Bob Goyetche - Building Your Podcasting Studio

Bob Goyetche gave us information on building your studio on a shoestring. I had to really pay attention because #1) I was very interested in what Bob had to say because I'm looking at upgrading my mic and #2) it's the tech stuff that I don't clearly understand because it was all about audio hardware stuff.

Points of interest during the session:

• Compression is your friend. Get an output device and compress the heck out of your audio file. Benefits? I don't remember, but I'll chat to Bob afterwards.
  
  
• You still don't need to blow your budget on a elaborate recording system. Tim from Twisted Wrist said that he didn't podcast for a long time because he thought he had to buy a whole bunch of equipment. Then he realized he could just go and buy a USB mic. Now, Tim's podcasting his heart out.
  
  
• Don't record in a room with bare walls. Go to your local hardware store, buy a roll of foam for $4 and then staple it to your walls in the room where you'll be recording. As Bob said, "You won't win any decorating awards, but you'll get a great sound in your podcast." A female podcaster said that she just goes into her mother's closet and that helps to cut out any background noises.
  
  
• To get rid of those "S" in your recording, get a program called De-Ser (I'll grab the link).
  
  
• Try to record everything at the same time. One podcaster said he notices all the edits in a podcast. At the beginning, the host's voice sounds slow and relaxed, then by the end, it sounds fast and energetic.
  

To be honest, I'm quite content with my $60 Plantronics headset that I got from Best Buy. Listen to my podcast and see if you don't agree that it's a pretty good piece of equipment. With Audacity and Audio Acrobat, my podcast sound as if I recorded it in a studio - and all this for under $100.

Now, off to lunch.

Technorati Tags: PAB2006