Podcasting References
Recommended Steps for Field Recording
1. You will need a digital audio recorder.
Sound quality is key! We use a Edirol R-09 by Roland (24 bit WAVE / MP3 recorder) Whatever you buy or borrow the first step, before you record conversations with others, is to practice and feel comfortable with the recorder. Practice by reading text. We hear are own voices a little bit different than what others hear. Get accustomed to your own voice, if you will be heard on the podcast.
Quick tips for Edirol - Read manual or watch on-line video .
Test sound first in standby mode. Adjust the recording level so that the R-09 level meter reaches the highest level (or 3/4 the way) without the PEAK indicator turning on. When the PEAK indicator turns on, the volume is too high. If the level is set too low, fidelity is lost. If the sound level is set too high, pops and snaps may be produced.
For typical indoor conversation recordings with one person - on the back,set AGC to "off" ("on" if it is several people), mic gain to "high",ext. mic to "mono" and low cut to "off".
2. Download Audacity - a free digital audio editing software.
Resources:
Tips and Tricks for Audacity
Jerry Franklin, The Sheer Audacity: Get More in Less Time
3. If you are starting a podcast series, use Audacity to create a template with music, intro, and closing. Only use "podsafe" unlicensed musicwithin the podcast. There is much to choose from at: Podshow.
Choose music that has good intro and closing pieces, works well with your topic, and adds to the pleasure of your listeners. The tools within Audacity allow you to crop, fade in, fade out, as well as a wealth of other sound effects. Once you have a template, you are simply pasting your content into it. It is very efficient. And the time it takes to create your template with help you get experience using the Audacity software.
4. You will be taking MP3 files, saving them as Audacity project files for editing, then exporting them to new MP3 files. To do this, you will need to download an MP3 encoder.
When publishing your new MP3 file, you will fill out an ID3 tag. They are important to fill out with key words. The text attached to the MP3 file is used in marketing it on the web.
5. When using Audacity continually save your work.
6. You must enjoy the process! Listen to your podcast, take notes on changes, listen, edit, and listen to it again, before you send it out into the world. What I love about podcasting is that you are in total control over the sound and the content.
More helpful links:
Podcamp Tools and Resources
Start Your Own Podcast
7. How do people subscribe to your podcast? Learn about RSS Feeds. On campus, it is easy to create these through Blackboard. TAC is offering workshops that cover the process of recording audio to posting and distributing via the Blackboard Podcast feature. Using this system, you create a URL for your podcast feed which is an XML file. To create a link to subscribe to iTunes, use that URL and change the "http//" to "itpc//". Use the podcast, RSS Feed, and iTunes logos that people recognize on your site.
8. Interviewing? Remind the interviewee who they are talking to - the listening audience. They need to speak in a way that is for the audience, not for the interviewer. Be sure the last question is open like "What else would you like to share about this topic?". Many times the most interesting story or comment comes last.
9. See Jeffrey Daniel Frey's blog for podcast marketing topics such as holding on to your listeners and getting the podcast up on directories.
10. Find and subscribe to podcasts. Listen and learn about what works and what does not work. (This really should be #1). Sample directories include:
Once you start podcasting, there is so many more podcasting topics of interest! I recommend listening to the speakers from the New Media Expo or be an attendee.
