Peachpit Press

Creating a Podcast

Date: Aug 29, 2005

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Now that you know what a podcast is, what's it's used for, and how it can affect your life, you may be inspired to create your very own podcast for distribution over the world's podwaves. Perhaps you would love to create a podcast but feel that the technology obstacles preclude you from ever doing so. Or perhaps you aren't worried about the technology but are unwilling to take the time to learn the ropes. Not to worry. Before you succumb to the fear of podcasting technology and crumple up in a fetal position while moaning gently about RSS feeds, have a look at this chapter; it'll change your point of view.

In this chapter, I take a look at the process of creating a podcast, from the nuts and bolts of recording techniques to the software that can help you edit and manipulate the podcast. I also include some tips and interviews with podcasting pioneers and aficionados whose hard-won experience will be to your benefit. After covering the equipment and the software needed for podcast creation, I walk you through the creation of a podcast from start to finish, using basic equipment and popular software.

Choosing Content

Before you get the ball rolling on creating a podcast, it is critically important to figure out what will be said (or not said) during the show. What limits are there when it comes to choosing content? In short, there are almost no limits to what can be included in podcasts. Podcasting allows you to create shows, dramatizations, vignettes, commentaries, documentaries, and any other content imaginable. Indeed, podcasting is limited only by individual podcasters' imaginations. The sky is the limit, and I encourage you to exercise your creative muscle when brainstorming podcast ideas.

Note

I say there are "almost no limits" on podcast content because some laws dealing with pornography, threatening political leaders, and other such nastiness would preclude anyone from including such material in a podcast. Despite the fact that podcasting is a new medium with a wide-open feel, it is not a license to break the law. It's only a matter of time before someone crosses a legal line with a podcast; just make sure that someone is not you.

Before the Podcast

This section deals with everything relating to the creation of podcast content, from outlining a show's content to booking guests and formulating questions for them. Although it is possible for a podcaster just to pick up a microphone and create a "show,"it requires a much larger effort to ensure that the podcast sounds professional while being a compelling listen. In this section, you see what you can do before the tape is rolling to maximize the quality and enjoyability of your podcast.

Some podcasts are clearly created by the seat of the host's pants, with little regard to a structure or plan for entertaining or educating the listener. But the "amateur" moniker that is attached to podcasting doesn't mean that the content of podcasts needn't be professional. With a little bit of background work, one can turn amateur hour into something that is respectable and highly listenable.

There are four key elements to a successful preproduction process for a podcast:

Mission statement

The first thing to do is write out a mission statement or design document that sets out rules for the tone and overall structure of the show. This document should spell out the boundaries of taste with regard to language, touchy topics (politics, abortion, favorite ice creams), and the overall attitude the host(s) should exhibit.

Although this process may seem rigid for an amateur podcast, the act of going through it goes a long way toward solidifying the overall feel of the podcast in your mind. Remember, this document is not set in stone; you can change it as much or as little as you want. The important thing is to establish the ground rules before you get your pearly whites in front of the microphone. Knowing the general rules allows the host to be more natural and enjoy the process rather than sweat over the appropriateness or validity of everything he or she is saying.

Telephone Interviews

Recording a telephone interview may seem like an insurmountable challenge, but fortunately, several inexpensive devices allow you to record telephone conversations directly from the phone line. I need to point out that these devices are illegal in some places without the consent of the person on the other end of the phone, so you need to inform your interview subjects at the beginning of the conversation that they are being recorded.

Several phone recorders plug into the phone line between the phone's receiver and base unit; others plug into any phone jack in the house. These little devices often cost less than $10. For the purposes of recording telephone interviews, I suggest the Radio Shack Recorder Control ( Figure 3.1 ). At $25, this device will automatically start to record telephone conversations when the receiver is picked up. Keep in mind that this device does not include the recorder itself; it's just the conduit from the phone line to the recording device.

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Figure 3.1 The Radio Shack Recorder Control allows you to record telephone interviews.

When recording a telephone conversation, it's best to use a digital recorder that can be attached to your PC so that the file can be uploaded to your PC (or Mac) easily.

Topics, guests, and show length

I'm guessing that you've already established an overall concept for your show, but even though you think "Foot Care for Firewalkers" is a fascinating theme for a podcast, you still need a topic for the first show.

I strongly suggest that you choose a topic for the show and stick to it, keeping as much of the content centered on the theme as possible. If you title your podcast "Navel-Gazing for Experts: To the Hole and Back," be sure to stay focused on the topic throughout. People who "tune in" to the podcast have done so because they have read the title and synopsis of the podcast. It is likely that listeners will be disappointed if the podcast strays too far from the announced concepts. It is advisable to make a reference list of related topics so that in the heat of the podcast, you can keep the show on track with just a glance or two at the topic list.

Double-Ender Interviews

Occasionally, the opportunity to interview someone by phone or even in person will arise before the podcast is set to be recorded. Often, it can be difficult to set up an interview during the podcast recording time, so the interview/conversation is recorded ahead of time. In the realm of radio and television, an interview that is conducted in two parts, with the interviewer's questions being added later, is called a double-ender, and this technique can be used successfully by podcasters and professional television reporters alike.

A double-ender may occur when you want an interview with someone in another city, but you prefer for the interview to sound live rather than tinny. as though it were coming off a phone line (which is your other alternative). In this case, you need to get a friend or someone near the interviewee's location to meet with that person and record the interview there with relatively high-quality equipment. Then, when the file arrives, you record your own voice asking the questions, and ultimately put the two together to make it seem like a live interview in which you are directly asking the interviewee the questions!

In the world of podcasting, the practice of recording double-ender interviews is usually done to improve the quality of the interview. After the interview is recorded, you can re-record your voice asking the questions, and you can even choose not to run some of the guest's answers during the podcast. In short, using double-ender interviews gives you more control of the quality and content of his or her podcast.

Next up, you need to choose who, if anyone, will be a guest on your show. Guests are fantastic; they provide instant content, and you can bounce ideas and humorous anecdotes off them. The important thing to remember when getting a guest for your podcast is to have at the very least a crude list of questions before the podcast begins. A guest might be a good friend whom you can chat with for hours, but once the mikes are on, it's a different ball of wax. Having a nice list of eight or ten questions at the ready will ensure that even if your stressed-out mind draws a blank, the show will go on!

Last, you must decide on a length for the show. Initially, shorter is better; you would be surprised how hard it can be to fill even one half-hour the first time you attempt to create a podcast.

Outline

Now that you know what the podcast is about, what the tone of the show is, and how long the podcast is, it's time to put together an outline that breaks the show into segments no greater than five minutes long. As shown in Figure 3.2 , the outline should be set up in such a way as to help you fill every minute of your podcast with entertaining and/or interesting content.

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Figure 3.2 An outline is a valuable tool to help keep you on track during a podcast.

If your outline for a 20-minute show is broken into two 10-minute segments, there isn't much point in constructing it. On the other hand, if the outline is broken into 10 two-minute segments, the flow and content of the show will be easy to maintain. Even if you have a detailed outline and a guest takes five times longer to answer a question than you thought she would, the outline is still valuable, because all of the show segments are in front of you, allowing you to decide at a glance which ones to drop.

In summary, an outline helps remove any indecision during the recording of the podcast. When the host has a written schedule sitting on a desk in front of him during the recording, any unexpected happenings don't have to fluster him or cause other problems.

Note

If your show is meant to be a spontaneous affair, a script is most certainly not for you. That said, even if your podcast is meant to be spontaneous, packed with seat-of-the-pants observations, an outline is still worth the effort.

Detailed script

If the outline is complete enough, a detailed script may not be necessary. The need for a script depends on the host's ability to talk on the fly and keep the flow of the show going. If the host is the kind of person who has difficulty with idle banter while maintaining the flow of the podcast, however, a detailed script will be in order.

A script can be so detailed that it contains every line that is to be said during the show, but if you go to this extreme, you must be careful not to make what's being said too rigid. We have all seen movies in which the lines seem scripted, as though they are just being read and not formed naturally by the actors. In radio, you want a similar feeling—a natural feeling that gives the illusion that everything that's being said is spontaneous.

Equipment

One great thing about podcasting is that you can do it at home with a basic Mac or PC and an inexpensive microphone (which may come with the computer). High-end equipment is nice, to be sure, but many of the best podcasts out there are recorded and edited with basic equipment and widely available software.

Still, there are several ways to set up a podcast recording "studio," from using nothing more than a computer with a microphone to having high-end microphones, preamps, digital recorders, and the like in a sound-dampened room.

For serious podcasters, the list of necessary equipment is as follows:

This section examines the equipment you need to get up and running (software is covered a little later on). I need to point out that many devices that can make podcasting easier or higher quality, but I cannot cover every one of them in this book. Instead, I examine several key pieces of equipment in each category.

Microphones

Arguably the most important device in the creation of a podcast, the microphone stands between your voice and the podcast file. As such, it behooves you to ensure that the quality of the recording is as good as it can be based on your budget and expectations.

Two main types of microphones are used for podcasting: condenser microphones and dynamic microphones.

Condenser microphones use a capacitor to capture sound. This works when the pressure from the sound changes the space between the thin membranes in the capacitor. The advantage of a condenser microphone is that it has a very broad frequency response; the down side is that it requires a source of power (like a battery) to charge the capacitor so that it can work.

