Podcasting for dummies pdf free download

There is also the possibility that your initial show may inspire an additional angle so unique that you will have to start another podcast specifically to address that audience. A trick in making a podcast work is to speak confidently about your topic. It may take a few podcasts to find a groove, or you might hit the ground running and have a podcast that immediately takes off. Just speak with conviction. This is your podcast. Allow yourself to shine.

The content you bring to the Internet — regardless of what genre it falls under — is unique because it is your podcast. It is your voice, your angle, and your approach to whatever intent you pursue. Finding Your Voice The broadcasting industry might not want to admit to this, but podcasting and commercial radio share a lot in common. In the early days of what is now a major radio genre, talk shows were reserved for National Public Radio and news stations. In general, they were pretty dry and lackluster, bringing their listeners the news, weather, and daily topics that affected the world — but nothing particularly unusual or exciting.

You can love him, you can hate him — you can claim to hate him when secretly you love him — but Stern completely turned around what was considered AM-only programming. Now talk radio is big business.

A majority of podcasting is just that: talk radio. Each podcast has a different personality and appeals to a different market. Finding your voice is one of the most challenging obstacles that you as a once-and-future podcaster must clear. That message will influence the voice you adopt for your podcast. It astounds me how many people hate listening to their recorded voice. When finding your voice, though, you need to hear what your current voice sounds like first.

Then read it aloud a few times and find a rhythm in your words. The more familiar you are with how your voice sounds, the easier you can edit your podcasts and evaluate them before going online. When you want to make a point, slow down. After you know what you sound like when you record, here is where you develop your podcasting personality. Is your persona going to be light, fun, and informal, or something a little edgy and jaded?

Is your message taking an angle of marketing, politics, or religion? Or are you podcasting a love of music, science, or your Macintosh? A full script and hours of prep time, or a single note card and two clicks of the mouse — one for Record and another for Stop? Some writers prefer to use an outline when putting together a short story or novel; others merely take an idea, a few points, and a direction, and then let their fingers work across the keyboard.

Depending on your podcast, though, prep time may vary. She spends an hour writing and rehearsing her material. If she incorporates material from other resources, she might need to tack on another half hour. See Figure Figure Area 51 takes its comedy seriously, and that means plenty of preshow prep! A PureCastMedia. Both are popular podcasts that consistently run smoothly thanks to appropriate preshow prep.

So how far should your prep go technically? That depends on what your podcast needs. Outlines and scripts can keep you on track with what you want to say, serving as roadmaps to keep you moving smoothly from Point A to Point B. They jot down essential points on note cards to keep the podcast on track, but the points are the only material they write beforehand.

Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button Organizational skills from the workplace can be easily applied to the podosphere. For example, Nicole Simon, in her day job as a consultant, gives presentations on various marketing strategies. With a collection of ideas and topics gathered between podcasts, she begins her one-take recording with a handful of points serving as a guideline.

This is a talent of quick thinking, and while it keeps material spontaneous and fresh, it is a talent that must be developed with time.

For example, Dan Klass is the demented mind behind the sharp and sarcastic podcast, The Bitterest Pill. His show is completely improvised. No prep time. Not a list of key points in sight. How can he do this? He then lets his passion for Walt, Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and the gang drive him easily through 30 minutes in some cases, an hour. Choosing a Method for Recording Interviews In your search to find the podcast that best reflects you, communicates the message you want to send out to the world, and makes the impression you want to make among the thousands of podcasts being uploaded , you conclude that the best way to give your viewpoint credence is to bring in guests.

Your podcast just got a bit more technically complicated. You can attach them to a telephone in the same manner as an answering machine , record over 20 hours of conversation, and then easily transfer the sound from device to computer via a USB port. Using either a standard modem or another hook-up device in the case of some software packages, it comes included , your telephone and your computer are connected. When the call comes in or when you make the call, you can then ask for permission to record the conversation again, some software does this automatically and then bring the phone call directly into your computer in the format of your choosing.

You can find these recorders and software packages at your local electronics store or online at a wide variety of prices. Recording conversations with Skype If you have never heard of Skype, do yourself a favor: Surf over to www. You can record Skype conversations with various methods and use downloadable software to monitor levels and volume as you record as detailed on www.

Figure shows an example setup that provides the ability to record Skype calls for editing into a podcast. You can give Audio Hijack a test run by downloading a fully working demo at www. Follow these steps to record: 1. In the Recording Bin, click Default System Input a microphone reading the current default audio input and output settings to select it. In the lower-right corner of the window, make sure the Input tab is selected. Click the Recording tab in the lower-right corner of the window and make changes as needed.

