Get Ready ... To Be Ready For The Air

It takes a mind, dancing in serenity, to get behind a mic and hit the airwaves. If an air personality can get to that special place, it will keep them safe, grounded, and allow the mind to be un-cluttered. It takes clarity for an air personality to create visual audio for the listener.

I believe to maximize the creative flow, you need to step away and just be. Nope, I'm not talking about daydreaming, but finding something that puts your mind in a relaxed state and allows you to replenish the creative within. I know this sounds a bit philosophical, but it is truly about learning the rest stops so you can continue to have fun and put smiles on the faces of the listeners.

Find Your Place

Your greatest strength for who you want to be and the lessons you need to learn are all around you. Where you live should be a place for creative connection and energy. The launching pad for growth is with you every day.

On Point

The first thing I ask a personality is what time they get to the station before their air shift. These days it is not surprising to hear the words, "15 minutes before airtime." Unless the arrival time is a program directive, I always suggest personalities get to the station at least an hour before their shift -- get settled, read memos, check with production, check in with the PD if they're available, and most important, get mentally set for show time.

Prep

Being ready is a 24-hour observational process. It takes that much time to be fully prepared for whatever comes your way during a show. Prep for your show at least an hour before going on; look at the music log, social media and the Internet for relatable items. Don't get lazy and do all your prep during your show.

It Never Stops...

Do your homework. Read up on the artists and their music. Find out what is happening now; both with the artists and their genre. Keep this information handy on your tablet, computer, and smartphone. You can also do it old-school style and keep it in a card file. No matter how you store it, make sure you never leave for work without it and review it so you can readily recall and use the information on air.

All That For Just A Little...

For me being on the air was like a drug, I could never get enough and couldn't wait to get back behind the mic. To get lost in the juggling of liners, music, an occasional short form interview, and bursts of planned adlibs to reinforce artists and songs; it was a passion. Do it all over a 10-second intro, or in less than 20 seconds, going into a commercial break. It's never about how much you say, but how well you say it. All that preparation for a few talk-sets on a music-formatted station? Yes, look at it this way, a stage actor going to rehearsal every day and only has a few in a play. It's about focusing on your vocal driven crafth5h5

The Bottom Line

If you can't put a legitimate part of yourself into your work, the audience will not buy into you. Every word counts, not just what you deem important. The mental preparation to consistently do a repetitious creative process takes strength and dedication. I remember early on in my career asking a veteran personality how he could keep saying many of the same things over and over and not get bored. He told me, "It's not about me, it's about the listener. If I can't pull myself together for a few seconds to sell what I say, then I need to get into another business." His words to your ears, he's right.