Note

Condenser microphones require external power to function. This power often comes from a preamp device and is referred to as phantom power .

Dynamic microphones work by measuring the movement of a wire coil around a magnetic field as the sound waves agitate the wire. The advantages of a dynamic microphone are that it is cheaper to make than a condenser microphone and can be miniaturized more easily.

Popping Ps

One of the major problems for first-time podcasters is that any time they say the letter P, it comes across as a popping sound. This sound is created when the exhaled air used to form the P hits the microphone, temporarily overwhelming it. Unfortunately, this sound is not something that you can remove or doctor with editing software; once it's recorded, it's there forever. Not to worry, however. If podcasting is becoming a major part of your life, there are two relatively simple solutions:

  1. Run out and buy a pop filter like the Onstage ASVS6GB Microphone Pop Filter ($25.94), shown in Figure 3.3 .
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    Figure 3.3 The Onstage ASVS6GB Microphone Pop Filter is an inexpensive way to avoid popping your Ps.

  2. Get some pantyhose, and stretch it over something that is hollow and roughly circular in shape. An old coat hanger that has been bent into a circle will do just fine. Tod Maffin suggests using an embroidery hoop for this purpose, and at a cost of about $2, it's not a bad alternative!

When the pop filter/screen is ready to go, you must set it up so that it is right in front of the microphone. If you have purchased a commercial pop filter, there is likely a clamp that does this for you. If you have made your own pop filter, you must come up with your own creative solution. A pop filter can be hung from the roof; it can be attached to a small lamp; heck, it can even be placed around your neck on a harmonica holder so that no matter where you are, the pop filter is always there!

No matter how you solve the problem, getting a pop filter in front of the microphone ensures that the sound entering the microphone is clean and unaffected by the "wind" forces associated with normal speech.

The down side is that the frequency response isn't as good as that of a condenser microphone, making the sound quality inferior.

Note

Condenser microphones sport significantly better fidelity than dynamic microphones, but this also makes them more prone to crackling, background noise, and P -popping (the tendency for the words starting with the letter P to make a popping sound when spoken). Fortunately, there are ways to eliminate these problems (see the sidebar in this section). Condenser microphones also require power, which often must be supplied by a preamp device (which adds around $100 to the cost).

Omnidirectional or Cardioid?

Although the decision to go with a dynamic or condenser microphone may be easy, that isn't the only decision that faces the buyer. Most microphones are either omnidirectional (sound enters the microphone equally from any direction and can be picked up with equal fidelity no matter where it comes from) or cardioid (sound is picked up mostly from in front of the microphone).

As a general rule, cardioid microphones are used for radio, but an omnidirectional microphone will do the job admirably for podcasting, especially if the podcasts are recorded with several guests all gathering around one microphone.

If the frequency response (quality of sound) is important to you, I recommend a condenser microphone. Most microphones that come with computers are dynamic microphones, and although they are acceptable, you will eventually have to purchase a quality microphone if you want your podcasts to sound professional.

Behringer C-1

Frequency Response: 40 Hz–18,000 Hz

Power: Phantom

The Behringer C-1 ( Figure 3.4 ) is a professional-quality condenser microphone that uses a cardioid pattern to accept sound. At around $55, the C-1 is an outstanding microphone for the beginning, intermediate, or even expert podcaster. The real bonus is that the quality is high but the price is surprisingly reasonable for a product of this caliber.

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Figure 3.4 The Behringer C-1 condenser microphone is an awesome value and can more than do the job.

(Photo © Copyright 2005. BEHRINGER Spezielle Studiotechnik GmbH.)

Electrovoice 635A

Frequency Response: 40 Hz–18,000 Hz

Power: Phantom

The Electrovoice 635A microphone ( Figure 3.5 ) is probably the best-known microphone in the TV and radio business. A very dependable (some would say nearly indestructible) microphone, the 635A is a mainstay in the radio business and will serve any podcaster well, especially if recording on the road is in the cards.

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Figure 3.5 The Electrovoice 635A is a mainstay micro phone and, according to Tod Maffin, is the "best microphone you can buy when starting out."

Stageworks CC12

Frequency Response: 40 Hz–18,000 Hz

Power: Phantom

The Stageworks CC12 ( Figure 3.6 ) is a more-than-suitable condenser microphone that is comparable to the Behringer in many ways. The CC12 uses a supercardioid pattern to accept sound and, as such, produces very clear sound capturing. Although it lists at $99, the Stageworks CC12 condenser microphone is widely available for around $50.

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Figure 3.6 Like the Behringer microphone, the Stageworks CC12 offers high quality for a low price.

MC01 Professional Condenser Microphone

Frequency Response: 30 Hz–16,000 Hz

Power: Phantom

The MC01 ( Figure 3.7 ) is the microphone for the high-end user (relatively speaking). At $180, the MC01 is designed for studio use and can be used to record both voices and musical instruments. The MC01 comes with a shock-mount system and a carrying pouch that makes it easy to tote around.

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Figure 3.7 The MC01 Professional Condenser Microphone is my choice for a high-end microphone.

Audio Technica ATM73A-SP

Frequency Response: 25 Hz-17,000 Hz

Power: Battery

This headset cardioid condenser microphone is best used by those who want to create podcasts as a one-man (or one-woman) show. At $120, the ATM73A-SP ( Figure 3.8 ) isn't inexpensive, but it is a high-quality microphone that you can clip to your head so that you don't have to worry about being directly in front of it all the time.

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Figure 3.8 A headset-based cardioid condenser microphone is a great choice for a lone podcaster.

DT 234 PRO Headphone

Frequency Response: 20 Hz–18,000 Hz

Power: Phantom

This headset cardioid microphone costs around $99. Made by Industrial Audio Software, the DT 234 ( Figure 3.9 ) contains a dynamic transducer, meaning that the quality is ultimately not as robust as that of a con denser microphone. That said, the DT 234 is a comfortable and reasonable performer best used by podcasters who do their work alone and don't have to share their microphones frequently.

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Figure 3.9 The DT 234 headset-based cardioid dynamic microphone

Logitech USB Headset 200

Frequency Response: 100 Hz–16,000 Hz

Power: USB port

Priced around $45, the Logitech Stereo USB Headset 200 ( Figure 3.10 ) is a good choice for those who are willing to forgo the highest sound quality in exchange for mobility and ease of use. The Headset 200 plugs into the USB port of your computer and is easy to set up. The microphone is a dynamic noise-canceling device that strives to filter out background noise. The result can be a mellowing of the user's voice, but it is a small price to pay, considering what you are getting for your money with this product.

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Figure 3.10 A low-cost but effective headset microphone, the Logitech USB 200 is a solid option.

Note

Logitech ( www.logitech.com ) has one of the largest selections of microphones for computers offered by any manufacturer. If you are looking for a microphone specifically for your PC , and you don't want to shop around, Logitech offers a huge variety.

Labtec Desk Mic 534

Frequency Response: 100 Hz–16,000 Hz

Power: 1.5 V DC (supplied through connector cable)

I include this microphone because it is a very common device that is included with many PC computer bundles. As a result, many readers may already have this microphone sitting on their desk. Although it's not a high-end condenser microphone, the $14.99 price tag makes it an excellent choice for those on a budget.

Apple Computer built-in microphones

Frequency Response: Varies

Power: Internal

Many Apple computers come with a built-in microphone. iMacs have a microphone in their screen, and many older Macs come with an external microphone that can be plugged in. Although these microphones do not offer super-high quality, and although there can be some issues with the computer's fan sound getting picked up, these built-in microphones can do the job in a pinch.

Note

Radio Shack ( www.radioshack.com ) also has a wide selection of decent microphones that can be used for podcasting. Two examples are the Pro-Unidirectional Dynamic Microphone and the Headset Microphone with Gooseneck Boom. Both of these are very good microphones (for the price) and retail at $49.99.

Audio interfaces/preamps

Many of the microphones mentioned in this chapter require phantom power—that is, they require a device to supply power to them so that they can work. These devices can't be plugged straight into the computer; instead, they must be connected to a preamp device that acts as an input controller between the sound input devices and your computer.

Although these devices add another layer of cost to your podcast setup, they are not terribly expensive, and they also allow access to several extra features you probably didn't even consider. Preamps offer the ability to input any sort of sound into your computer, including inputs from a musical instrument (like an electric guitar) or even inputs from an old eight-track tape that you want to convert to an MP3 file. In short, a preamp computer device allows the input of virtually any kind of audio signal. For everything from making podcasts to recording an acoustic guitar track for GarageBand (a music-creation program for the Macintosh computer), a preamp is a wise investment.

Behringer Tube Ultragain MIC200

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The Behringer Tube Ultragain MIC200 ( Figure 3.11 ) is a preamp that's perfect for live and hard disk recording applications (such as creating a podcast). The great thing about the MIC200 is that it uses vacuum tubes, which create a warmer sound and make the device a great match for condenser microphones. The MIC200 includes 16 distinct preamp effects that are designed for everything from drums to vocals. At $60, the price is right. The one caveat about the functionality of this powerful device is that it does not have a USB connector, making it more difficult to connect to a PC or Mac than other preamps are.

