going to be more work than I figure on.

Thanks in advance....
amos

[JASIII]

Am I reading this right...you are planning on 30 hours of studio time for one song? Just want to make sure that's not a typo.

I recently traded studio time for advertising by sponsoring a battle of the bands. Prize was a half day recording at my studio. The bar that was having the contest included advertising for my place on every newspaper ad, freebie entertainment rag ad, poster, etc they did for that month. Worked out great for all parties involved.

[leftofthedial]

My biz partner is always bartering with somebody in trade for free studio time. Problem is, he's not the guy that has to do the actual work. What a shmuck I am!

[pandemic]

I get the feeling that I am going to have to help write/create the song, not just record it. 30 hours seems fairly conservative to go from 0 to completely written and arranged original song. Keep in mind this is not a Battle Of The bands it's a karaoke contest with the winner getting an original song created for them to sing. The 30 hours is just a way for me to give the radiostation a number to work with.

If it was a "battle of the bands" that would be great, but this is a production deal where I have to create content, not just record.

JASIII,
Did you trade the value of your 1/2 day rate towards a dollar amount of advertising or did you have your studio plugged in all advertising. This radio station wants a dollar amount to trade against so I'm trying to come up with a number for them. Since this is radio I don't think I'll be able to get print out of them although maybe I could talk to the promoting club.

I wish it was a band battle.........so much easier thank writing some pop song for a karaoke star.

[JASIII]

I get the feeling that I am going to have to help write/create the song, not just record it. 30 hours seems fairly conservative to go from 0 to completely written and arranged original song. Keep in mind this is not a Battle Of The bands it's a karaoke contest with the winner getting an original song created for them to sing. The 30 hours is just a way for me to give the radiostation a number to work with.

If it was a "battle of the bands" that would be great, but this is a production deal where I have to create content, not just record.

JASIII,
Did you trade the value of your 1/2 day rate towards a dollar amount of advertising or did you have your studio plugged in all advertising. This radio station wants a dollar amount to trade against so I'm trying to come up with a number for them. Since this is radio I don't think I'll be able to get print out of them although maybe I could talk to the promoting club.

I wish it was a band battle.........so much easier thank writing some pop song for a karaoke star.

Oh I see, you have to create everything, that's a different story!

In my case, my studio got plugged in all their advertising, there was no $ value trade. I see that your situation is a bit different.

[@?,*???&?]

Hi all,
I have been approached by a local radio station to help sponser a singing contest. They want me to produce and record a song for the winner in exchange for radio advertising. The station is a top 40 station that I cannot stand and the contest is basically a karaoke contest where the winner gets to record an original song that gets played on said top 40 station. I am certainly not too busy to turn down a chance for free advertising (even on a top 40 station) but I just do not know what to charge (for barter). I figured I could knock an original song out in a few days with looped drums but I don't know if the winning singer is going to have a song or if I have to write something (most likely).

Has anyone done this before? I was planning on charging for 30 hours studio time but do I discount my rate.....do I inflate my rate.

Also, If I write the song (or co-write it) should I get a contract as a writer/producer.

It's just a karaoke contest but I keep feeling it's going to be more work than I figure on.

Thanks in advance....
amos

I do this exact thing for a local non-commercial radio station in the area on an annual basis. Essentially, the winner of this battle of the bands gets 2 12-hour days of studio time. It gets your studio mentioned alot on the air and that's cool. If it's a commercial station, you'll get some good exposure that way. In your consultation with the band, let them know what they can get done in the amount of time offered.

[sears]

Write a good song and the it's an ad for you, too.

[pandemic]

I just want to update everyone on this fiasco........

Perhaps the station manager is on crack, I'll let you guys be the judge on this one....

So I agreed to be the "studio" for this karaoke contest in return for advertising and the station manager asked me to help him out with the winners from the last contest. I told him I would do it at a reduced rate and that week I recorded a god-awful singer along with some shitty, shitty mp3 backing tracks. I mixed and sent the tracks to the contest winner and then tried to get in touch with the station manager to get paid (yeah right!) In the meantime my name did pop up on the print ad's for the current contest as well as in the radio ads for the thing....well kind of....

They printed the name wrong.....
Voodoo Records instead of Voodoo Room recording

I called and they "fixed" it on the radio.......with the most awful punch I have ever heard! It sounded like the Simpsons when they show a generic movie or ad and punch in with a completely different voice for people and place names....

The print ads also got changed, but to Voodoo Room Records (close)...

So it's been a couple months, I have yet to be paid from the first contest winner, my studio name is still wrong and the station manager will not return my calls. I wrote it off until..........

I get a call from the karaoke princess who wants a remix with her vocals hotter (cause her grandmother and the pharmacist thought that she needed to be louder...I'm not making that up)...go figure.
I informed her that I would love to do a vocal way-the-fuck up mix but I have yet to be paid from the original session.

"Oh, I had no idea.....we'll call the station guy and get this figured out....)

2 weeks now and I am still not paid. My name (close to my name) is still in print and I might still be being mentioned on the radio (I wouldn't know as this worst fucking radio station I have ever heard and I will not listen to it)

I was just going to ride the thing out and see what happened but I don't know. These guys are jackasses.

I knew this was going to be a problem....
Thanks for bearing with the rant!!
amos

[Phiz]

I get a call from the karaoke princess who wants a remix with her vocals hotter (cause her grandmother and the pharmacist thought that she needed to be louder...I'm not making that up)...go figure.
I informed her that I would love to do a vocal way-the-fuck up mix but I have yet to be paid from the original session.

"Oh, I had no idea.....we'll call the station guy and get this figured out....)

I understand your desire to get paid by the station, but that isn't the karaoke princess' problem. Quote her a rate, and get her back in the studio to rework the song!

[pandemic]

Ahhhhhh But she is expecting a free remix.....Good idea though. I'll call her with the rates and see if she still wants to do it (doubtful). I keep taking these nickel and dime sessions to pay bills and I always regret it.

I wish I had a small "B" room for these projects. It's always a vocal with an mp3 or the acoustic guy and if I am setup with a band in the studio it is a real PITA.

I just added a huge window between the lounge and the control room to get my new console in and I am going to wire some send/returns into it. Maybe I'll just dedicate that room to these little projects.

Grrrrrrrr.......
soma