Recording a podcast has never been easier.
Today, we’ll explore 3 ways that you can record your own podcast.
Recording a Long-Distance Interview
For interview-style podcasts, you can record using Skype to record or plan to record via a conference call with free services such as FreeConference.com. Both services allow multiple people to participate on a call.
Recording an In-Person Interview
For those of you who intend to record and conduct on-site interviews, I’d recommend visiting
the location of the interview ahead of time to become familiar with your surroundings.
Scope out the best place to setup shop and minimize any extraneous or background noise (unless
that’s the atmosphere you are trying to create).
Try using a portable digital voice recorder such as the Olympus WS300M Digital Voice Recorder or Sony ICD-SX57 Digital Voice Recorder.
Recording One-Person Shows
If you are hosting the podcast and are speaking directly to your audience, life becomes a lot easier because you are in control of where you record, how you record, and the material you present.
Simply have your show outline ready, plug in your microphone, set-up your recording
software and hit record. Be sure to record in a quiet environment and let anyone present in the
office ( or house ) know that you are not to be disturbed until the recording is finished.
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This is where your web publishing tool comes into place. For simplicity, we’ll use Blogger as
the example. In essence, you’ll be creating a “New Entry” just like you would when posting an
article on your blog.
How does it differ then from a regular blog post? You’ll be including a hyperlink to the MP3 file
on your server where the MP3 is hosted.
Tips for Creating a Podcast Episode Entry
•Give your podcast a title
•Number your episode
•Add a short description for your episode
•Add a hyperlink to the MP3 file for this episode
•Add tags to help search engines identify the contents of your podcast episode
Once you’re done creating the episode, click “Publish” and you’ll see your post on the Internet.
Written by stephanie · Filed Under Blog
If you’re planning on recording interviews, a simple set-up including a quiet location and a portable voice recorder should do the trick. Here are 5 choices of portable digital voice recorders that deliver great digital audio.
1. Olympus WS300M Digital Voice Recorder
Recording, sound quality and storage capacity that doesn’t make a big dent in your wallet - if those are the qualities you’re looking for in a digital voice recorder, this is the digital voice recorder you want. With 256 MB flash memory, the WS-300M voice recorder can store documents and images as well as audio. As for recording, it boasts of up to 68 hours of recording time (or about 66 songs) with features such as index marking and a variety of playback modes. And the sound? Superior for the price.
2. Olympus DS-30 Digital Voice Recorder
The Olympus DS-30 is one of the company’s most sensitive recorders and is a great pick for those looking for quality sound recording. The built-in stereo microphone has three sensitivity settings and you can add an external mic if you like. The DS-30 digital voice recorder has up to 67 hours of recording time in LP mode, voice activation recording, five different recording modes, 256 MB flash memory and plays and stores MP3 and WMA files. A USB cable for quick file transfer and DSS Player Software for easy editing of your voice files are both included.
3. Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder
This one makes the list of best digital voice recorders because of its combination of features and price. The WS-311M has recording features such as a built-in stereo microphone, the ability to set up to 16 index marks within a file, slow and fast playback and voice filtering that are usually only found in higher priced digital voice recorders. To transfer files, all you have to do is plug the recorder into a computer’s USB port. Other features include 138 hours of recording time in LP mode, 512 MB internal Flash Memory and the ability to play and store both MP3 and WMA files. No editing software is included.
4. Sony ICD-SX57 Digital Voice Recorder
This digital voice recorder has two big selling points; a good amount of recording time (95 hours in LP mode) and the ability to play MP3 files. Whether you care about the second of these or not, this is a fine recorder with all the features you need for recording, playing back and organizing your voice files, such as voice operated recording, overwrite, cue and review, easy search and three message folders. File transfer is by USB cable and Digital Voice Editor software is included.
5. Sony ICD-U60 Digital Voice Recorder
It’s sleek and stylish but that’s not what earns Sony’s ICD-U60 digital voice recorder a place on this list; it earns a spot because of its features. The ICD-U60 has functions such as Digital Voice Up (which increases the volume of the person speaking when recorded at a distance from the unit) and Digital Pitch Control (which lets you hear recordings at slower than normal speeds to facilitate transcribing or editing) which I find really handy. It also has 512MB of built-in flash memory, a built-in USB connector for quick file transfer, and up to 251 hours of recording time in LP mode.