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Figure 3.11 The Behringer MIC200 is a solid preamp that uses old-fashioned vacuum-tube technology.

Griffin iMic

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The iMic (www.griffintechnology.com; Figure 3.12 ) is a USB device that functions as a universal audio adapter for both the Mac and PC. With the iMic, you can connect any sound input (including microphones) to any Mac or Windows computer with a USB port. Because the iMic is so easy to use and also supports line-level output for speakers or an external recording device, it's the perfect match for podcasters. At $39.99, it is one of the best—and least expensive—units available.

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Figure 3.12 The iMic is a low-cost, yet effective, solution.

The benefit of USB audio input devices (preamps) comes from the fact that the inputs are isolated from any electronic "noise" that might otherwise be picked up from a computer's sound card. How much of a difference a USB device makes isn't entirely clear, but in the case of the iMic, it works like a charm.

XPSound XP-202

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The XPSound XP-202 ( Figure 3.13 ) is the Cadillac of USB audio preamps. Workable on both the Mac and PC, the XP-202 includes a phono preamp as well as a Mic preamp for recording voice and other live performances. Manufactured by XPSound, the XP-202 includes a USB connection and a built-in sound card for processing information right on board.

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Figure 3.13 The XP-202 is the high-end preamp for podcasters who want the best.

At $199, this is not the inexpensive alternative, but for anyone who wants more control of the sound input process, the XP-202 is the right machine for the job. The feature list includes:

Note

Although I tout the XP-202 as a high-end preamp, there are plenty of very-high-end preamps on the market that cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

M-Audio MobilePre USB

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At $159, the MobilePre USB from M-Audio (www.m-audio.com; Figure 3.14 ) is an outstanding preamp for both the Mac and PC platforms. The MobilePre USB has two channels, stereo microphone input, a powered headphone monitor, phantom power, stereo line outputs, and a gain switch. It's an easy-to-use, powerful preamp that will more than suffice for most podcasters (in fact, it's what I use).

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Figure 3.14 The M-Audio MobilePre USB is a solid preamp for both the Mac and PC.

Although designed specifically for use on laptops in mobile situations, this little preamp is plenty powerful enough to sit proudly in any home studio.

Note

Every preamp device mentioned in this section is capable of accepting any audio signal for conversion to a digital music or data file. For this reason, these are excellent tools for converting old audio tapes or vinyl records to MP3 files or music CDs.

PowerWave USB

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With a price tag of $99, Griffin Technology's PowerWave USB ( Figure 3.15 ) falls between its sibling, the iMic, and M-Audio's MobilePre USB. Like the other units, the PowerWave USB is capable of receiving input from any microphone while importing it to the PC or Mac it's connected to. The PowerWave also includes an amplifier to drive monitor speakers and is powered by the USB port.

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Figure 3.15 The PowerWave USB is Griffin Technology's high-end audio input device.

Headphones

Headphones can be considered a luxury, but when it gets down to brass tacks, you will quickly find that a decent pair of headphones is more of a necessity. You cannot monitor the podcast during the actual recording unless you have headphones, for example. If the podcast were playing back through your computer's speakers as you were recording it, a noisy feedback buzz would be the result. For this reason, it is important to get a pair of headphones that is at the very least comfortable for you to have on your head while creating your podcasting masterpiece.

This section suggests several quality headphones for your consideration, but ultimately, any headphone that you are comfortable with will do. If you already own headphones—even MP3 player headphones—they will do the trick. There are literally hundreds of headphone models out there, so all I can recommend is that you use a set that sounds good to you and is comfortable. Of course, if you already are using one of the microphones with attached headphones, you can skip this section.

Sony MDR-V150 Headphones

At $19.99, these MDR-V150 headphones ( Figure 3.16 ) are a quality yet inexpensive option from a well-known manufacturer. They are comfortable over-ear headphones with 30mm drivers and ferrite magnets for exceptional response (for the price).

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Figure 3.16 Despite being a very basic set of headphones, the Sony MDR-V150 model is good enough for the beginner.

Sony MDR-V700DJ Headphones

These are a midlevel set of headphones from Sony. The sound quality of the MDR-V700DJ headphones ( Figure 3.17 ) is noticeably better than that of the cheaper Sony 'phones, so for those who insist on high fidelity, these are a great choice. The V700DJ is a disk-jockey model with swivel ear cups, allowing the wearer to flick the ears over to permit conventional hearing. Many podcasters like this feature when they are engaging in an interview (they like to have one of their two ears exposed). At $149.99, these headphones aren't cheap, but the sound-fidelity difference is noticeable.

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Figure 3.17 These DJ headphones feature swivel ear cups.

JVC HA-G55 Headphones

The JVC HA-G55 headphones ( Figure 3.18 ) are a middle-of-the-road choice priced at $55. With a frequency response of 12 Hz to 25,000 Hz, they are capable of delivering a wide range of sounds to your ears. The advantage of the HA-G55s is that they have full-size, deep-base ear cups that allow for a rich sound that encircles the listener. These headphones are another excellent choice.

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Figure 3.18 Priced between the two Sony models mentioned earlier in this section, the JVC HA-G55 headphones are a quality option.

Digital recorders

Although it may be tempting to rush out and purchase a digital recorder for your podcast needs, I need to point out that your computer itself is a powerful digital recorder, and the need for one of these devices is certainly not critical as long as you have a Mac or Windows PC. Still, digital recorders do have a certain amount of je ne sais quoi that makes them more glamorous.

Of course, there are legitimate reasons to get a digital recorder, not the least of which is the portability these devices afford the user. A digital recorder allows you to record programs virtually anywhere, provided that you have a microphone (some digital recorders have built-in microphones) and power to drive the unit. The only limitation with a digital recorder is its memory size; high-quality digital recordings take up a lot of memory space, so the size of the memory in a recorder is the main limiting factor when it comes to recording.

In this section, I take a look at three digital-recorder options: a high-end digital recorder, a midrange MP3 player option, and an iPod using Griffin Technology's iTalk microphone. The digital-recorder market offers plenty of choice, and it isn't within the scope of this book to examine them all, but taking a look at the cost and features of several units can help fill in the blanks about digital recorders and the need (or lack thereof) to own one.

Note

Although I suggest a few digital recorders in this section, it's important to point out that virtually any MP3 player with the ability to record from a microphone input and then export the file to a PC or Mac can be used as a digital recorder. If you own an MP3 player, you may already have a portable digital recorder and not even know it. Either way, the selection of MP3 players that can record in this manner is vast, giving the buyer plenty of choice.

Edirol R-1

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The Edirol R-1 ( Figure 3.19 ) is one example of a high-end digital recorder. Although there certainly are more elaborate (and expensive) recorders on the market, this unit (at a price of around $500) is my choice at the high end. The R-1 is a handheld 24-bit digital recorder that is capable of recording high-quality broadcasts virtually anywhere.

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Figure 3.19 The Edirol R-1 is one example of a high-end digital recorder.

The feature list of this product is very impressive:

Clearly, the Edirol R-1 is a full-featured digital recorder that exceeds the needs of most podcasters. For anyone who is looking to become a serious podcaster, the Edirol is worth considering. Its many built-in features, the high quality of its recordings, and its portability make it a very popular choice.

iRiver IFP-795

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The iRiver IFP-795 ( Figure 3.20 ) is a tiny (512 MB) MP3 player that can play for up to 40 hours on one AA battery. At $149, the IFP-795 is reasonably priced for a flash MP3 player, but it is much more than just that. Weighing in at just under an ounce and a half, the IFP-795 is a surprisingly full-functioned digital recorder, complete with a separate line input for an external microphone.

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Figure 3.20 The iRiver IFP-795 is an amazingly functional digital recorder that masquerades as an MP3 player.

Because the iRiver comes with software that allows easy connectivity to PCs or Macs, its USB 2.0 connection makes connection and export of recorded files a breeze. The device supports recording bit rates between 8 Kbps and 320 Kbps in WMA, MP3, and OGG music formats.

Apple iPod with Griffin iTalk

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Not long after the first iPods were released, some iPod owners who were fooling around with the iPod's interface discovered a hidden menu that implied the iPod could be used for voice recording. It turns out that these folks had stumbled onto something that would show up about a year later: devices designed to record directly onto the iPod's hard drive. Today, Griffin Technology offers the iTalk, a small device that attaches to the top of the iPod photo as well as to third- and fourth-generation iPods.

Note

The iPod mini actually doesn't have recording ability built into its firmware, so the Belkin and Griffin recording devices work only on third-generation, fourth-generation, and photo iPods.

The iTalk ( Figure 3.21 ) is an ingenious device that attaches cleanly to the top of the iPod, and after you install the software (which is easy to do), the iPod becomes a competent voice recorder. The iTalk comes with a built-in speaker that allows you to record without any other equipment, but if quality is your goal, I suggest plugging an external microphone into the iTalk.

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Figure 3.21 The iTalk is a mobile-recording option for iPod users.

The iTalk is a nifty little unit that will record on the iPod's hard drive in .WAV file format. When the iPod docks with iTunes, the file will be transferred to iTunes automatically, making it easy to pull off for editing.

The device does have a down side, in that the user cannot change the recording bit rate. Also, the quality of the built-in speaker, although decent, is not exactly broadcast quality. Still, as a portable recording device, the iTalk is an inexpensive ($49) option for an iPod owner.