Note that when you change the Title in the Tags section of the Recording window, your Default System Input changes to whatever you have named it. Figure The Recording window in Audio Hijack Pro gives you full control over the format and quality of your captured audio.

Click the Effects tab in the bottom-right corner of the window. The Application Mixer opens, as shown in Figure Click the Select button and choose Skype. The crossfade can be regarded as a gain or input signal strength ruler, giving more signal dominance to either the source recording signal or the application recording signal.

If your voice is coming in loud and clear but your Skype caller is not, try adjusting the crossfade a few notches towards the application, giving Skype more dominance. Although you can adjust levels in post-production and easily re-record your questions and edit them in, it is more difficult to do when your interview has already been recorded. When recording Skype interviews, it is best to record with the Skype signal strong. In the Application Mixer, click the Hijack button and then close the window.

Skype automatically launches. Compliance with these laws is the responsibility of the podcaster. Always ask for permission or better yet, get it in writing before recording phone calls. Then go into the Application Mixer and turn off the Hijack feature there. The Audio Hijack free demo is a fully working version of Audio Hijack Pro with a failsafe built in to it in order to make it and keep it a demonstration application. After ten minutes of recording, the sound is slowly replaced by static.

Upgrading to Audio Hijack Pro provides you with a fully working version of the software, granting you the ability to record hours of Skype calls in the format of your choice. Recording Skype calls using SkypeOut SkypeOut is a built-in feature that comes with Skype and gives you, the Skype user, the ability to dial a telephone number either LAN or mobile and use Skype to talk to that person at two cents a minute. Oh, and this charge is for all calls, anywhere in the world.

Follow these steps to start using SkypeOut: 1. Go to My Account and login using your Skype username and login. Your SkypeOut account is activated. Simply purchase another block of credit to reactivate it. Return to Skype and click the Dial tab. Skype opens a numeric keypad emulating a telephone, as shown in Figure Figure When SkypeOut is active, you can place phone calls to nonSkype users. Enter a phone number and click the green Call button. Record the phone call by using either Audio Hijack Pro or Gizmo both of which are described in this chapter.

SkypeOut credits have a shelf life of days after your last SkypeOut call. So if you go three months between calls, you might find that your credit is gone and your SkypeOut feature is inactive. If this happens or if you run out of credit, repeat Steps 1 through 3 to put credit back into your account and reactivate SkypeOut.

However, a new player is stepping into the area, offering a free alternative to Skype, and this new gizmo for your computer is simply called. Available for download at www. One of these additional features is the ability to record conversations and save them in WAV format.

Gizmo also informs both parties in the call that the phone conversation is being recorded and when recording stops. If you are not podcasting with a Mac and are looking for an efficient and easy way to record interviews, take a good look at Gizmo, the latest option offered by the Internet to make over-thephone interviews cost effective for start-up podcasts.

Laws both federal and state prohibit the recording of conversations without permission, and further restrictions limit broadcasting these conversations. If you have arranged a phone-in or Skype-in interview with someone for your podcast — say, a favorite indie musician or a local politician — prepare for the interview the day before or a few days before : Skype or phone a friend to conduct a mock interview and make sure the recording setup not only works but also sounds good.

Bandwidth demands increase the more people you conference through your computer. And while this may sound a bit pessimistic, be ready for things to go wrong. Guests might not show up for interviews, and new high-tech toys, if not given a proper pre-interview shakedown, may not come through. Prepare to have plenty of topics to discuss on your own, and then your podcast can continue following a quick disclaimer. In podcasting, sticking to a regular schedule is reassuring to your listeners because they know you will offer new feeds consistently and punctually.

Prepping Your Green Room for Guests A guest could be your dad, your mother-in-law, your best friend, or the man on the street. It could also be the friend of a friend who can get you on the phone with your favorite author, actor, or athlete, but now you have a second party to worry about.

Pull together a few questions, organize a direction and tempo for your podcast, and leave yourself some breathing room for impromptu or interesting offtopic tangents to emerge. This kind of interview not only is the most fun to do, but also gives you direct contact with the subject so you can observe body language, facial expressions, and reactions to questions and answers.

Offer them something to drink. Offer to take them on a tour of your humble abode. Introduce them to your family. The point is to be polite. Okay, maybe he would greet them wearing the Guinness slippers, but he would be bathed and dressed and have his teeth brushed and hair combed.

