A Quick Guide to Podcasting

I'm happy to hear you're going to start podcasting. Here's a link to give you the basics of getting into podcasting: http://onlinebusinesszen.com/2011/podcasting-for-bloggers-learning-to-podcast-part-1

There are many audio interfaces (to get high quality audio into your computer), microphones, and software you can choose from. You'll need a computer and an audio interface box. I've used the Tascam US 122L, which I believe has been discontinued. A good alternative is the M-Audio MobilePre interface for about $150. You can pick one up at Best Buy or get it at http://www.musiciansfriend.com/computer-audio-interfaces-convertors/m-audio-mobilepre-mk-ii/h65460000000000?src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=603222883 . You'll also need software to record and mix your audio. I like Sony Vegas Pro ( http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro), but it's not cheap ($599). If you're using an Apple computer, you may want to use Garageband. I'd suggest you spend a little more money on your microphone to give you a nice sound. I like Audio-Technica micrphones and have used the AT4030 for recording. The AT4030 has been discontinued, but the AT4040 is a good alternative ( http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/9b6aac05c5aca887/index.html ). Be sure to get a windscreen to avoid the "popped P" sounds.

For recording your interviews, the most inexpensive way to do it is to use SKYPE and software called CallBurner ( http://www.callburner.com ). I like CallBurner because it records your voice on one track and your guest's voice on another -- which makes it easier to clean up the unwanted noise. The advantage to using SKYPE for your calls is, of course, they will be free (once you've purchased an annual plan that allows you to call a landline).

I hope this gets you started on looking for your equipment. Good luck with your podcasts. Let us know if we can help you with your podcast imaging (intro and outro) and/or editing.

How to create a professional podcast

Would you listen to a radio announcer who said uh or uhm throughout his show? Would you watch a TV show that has loud hum? Probably not. Face it. You want to hear the best audio possible in your favorite radio and television shows. It may be hard to believe but people actually want to hear quality podcasts, too.

Listen to any one of the top 25 podcasts on iTunes and you'll quickly discover that it's pretty much mistake-free. It has been cleaned up using various audio editing techniques. The plosives (popped P's) have been eliminated using fades and EQ filters, long pauses have been cut out, 60-cycle hums caused by poorly grounded audio equipment or noisy phone lines have been reduced by knocking out the low frequencies, and verbal blunders and unnecessary words have been skillfully removed to not sound edited.

Furthermore, most professional podcasts have a fully-produced intro and outro. The intro usually mentions the name of the podcast, what the show is about, and the name of the host. The outro usually contains show credits (producer, host's name again, sponsors, and disclaimers if needed), a website URL, and an invitation to come back for the next podcast. Brief music transitions are often used going into commercial breaks or between topics to help the podcast flow smoothly.

In a nutshell, if you want to get into the top 25 on iTunes, you're going to have to sound as good as the shows that are already there. But even if you don't make it into the top 25, wouldn't you like to sound your very best anyway? Go be creative. Record your podcast. Just remember to put some polish on it. If you need some help on audio editing, podcast intros, outros, and music transitions, check out http://audiobag.com.

Editing your podcast can make it really stand out

Editing out verbal flubs, long pauses, and extraneous noise in your podcast is a big step toward getting listeners to come back for your future podcasts. Lip smacking, paper rattling, thumping the desk, dogs barking, and appliances (air conditioner, refrigerator, fans) humming in the background can distract listeners. Think of your podcast as a radio or television network presentation. To sound as good as a podcast on iTune's Top 20, your podcast should be flawless (or as close to flawless as possible).

Adding a fully-produced intro and outro to your podcast is the icing on the cake. A good intro is usually 30 seconds in length, piques listeners' interest, and tells the audience what the show is about. The best intros and outros are created by someone other than the host of the show. It helps give you credibility.

If you need help with your audio editing, check out our services at http://audiobag.com/audioediting.html. If you'd like a professional podcast intro and outro, check out http://audiobag.com/intros.html. When you edit your podcast and add an opening and close to it, you'll definitely sound more professional.

7 Audio and Business Tips

1. Podcast idea: Use 15-second bumpers to encourage podcast listeners to click on your website pay per click ads.
2. Saving your talk podcast as 64 kbps mono MP3 is acceptable audio. For music, save it at least as 96 kbps stereo MP3 (128 kbps is better).
3. To boost sales in 2011, get a toll free number, put your address on your website, offer discounts, and make it easy to buy online.
4. Every entrepreneur and company who wants customers needs to advertise on Google AdWords. Start off spending $5 a day and use lots of keywords.
5. If you're not editing the mistakes out of your podcasts, you're not doing your listeners a favor. Give them your best.
6. An iPod Shuffle (in the loop mode) and an Apple AC adapter work great for playing your phone messages on hold into your phone system.
7. Revamp your business. Redo shoddy work. Refund when you can't fix something. And reward yourself by enjoying life. 

We hope these first tips from us for 2011 are helpful. Remember, if you need help with your audio, you can order online from us 24 hours a day at http://audiobag.com/.

Sounds from the Past

My coffee maker just breathed its typical finishing breath to let me know the coffee is ready, which made me think of Darth Vader. It's Sunday morning, and thanks to sound, I'm reminiscing.

The occasional crow that caws in my neighborhood reminds me of my grandmother's big two story house on Congress Avenue in South Austin because her front yard was always full of crows. A deep-voiced bark from the dog next door reminds me of my old dog, Chama. Even now, the birds out in the yard are singing this morning as if it's Spring, reminding me of previous springs in other houses. Sounds help me tap into the past.

Although I haven't heard it in many years, the memory of  "shh, shh, shh" of an inspect spray can with a long push handle reminds me of my Uncle Grover spraying the bees that managed to find their way into the screened porch area. The loud metal clanking of a car jack stuck precariously under a big rusted bumper reminds me of my dad on the side of the road in front of our 1953 Packard (it seems like cars were always having flats back then). Playing cards attached to the bicycle fork with wooden clothes pins reminds me of riding all over South Austin with my friend Kirby. I love so many of those old, almost forgotten sounds.

But there were some sounds I'm glad are in the past. Like the sound of the B-52s flying in and out of Bergstrom Air Force Base, reminding me of the Viet Nam War; civil defense sirens forcing so many of us to go into a hallway and tuck into strange protective positions; passing cars backfiring while I'm walking down the street; or the sound of crying coming from the master bedroom as a sibling got a spanking. Sounds are powerful, emotional, and reminders of the good and bad in our lives.

How Headphones Calm Me

Sometimes I find myself sitting at my desk with my headphones on and not listening to anything. Occasionally I like to block out the world's noise. There seems to be so much of it these days, too. As I write this, I hear the continuous sound of rain thumping on the gutter outside my office window. So I pop on my headphones and it's gone. The quietness helps calm me. My mind stops chattering. Unpleasant thoughts start to fade. No more Tucson tragedy, political demagoguery, recession, and rogue countries.

Instead, there's peace and quiet. Until I take the headphones off. And that's when the real world comes back to me and reminds me there's work to do.

Why We "Recall" Audio Projects

Near the end of every audio project we work on for a customer, we ask ourselves if it is the best we can do. If the answer is no, we re recut or remix the audio until we're satisfied it's our best. Occasionally we recut or remix an audio project after we've sent it to the customer. You can't imagine the reaction by the customer. They're appreciative that we caught something we didn't like even if they thought the work was good. We think of it as something similar to a recall. We believe the key to our success in 2011 will be to consistently offer our very best.