Note

Belkin ( www.belkin.com ) also sells a voice-recorder attachment for iPods, as well as a microphone attachment for the same purpose.

Software

Part of what makes podcasting so appealing and so popular is the fact that it can be done relatively simply with a user's existing computer and accessories. After the audio podcast file has been recorded, it is still a good idea to use sound editing software to remove any imperfections and insert some appropriate background music. Fortunately, plenty of quality shareware and freeware programs are available to help you do just that.

It is also important to note that most sound-editing software can also be used as a digital recorder. In fact, many podcasts are created with a microphone that came with the computer, inputting directly into a program like Audacity or GarageBand. Many sound-editing programs are available, and increasingly, a new type of all-in-one program is showing up. These programs, like iPodcast Producer and Sparks, allow the user to create a podcast from start to finish and even publish the podcast, all from one program!

In this section, I examine several quality sound-editing/recording programs for the Mac, Linux, and Windows environments. I include freeware, shareware, and commercial products, some of which are limited to sound recording and editing; others are one-stop options that allow you to create a podcast and publish it without ever leaving the program.

Ogg Vorbis

Often referred to as just OGG, Ogg Vorbis is an open and free audio compression format. Vorbis was created after Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft announced plans to charge licensing fees for the MP3 file format in 1998. It was then that Chris Montgomery began work on the project. The codec was released in July 2002, and the Ogg Vorbis compression format was born.

Slowly but surely, the Ogg Vorbis format is making inroads in the world of audio sound compression. In the past couple of years, it has shown up increasingly on the Internet, in podcasts, and even in some commercial video games. Ogg Vorbis enthusiasts claim that the quality of an OGG is higher than that of an MP3 file, but I can't tell much of a difference. I'll leave that part up to you.

Audacity

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Audacity is the program of choice for many podcasters, in part because it is free, but mostly because it's a fantastic, powerful, easy-to-use program. Audacity can be used to record podcasts (with an attached microphone) or to edit existing sound files. Available for Mac computers, Windows PCs, and Linux PCs, Audacity is freeware and is so powerful that it most likely puts a dent in the sales figures of those programs that are for sale. You can download the program from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ for each of the three operating systems ( Figure 3.22 ).

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Figure 3.22 Audacity is available for most computer users, be they Mac OS, Linux, or Windows inspired.

As often occurs in the world of the Internet and computing, this freeware program is superior to some of the for-sale programs on the market. In the realm of podcasting, Audacity has quickly risen to be the top dog for audio mixing and recording (when recording directly on a PC or Mac).

The deep feature list for Audacity includes these items:

Audacity, shown in action in Figure 3.23 , is such a complete and easy-to-use recording/editing tool that it is my first choice for all three platforms. There are lots of programs out there, but for someone who is just starting out on a tight budget, free is a great price to pay, and Audacity is also a fantastic piece of software.

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Figure 3.23 Audacity is available for Mac, Windows PC, and Linux, and is very powerful.

Note

Because Audacity is such a great piece of software, I recommend that if you use it as your primary editing/recording program, you donate some money to support the development of the next generation of the program. This goes for all freeware software. It doesn't matter whether you donate $1 or $100; if you use the software a great deal, donating to the developer is the right thing to do.

BlogMatrix Sparks! 2.0

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Sparks! 2.0 ( Figure 3.24 ) is an all-in-one solution for the Mac and the Windows PC, making it very simple to create a podcast and publish it without ever leaving the program. Sparks! 2.0 is a podcast aggregator as well as an audio recorder, editor, and podcast publisher. It's free for most of the features, but if you want to use the recording feature, you must pay a $10 fee (although the recording feature comes with a 30-day free trial).

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Figure 3.24 Sparks! 2.0 has a built-in, multitrack audio recorder/editor.

Sparks! is truly a one-stop solution for podcasters and podcast listeners. The feature list for this software is very impressive and includes

As a one-stop shop, Sparks! 2.0 is an impressive piece of software. For true podcasting aficionados, I suspect that Sparks! 2.0 won't satisfy completely, but for the casual podcaster or the podcaster who just wants to create occasional podcasts, Sparks! is an excellent solution.

Note

If creating a regular podcast is your goal, BlogMatrix also sells packages for publishing podcasts. These services run between $5 and $100 per month, depending on the level of service one needs. Check out Chapter 4 for details on how to use BlogMatrix Sparks! 2.0 to publish podcasts on the World Wide Web.

Interview with Evo Terra and Michael R. Mennenga

Terra and Mennenga are hosts of the top-15 podcast "Slice of Sci-Fi."

Evo Terra has been involved in various creative and emerging-media products since the early '90s. Author, musician, ordained minister, and herbal therapist, he approaches all of his projects from a point of view that usually sets him far apart from anything resembling normality.

Michael R. Mennenga knows firsthand what "struggling artist" is all about. From fantasy novelist to audio engineer and producer, Mike is the epitome of DIY (do-it-yourself) and tends to rewrite the rules as he goes along. Tenacity and perseverance are his strong suits, and he's never met a problem that couldn't be solved with a big-enough hammer.

Farkas: When did you first become aware of podcasting?

E & M: On October 12, 2004, my [Terra's] partner sent me a link to a page where Doc Searls was talking about DIY radio with this new thing called podcasting. Two days later, and I am neither [kidding] you nor making this up, I hacked our RSS feed and figured out how to use the <enclosure> plug-in in MovableType. My response back to him contained words like "this could potentially change how we do things," and it did. A day or two later, we got listed on Podcast Alley.

Farkas: What made you decide to create your own podcast?

E & M: We've been producing audio content for distribution on the Web and through terrestrial radio stations since February of 2002 and had enjoyed a fair amount of success. But terrestrial radio isn't our best market, and it was frustrating to try and explain what our show was all about and why a station should carry us.

When we got booted earlier this year from the No. 1 AM talk-radio station in town because we were too popular and causing a "speed bump" in their all-right-wing-politics-all-the-time format, we realized there had to be a better way to reach people who wanted to listen to our content, which likely didn't fit in with any radio station's lineup. Podcasting was that method.

Farkas: What has surprised you the most with regard to the impact of your podcast(s)?

E & M: The immediacy, quality, and quantity of the feedback. We reached tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of listeners on our broadcast shows. Maybe once a week, we'd get an e-mail from them. Oh, sure, our phone banks were lit up each time our live call-in show was on, but our syndicated show rarely got us an e-mail or even a comment on the Web site.

However, from the moment we started releasing our show via podcast, the e-mails and Web-site comments stated coming. It's as if the podcatchers feel more of an emotional attachment to our show. Maybe that's because it's still not easy to listen to a show. With that kind of investment, you want the show to be the way you want it, so you're not afraid to let the talent know your feelings.

Farkas: What are your plans for "Slice of Sci-Fi" going forward?

E & M: "SoSF" adds one more element to our science-fiction lineup. "Cover to Cover" handles books and authors (my favorite topic), "Wingin' It!" lets us get a little looser and goofy with the sci-fi stuff, and "SoSF" lets us talk about TV and movies in a dedicated fashion.

Plan on "SoSF" growing. We've got a dedicated team of "professional" sci-fi geeks out there gathering new information for us. With luck, we'll have so much content, we'll have to take the show to multiple times a week. There's already talk of spinoff podcasts, because there is so much to cover! Of course, both of us are excited that XM radio has picked up "Cover to Cover," our syndicated show. I see a great opportunity for us to produce a syndicated version of "Slice of Sci-Fi" as well!

Farkas: Where do you see podcasting going in the next year? The next five years?

E & M: By the end of summer [2005], nearly all syndicated radio shows will be repurposing their content in podcast form. I predicted that months ago, and it is coming true. That's going to fracture the podcasting community (purists versus "it's just audio content" camps), as well as bring in a lot more listeners who have never heard of podcasting. Additionally, you'll see more large organizations and corporations trying out this podcasting thing, with most of them failing.

Five years from now, personal on-demand content will be the norm. On cell phones, in cars… anywhere you want to go, you can take your content, audio and/or video, with you. Podcatching clients will be embedded in everything. Transferring files will be intuitive and nonissues. Bandwidth will cease to be an issue, and the majority of the information will be free.

Schools will be offering distance learning via podcast. Politicians will try it, and the freedom of information just might change the political landscape significantly. Radio will still be here. TV will still be here. And podcasting will still be here, bringing the best of those two mediums together and putting it in the palm/dashboard/ear/eyeglasses of the masses.

Farkas: Technically speaking, what was the most difficult thing about getting a podcast off the ground (so to speak)?

E & M: Personally, we think listening to a podcast is more difficult than making one. People who want to make a podcast have the motivation to figure it out, but people who might want to listen are quickly turned off by all the hoops. That's the biggest stumbling block right now for the whole movement.

For podcasters, the problem lies in understanding the RSS feed. Recording a show is intuitive. I push the red button and talk, right? FTPing the file isn't hard, as it's no different than moving files from one spot to another on your computer. The challenge is RSS. Yeah, there are lots of tools to automate the process, but inasmuch as some software sucks at what it's supposed to do, RSS feeds need to be tweaked at the code level in order to make them as effective as possible.