The key word here is guest. Treat them as such. Be cool, be pleasant, be nice. The in-studio visit is an audition for both guest and host. If the guest is abrasive, abusive, and just plain rude, chances are the guest will never be invited back, no matter how well the previous interview goes. If a host asks unapproved questions, continues to pry into personal matters that have nothing to do with the interview, or seems determined to take over the interview spotlight as if trying to impress the guest, said guest may never return, even if extended an invitation.

Meeting guests on their own turf Be cool, be pleasant, be nice. These same rules apply when you take your podcast on the road. A good approach in getting good interviews is to ask permission of your guests, be they passers-by or experts and authorities in the general vicinity, to interview them.

Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button When interviewing people on the street or in the moment, there are some easy ways to identify yourself. Just as with the phone and Skype interviews, first test and check your equipment. You are now out of the controlled environment of your home studio; you have to deal with surrounding ambient noise and how well your interview is recording in the midst of uncontrolled background variables.

Set up your equipment; power up your laptop, mixing board, and mics; and record a few words. Then play back your tests and set your levels accordingly. Preparing for Interviews There is an approach that all interviewers, be they Barbara Walters or Howard Stern, should take in talking to guests — a simple, basic plan in how to ask the questions that garner the best responses.

So she does a different kind of homework on her guests. The progression of this interview starts specific on the current work and then broadens to a wider perspective.

Some interviews you hear grind to a halt for no other reason than the interviewer believed that the guest would talk his head off on the first question. Write down a series of questions that could fill up your podcast with brief, one-or-two-word answers.

This way, if you find yourself struggling, you have a hidden stockpile of questions to call upon. When asking questions that may sound obvious or frequently asked, remember: Chances are, your audience has never heard them answered before. He or she may be champing at the bit in hopes you will ask it.

So these are just a few things to keep in mind when putting together your questions for an interview. Stay tuned. Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button Surefire routes to outraged, uncooperative guests Every podcaster should know how to turn a pleasant conversation sour uh, this is a satire and not a recipe, okay?

If not, an awkward moment may be the least of your worries. Inappropriate can also mean irrelevant, wacky, off-the-wall, and fartoo-personal questions. Gaiman, what is your best score in bowling? Never been bowling. Move on to the next question and continue forward into the interview. Podcasts are by no means an arena for browbeating guests into submission till they break down in tears and cough up the ugly, sordid details of their lives.

Are there exceptions to this exception? We would say, yes, depending on the content of your podcast. Even in the most idyllic situations, guests can and do reserve the right to do that.

Please remember that the spotlight belongs to your guest. Yes, it is your podcast, but when a guest is introduced into the mix, you are surrendering control of the show to him or her, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Let guests enjoy the spotlight; your audience will appreciate them for being there, which adds a new dimension to your feed.

The reality is that host and guest are working together to create a synergy. The interviewer has a chance to earn a wider audience and display mastery of journalistic techniques.

The guest has a chance to get into the public eye, stay in the public eye, and talk about the next big thing they have coming in sight of said public eye.

Working together, guest and host create a seamless promotional machine for one another. If you decide to take on the art of the interview, keep these rules in mind; you and your guests will have your best chance to work together to create something special. The show is all set. The guest will be calling you later tonight. Time to hit the Record button and start talking — yes? Well, no. Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button The hidden value of the short podcast There are many podcasts that run under ten minutes where hosts deliver their message and then sign off only moments after you thought they signed on.

On average — and this is more like an understood average, not really a scientific, detailed study of all the podcasts out there — a podcast runs between 20 to 30 minutes per episode. So what about these ten-minute vignettes? Does size matter? Does time matter? Is there such a thing as too short a podcast? With a quick and simplified production schedule, delivering a podcast on a regular basis — say, every two weeks, weekly, or twice a week — is easier. You hit the red button and remain on target from beginning to end, keeping your podcast strictly focused on the facts.

Nothing wrong with keeping a podcast short and sweet. In fact, you might gain more subscribers who appreciate your efficiency. Before or after Hamlet? So what if Shakespeare decided to be brief in his podcast?

Would he get any subscribers if his show ran longer than half an hour? What if he broke the minute ceiling? Would the Podcast Police shut down his show? On a particular topic, some podcasts can easily fill two or even three hours. The cost of podcasts longer than 30 minutes is in bandwidth and file-storage — issues that smaller podcasts rarely, if ever, have to deal with. See Chapter 7 for a discussion of the bandwidth demands on your server.

Finding that happy medium Is there such a thing as middle ground in the almost-completely undiscovered territory that is podcasting? The happy medium for your podcast should be a sense of expectancy or consistency. Some of the podcasts are short, sweet, and a quick bridge between one plotline and another. Other chapters reveal a new plot twist or introduce new characters, meaning that some length is in order. With a new cast, a new look, and some gender-bending on the characters Boomer and Starbuck, the successful series rounds off a solid night of science fiction.

