What Is Podcasting? – Pt. I
The Basics
Audio programs that are saved as MP3 files (usually) and encoded with a technology that has a very "techie" name — RSS with Enclosures — is a recent phenomenon. This new method of delivering audio (or video) is podcasting. Once a program is encoded, it's then uploaded to a website, such as a blog.Podcasts can be subscribed to by listeners directly from the website or through podcasting software such as Apple's iTunes, sometimes referred to as aggregators or "podcatchers." Once subscribed to, podcasts are downloaded automatically to users' PCs or Macs, or directly to their digital audio players (DAPs)
There are more than 15,000 podcasts currently available on a variety of topics. If you can think of a topic that you're interested in, it's likely that you can find an audience.
RSS
First, let's define some terms so we're on the same. . . er. . . webpage.
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary and it's a technology used to enable individuals or companies to publish information on the Internet. (We just wish someone would come up with a catchier name.)
Benefits:
- You can read the content from a hundred different websites
without:
- having to visit them all one by one to see if there is anything
new
- having to deal with a different presentation used on each of
those sites
- having to visit them all one by one to see if there is anything
new
- RSS has the potential to save a lot of time, particularly for
people who need to monitor multiple news sources, whether from
general sources or trade news sources:
- magazines
- newspapers
- blogs,
- or a combination.
- magazines
- You can look at whatever content you want in the simplest, most
uniform way possible.
- RSS makes it possible for anyone to syndicate
themselves and their message, easily, without needing a third
party, like a radio station or CD publisher, and at very low
cost.
- RSS with Enclosures (RSS 2.0) makes it possible to publish
attachments like audio or video files on a subscription basis. This
is the part that makes a podcast a podcast.
- RSS is still in its early stages and it's still not widely
understood outside of technical and weblog circles.
- This is improving quickly and will only get better moving
forward.
- This is improving quickly and will only get better moving
forward.
- RSS cannot be customized for individuals as when sending a newsletter to an email list, which is known as a mail merge.
How Does a Program Become a Podcast?
The workflow for creating a podcast is fairly simple when it's broken down in a broad fashion. First, you record your program. (Content creation and format are topics for another chapter.) Once you have finished recording and editing your program, you then encode it with RSS to create a feed. Next, you upload it to your website and create a description of the contents of the podcast. This can also include fairly specific Show Notes. This makes it easier for listeners to find links mentioned in your podcast, or music that you've played, etc. Once it's on your website, you "ping" several directories that list new podcasts (iTunes is one of them) and you sit back and relax. Or, you may start working on your next podcast. One such free tool is at www.pingomatic.com.
That's when the user takes over. Users can subscribe to your podcast, either directly on your website or through a podcatcher like iTunes. (There are several available but, in our view, Apple's iTunes is the easiest to use. Fire up your favorite search engine and enter "podcast aggregator" as a search term if you want to learn about others.)
Once the user subscribes to your podcast, that RSS we mentioned earlier takes over and automatically downloads your latest podcast to their PC or Mac, or — if their digital audio player (DAP) is connected — it will automatically transfer your podcast to that device. By the way, it's not necessary to own a DAP, much less an iPod, to be able to listen to podcasts. You can listen to them while sitting in front of your PC or Mac, if you like.
Here's what the process looks like, for those who learn better visually:
What Do I Need to Produce a Podcast?
Audio Setup
Hardware and Software
requirements are minimal — especially compared to years ago.
Fortunately, we live in a time when electronic equipment no longer
costs an upper and lower appendage. What costed thousands of
dollars twenty-five years ago now can be bought for the price of a
three-day weekend at a nice hotel. All you have to do is forego the
temptation to splurge on a "Magic Fingers" bed and you've got
enough for a basic podcasting setup.
Now, let's talk nuts and bolts. Or, more precisely, mikes and
mixers.
The weakest link in the chain is your microphone. It literally sets
the tone for the sound of your podcast. So, the microphone is the
most important component in your audio kit. Especially with a small
budget, you should set aside the largest single portion — if
not the majority — of your funds for a good quality
microphone, which, depending on your application, can be found for
under a hundred dollars. Here are some different types of mikes and
our suggestions for budget ranges in which to find a quality
microphone that's appropriate for podcasting.
Studio Mike / Condenser
If you plan on doing
all your recording in your home or office "studio," you'll probably
want to consider a condenser microphone. It's the
kind of mike used by most recording studios and many radio stations
to record voice. Generally, they have a smooth, "flat" frequency
response that has minimal emphasis in any part of the audio
spectrum. However, they're more sensitive and somewhat more fragile
than other microphone types. For this reason, they aren't used much
for location recording.
Price range: $150–$400 should get you into a very comfortable
quality range. Occasionally, you can find a gem without having to
give up the family jewels. (So to speak.) Do your research. By way
of comparison, the condenser mikes the pros use in recording
studios often cost over $3000 each.
Condenser Microphone
Location Mike /
Dynamic
If you plan to record on location and will be
hand-holding the microphone, a good choice is a
dynamic microphone. Some very good mikes can be
found in this category and shouldn't be looked down on as "second
best." Dynamic mikes serve a great function — minimizing the
rumbling noise made by the constant movement and handling of the
mike. Even in the studio, there are a number of great dynamic
microphones that have a sweet sound that many pros prefer.
Price range: $90–$400 will provide you with the kind of
quality sound you'll need as a podcaster and the rough handling
characteristics you'll need in the field. Dynamics can reach,
occasionally, into the $1500 range, but that's unusual. Again, time
spent in researching just the right mike for your needs and budget
will pay dividends.