GarageBand/GarageBand 2

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Folks who own Macintosh computers likely have a copy of GarageBand ( Figure 3.26 ) already sitting on their hard drives. If for some reason GarageBand has eluded you, it is included with all new Macintosh computers and can be purchased with iLife '05 for $79.99. What makes GarageBand so appealing to Macintosh enthusiasts is the way in which it interacts with iTunes and Mac OS X. As with most Apple applications, GarageBand's ease of use is very impressive, allowing a first-time user to put together an impressive multitrack recording in only a few minutes.

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Figure 3.26 If you own a Mac, there's a good chance that you already own GarageBand, the only sound recorder/editor you'll need.

GarageBand's ease of use comes from simple audio-track creation, drag-and-drop editing, and the ability to add music or other audio files simply by dragging them out of iTunes. Although GarageBand was designed specifically for the creation of music, it is still an elegant solution that works seamlessly with the rest of the software on your Macintosh when creating podcasts.

GarageBand's features include:

iPodcast Producer

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iPodcast Producer (iPP; Figure 3.27 ) is a commercial product that runs $149.95 from Industrial Audio Software's Web site (www.industrialaudiosoftware.com). iPP is meant exclusively to be a tool for recording, editing, and then publishing podcasts. The product is not as slick as Audacity or GarageBand, but it does contain the features necessary to get the job done.

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Figure 3.27 iPodcast Producer is a competent piece of software but a little pricey when one considers what is available for free.

iPP contains a sound/music recorder with two tracks (one for voice and one for music), a fader, and the ability to add up to 12 music or sound effects to keys F1 through F12 on the keyboard. After you assign a sound to one of these keys, you can insert that sound into a recording dynamically by pressing the key that activates it. The recorder also allows for other audio sources in .WAV or MP3 file formats to be imported.

After recording, you can access the iPP Editor ( Figure 3.28 ) and edit or modify the sound files with digital effects. You can apply 19 different effects to recordings during this process. When the file is complete, IPP allows the newly created podcast to be syndicated right from the program ( Figure 3.29 ). If you don't already have a spot to save your file for the RSS feed, Industrial Audio Software can sell you space starting at $49.95 per month.

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Figure 3.28 The iPP Editor allows you to tweak the sound files.

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Figure 3.29 You can publish your podcast directly from within iPP.

Adobe Audition 1.5

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Adobe Audition ( Figure 3.30 ) is a high-end professional sound editing/ recording suite that offers advanced audio editing, mixing, and sound processing capabilities. This software is aimed mainly at professionals, but at $299, it is not priced outside the range of a serious podcaster. It certainly isn't hyperbole to say that Adobe Audition contains myriad features that a podcaster is likely never to use, but for those mavens who want every possible capability at their fingertips, this software is a great value for the money.

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Figure 3.30 Adobe Audition is one of the best choices for those who want high-end sound editing when creating a podcast.

Audition's feature list is so long that it might take up several pages in this book, so I'll stick to the highlights as they pertain to the realm of podcasting:

Although it clearly isn't for the weekend podcaster who wants to create relatively simple programs, Adobe Audition 1.5 is inexpensive enough that hard-core podcasters can enjoy its massive suite of features. You can download a trial version at www.adobe.com.

Propaganda

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Like iPodcast Producer, Propaganda (www.makepropaganda.com; Figure 3.31 ) is designed to be a one-stop podcast creation station, allowing the user to create, edit, and publish podcasts with relative ease. Propaganda has a free 14-day trial; the cost to keep using it after that is $49.95.

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Figure 3.31 Propaganda is a one-stop podcast creation package for Windows computers.

The feature list of Propaganda includes:

Propaganda allows you to record a podcast from a microphone and to organize and edit the voice file while adding background music and audio effects. When the podcast is complete, Propaganda allows you to upload the show to an RSS feed for distribution on the World Wide Web. If a one-stop piece of software appeals to you, Propaganda is an acceptable alternative for creating and publishing podcasts.

Sound Byte

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Sound Byte ( Figure 3.32 ) is a bit of a different animal from the other software discussed in this section, because it does not directly help you create podcasts or publish them; instead, it works as a computerized cart machine. In radio stations of the past, a cart machine was a device that held a large number of cartridges with short audio blurbs, commercials, sounds, and other such material. When the DJ needed a particular sound, he or she could press a button, and that sound would come off the cartridge and get played on the air. This was a way for radio stations to add unique sounds to broadcasts, and it worked pretty well.

03fig32.jpg

Figure 3.32 Sound Byte allows you to create a palette of sounds that you can access with a click of the mouse.

Sound Byte, from Black Cat Systems (www.blackcatsystems.com), costs $24 (after a free trial) and effectively duplicates those old radio cartridge systems with the digital equivalent. The palette comes with 75 slots, each of which is capable of holding a distinct sound byte, piece of music, or sound effect (or whatever you want). When you're recording a podcast, you can simply click one of the sound effects to insert that effect into the background.

For podcasters who like to fly by the seat of their pants and add sound effects as needed, Sound Byte is an outstanding tool. Sound Byte is available only for the Macintosh at this point, but it is a valuable tool that certain podcasters appreciate and use.

Sound Recorder

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There are many freeware, shareware, donationware, and commercial sound recorders on the market, but Windows users need not go any farther than their Start menu to find an audio recorder that can do the job. In Windows XP, you can find Sound Recorder ( Figure 3.33 ) in this path: Start/Programs/Accessories/Entertainment/Sound Recorder.

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Figure 3.33 Sound Recorder is free, and it's sitting right there in Windows.

Sound Recorder is limited in that it records only in mono, in 8 bits at 22 kHz, but for some podcasts, that level of quality is enough to get by. Amazingly, this little utility contains an effects menu that allows you to increase or decrease the clip's speed, add an echo to the clip ( Figure 3.34 ), or even reverse the clip's direction. This may be your chance to resurrect the "Paul is dead" controversy!

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Figure 3.34 Surprisingly, this little utility has a few tricks up its sleeve.

Sound Recording and Editing Tips

Much of the skill you develop in creating podcasts will come with experience. No matter how much you know about the various terms and aspects of software packages and hardware, in the end, the most important thing is doing. That said, there are a few important tips that will help you when you are recording, editing, and mixing your podcast:

Getting Started: Advice from Phil Torrone

Phillip Torrone is an author, artist, and engineer based in Seattle and is associate editor of MAKE. He has written and contributed to numerous books on mobile devices, multimedia, and hacks. He regularly writes for Popular Science and Mobile PC Magazine, as well as producing the MAKE: audio and video content on the Makezine.com site. Phillip is also an Internet-strategy analyst for creative firm Fallon Worldwide, best known for its award-winning work on BMWFilms.

Farkas: What do you recommend (hardware and software) for the beginning podcaster?

Torrone: If you have a Mac with GarageBand and a Griffin iTalk or a USB microphone, the results will be surprisingly professional. On a PC, any powered microphone and Audacity will get you started. I've found that a portable recorder tends to get you in the podcasting zone more than sitting in front of a computer. If you're going somewhere, actually interviewing someone, there's a lot more context and richness in the audio than the mouse clicks and keystrokes.

Farkas: How has podcasting helped you personally with regard to your career/business?

Torrone: I started podcasting early on, so it's helped a lot in terms of being considered an "expert" in the arena. There have been a lot of opportunities to pursue businesses in podcasting, but I've been more interested in spreading the word about how to create them with writings, how-to articles, and other efforts. To me, that's the exciting thing—turning on tons of people to the self-publishing of audio.

Farkas: What are your top five tips for a beginning podcaster?

Torrone:

  1. Get a good microphone. USB; it doesn't matter—something that sounds good will make any podcast a lot better.
  2. Try before you buy. A lot of podcasters go out and buy a lot of gear the pros use. Try experimenting with what you have first. In the end, the big spend might not matter.
  3. Love or hate your topics. Passion comes across really well in audio; stick to the stuff you care about or despise. Both make great podcast.
  4. Break eggs. Make mistakes, try different gear, try different encodings. Don't spend too much time getting it "right"—just get it out there, and the rest will follow.
  5. Use Creative Commons (see "Creative Commons" later in this chapter). License your works with a Creative Commons license. Not only is it good for you, but it's also good to get more people aware of the CC.

Music

Music is a very important part of podcasting. After all, many podcasts are like terrestrial radio broadcasts, in that they play a selection of popular music. Even for all-talk podcasts, music is often part of the program in one form or another. Although music plays an important role in making podcasts sound professional, there are issues around the licensing of musical content within a podcast.

Despite the limitations, there are ways (such as licensing or using Creative Commons licenses) to include music in your podcasts. It's a sticky area, however, and it's important to know the lay of the land before you try to walk across it.

Legalities

Few people may realize this, but each and every time a song is played on the radio, on television, or even at a sporting event, a royalty is paid to the rights holder of that song. How much of a royalty is paid depends on where the song is played. For example, the use of a song in a commercial, such as the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" (for Microsoft Windows 2000) or the Beatles' "Revolution" (for a Nike shoe ad), can generate hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars. On the other hand, a radio station playing a particular song might require a payment of only 16 cents. Whatever the cost, royalties are designed to reimburse the creative people who wrote and performed this music.