Galactica in every episode takes delight in taking chances and challenging boundaries. In that spirit of taking chances as well as being interested in reaching new audiences , Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore and SciFi. But two?! The companion podcast of Battlestar Galactica was so successful that SciFi brought it back for repeat episodes and is currently running it with season two. If your podcast deals in do-it-yourself home improvement, then explaining the construction of a bookshelf will be a far shorter show than one about adding an extension to your deck.

Give yourself some time to develop your show, your voice, and your direction. You may just be finding out about the elements in this chapter. Developing them will take some time, trial, and error. Right, then. Are your vocal cords warmed up? Is that glass of ice water within reach? Do you have a guest holding on Skype? Always remember to exhale. In creating your own podcast, something that will give your show an extra punch or just a tiny zest is the right kind of music.

Tee is more into the classics: Wagner, Rimsky-Corsakov, Gershwin, and Ellington , and we both appreciate and understand the power of music and what it can bring to a podcast. We also understand and appreciate the law. We want to make this clear as polished crystal — we are not lawyers.

We can tell you about the law, and we can give a few simple definitions of it, but we are not giving out legal advice. If you need a legal call on a matter concerning your podcast — whether it is concerning the First Amendment, copyright issues, or slander — please consult a lawyer.

Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button The powers that be The Internet, in the eyes of the government, is still regarded as a digital Wild West, an unknown territory that has avoided regulation for many years, granting those who use it a true, self-governed entity where ideas, cultures, and concepts can be expressed without any filtering or editing, unless it comes from the users themselves.

Does this mean we podcasters are free to do as we please? Well, no, not by a long shot. Although no specific laws are on the books yet — other than anti-spam regulations governing Internet usage — there are some rules and regulations that even podcasts must follow.

There are also organizations that both broadcasters and podcasters must pay attention to. The following organizations all have a say in the destiny of podcasting, and it is only going to benefit you as a podcaster to understand how their legislation, activities, and actions are going to affect you.

This commission is the watchdog of anything and everything that gets out to the public via mass communications. The FCC keeps an eye on technology development, monopolies in the telecommunications industry, and regulating standards for telecommunications in the United States and its territories.

With all the good the FCC does in preventing monopolies, encouraging technological advancements, and upholding broadcasting standards, the FCC is most commonly known for enforcing decency laws, infuriating many artists and performers who describe it as a form of censorship. For podcasters, the FCC cannot regulate what is said yet because it does not consider the Internet a broadcasting medium. However, given recent legislation to reduce spam junk e-mail and the growing popularity of podcasting among mainstream broadcasters such as Clear Channel and the SciFi channel , it may not be long before the law catches up with technology.

Does that name ring a bell? Sadly, it was Fanning who lost his battle against the RIAA when he contested that his file-sharing application, a 89 90 Part II: The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Podcasting tiny piece of software called Napster, in no way infringed on copyright laws and was not promoting music piracy. The RIAA led the charge in shutting down the original Napster Web site and continues to protect property rights of its members — as well as review new and pending laws, regulations, and policies at the state and federal level.

The RIAA will have a definite say as to why you cannot use a selected piece of music for your podcast. Sure, you bought the CD and you own that CD, but the music you listen to is under the condition that you use it specifically for listening purposes only. This means you cannot use it as your own personal introduction music that people will associate with you. This also means, no matter how appropriate your favorite song is, you cannot use it as bed background music for your advertising.

Unless you are granted licenses and pay specific fees to the RIAA, you are in copyright violation when playing music without permission. One way of getting music for themes, background beds, and segues is to look into what musicians and podcasters refer to as podsafe music. This is professionally produced music from independent artists who are offering their works for podcasting use. The demand for podsafe music has been so high that the Web site Podsafe Music Network music.

Find out more about this free service shown in Figure , the conditions entailed in using podsafe music, and what it can do to benefit your podcast. Figure The Podsafe Music Network — professional music that is podcast friendly and waiting for your patronage. Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button The Electronic Frontier Foundation EFF In addition to the big dogs who are passing the laws and legislation to restrain your podcasting capabilities, there is a group out there with science fiction author and tech guru Cory Doctorow stepping forward as one of its more outspoken members that looks out for you, the podcaster.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation EFF is a donor-supported organization working to protect the digital rights of the individual, to educate the media, lawmakers, and the public on how technology affects their civil liberties, and uphold said civil liberties if they are threatened.

