New BBC studios at Pacific Quay – a dream frankly.

Fatty Arbuckle doing the show last night

Great to get behind the desk of a music program at the BBC this week.

How things have changed. I used to slop into a studio with a wee box full of 7” singles. Yes I am that old. There were two record decks and 1 CD player – very new technology in those days., and 2 cart machines for playing in the jingles and promos.

Editing was by way of a piece of chalk which you would mark on ¼” tape and then slice it up with a razor blade, removing the piece of audio you didn’t want, before sticking it all back together again. Yes many a DJ had shorter fingers than the average person due to editing in the dark or with a hangover. No names no pack drill.

Well the new BBC studios at Pacific Quay in Glasgow are an amazing set up. Here you can see the desk I did Bryan Burnett’s show from last night. The desk is fully electronic and the height of the whole thing t is adjustable so the whole things comes right up high if you want to stand, or drops low if you prefer to sit. It is like The Starship Enterprise.

Joanna Glamorous engineer checking I haven't broken it.

All the music is on hard disc so there are no Cd,s vinyl or even DAT tapes. It is all controlled by those 4 screens.

One on the left for text, e mails and facebook communications during the show, the one next to that shows the running order of the program, what is cued up to come on next. Which  you control with a mouse.

The third screen is for your backingbeds there are 5 slots you can keep them on to fade up when you want to use them to talk over – much like a husband.

And the last one on the right is …I can’t remember. I was only there last night! Ah yes fried head.

It was great fun though and thanks if you took the time to get in touch, request a tune in the theme of velocity. I loved it.

Got a chance to play The Rattler by Goodbye Mr MacKenzie which I haven’t heard for years and believe it or not Ernie the Fastest Milkman in the West. It’s a great show – up to you what you hear on every weekday night from 6.10 – 8pm with Bryan Burnett, Get It On. If you haven’t listened do – it is brilliant to hear music that normally doesn’t get any airplay on radio.

Anyway I’m off to burn that stripey top I look like Gigantor!

Have a good Friday!

AlisonsDiary

Writer & broadcaster.

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