Of course, many songs are owned not by the artists who wrote them, but by large corporations. Either way, the money is owed fair and square.

As one might expect, podcasting can throw a wrench into the royalty situation when it comes to music. Are the many mom-and-pop operations creating amateur podcasts still responsible for paying royalties for the music they may use in the background during their shows? If the podcast contains licensable music, the answer is YES.

Two main bodies manage royalty collection for music catalogs: ASCAP and BMI. ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is a performing-arts organization that acts as a collector and advocate for those artists associated with it. BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) is similar to ASCAP in that it represents artists with regard to the collection of royalties for music that is played in public. Surprisingly, despite the sudden appearance and rapid growth of podcasting, both of these organizations have agreements that more or less cover the basics for podcasters.

ASCAP has a contract known as the ASCAP Experimental License Agreement for Internet Sites & Services, Release 5.0. This license costs $288 up front and includes fairly complex fee calculations. This contract is offered on a per-year basis, and the fee is not pro-rated, so if you pay $288 on December 20, 2005, you will have to pay $288 again on January 1, 2006. This is a very dynamic area, however, and any of the above details could change even by the time you read this book. To have a look at ASCAP's license, check out www.ascap.com/weblicense.

BMI has a similar license that appears to be slightly easier to negotiate. The up-front cost of this license is $283, and of course, there are also fee structures, depending on how music is used in the podcasts. To see BMI's license, go to www.bmi.com/licensing/forms/Internet0105A.pdf.

Note

Adobe Acrobat is required to view both of these licenses; you can download it free at www.adobe.com/acrobat.

Bob Goyetche, of "The Bob and AJ Show" fame, says that when it comes to playing music in his show, the team ultimately looked at two alternatives:

It is clear that if you want to create a podcast that includes popular music, and you are interested in proceeding in a legal fashion, you will have to obtain licenses from these organizations and follow them to the letter. That said, it is unclear how many podcasters are currently following these rules. It probably won't surprise anyone if these rules change in the coming months or years. Either way, it is important to stay up to date on this issue if you are an active podcaster.

Creative Commons

Created in 2001 by Lawrence Lessig, Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org; Figure 3.35 ) is a not-for-profit organization with the goal of expanding the amount of creative work available for others to build upon and share legally. Creative Commons licenses were originally designed for the United States, but now, Creative Commons licenses can be obtained in 29 countries.

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Figure 3.35 Creative Commons is an excellent place to find music for your podcasts.

This is a new system, built within current copyright law, that allows an individual to share his or her creations with others and to use music, images, and text online that has been identified as having a Creative Commons license. To learn more about the history of Creative Commons, visit http://creativecommons.org/about/history.

Note

It's important to note that getting a license with Creative Commons does not mean giving up your copyright. It means instead that you are giving up some of your rights to any taker, but only under certain conditions.

Several of the podcasters I interviewed for this book mentioned Creative Commons as a source for the music they use in their podcasts. If you want to include music in your podcasts, I suggest that you visit the Creative Commons Web site and learn more about what is available. As an artist, you can choose one of several licenses, including:

The Creative Commons Web site can point you to several excellent sites that contain Creative Commons–licensed sound files and music. One such site is Opsound (www.opsound.com) , shown in Figure 3.36 . This site is an excellent source of music that you can use in your podcasts provided that you follow the rules of each license. If the idea of reading the license for each song gets under your skin, remember that licensing commercial music is very expensive and requires far more paperwork.

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Figure 3.36 Opsound is a great site for Creative Commons–licensed music.

Note

Most of the music on the Opsound Web site falls under the Share Alike Creative Commons license, which means you are free to download it, share it, and include it in your work as long as you attribute the works to the original authors/musicians. The site also contains some public-domain music.

Interview with Bob Goyetche

Bob Goyetche is co-host of "The Bob and AJ Show."

As the show's Web site says: "If you're looking to listen to two drunk and horny Canadian guys eating potato chips, then there's no better place than 'The Bob and AJ Show.'"

Goyetche is a 36-year-old husband and father whose day job is working as an IT consultant. He's been a musician for 20 years and has always had a passion for broadcasting. AJ is a 35-year-old husband and father of two, earning his living as an electrician. Like Bob, he's been involved in music and pirate radio. Bob and AJ have been good friends for 20 years, and that shows no signs of changing.

Farkas: When did you first become aware of podcasting?

Bob: I first heard about podcasting early last fall, through Doug Kaye's IT Conversations site. I had been listening to downloadable programs (weren't called podcasts yet then) for a few weeks when I heard the Bloggercon conference where podcasting was discussed.

Farkas: What made you decide to create your own podcasts?

Bob: As a longtime radio nut, I knew I had to get into this. We used to do pirate radio in the early 1990s, and this seemed like a nice way to recapture the rush of building a listener base. I put out a test show in October, and "The Bob and AJ Show" started the following month. One thing led to another, and now, just a few months later, the "scene" is exploding, and I produce three shows, with possibly more to come..

Farkas: What were the main challenges in creating a podcast?

Bob: Since we record in my home music studio, the only real technical challenges were to decide which pieces of equipment to leave out! We just wanted to be ourselves doing a show. We share a lot of the same values when it comes to what we find funny, the music we like, etc. The main challenge was learning the RSS and related technologies, and that was pretty simple.

Farkas: What are your plans for "The Bob and AJ Show" going forward?

Bob: Honestly, to keep having fun. We have no grand plans for commercialization, though if at some point we hook up with some sponsorship to help defer costs, we're not against it.

Farkas: Are there any copyright issues with playing music on your show? Is that a fear?

Bob: Not at all. We made the decision early on to play only music we had permission and rights to play. This meant no big-label music, but we're very happy with that. Independent music fits better with the vibe of podcasting. It's also opened our ears to lots of great music we otherwise wouldn't have heard. We also get to build relationships with artists, which is very rewarding.

Farkas: Where do you see podcasting going in the next year? The next five years?

Bob: For the next year, I think awareness will be the main accomplishment. We've come so far in seven months. I'm meeting people who I don't have to explain podcasting to, so the medium is on the radar. In the next five years, I think we'll see a buildup to an incredible number of shows. People will jump on this, and some, when they realize the effort involved, may stop. Those who keep going, though, will have found a great outlet and a great hobby. I see more commercial podcasts, much like we're seeing commercial blogs now.

Farkas: Do you have an opinion on the commercialization of podcasting?

Bob: The fact that commercialization is thought to be viable validates what we are doing. Unlike radio, where there is limited space on the dial, the Internet is limitless. We're not limited to 88 to 108 on some little dial. Our show has potentially the same reach as any of these companies. Our production values are equal or superior, and our passion hasn't been smothered by a radio consultant from Toronto.

The way the "traditional outlets" are going to get podcast listeners is to put out programs people want to hear. I see that some Canadian radio corporations are redistributing some radio morning shows via podcast, I think they're missing the point. Podcasting is taking off because people can't stand to listen to another "morning zoo" program. It's too formulaic, too packaged, and too homogenized. I think there will be people who will enjoy the podcasts of these corporations, and more power to them. They probably wouldn't have liked our show anyway.

Tutorial: Creating a Podcast

Now that I've covered the basic equipment and process of creating a podcast, I'll take you step by step through the process of creating a podcast for both Macintosh and Windows PC computers.

In the case of the Macintosh, I used a third-party microphone, a preamp, and GarageBand in OS X to create the show. On the PC, I used a third-party microphone, no preamp, and Audacity for recording and sound editing.

Note

On the Macintosh, I used GarageBand as the recording/editing software, and on the Windows PC , I used Audacity. It's important to note that Audacity for the Macintosh behaves and looks almost exactly like its PC counterpart. Therefore, anyone who wants to use Audacity on the Macintosh can refer to the PC tutorial.

I realize that there are literally hundreds of combinations of software, equipment, and operating systems, so I chose two relatively generic setups for creating the podcasts on each platform. The important thing to remember is that the process is fundamentally the same, no matter what is being used to create the show. It goes without saying that a complex preamp/mixing board and a high-end digital recorder will alter the process, but for the purpose of following from idea to finished podcast, these tutorials do the trick.

Interview with AKG and The Specialist

AKG and The Specialist are hosts of the top-15 podcast "The Specialist and AKG Show."

AKG:

The Specialist:

The Specialist and AKG were roommates at a small liberal-arts college in the Northeast. It was during this time, they say, that "we realized that we were both fascinated with our own smells, swabbings, and toilet habits."

Farkas: What made you decide to create your own podcast? What were your reasons?

The Specialist: I first heard about podcasting as a phenomenon where everyday people were producing their own Internet radio shows from home. AKG and I had never even listened to any other shows before we started ours, but our initial game plan was just to record a 15- or 20-minute phone conversation between the two of us.

Our normal topics of conversation often focused on the irregularities in our own bowel movements and our other disgusting habits. I felt that the types of things we were talking about with each other weren't being discussed in any other outlets of the mainstream media. I kind of look at our show as the gross underbelly of "Seinfeld," in that we do conversational humor about somewhat taboo subjects. My main motivations for doing the show were to both have something that our friends could listen to, but also to document a period in my life that I could play in 15 or 20 years and have a laugh listening to.

AKG: Ditto.

Farkas: What has surprised you the most with regard to the impact of your podcast(s)?