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Your Goal with Editing
Your finished podcast should flow seamlessly from one sentence to the next. If your editing has
caused abrupt interruptions, or simply doesn’t make sense (not a good thing), then perhaps
you should reconsider your editing style or seek help from a professional to fine tune your pro-
duction and achieve a “podcast-ready” podcast.
Room Tone - Natural Sound Temperature
A location’s room tone is its auditory fingerprint. These are non-specific sounds generated by
the natural acoustics of the room. Editing may also be required when sounds overlap. If they
occur while you or another individual in your podcast are speaking your editing can be more
challenging. To preserve the original performance, try to find another take of the word(s) in
question (the one you want to replace) and edit or splice the word in to replace the unusable
take.
Production Techniques - Mixing in your show intro, imaging, and musical transitions
Remember when you wrote your podcasting script? Now is the time to mix in your show intro,
the section that announces the name of your podcast and the episode number. It is most effec-
tive if this is the voice of an announcer, distinct from your own.
Try fading your background music in when a new segment beings. Lower the volume level of the music when you are speaking so that your listeners can hear every work you say. At the end of the segment, fade your background music out. Use musical transitions between the various segments of your podcast. These musical transitions are known as bumpers, stages or sweepers.
Key Points About Mixing
In this article you balanced the volume levels of the voice-over(s), music and sound effects.
You are now ready to export your podcast recording into an MP3.
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With anything, including a podcast, it truly benefits you to be prepared. Whether you are in podcasting for leisure or business you will need a plan.
Planning topics to discuss, possible guest interviews, and the duration of your show in advance will go a long way when producing a professional sounding podcast. Since you’ll be recording your podcast in an almost live fashion, you will have the flexibility of going back and re-editing sections before committing your show as “podcast-ready”.
Before you started, you’ll need:
* A web publishing tool ( Try Blogger, TypePad, WordPress or MoveableType )
* A file hosting service ( Try LibSyn for free, AudioBlogger is also a good choice )
* Recording software ( Try Audacity for Window-based PCs or Garageband on Mac - both are free )
* Microphone ( Try a good headset microphone or better yet the Marshall Electronics MXL 006 Condenser USB Microphone for only $129)
Identifying The Theme - The Nucleus of Your Podcast
Developing your podcast description is a necessary step in the branding process. When you are brainstorming your podcast description, make sure that it explains the purpose of your show and accentuates the theme of your podcast. This description should be no more than two to three sentences in length.
Selecting a Name - Personify Your Podcast
When selecting a name, be sure that the name of your podcast reflects the content that you are recording. For example, if your subject matter is about travel, your podcast name should be branded to complement your show. To illustrate, a podcast about travel might be called Globetrotter, Passport Podcast, The Travel Guide, and so on. Make sure that the name you choose is also available as a domain name online. Try to make your name unique but easily understood and recognizable.
Acquiring a Domain Name and Blog Name
Once you have picked a name for your podcast, purchase the domain name for your podcast. This is extremely important because interested listeners and inquisitive searchers will be able to find your podcast in Search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, MSN and others. As a reward for consistently branding your podcast, search results will display your website and podcast accordingly.
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Avoid The Cheap Route
Experimenting with recording your podcast can be done with your existing computer, some free software and online tools. Experimental is the key word here, as you do get what you pay for.
Bear in mind that this set-up won’t give you or your audience a good indication of your vocal
quality and may reflect poorly on your business. Yikes! For this reason, I’d strongly recommend
investing a modest amount ( less than $500.00 ) in some basic recording equipment, specifically a microphone and a book about audio recording.
Doing It Right
One of the biggest trends in recent audio production involves merging digital recording with
computer technology. The recording of audio onto a computers’ hard drive allows you to edit
and manipulate your sound files. This data can be stored as a sound file such as .wav or .aiff.
There are multiple advantages to recording and editing your voice-overs using your personal
computer.
•The ability to record long and uninterrupted narration.
•Digital editing. Quickly and easily remove unwanted background noise or embellish the
audio track with music and sound effects.
•Digital Processing. Add effects to your voice, such as reverb, or echo, and master your
entire demo for sonic clarity.
Minimum Voice-over Requirements for PC
According to Gartner Research, Windows-based PC’s account for 90% of all computers world-
wide. If you have purchased your personal computer in the last three years and you’re running
Windows XP, your system should be more than adequate to record an audio file with a micro-
phone, and then save the recording as an MP3 file.
