Source of test card music - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Tractorfan · 9th Jan 2010, 9:49 pm

Want to listen to a good selection of test card music? Try "Spotify"! It has a free section where you can search for and listen to a wide variety of music and there's also a pay section that allows you to download tracks. You have to apply by filling in details on their home page and you get an e-mail "invite" later (mine took three weeks). Apart from an advert every few tracks, the free section works very well. I've even found some of that "atmospheric" background music they use in travelogues and film inserts that, infuriatingly, you like but can never find out what it's called or who it's by

Also old stuff that wouldn't sound out of place from an old radio.

Usual disclaimer, no connection, etc., etc.
Cheers de Pete

murphyv310 · 9th Jan 2010, 11:21 pm

Hi.
Seems you have to be invited to use the "free" version.
Cheers
Trevor

Dual Standard · 10th Jan 2010, 12:33 am

Access to Spotify is dependent on location, the "free" version was available without invite when the service was first launched in the UK (and may still be available that way in some countries) but is now by invitation only.

Having just checked my account it seems that only paying customers can send out invites so you need to find someone who has a Premium account (I know many Spotify customers but none who have paid up) or pay for access.

Alternatively Apollo Sound sell CDs of test card music and have some MP3 samples on their webiste (click the links on the individual CD track listings).
http://www.apollosound.com/index.php...index&cPath=62

Mike

ben · 11th Jan 2010, 11:10 pm

the best for light instrumental is arguably the KPM site's 1000 series: this stuff has been used by advertisers, radio and the beeb as test card and talkover beds.

You can listen to whole albums easily (I pipe the sound to a gruding r2r with inbuilt amp) but to download you have to be 'in the trade'.

dominicbeesley · 14th Jan 2010, 3:30 pm

The KPM 1000 site is excellent - I wish they still sold albums though I have managed to buy a few Hawkshaw ones.

Did the BBC use the only KPM1000 series (and similar) for test cards / ceefax music at all or did they compose their own?

Dom

cmjones01 · 14th Jan 2010, 5:40 pm

Thanks for the link to the KPM site - it's fantastic!

I was about to recommend a couple of CDs I picked up in a record shop 10 years or so ago: 'Music for TV Dinners', which is a sort of greatest hits of (mostly) KPM music. However, a quick Google revealed that they are currently going for anything up to $270 on Amazon! Don't do that, then...

Tim · 14th Jan 2010, 6:29 pm

Thanks Ben, just what I need for brushing up my corney voice overs!

Not 'arf.

ppppenguin · 14th Jan 2010, 6:55 pm

I have a copy of Test Card Classics, bought many years ago. Compiled by occasional forum visitor "test card girl". Still available at a fair price:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Test-Card-Cl...3491506&sr=8-1

There also seems to be a volume 2:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Test-Card-Cl...=pd_sim_m_h__1

And a whole series of CDs, at least 8 of them:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Test-Card-Mu...=pd_sim_m_h__2

9th Jan 2010, 9:49 pm	#1
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Source of test card music Want to listen to a good selection of test card music? Try "Spotify"! It has a free section where you can search for and listen to a wide variety of music and there's also a pay section that allows you to download tracks. You have to apply by filling in details on their home page and you get an e-mail "invite" later (mine took three weeks). Apart from an advert every few tracks, the free section works very well. I've even found some of that "atmospheric" background music they use in travelogues and film inserts that, infuriatingly, you like but can never find out what it's called or who it's by Also old stuff that wouldn't sound out of place from an old radio. Usual disclaimer, no connection, etc., etc. Cheers de Pete __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

9th Jan 2010, 11:21 pm	#2
murphyv310 Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 5,422	Re: Source of test card music Hi. Seems you have to be invited to use the "free" version. Cheers Trevor __________________ Cheers, Trevor. MM0KJJ. RSGB, GQRP, WACRAL, K&LARC. Member

10th Jan 2010, 12:33 am	#3
Dual Standard Hexode Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cheshire, UK. Posts: 263	Re: Source of test card music Access to Spotify is dependent on location, the "free" version was available without invite when the service was first launched in the UK (and may still be available that way in some countries) but is now by invitation only. Having just checked my account it seems that only paying customers can send out invites so you need to find someone who has a Premium account (I know many Spotify customers but none who have paid up) or pay for access. Alternatively Apollo Sound sell CDs of test card music and have some MP3 samples on their webiste (click the links on the individual CD track listings). http://www.apollosound.com/index.php...index&cPath=62 Mike

11th Jan 2010, 11:10 pm	#4
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,499	Re: Source of test card music the best for light instrumental is arguably the KPM site's 1000 series: this stuff has been used by advertisers, radio and the beeb as test card and talkover beds. You can listen to whole albums easily (I pipe the sound to a gruding r2r with inbuilt amp) but to download you have to be 'in the trade'. __________________ Regards, Ben.

14th Jan 2010, 3:30 pm	#5
dominicbeesley Octode Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,885	Re: Source of test card music The KPM 1000 site is excellent - I wish they still sold albums though I have managed to buy a few Hawkshaw ones. Did the BBC use the only KPM1000 series (and similar) for test cards / ceefax music at all or did they compose their own? Dom Last edited by dominicbeesley; 14th Jan 2010 at 3:32 pm. Reason: pressed send before I'd finished!

14th Jan 2010, 5:40 pm	#6
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,682	Re: Source of test card music Thanks for the link to the KPM site - it's fantastic! I was about to recommend a couple of CDs I picked up in a record shop 10 years or so ago: 'Music for TV Dinners', which is a sort of greatest hits of (mostly) KPM music. However, a quick Google revealed that they are currently going for anything up to $270 on Amazon! Don't do that, then...

14th Jan 2010, 6:29 pm	#7
Tim Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 3,310	Re: Source of test card music Thanks Ben, just what I need for brushing up my corney voice overs! Not 'arf. __________________ "Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly."

14th Jan 2010, 6:55 pm	#8
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: Source of test card music I have a copy of Test Card Classics, bought many years ago. Compiled by occasional forum visitor "test card girl". Still available at a fair price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Test-Card-Cl...3491506&sr=8-1 There also seems to be a volume 2: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Test-Card-Cl...=pd_sim_m_h__1 And a whole series of CDs, at least 8 of them: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Test-Card-Mu...=pd_sim_m_h__2