The Specialist: The two most surprising things for me thus far are that we were approached by individuals like yourself and the Pink Poker Bunny requesting to either interview us or be interviewed by us. I could have never imagined that anybody outside of our immediate circle of friends would give a flying rat's ass about anything we were doing.

Farkas: What are your plans going forward?

The Specialist: We have really enjoyed doing interviews and having guests on the show, and I hope we can continue to talk to even more interesting and diverse people. Also, we feel that with enough support and research, we may one day be able to rid the world of swamp ass.

Farkas: What has made podcasting such a phenomenon, in your opinion?

The Specialist: While we are often baffled by the popularity of some shows, I would have to say that it is because any nitwit with a computer and something mindless to talk about can have their own show, including yours truly.

Farkas: Where do you see podcasting going in the next year? The next five years?

AKG: I don't think podcasting will ever catch on as a mainstream form of communication. It will be useful for freaks, geeks, wasteoids, spotors, and motorheads to spread their messages freely.

The Specialist: I have been discouraged by the direction that podcasting seems to be going in. What started out as an underground alternative to mainstream corporate radio seems to be turning into a marketing tool for big corporations to reach new audiences. Instead of Joe Blow podcasting from his rec room, you have regular over-the-air radio shows converting their content into MP3 and podcast feeds, and you have corporations like Warner Bros. outputting their "Paris Hilton" podcast to promote their rag trash movies like House of Wax. My feelings on the group of podcasters banding together to sell advertising and possibly even be broadcast on Sirius satellite radio is mixed. While it is sad on the one hand to see such an indie movement go mainstream, I can't really blame them for wanting to reach a wider audience and perhaps even turn their part-time hobby into a full-time gig.

AKG: I think it is unfortunate if podcasters got into podcasting hoping to get picked up or get signed or make money doing it. Unfortunately, that breeds a cutthroat, competitive environment where podcasters must compete with each other in a way that no longer becomes fun.

Farkas: Technically speaking, what was the most difficult thing about getting a podcast off the ground?

The Specialist: I bear the brunt of the producing aspects of the show in New York City. Before we started, I had no experience in HTML or Web design, and the biggest initial obstacle was simply creating a Web site that could host the show.

One of the biggest problems for our show is that unlike most co-hosted podcast shows, AKG and I do not sit next to each other in the same room during the show. We record the show over a phone line, with me in New York and AKG in New Hampshire (soon to be Chicago). The biggest challenge I have faced thus far was being able to get a clean signal of AKG's voice from an ordinary phone line without the use of expensive broadcasting equipment.

On top of that, we have many call-in guests, and it becomes tough to get high-quality sound without the use of a professional telephone audio hub. We finally perfected the sound quality around our eighth show, and I am currently very happy with the quality of our broadcast. And the fart sounds are clearer now as well.

Creating a Macintosh podcast

Although other Macintosh programs are available, the fact that GarageBand is bundled with new machines makes it the most ubiquitous sound recording/editing software for the Macintosh. For this reason, I chose to use GarageBand as the software for this tutorial. The list of equipment I used is as follows:

Note

It's important to note that though I chose to use a preamp to make this podcast, the G5 Mac has a Line-In jack that allows a microphone to be plugged directly into the machine.

1 Connect the equipment

I am assuming that you came up with the concept for the podcast, an outline, and possibly even a script before you made it to this point. That said, the first step is to connect all the equipment properly, starting with connecting the preamp to the USB port and then the microphone to the preamp ( Figures 3.37 through 3.40 ). When this is accomplished, ensure that the preamp is receiving power (the lights are on).

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Figure 3.37 Connect the preamp to the computer via the USB port.

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Figure 3.40 If you have no preamp, the micro phone can be plugged directly into the Line-In jack on the Macintosh.

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Figure 3.38 Check to see that the power is active on the preamp.

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Figure 3.39 Insert the microphone jack into the preamp microphone input; then set up your microphone with your pop screen (if you have one) in front of you.

2 Configure the application and OS

This next step is important, because if the correct inputs aren't selected in System Preferences, the microphone will not work properly. You must also open GarageBand and create a new project for your podcast to be created in. Follow the steps in Figures 3.41 through 3.48 to set up a straight vocal track (without any effects) so that recording can begin.

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Figure 3.41 Open System Preferences, and click the Sound icon. Then click the button labeled Input.

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Figure 3.48 In the New Track dialog box, click the Real Instrument button and then select Vocals. The default effect position will be No Effects; leave this as is. For these purposes, Mono is also acceptable (although if you have a stereo microphone, you can click the Stereo button). Click OK to continue.

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Figure 3.42 In the list box, select MobilePre. (This is the M-Audio MobilePre USB preamp device I am using.)

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Figure 3.43 Using the microphone, test the Input Level by watching the meter above the volume control. Adjust the volume so that normal speech brings the meter up to about 70 percent of maximum.

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Figure 3.44 Open GarageBand, and select Create New Song.

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Figure 3.45 When you select Create New Song, you will get this dialog box, asking you what to name it and where to save it. The Tempo, Time, bpm, and Key settings at the bottom of the dialog box can be left as is.

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Figure 3.46 When the GarageBand project opens, you will see a Grand Piano track. Choose Track > Delete Track to delete it.

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Figure 3.47 Now choose Track > New Track.

Note

If you want to add a digital effect to your voice, you are welcome to do it, but for the first podcast, I suggest that you see what your voice sounds like on its own. If you must use an effect, however, the Male Basic or Female Basic effect is recommended. GarageBand add-on modules, called Jam Packs, are available from Apple for $99 each. They contain elaborate effects that give you more options for editing sound files.

3 Record your podcast

Now that everything is set up and ready to go, it's time to record the podcast. Before you start the actual podcast, record the first couple lines of your podcast; then go back and listen to it ( Figure 3.49 ). If you feel that your vocal track needs some adjustment, open the Track Info dialog box by choosing Track > Track Info. Here, you can adjust the equalizer, add effects, and manage echo and reverb. After you have set up your vocals just so, get your script out, and click the Record button to start the podcast ( Figures 3.50 and 3.51 ).

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Figure 3.49 After recording a short test track, if you don't like the sound, you can open the Track Info dialog box (choose Track > Track Info) and make any changes you feel are necessary.

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Figure 3.50 Click the Record button, and start talking!

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Figure 3.51 If you make a mistake, just pause for a second and then pick up where you left off (the mistake can be edited out later). The other option is to stop the recording and begin a new track.

4 Edit your vocal content

The podcast recording is now in the bag. Unfortunately, you made a few verbal flubs and had to repeat yourself in several places to ensure that the material was covered cleanly. This is what editing was made for, and fortunately, it's what GarageBand was made for as well. Using the Track Editor, you can selectively remove (or move around) any portions of the recording that you want ( Figures 3.52 through 3.56 ).

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Figure 3.52 Begin by selecting the main track (there may only be one); then click the scissor-shaped icon. This brings up the Track Editor, where you can manipulate the recording quickly and easily.

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Figure 3.56 Using the simple cut-and-paste interface in GarageBand, manipulate the recording so that it represents the intended broadcast. This usually involves simple cutting of mistakes and rejoining of the audio track.

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Figure 3.53 In the bottom-left corner of the Track Editor is a slider that allows you to enlarge the scale of the recording strip. Enlarge the scale to between the third and fourth notches.

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Figure 3.54 Now move to the areas that you want to cut. Using the mouse, select the individual sections of the recording you want to eliminate; then choose Edit > Cut (Command-X).

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Figure 3.55 When the portion is cut out, there will be a gap in the soundtrack. Use your mouse to grab the far end of the soundtrack to slide the two halves back together again. In this manner, you can remove any unwanted content and join up the recording again so that the listener never knew anything was cut.

5 Add music and finishing touches

Now is the time to import any music (see "Legalities" earlier in this chapter) into the background and/or at the beginning and end of the podcast. On the Mac, iTunes makes this very simple, because you can drag and drop files directly from iTunes into your podcast ( Figure 3.57 ). Similarly, you can drag an MP3 or AAC file from the Desktop into GarageBand. When the music is in place, click the tiny inverted triangle under the track name to open the Track Volume control ( Figure 3.58 ). With this control, you can adjust the volume of the track in detail, fading in and out as you please ( Figure 3.59 ).

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Figure 3.57 Drag files directly out of iTunes and into GarageBand, if you want. Here, an original version of "Row Row Row Your Boat" is being dragged into GarageBand.

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Figure 3.58 When the music is in place, click the inverted triangle to bring up the Track Volume bar. By clicking the volume line in this bar, you create points that you can manipulate to control the volume in minute or heavy-handed ways. Using a series of four points, make your music fade in at the beginning of the podcast and then fade out at the end.

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Figure 3.59 Depending on the volume variability of your voice during the recording, you may want to adjust the volume on the main voice track, although I recommend against doing so unless it is absolutely necessary.

6 Export the podcast to MP3 format

The last phase of the podcast creation process is outputting the file in a usable format. Ideally, the MP3 format is the one that can be accessed by the widest range of listeners, so I recommend that you choose that format. That said, GarageBand does not export in MP3 format; it exports in AAC format into iTunes. For this reason, you must export to iTunes first and then convert to an MP3 file in iTunes to complete the process ( Figures 3.60, 3.61 , and 3.62 ).