The EFF stands up for the rights of legitimate Web-site owners who happen to own a domain that a larger corporation would desire to utilize. Creative Commons CC Founded in , Creative Commons is a non-profit corporation dedicated to helping the artist, the copyrighted material, and the individual who wishes to use copyrighted material in a constructive manner but may not have the resources to buy rights from groups like the RIAA.

Copyright protection is a double-edged sword for many in the artistic field. On the positive side of a copyright, your work is protected so that no one can steal your work for their own personal profit, or if someone makes the claim that you are simply ripping off their work, your copyright is proof that your egg came before their chicken.

That is the whole point of the copyright: protection. The downside of this protection is that people now must go through channels for approval to feature your words or your work in an educational or referential manner; and while you are still given credit for the property featured, there is still a matter of approvals, fees for usage, and conditions that must be met.

Also, there are many contributors of the Internet who simply want to share their work with others on no other terms but to contribute and share with the world. Copyrights complicate this.

This complication of the digital copyright, protections, and desire to exchange ideas, original creations, and concepts brought about the founding of the Creative Commons creativecommons. This organization shown in Figure is dedicated to drafting and implementing licenses granting fair use of copyrighted material via the Internet.

In the case of the podcaster, you want to offer your audio content to everyone, not caring if listeners copy and distribute your MP3. CC can provide you with licenses that aid you in letting people know your podcast is up for grabs as long as others give credit where credit is due. CC provides these same licenses for artists and musicians who would not mind at all if you used their music for your podcast.

No derivative works are covered in this license category. While the original work is not covered by this license, the terms of this permission are similar to the No Derivative Works license. Chapter 3: Before You Hit the Record Button These four categories can be used as stand-alone licenses or can be mixed and matched to fit the needs of the podcaster or the artist offering content for the podcast. The CC and its Web site give details, examples, and a FAQ page that answers questions concerning the granting of licenses for use of protected content.

Just on the off-chance you do not find your answer on the Web site, it gives contact information for its representatives. Get the insider info on how to produce quality audio and even video , keep your content fresh, find your voice, and build an audience.

Building your podcasting studio Developing your podcast theme Conducting great interviews Recording and editing episodes Distributing your podcast Adding sponsorships Expanding your podcast consumption. The second edition of Podcasting For Dummies shows you how you can create and distribute your own online recordings using tools you already have.

This edition also covers what you need to build a top-notch podcasting studio. Expert podcasters Tee Morris and Evo Terra are joined on this edition by a fellow podcasting guru, Chuck Tomasi, to walk you through recording, editing, posting, and promoting a podcast. Podcasting For Dummies offers a fast and easy way to get the know-how you need to produce and distribute one of your very own. Written by a pair of podcasting pioneers, this book shares insight on the technology behind recording, editing, and sharing podcasts, along with tips and tricks on how to produce a pro-level podcast.

Podcasting has enjoyed a recent boom thanks to a new crop of hit podcasts catching the ears of the public and media along with the continued growth of mobile and streaming devices as a source for entertainment. If you want to jump on the podcasting bandwagon, you've come to the right place! In this fully updated edition, would-be and experienced podcasters alike will get all the tech information, production insight, and promotional tips they need to either get a podcast off the ground or improve on an existing one.

Get the gear you need Find your podcasting voice Find and build an audience Plan your podcast New tools have made it easier than ever to create a podcast—and this book shows you how. Score: 5. So pick up Expert Podcasting Practices For Dummies instead, and discover the secrets of producing professional podcasts! This edition also covers what you need to build a top-notch podcasting studio. Expert podcasters Tee Morris and Evo Terra are joined on this edition by a fellow podcasting guru, Chuck Tomasi, to walk you through recording, editing, posting, and promoting a podcast.

Chapters cover: Choosing a topic that fits your expertise Writing an outline or script for your podcast Turning your existing computer into a desktop podcasting studio Picking the microphone, headphones, and audio editing software that best suit your needs Upgrading to pro-level podcasting equipment Conducting interviews and recording an interview subject who's not in the room with you Navigating the XML code you need to share your podcast Finding a place to host your podcast online Promoting your podcasts in the blogosphere, online discussion groups, and social networking sites Seeking out sponsors, advertising, and subscriptions to make your podcast pay Creating podcasts designed to promote a business.

Podcasting For Dummies. Podcasting is like blogging out loud! It gives you a voiceone that can be heard worldwide on computers, iPods, or other MP3 players. He has taken his podcast passion to his day-job to drive community and sales. Read more. Short-link Link Embed. Share from cover. Share from page:. More magazines by this user.