Dynamic Microphone
Wireless Mike / Headset
Wireless mikes
can come in handy for many applications and, for some, are
preferable. There is a wide variety of wireless mikes, from
lavalier to handheld to headset. Let's look at just one application
here and you can research others if you need more
information.
Let's say you plan to podcast in a situation where you're part of a
team of podcasters and you're in a noisy environment. Having a mike
that is always at the same distance from your pie-hole eliminates
the problem of turning back and forth talking to your partners and
intermittently moving away from the mike. It's disconcerting, even
difficult, to listen to for any length of time. Plus, in a noisy
environment, it helps to be able to hear each other. With a
wireless headset mike, you solve all the problems, plus you
eliminate cabling, which, in the field, can be a major
hassle.
Price range: $300–$900. Wireless mikes will always be more
expensive because there are two additional devices that replace
cables — a transmitter and a receiver. But if you do your
homework, you can find occasional bargains.
Wireless Microphone/Headset
These are by no means the only types of microphones you can use for
podcasting. You may have other needs. The catalog we happened to
reference for this section (from BSWUSA.com) had 26 pages of
microphones. You're the only one who can ultimately decide how to
spend your budget. As we've been saying, do your research and
you'll find the right mike for you.
Digital Audio Recorders
iRiver iFP-795
While it is entirely possible to record your podcast straight to your PC or Mac, we feel this is not the most ideal situation, especially if you use your computer for other things. We have no biases against recording to your computer, we just think it is better used in post-production.
How do you record your podcast? Simple. . . with a digital audio player/recorder. The iPod, for all it's coolness, is not a recorder. It can only play back audio (unless you add third-party add-ons, which is another topic altogether.)
At the bargain end of the spectrum is a standout little device that's about the size of two or three iPod Shuffles back to back — the iRiver iFP-795. It has 512MB of flash memory which will give you up to 17 hours of music. The battery life is up to 40 hours on one AA. It has a built-in FM tuner and voice recorder and It can record from any audio source.
Price range: $108–$199. That low-end price has been rock solid for some time. At $108, I'd say this is a deal.
iRiver IFP-795
Edirol R-1
If you're interested in, say,
recording live music or you really care about top-notch quality,
this is the digital recorder you should look at first — the
Edirol R-1. Not long ago, the R-1 was in short supply and was hard
to come by — and priced accordingly. It's no wonder; the R-1
can record in 24-bit audio and does a remarkable job, even if you
only use the two built-in mikes. Recording time is limited only by
the size of the compact flash card you buy but since those have
come down in price, you can record from now till next week for not
a lot of cash. Runs on 2 AA batteries or an AC adapter.
For the purist, this tarot-card-sized recorder is is a bit more
spendy than the iRiver but certainly worth it in our view.
Price range: $380–$495. Don't come running to us when you
simply have got to have this puppy. We're saving for one
of our own.
Edirol R-1
Again, these are not the only DAPs that can do a great job of
recording your podcast. They're simply two that we think are great
examples from the lower end and the middle of the price
spectrum.
Let's Mix It Up
MixersThese functionally named devices are not always the items that get all the attention from gearheads. But we have a secret crush on anyone who can design and build and mixer that makes our lives easier by being clearly laid out and easy to use. That's why this little gem below is one of our favorites in the budget category.
Behringer UB802
Behringer doesn't build the most rugged equipment around but the specs are excellent and the features are well marked, logically laid out and and easy to use (our favorite phrase). We couldn't describe it any better than Behringer's own website: "The UB802 shown here features 2 INVISIBLE MIC PREAMPs (IMPs), 6 balanced high-headroom line inputs, 1 post fader FX send per channel for external FX devices and 1 stereo aux return for FX applications or as separate stereo input. There is also an effective, extremely musical 3-band EQ on all channels. The UB802 is well-suited for use with fixed audio and video installations as well as keyboards, samplers and computer application." [Emphasis added.]
Keep in mind that this line of mixers in not intended to be used for location work and to have to endure the rigors of all that that entails. If you plan on staying put or will only mix the occasional lounge gig once or twice a year and you don't abuse your equipment, this may be the mixer for you.
Price range: $39–$59. Buy a new one for every podcast. You can go smaller; you can go larger —just GO! Skeedaddle!
Behringer UB802
Yamaha AW14G
Let's run up to the other end of
the scale for small mixers. Okay, so it's not quite the other end;
it's more like a tenor to the Behringers bass. (We'll work on that
metaphor thing.) This is a mixer that's much more than just a
mixer; it's a complete digital audio workstation or DAW, for
short.
Intended originally for musician's to lay down scratch tracks and
work out new songs without the expense of being in the studio, the
Yamaha AW14G is powerful 16-track digital audio workstation. It can
simultaneously record 8 tracks and has a total of 144 virtual
tracks. It keeps levels in line with its built-in dynamics
processing and 4-band parametric EQ on all channels. It has 13
types of studio-quality mastering effects, a Quick Loop Sampler
with 4 stereo sample pads for recording drums and sound effects,
and a Sound Clip function to capture ideas while you're practicing.
Comes with a built-in 20GB hard disk and a built-in CD-RW drive so
you can burn CDs of your music and back up recording data. And if
that's not enough, it'll cook dinner and spit shine your
shoes.
Price range: $800–$1000. But it could be the answer for the
podcaster who wants a "black box" solution instead of having to
deal with several devices — especially when "roading
it.".
Yamaha AW14G