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Figure 3.60 To export your podcast to iTunes, choose File > Export to iTunes.

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Figure 3.61 When the export is complete, your podcast will show up in iTunes as the latest file added.

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Figure 3.62 In iTunes, select the podcast; then choose Advanced > Convert Selection to MP3 to finish the process. Congratulations—you've completed your first podcast! For instructions on how to publish your podcast, turn to Chapter 4.

Creating a PC podcast

Windows PCs have the largest library of software available for creating podcasts. They also have by far the largest variation in equipment components. PCs have a large variety of motherboards, sound cards, video cards, types of RAM, and even CPUs, and for this reason, it is difficult to present an example of a common PC setup for creating podcasts. That said, the vast majority of PCs have sound cards with microphone inputs, and the lion's share of them run the Windows operating system.

I came up with a process for creating a podcast on a PC that a preponderance of PC users will be able to follow, using the following items:

1 Connect the equipment

As in the Macintosh tutorial, I am assuming that you came up with the concept for the podcast, an outline, and possibly even a script before you made it to this point. When you are ready to begin, you must make the necessary connections to get the ball rolling ( Figures 3.63, 3.64 , and 3.65 ). In this case, the connections need only be that the microphone is plugged into the microphone or Line-In jack of the sound card on the back of the PC.

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Figure 3.63 In the case of the Realistic (Radio Shack) PZM omnidirectional condenser microphone, check to see that it has a fresh battery (there is no preamp to provide phantom power) before you plug it in.

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Figure 3.64 If your microphone has a 6.5mm (1/4-inch) jack, you will likely need an adapter to turn the jack into a standard 3.5mm jack that PC sound cards accept.

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Figure 3.65 Plug the microphone into the microphone input on the sound card (located on the back of your computer). If you make a mistake and plug it into the Line-In jack, it won't be the end of the world; you can always change the input in Audacity later. If you have a pop filter, this is also the time to set it up in front of the microphone.

2 Configure the application and OS

This next step involves making sure that the microphone is working as an input device in Windows. To do this, you must enter the Windows Sounds and Audio Devices control panel and ensure that the microphone is working ( Figures 3.66 through 3.71 ). Then you must open Audacity, create a new file, and test your microphone to ensure that it is working properly with that program ( Figures 3.72 through 3.75 ).

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Figure 3.66 From the Start menu, choose Settings > Control Panel > Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices.

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Figure 3.71 After a short time analyzing your system, the wizard shows this dialog box, which allows you to test the functioning of your microphone. When the wizard is complete, the microphone should be working properly.

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Figure 3.72 Now it's time to launch Audacity. When it's up and running, choose File > Save Project As to name and save your podcast.

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Figure 3.75 The left portion of the Audio Track window will tell you what the recording settings are. These should say Mono, 44100 Hz, and 32-bit float rate. If you are using a stereo microphone, you can click the Audio Track control to select a Stereo input. Likewise, if you want to increase or decrease the sampling rate, you can do that in this menu as well. 44100 Hz is 44.1 kHz, which will produce a CD-quality recording.

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Figure 3.67 Clicking Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices brings up the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box. There are five tabs at the top of this dialog box; click the tab labeled Voice.

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Figure 3.68 In the Voice Recording area, there is a menu from which you can choose the default recording device. This should already be set to the sound card that is in your computer (in this case, a C-Media card). If you have more than one device available, you can select it here.

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Figure 3.69 While still in the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties window, if you want to adjust the balance or the volume of the various inputs to the computer, click the Volume button in the Default Device window. This brings up the Recording Control dialog box, which allows you to adjust the volume and balance for four inputs: Microphone, CD Audio, Line In, and Wave.

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Figure 3.70 If you want to test that the microphone is working properly, click the Test Hardware button. This will bring up the Sound Hardware Test Wizard.

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Figure 3.73 In the middle of the main Audacity window is a drop-down menu labeled Microphone. If your microphone is plugged into the microphone jack of your sound card, you're all set. If, however, your microphone is plugged into the Line-In jack, you must select the appropriate input from the Microphone drop-down menu.

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Figure 3.74 Next, choose Project > New Audio Track.

3 Record your podcast

Now that everything is set up and ready to go, it's time to record the podcast. Before you start the actual podcast, record the first couple lines of your podcast; then go back and listen to it ( Figure 3.76 ). If you feel that your vocal track needs some adjustment, and you want to add an effect to it, you can add it after the recording (Audacity doesn't add effects dynamically). When you have completed the practice run, start the recording, and let it rip ( Figures 3.77 and 3.78 )!

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Figure 3.76 After recording a short test track, play back the recording to ensure that it sounds OK.

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Figure 3.77 When you're ready, click the Record button, and start talking!

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Figure 3.78 If you make a mistake, just pause for a second and then pick up where you left off (the mistake can be edited out later). The other option is to stop the recording and begin a new track. I recommend that you pause and then restart at the point where you made your mistake. This way, you will be editing just one track.

4 Edit your vocal content

The podcast recording is now in the bag. Unfortunately, you made a few verbal flubs and had to repeat yourself in several places to ensure that the material was covered cleanly. This is what editing was made for, and fortunately, the folks who made Audacity have made it easy for us to edit out any verbal mistakes ( Figures 3.79 through 3.82 ).

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Figure 3.79 Audacity allows you to edit the tracks right in the Audio Track window. To edit a specific portion or add an effect to it, highlight that portion of the track.

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Figure 3.82 To move a portion of the recording around, choose Edit > Cut. Then, using the selection tool, click the place in the recording where you want the cut piece of audio to be placed. When the area is selected (a line will appear in the recording showing the exact point of insertion), choose Edit > Paste.

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Figure 3.80 When the portion of the track you want to alter is highlighted, click the Effect menu and drag down to the effect you want to apply to the recording. In this case, you are adding an Echo effect to the selection.

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Figure 3.81 If you want to remove a specific portion, select that portion; then choose Edit > Cut. When you do this, the portion you selected will be cut from the recording.

5 Add music and finishing touches

The voice recording is now just right, but it's just a plain voice recording. Now is the time to import any music (see "Legalities" earlier in this chapter) into the background and/or at the beginning and end of the podcast. Audacity allows for the easy drag-and-drop addition of any MP3 or WAV file. Simply pick up the MP3 file you want, and drag it to the area beneath your main sound track ( Figure 3.83 ). The MP3 will be added as a separate audio track. When the music is in place, you can highlight specific sections and adjust the volume or apply effects such as a fade-in or fade-out as you see fit ( Figures 3.84, 3.85 , and 3.86 ).

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Figure 3.83 Drag audio files directly to Audacity. When you do, the files will be imported automatically.

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Figure 3.84 When the music is in place, you can adjust the volume control on the bar on the left, or you can select portions of the music and add effects to it. This is where you can add the Fade In and Fade Out effects.

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Figure 3.85 Note the (very loud) MP3 recording and how it is tapered at both ends. This file has had a short Fade In and a longer Fade Out effect added to it.

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Figure 3.86 If you want to add any effects to any portion of the recording, now is the time to do it. To add an effect, simply select the portion of the recording that you want to alter; then choose the effect you want to add from the Effect menu. You can undo the addition of effects, if need be.

6 Export the podcast to MP3 format

The last phase of the podcast creation process is outputting the file in a usable format. Ideally, the MP3 format is the one that can be accessed by the widest range of listeners, so I recommend that you choose that format ( Figures 3.87, 3.88 , and 3.89 ). Audacity can export files as .WAV files, MP3 files, or Ogg Vorbis files. For the purposes of mass acceptance, the MP3 is the file of choice.

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Figure 3.87 When the podcast is complete, choose File > Export As MP3.

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Figure 3.88 When you select the Export as MP3 file, a warning appears that the file will be mixed down into two tracks (a stereo recording). This is fine.

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Figure 3.89 Next, a dialog box asks you to name the file and select a place to save it. This dialog box also allows you to change your mind about what kind of file format to save it in. That's it! When the file has been exported as an MP3 file, the job is complete.

Creating Podcasts from Commercial Sources

Although I mentioned this topic in Chapter 2, I'll quickly touch on the process for creating podcasts from commercial material. The commercial sources in this case are radio shows, television shows, periodicals, and audiobooks that are available over the Internet or from devices such as the Griffin radio SHARK or software like Replay Radio. I also need to note that these are personal podcasts—made or purchased specifically for your own enjoyment. They are not meant to be shared with others.

The process of creating a personal podcast is as simple as downloading the file from a Web site or using a device like the Griffin radio SHARK to capture a radio show locally and turn it into an MP3 or AAC file for your iPod (or other MP3 player). Commercial Web sites like Audible.com offer audiobooks, newspapers, and magazines in podcast (audio) form, and obtaining them requires only that you pay (with a credit card) for the content.

Many radio stations are now creating podcasts with their content, including public radio systems like NPR (United States), CBC (Canada), BBC (United Kingdom), and ABC (Australia). These podcast files are available for the taking from the respective Web sites. Also, Replay Radio can troll the Internet airwaves (many of the world's terrestrial radio stations also broadcast over the Internet) and record any program you want. When they're recorded, you can easily download these files to your MP3 player or iPod for enjoyment wherever you go.

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