"What Is a Soundtrack?"

"What," some may ask, "is a soundtrack? And why should I use one?" Others may wonder, "What is the difference between your comedy albums, and the soundtracks you offer?"

While the questions may seem self-evident to some, to others, the idea of doing a skit to a soundtrack is a new idea, and they want to know how it works. Some may even need to be convinced as to the need for one, never having used one before.

Fair enough!

Some of the skit scripts offered on this site are adaptations of recordings I have done as part of the comedy team, Prime Example. On the albums, available on the Comedy CDs page (see menu), you will find completely produced skit recordings with character voices, music, sound effects, etc., all for your listening enjoyment and spiritual edification.

The Soundtracks, on the other hand, contain the music and sound effects you will need to do the performance yourself. If the skit is adapted from one on our albums, the soundtrack will feature the fully-produced version to demonstrate how it is supposed to sound, or for your use to lip-synch with, should you decide to do it that way. But they will also have individual tracks with the music and effects called for in the scripts.

If the skit was not adapted from our albums, but was written especially for the site, then the soundtrack CD has no demo version. It will however, contain all of the music and effects called for in the scripts, which details the track number to use when it says to play it.

The soundtracks for the song/skit hybrids will contain several versions of the song, which will give you a number of choices as to the level of your involvement in the performance. The soundtracks for straight skits will contain all of the music and effects called for in the scripts. So, if you print out a skit script that says it has a soundtrack to go with it, rest assured that the Soundtrack CD it calls for has what you need to perform it for yourself.

Side Note: All of the music and effects that the scripts call for are on the soundtrack CD. NOT all of the minor effects that you hear on the fully-produced album version (included as a demo) are on the soundtrack, since it would make it too complicated to perform in syncronization with. The necessary effects and music are on the soundtrack; but the album version can be layered with many subtle effects to benefit the recording, hence the difference. But all of the sounds and musical backgrounds listed in the above script are present in the soundtrack cuts.

In cases where the script is adapted from an album skit (the albums are available here), there are sometimes changes in the script or soundtrack to better accomodate a live performance. There are no limitations on what can be done on or added to an album, but there are limitations as to how much you can do live. The soundtracks are mixed with an eye toward making your performance shine, not necessarily to perfectly match the album version.

"Why use a soundtrack? I never have before..."

Besides the style of skit writing, the specially-recorded Soundtrack CDs are a big part of what sets this site apart from other skit sites. Using the soundtracks with the skits will likewise set you apart. From whom? From those groups or churches that do skits the old-fashioned way, namely with no sound effects or music.

Why do it dry?

Why be boring?

Make your skit performance snap and come to life with exciting music and sounds!

The extra effort and money you invest in using the soundtracks will pay off grandly in increased audience enjoyment and appreciation, both of the skit, and your performance. The messages will have more impact, the funny stuff will be funnier, the emotional scenes more moving. When the audience hears the opening music as you come on, they'll sit up and take notice... thinking, "What's this? They sound professional! This is better than usual!" Their attention will be rooted and they'll get into it deeply, far more than if you "just walk up there and do it plain."

Let's face it, many churches don't expect a lot from the youth drama team. They smile indulgently as the worship leader introduces them with, "Here's the kids with a little skit they've thrown together." There's silence as they walk out and take their places and begin to speak. When they are done they "freeze" in place to signal the end, and after holding the pose for a few seconds, walks off as audience applauds politely, and the worship leader comes back and says, "Wasn't that cute? But it had a good message."

Always, the audience perception of a performance (no matter how short or simple) is dictated by the way you present yourselves as a team. If they see you are amateurish, and awkward, and the skits appear thrown together, they are more likely to be embarrassed for you and applaud out of sympathetic encouragement in spite of the lack of impact.

Why not change all that? Rehearse till your lines are tight, integrate the music and effects, and treat each and every performance as if you were on stage in front of thousands on television. Take yourselves seriously and suddenly, they will too! The worship leader will come back on and say, "Wow! That was great! What a message. Let's give them another hand, weren't they terrific?" And next time the audience will anticipate your performance, and tell others about it. Your team will take pride in themselves, and interest in the drama team will take off. The other youth that have sat back thinking "man, that's dorky," will want to get involved because suddenly, "that is so cool!"

So make your efforts to perform these skits much more effective and worth it. If a soundtrack is made for the script you like, send for it, and bring your drama team into the 21st century with a bang!

Check out the soundtracks that are available here. You'll be amazed at the difference they make!

The Quality Question

"But," you may wonder, "are they any good? I don't want to spend my hard-earned money on something thrown together, that I could do myself."

Well, the answer to that question lies in my experience and background. I spent many years in Christian radio, writing, recording and producing radio commercials for a number of stations. I have done the production for a number of national radio programs: "Truths That Transform" by Dr. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and all of the "Seeds From the Sower" programs by Dr. Michael Guido of the Guido Evangelistic Association in Metter, GA (where I currently work.) I also wrote, recorded and produced my own one minute nationally-broadcast "You Gotta Laugh!" program, which played on over 1,000 stations, until I became too busy with this website to continue with it.

I do my production in my own home studio, which is set up for digital audio production using professional mics, editing/mixing software and CD duplication equipment. I have an extensive library of movie-quality production music and sound effects for which I have paid for the rights to use; no off-the-shelf effects CDs here.

The soundtracks are produced with the same care and attention to detail as the comedy albums I produced for Prime Example, the comedy team of which I was part for ten years. Our songs and skits played nationwide on Southern Gospel stations, each of which have been successful and in the Top 10 of many station charts.

So, you can infer from all this that they are high-quality soundtracks, well worth your investment in buying and using them.

To learn more about the Sheep Laughs Records label, which publishes the CD soundtracks you will find on this site, click on the banner below.

A Sheep Laughs Records publication. All contents © 2001-2005 by Frederick A. Passmore. All rights reserved.