FAQs
Jingles
The Basics
What exactly is a jingle?
A jingle is a short, sung musical element that brands your station. It might carry your name, your slogan, your frequency, or all three — but its real job is to embed your station in the listener's memory. Done well, a jingle is the thing people hum in the car, in the shower, and everywhere in between. That's not an accident. It's craft.
What's the difference between a jingle and a station ident?
A jingle is sung: voices, melody, your station name locked into music. A station ident (or ID) tends to be shorter, spoken or produced, and used to punctuate the output rather than sing your brand in. Both are part of your imaging toolkit, and the best stations use them in combination to build a sound that's immediately recognisable.
What is radio imaging?
Radio imaging is the collective term for all the audio elements that brand your station — jingles, idents, sweepers, imaging FX, promo beds, news stings, and more. Think of it as your station's sonic wardrobe. Every element contributes to how your audience perceives you and how distinctive you sound in a crowded dial.
Do jingles still matter in the streaming age?
Absolutely. If anything, audio branding matters more now. With so many platforms competing for ears, a distinctive sound is one of the few things that makes a station feel like a destination rather than just a playlist. Jingles build familiarity and trust. They tell your listener "you're home." No algorithm does that.
Custom Vs Resing
What is a custom jingle package?
A custom package is written and produced from scratch, specifically for you. The music, the melody, the vocal style, the arrangement — all of it is built around your brief, your format, and your audience. It's exclusive to your station. Nobody else has it. That's the point.
What is a resing? A resing takes an existing jingle package — one that's already been recorded for another station, often in another market or territory — and re-records the vocals with your station name and branding in place of theirs. The music tracks stay the same; you get a fresh set of vocals tailored to you. It's a smart, cost-effective way to get a polished, broadcast-ready sound without the price tag of a full custom commission.
How do I know which option is right for me — custom or resing?
It comes down to budget, ambition, and how important exclusivity is to your brand. If you want a sound nobody else has — something built entirely around your station's identity — a custom package is the way to go. If you've heard a package you love and want to make it yours, a resing can give you a brilliant result for a fraction of the cost. We'll always be straight with you about which approach we think serves you best.
Can a resing really sound as good as a custom package?
Yes. The key is matching the right package to your format and making sure the new vocals are recorded with the same quality and energy as the originals. A well-produced resing with a strong sonic logo can sound every bit as powerful as a bespoke commission. We've heard plenty of custom packages that sound generic, and resings that sound like they were written just for you. Quality of execution is everything.
Will another station in my market have the same resing?
No. We'll always lock out the package in your market on a first come first served basis. The last thing you want is to launch your new sound and discover a competitor is using the same music. We take that seriously and work with you to protect your territory.
The Process
How does the process work when I commission a jingle package?
It starts with a proper conversation — not a form, not a template. We want to understand your station, your audience, your format, and what you're trying to achieve. From there we'll develop a creative brief, bring in the right voices and composers from our global network, and keep you involved at every stage. You'll hear demos, give feedback, and shape the direction before anything goes to final production. Nothing lands in your inbox without your sign-off.
How long does it take to produce a jingle package?
For a custom package, typically between four and twelve weeks depending on the complexity and the number of cuts involved. A resing can often move faster. We'll always give you a realistic timeline upfront and flag early if anything is likely to shift. We're not in the business of overpromising.
What do you need from me to get started?
To begin, we'll need a clear picture of your station — your format, your target audience, your positioning, and any existing branding assets like a sonic logo or slogan. If you have reference tracks or imaging you admire, those are always useful. The more context you give us, the better the end result. We ask a lot of questions, and we make no apology for that.
What is a sonic logo and do I need one?
A sonic logo is a short, distinctive musical phrase — usually just a few notes — that acts as an audio fingerprint for your brand. Think of it as the audio equivalent of your visual logo. If you don't have one, we'd strongly encourage you to develop one as part of your imaging project. A well-crafted sonic logo is one of the most powerful tools in your branding arsenal; it works even when your audience isn't paying full attention.
How many cuts do I need in a jingle package?
There's no magic number, but most stations work well with somewhere between eight and fifteen cuts covering a range of uses — full-length themes, shorter stabs and IDs, a top-of-hour, possibly a news bed or show-specific elements. We'll help you figure out exactly what you need based on how you programme your station, rather than trying to sell you more than is useful.
Working With Us
We're a small station with a tight budget. Can you still help us?
Yes. We work with stations of all shapes and sizes, from community radio to national networks. You'll never be deprioritised because of your budget. Every project gets our full attention, and we'll always find a creative solution that works for what you have to spend. A resing or a smartly scoped custom project can deliver fantastic results without breaking the bank — let's talk about what's possible.
Do you work internationally?
Absolutely. We work with stations across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. Our production network is global, which means we can source the right voices and musicians for almost any language, culture, or format. Geography isn't a barrier — great audio is.
Who actually produces the jingles?
When you work with us, you're not getting a single in-house team — you're getting access to a carefully curated global network of composers, singers, session musicians, sound designers, and producers, all handpicked for your specific project. We bring together the people who are the best fit for your sound, not just whoever happens to be available. That's what keeps the output genuinely fresh and distinctive.
What rights do I get to the finished jingles?
For custom packages, you'll own a broadcast licence for the produced elements, with the scope of that licence clearly set out in your agreement. We'll always be clear about what's included — broadcast use, online streaming, social media, and so on — before you commit. For resings, the licence terms vary depending on the original package, and we'll walk you through those specifics during the brief stage. No surprises.
What if I want to update my package down the line?
Stations evolve, and your sound should too. Whether you need a few new cuts added to an existing package, a full refresh, or a new direction entirely, we're set up to support you on an ongoing basis. Many of the stations we work with come back to us regularly — not because they have to, but because they value the relationship and the consistency it brings to their sound.
Beyond Jingles
Can you produce imaging FX and production beds as well?
Yes. Jingles are just one part of what we do for radio. We produce imaging FX packages, talk-over beds, news and sport stings, show themes, promo music, and full station sound suites. If it makes noise on your station and shapes how listeners perceive you, we can help build it.
Do you only work in radio?
Radio is very much our heartland, but our studio works across podcasts, TV, brands, events, and more. The principles of great audio branding are the same wherever you're working — we just apply them to the format and platform that makes sense for you.
How do I get the ball rolling? Just reach out. Drop us a line at info@hundredhandslap.com or use the contact form on our site. We don't do hard sells or templated proposals — just a straightforward conversation about what you need and how we might help. If we're the right fit, great. If not, we'll tell you that too.