•Personal Computer
•Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent Processor
•Windows 2000 / Windows XP
•iTunes for PC
•1 GB of available disk space
•512 MB of RAM
•Audio Line In and Audio Line Out
Minimum Voice-over Requirements for Mac
Recently with the launch of Apple’s iTunes, it shows that Apple is committed to the digital revo-
lution. Since most iPod owners are also Mac owners there is also a lot of great software avail-
able for the Mac platform.
The misconception that the Mac is simply too expensive or that they are only for students and
artists is quickly being proven wrong. Apple has also offers the Mac Mini, a scaled down ver-
sion of the Mac that allows previous PC owners to make the switch but still keep their monitor,
keyboard and mouse - all for just $499.
•Mac G3 or better
•Mac OS X
•iTunes for Mac
•1 GB of available disk space
•512 MB of RAM
•Audio Line In and Audio Line Out
Microphones - Amplify Your Voice
Whether you are using a Mac or PC, you will need a microphone to record your voice into your
computer. One option is to purchase a microphone ( or you may already have one ) with a 1/
8th inch jack. This is the size of the jack or audio line in port on your personal computer. The
other option is to purchase a USB microphone, which have made significant advancements in
their quality over the past few years.
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Diane Mack of Diane Mack Advertising agreed to answer a few questions about her experience at Voices.com (PodcastingVoiceTalent’s main site) and how she used the service to find, select and hire talent. Recently she completed a project at Voices.com and hired Lili Wexu.
Here’s her case study:
How has Voices.com helped you with your project needs?
“For our 30-second TV spot titled “Green New World,” we wanted a female voice as close as we could get to a recorded example we had come upon in a promotional video for a high-tech university program.
Because our client, Gulf Breeze Natural Gas, has a small budget, we have always used local voice talent. However, that had previously always been male voice talent. The one female we knew of locally was not the right voice for this project, but she kindly referred us to Voices.com. Our deadline to get this done was moderately tight.”
Did you use the Featured Talent Directory or browse the talent search engine?
“I personally conducted the search on your website as I have good aural memory and was very familiar with what was needed in the way of tone, style of delivery, etc. Whoever designed your website should be commended for an intelligently conceived and very user-friendly search structure.”
Did you contact any talent directly? How did you select the talent?
“I began by browsing female voice talent, listening to the brief clips from about 40 voices and making my list of top possibilities as I went along. When I had a top five list, I went back to those voices and listened to all the available samples from each one. Lili Wexu was choice #1, and so I e-mailed her for a quote. Both her price and audition recording were acceptable, and we set a date to do the production, with myself and our production sub-contractor to direct by phone patch.”
What challenges did you face using the Voices.com system to find talent?
“As mentioned previously the search structure of the site was easy to use since I knew exactly what it was that I needed and how it would sound.”
How would you describe your overall experience with the site?
“The whole experience was smooth, efficient, and supremely professional. I was, and remain, impressed by the resource that Voices.com represents, and I would most assuredly use Voices.com in the future.”
About the Client
Diane Mack Advertising, Inc. is a small agency located in Pensacola and serving the Northwest Florida area. We have been in business since 1984, serving primarily clients who have required high-end, high-quality creative work. Our clients have included the regional university, performing arts organizations, real estate developers, architects, a manufacturer of high-tech marine equipment, banks, hospitals, and municipalities.
Project Details
Project ID: 7243
Project Title: Green New World
Category: Television Commercials
Language: English (North American)
Project Close Date: December 20, 2007
Selected Talent: Lili Wexu
This was a private job offer where Lili was the only invited talent.
Written by stephanie · Filed Under Blog
A new proven-to-be-effective species of marketing has been established, one that effortlessly propagates information to targeted audiences and receives exposure to the masses online.
Allow me to introduce to you, the newest member of your marketing family, the Podcast.
To see how podcasting fits into your “family” of marketing, I’ve devised a scientific classification system for you that demonstrates where podcasting comes from and how it fits:
Kingdom: Business
Phylum: Marketing
Order: Public Relations
Family: Media
Genus: Digital Media
Species: Podcast
Faster than weeds are popping up in your garden and rising higher in popularity than Virginia Creeper are podcasts, abounding wherever fertile creative ground and a captive audience is available.
