Resources about Podcasts
Podcasts are truly amazing! And we don’t say that just because we have one and have helped develop a few. Just as the invention of radio turned the world upside down almost a century ago, podcasts allowed for unprecedented distribution of knowledge on demand. Where internet promised freedom but sold your personal information instead, podcasts continue to wave the flag of free and democratic learning, available to (almost) everyone everywhere.
What are podcasts?
A podcast is an episodic series of audio and/or video recordings that is most often distributed by means of an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) web feed. Podcasts are conceptually similar to radio shows but, unlike the latter, they are seldom distributed ‘live’. Podcasts are usually free and can vary from long, elaborate productions to simple, short segments of no more than a few minutes in length. Podcasts are great in that they are completely ground up! Costs of starting up a podcast are minimal, so there are usually no producers or large media corporations standing behind content creators – they are made by the people, for the people. It’s really quite beautiful, when you think about it…
Podcasts come in three general formats: a monologue, a dialogue, or an interview. Some programmes experiment with mixing these formats, but by and large a show will not alternate its format from episode to episode.
Monologues are good for delivering large volumes of information, but they place a very high demand on the skill of the podcaster. This is because, for anything but the shortest of monologues to work, the presenter has to maintain enthusiasm, clarity and engagement throughout. Some examples of monologue-style podcasts are:
Dialogues are good for maintaining engagement, but will invariably reduce the amount of information delivered. Note that a dialogue is not the same thing as two monologues, hence there needs to be some engagement between the two speakers. It is also not the same as an interview, in that the conversation is either free-flowing or there is no variation in who the hosts are, or both. Some examples of dialogue podcasts are:
Interviews deliver the least amount of information but can offer very interesting perspectives on the topic. Much like with a monologue, however, the success of an interview-style podcast will ultimately depend on the skill of the podcast host. No matter how exciting a guest may be, few will listen to a show run by an unskilled or a dull host. That being said, interview podcast are also very rewarding to produce, and they offer the host a really unique place and perspective over time. Some examples of interview podcasts are:
How to start a podcast: the absolute basics
In order to start your own podcast you will need:
- a microphone
- a recording/editing software
- lots of passion and enthusiasm!
Really! That’s all it takes. But, starting a podcast is not the same as starting a good podcast, which is where the skills, knowledge and experience play a significant role.
Microphone
Microphone is what will allow you to transfer your voice from your mouth into your computer (duh!). While microphones are not exactly difficult to come by these days, this is where the first important commitment of the prospective podcaster will be made – what kind of a microphone to get and to use? Do not make this decision lightly – because podcasts are a listening medium, your outmost concern should always, ALWAYS be the audio quality of your podcast. It is not possible to emphasize this enough – if your show does not sound loud and clear, nobody will listen to it. Would you voluntarily put your ears through constant white noise, extreme alterations of loud and quiet, squeaky chairs, barking dogs, clicking pens, and emergency vehicle sirens? Unlikely.
So, yes, audio quality should be your top priority. Even if it will take a bit of time for you to learn how to use the microphone and process the audio tracks (and it will take a few episodes), reaching for the best audio quality that you can get should always be of outmost concern to you.
This is why microphones matter. You don’t need the most expensive one or the most professional one, you just need the right one for what you intend to do. Microphones come in two types: dynamic and condenser. The primary difference between the two is that dynamic microphones record only the sound source right in front of them, which is great for single-person recording as it reduces any background noise; whereas condenser microphones are great for multi-person recordings as they are more sensitive and record a richer sound, but tend to pick up a lot of background noise.
Microphones can be digital or analogue, or both. Digital microphones use a USB port and convert sound into digital signal. Your computer then receives this signal via USB. Analogue microphones use an XLR port and they do not convert the audio signal. Instead, a mixer into which you would plug your microphone would record the raw analogue audio. This is how audio recording is done professionally as it ensures far superior sound quality. You should not look at analogue microphones when starting a podcast – digital is plenty good unless you intend to run a proper recording studio.
While selecting the right microphone will ultimately depend on a variety of factors, you will almost certainly be able to buy a decent one that will last you for the foreseeable future of your podcast within the 60-100EUR range.
Recording/editing software
In order to record you podcast, you will need to use some kind of recording software. While you can get away with whatever is the default audio recording software that you have on your device (hell, you can even record straight to your phone and skip buying a microphone altogether!), this is not recommended.
Unless you have prior experience with audio editing, what we do recommend is using Audacity software for both recording and editing. This software is free and robust, and will serve you mightily through all the stages of your podcast’s development.
The video guide to the right will give you a good introduction to the software, but you can also read more here.
Finally, the passion and the enthusiasm.
Podcasts are exciting and rewarding, and you will definitely learn new skills and meet fascinating people, as well as expand your thinking in ways that you may not have ever imagined before. But podcasts are also jealous an demanding. They demand time, energy, patience and perseverance. And they demand these things consistently! Depending on the style you choose for your podcast, it may take you hours to prepare a 20-minute script, and hours more to edit it. Regularity of publishing is critical to the survival of new podcasts, so you will need to do a lot of this kind of work, and do it often. Vast majority of podcasts do not, and will never, generate any income for their creators. Your early supporters may lose interest and haters will gloat and ‘helpfully’ advise you to stop wasting your time…
BUT, if you have the passion and the enthusiasm for joining the ranks of podcasters worldwide, there are few things as immediately impactful as podcasts can be. So… go for it! Follow your interests and embrace your passion! Do what you feel is right and make a difference that you think ought to be made! Stand up for what you believe and give a voice all those who believe in it with you.