Podcasting - Production

Getting Started

We have an idea and we know what content we want to have on our cast. Now we need to know how to put it together.

In production we will discuss:

- the use of outside content

- equipment

- production techniques.

Recording at Home

Recording Equipment

The beauty of podcasting is that it can be done almost anywhere. Quality is still key but there is some allowance given how much someone values the content.

What we will focus on however is recording the best quality cast from home as possible.

This includes:

Recording Area

Recording Equipment

Mics will be the focus here and can run the gamut of cost and complexity

Neewer USB Mic

Blue Yeti Mic

Rode Mic

Modified Apple Headphones

Cost: $32.99

Cost: $125

Cost: $169

Cost: $0-29.99

Your Recording Area

Where you record

Soundproofing

- In absence of a carpeted room you can throw down rugs to dampen sound off the floor.

- You can hang comforters and heavy curtains around your recording area to dampen outside noise and reduce echoes.

- You can hang these against walls or purchase sound proofing panels to dampen reverberation.

- You will want to pick a closet or interior room. Preferably with no windows.

- Avoid recording in corners which might cause noises to reverberate.

- Same goes for recording in rooms that have hard floors that contribute to echoes.

- Avoid or turn off extraneous noise like air conditioners and running appliances.

Your Own Sound Proof Box

$5.00

$9.99

You can try to target your soundproofing to just the microphone.

And depending on how you build it, your setup can be portable for when you need to take your show on the road.

You should pick materials that absorb sound and are as thick as possible.

Cost: $15.00

Spray adhesive optional

Coordinating Guests

Option 1:

This requires they have another form of communication.

1

Start the Call And have Them Set UP with their Phone on Their End.

VOICE MEMOS

Depending on how you format your podcast you may want to do prerecorded Q&A's or panel discussions or just make sure you get the best sound during an interview.

Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, etc work for this just fine but sometimes people aren't that tech savvy and you don't always want people having to download an app to participate.

Here are two options for that one is web based app and the other uses our phone.

2

HAVE THEM talk into their phone like we would during a recorded interview.

When done they e-mail or find or send you a link to the sound.

3

Option 2:

You can use a site like cleanfeed.net. This is a web based application so all anyone needs is internet access and the link. Once you set up your account which is free for a limited application you can have people join you through the app and record your conversation.

This works especially well if you have multiple people you want to have a conversation with. They also don't need to have a special application, phone or computer. And most importantly they don't need a cleanfeed account, just you do.

cleanfeed.net

MUsic

Music is an important element in your podcast. It helps keep pacing going, can set the tone of your cast, or help with transitions among other things. You have a few options when it comes to music:

1. Compose something yourself

2. Have a friend compose something for you and give you the rights to use it.

3. Pay a fee (monthy, yearly, etc.) for access to a library of music.

4. Purchase a license for a song or a suite of songs to use for your product. (Can get costly depending on rights limitations.

5. Utilize free rights songs or Creative Commons songs.

Some Music Sources

Hook Sounds: https://www.hooksounds.com/ is a 29 dollar a month service that creates their own content. They do have some free content.

YouTube's Free Audio Library: https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music?nv=1

Creative Commons gives access through its search function and there is a list they have curated here: https://creativecommons.org/about/program-areas/arts-culture/arts-culture-resources/legalmusicforvideos/

Shutterstock also has a service called Premium Beat where you can license music: https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free/buy-music-license

Fair Use

A “fair use” is copying any protected material (texts, sounds, images, etc.) for a limited and “transformative” purpose, like criticizing, commenting, parodying, news reporting, teaching the copyrighted work. Under the US copyright laws, fair use “is not an infringement of copyright." - From Creative Commons

Two misconceptions about fair use:

-Acknowledgment is not enough

- Disclaimers are not enough

The Podcasting Legal Guide from Creative Commons is a great resource:

https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/Podcasting_Legal_Guide#Fair_Use_Under_Copyright_Law_And_Its_Application_To_Podcasts.

Example 1:

A book group organized by a high school teacher podcasts its meeting discussing J.D. Salinger's Catcher In The Rye. The members discuss the book, read short portions of it aloud, and criticize and comment on the author's style, the storylines, and the like. The podcast is posted on the book group's blog site, which is hosted by the high school. The site includes no advertising and generates no revenue.

Conclusion: This would likely be a fair use.

Example 2:

A podcaster uses the copyrighted music of pianist George Winston for the intros and outros of her podcast that is about yoga and meditation. The podcast has nothing to do with commenting or critiquing the music played.

Conclusion: This is likely not a fair use.

Example 3:

A 10-minute podcast includes a group of music fans discussing a recent copyrighted article in Rolling Stone magazine about a new band. One fan reads 4 paragraphs of the 6-paragraph article and comments on its analysis of the band. Another fan plays a 1-minute segment of the band's copyrighted song, which is 2 minutes in length. The fan then discusses the music as it compares to other music in the genre. The fans post the podcast on a fan website where advertising is sold, and the fans receive revenue for their podcast.

Conclusion: This commentary/criticism by the fans in response to the article and song suggests a “fair use”, but the commercial/profit aspect of the site where the podcast is being distributed raises concern, as does the amount of the article and song taken in comparison to their overall length.

Cover Art

Some options:

Something visual for an audio medium? Absolutely! Your cover art is what draws people to your cast on lists or through promotions.

It should be representative of your cast and eye catching enough for people to click.

1.Maybe you're artistic enough to make your own through Photoshop or a paid service like Canva.

2. You can source it out to a more talented individual. Either through a service like Fiverr or through an art or design college.