A successful podcast is designed to execute campaigns with distinct purposes, be they promotional or educational, and are able to penetrate consumer interest like no other marketing tool.
You have a direct say in how your podcast influences your customers and company culture, and best yet, you can even choose a voice to represent your organization.
This voice will deliver messages on a regular basis to listeners subscribed to your podcast, will become a trusted voice of your company, and will be a wonderful introductory source for new customers wanting to learn more about your business.
Podcasting, while not only a tool for businesses, is also used for the promotion of tourism, politics, and education.
A podcast is the perfect way to keep up with active people (your customers, current or prospective) on the go with their iPods or similar MP3 players.
Heads of state including George W. Bush of the US, ranging all the way to city leaders, for example, the Mayor of Limerick, Diarmuid Scully, in Ireland are podcasting, proving that all levels of government are using podcasting as a means of communication to spread their message and gain feedback from their respective audiences.
Scripting the podcast is not difficult. You probably already have some written material on hand that you use to promote your company, suitable for a podcast script or segment of a podcast.
All that you are really missing is a voice to represent your organization and convey your message.
Did you know that the best podcasting voices in the world are at Voices.com?
We’ve worked hard to consolidate the finest voices on the web, not to mention the most diverse voices available online so that you can find the perfect voice for your podcast.
If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast for a long time or if this letter has sparked a keen interest in pursuing a new marketing tool, now is the time to get the ball rolling.
Here are 3 Easy Ways to Find the Voice of your Podcast:
1. Post a Podcasting Job
2. Browse the Featured Talent Categories
3. Search by keyword
Traditional media consumption is evolving and web savvy consumers who love podcasts are leading the pack, educating and converting others along the way.
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Apple’s 6th generation iPod could be doing more than just playing your tunes, podcasts, or storing your pictures - it could be talking to you!
Here’s an excerpt from an article written by Richard Gray of the Scotsman.com News. We thought you’d enjoy it!
“Not content with changing the world’s music-listening habits, Apple has come up with another innovation: the talking iPod,” Richard Gray writes for The Scotsman.
Gray writes, “A new generation of machines will use sophisticated software to convert the names of bands, albums and individual tracks into recognisable speech.”
“The new iPod will tell you what it is about to play, removing the need for users to look at the screen while selecting music, and making the device safer and easier to use while driving, cycling or in badly-lit locations,” Gray writes.
“Apple has flatly refused to comment on the design, but a patent lodged by the company in the United States makes clear the sixth generation of iPods will be able to convert those famous text menus into speech,” Gray writes.
“The ingenious system will rely on home PC processing power and clever software. The computer being used to download tracks will analyse each album title, song name and artist and convert them into sound files. These will be loaded into the iPod, along with the song files,” Gray writes.
“Users of the music players will still operate the Clickwheel as normal, but hear the names of songs and bands through their headphones,” Gray writes.
Gray writes, “[The] Apple [patent application] says its system will break down words in a new way that makes it possible to pronounce perfectly even the most obscure song titles and artist names.
“It also proposes using ‘voice talent” - such as famous actors - to make the speech more human and add in the celebrity factor,” Gray writes. “The patent also proposes using different voice ‘characteristics,’ such as gender, for different sections of the iPod menus.”
Read the full article here.
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On-line audio clips make the leap from entertainment to the corporate domain.
The Globe and Mail published an excellent article about how podcasting is now a strategy that has moved from the world of entertainment to the business realm.
CEOs are podcasting their messages, executives use podcasting to communicate to their departments, using podcasting as a tool for both boosting morale levels and for instruction.
Podcasts are replacing internal memos, blogs, emails, and even trade shows.
The Globe and Mail interviewed Ron Clark, vice-president of Altana Pharma Inc. who uses podcasts on the company’s intranet site to communicate with employees across Canada.
“Most people tune out of e-mails and voice-mails after a while,” Mr. Clark said. Podcasting, he added “is just a different way, a fresh way, of communicating a message.”
This article is just one example of corporate podcasting potential being realized.
Not to be left out, the vocal Robert Scoble, Microsoft’s infamous corporate blogger, declared that podcasting is not a fad and anyone who says so should be fired from their place of work. The blogger, recently quit Microsoft and was set to move into his new office at PodTech.net, a Silicon Valley-based podcast producer.
So the question is: Do you have a company podcast?
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