On music intensive radio stations, there’s something called “Music to Talk Ratio.” In one hour, in a 6-hour shift or in a syndicated program, what per centage of the content is music, and what percentage is spoken material?
Music intensive stations focus 90% on the music. As KDFC-KUSC VP and Program Director Bill Leuth once told me, “I get nervous when we spend too much time away from the music.”
External radio content providers who pitch radio programs with too much talk, (according to each station’s standards, usually end up with their program submission being rejected.
Let’s say your performances run 90 minutes, and you have 4 pieces on the program
If you spend 3 minutes talking about each piece, 12 minutes of your recital, 10.8 per cent of your recital consisted of you talking.
No judgement…I’m not pointing fingers. I am only offering some thoughts.
Audience members generally want to know something abut the music they’re about to hear. That’s why you have well-written program notes and compelling and entertaining pre-concert talks.
Now, delivering note from the stage can also be strong depending on the presentation, the content and delivery – and the length of the presentation.
So, maybe you prepare and mercilessly edit your remarks to a strong 90 seconds per piece.
But….
You have program notes; you give a preconcert talk: how much and how often should you talk during your concerts? Do you need to say something before every piece? Think about your concert’s music to talk ratio.
You have program notes; you give a preconcert talk. Do you also offer a talk component once the concert begins?
I’ve been to concerts where the music for an 8:00 pm concert began at 8:10*. I’ve been to concerts where there was a “pre-concert” talk that began in between the first piece and the second piece on the program.
To quote Jenny Bilfield, President of Washington Performing Arts, “No one signed up for that.”
*Here is more on this subject from an earlier post:
