Before the "Mike"

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 48, 15 June 1928, Page 2

Before the "Mike"

_FAMOUS DIVA EXPLAINS | of course yastly different." hours. "a BROADCASTING PER- " SONALITY, eee According to radio broadcast experts (says the "New York Times’) 90 per cent. of the vocalists and musicians who seek a place as stars of the airy fail because they are not able to perfect themselves in what is known about the broadeast studios as radio technique. That is the peculiar ability to inject the performer’s personality into the microphone and hence to millions of receiving sets throughout the country with an unimpaired faithfulness, An outstanding example of the mastery of this new musical art is that of Olive Palmer, colorature soprano in the programmes broadeast every Friday through the NBC red network. A. former grand opera star, Miss Palmers individuality and methods have proved ideal for perfected radio performance. Her own story of her achievement shows the difficulties Which air aspirants have to overcome. Developed Own Technique. "Yuen I first began my radio eareer, said the diva, "I realised ‘that all of my operatic training would | be of but little avail By that I mean! that in broadcasting I should not have | iration which comes from | Se enery, lights and the visible presence | of an audience. Then, too, what ; might be termed the acoustics of the ‘microphone and of the air itself are So Miss Palmer set out seriously to study the new technique. Since her radio debut her voice has been broadcast during 463 separate hours. For each one she has spent three hours in rehearsing or a total of 1389 radio "Although my audience does not see me, I continue to act," Miss Palmer | continued. "TY must feel my roles to! get them over and this applies to even the simplest songs. So I act as I. would on the concert or operatic stage, and it is a wonderfud inspiration to : Know that hundreds of thousands are | listening as I sing to them." Asked to what specific thing she at- | tributed her mastery of the radio art, ; Miss Palmer replied promptly. Stands Clese to the "Mike." "My success has been due. more | than anything else, to my discorery | of the proper way to address the, iInicrophone. I have tried it from all | angles and all distances. Finally 1 | discovered that standing a little to the left and about eighteen inches — from the microphone gives me _ the most satisfactory results-a discovery | which seems to be borne out by the | studio experts and the kindly eomments of the radio critics who review my performances, '