A friend of mine recently asked me how I record podcasts for my blog. Here are the steps:
- On your Mac… you will need Garageband. Most new Macs come with it.
- Get Skype for free at http://skype.com
- Purchase a package of Call Out minutes from Skype; enough to cover the time you will be podcasting.
- Purchase Call Recorder for Skype from Ecamm at http://www.ecamm.com/mac/callrecorder/
- Get a set of USB headphones from your local Best Buy. I recommend Logitech’s Clearchat Pro USB for a good mix of quality and cost.
- Hook it all up and you are ready to record your first podcast.
- Write a script so that you don’t ramble, keep it tight, and as short as possible.
- Give your interviewee a call, and explain that you are about to record a podcast.
- Explain the interview to your candidate so there are no surprises, get them ready, wait a few seconds for an edit break, and begin the interview.
- When complete, thank your candidate, and let them know when you anticipate having the podcast up and live.
- Locate the recorded file, and drop it into a new Podcast in your Garageband.
- Add a stinger soundbite to the start and finish, add a recorded intro, and then Export the file.
- Make sure you have the Audio Player plugin installed on your Wordpress blog.
- Save the file to your Audio folder in your Wordpress folder on your server.
- Create a new post and reference the new file.
It sounds like a lot of steps, but it’s not that hard. I can typically create a podcast from scratch in less than an hour unless there is a lot of research or special circumstances.
Tags: How to podcast, mac