Podcast Recording

 

Today I would like to talk about equipment that I may use to record my podcast. Good quality of sound is very important when we are recording. We should use as best equipment as possible. One of the basic equipment is microphone and computer. Dynamic microphones are very popular in podcasting. They have few benefits such as they reject background noises very well, they are good to record in noisy environment, they are perfect for recording louder sounds. We don't need cables for it. 

                                                    dynamic microphone

Then there is condenser microphone and they are used in studios to provide warmer and brighter sound. They are able to record delicate sounds like whispering. They are designed to use in calm surrounding. 

                                                      condenser microphone

Another type of microphone is one with USB. We can connect it immediately to the computer and send recorded files. 

We have also different podcast accessories that we can use, for example microphone stand, headphones, shock mount and pop filter. Shock mount helps to avoid random sounds. Pop filter is a mechanical filter to eliminate the sounds related to rapidly moving air. 

Another type of microphone is XLR Microphone and I would like to use it. Those are microphones with XLR connection output. They record analog audio sounds. They offer better sound quality than USB microphones and they are good for all styles of the podcast. 

                                                           H5 Zoom Handy Recorder

To record my podcast first I will be looking at the instruction of H5 Handy Recorder to make sure I know how to use it. 

In front of  this recorder we can highlight elements such as two mics, display, input volume left and right, REC button, STOP button, Back button and Forward button. On the left side we have elements such as Line out jack input, Phone jack, USB port, and Power switch on/off. On the right side panel we have elements such as Mic/Line jack, Remote jack, Menu button and SD card slot. On the bottom we have our XLR input. 

First I will turn the power on by slide Hold to Power button

Secondly I will connect my microphone to the XLR input at the bottom 

Next part is to look and recognize parts of the display and focus on stereo mode

Then I should understand recording process

I set up recording format to the desired quality 

And now is to start recording

Important part of recording are levels and clipping. Levels relates to the loudness of person's being recorded. Volume gives information how loud is recording after it is being mixed. Finally the level of the recording it is the baseline of that recording. I should remember to have my levels between -12 to -6 and I can check that on my display. 

I will record few parts of my podcast and then export files to the desktop. Next step is to connect them together in editing software. I will be using Adobe Audition.

As I have some issues with booking equipment from AV Loans I decided to use my smartphone. There I can find many useful tools to record my podcast. It can be simply Dictaphon or application such as Anchor. When I want to quickly record something I'm able to take smartphone out in a seconds. This is important in terms of journalism. 

Here I would like to add few clips/practice pieces from my work and discuss about them:

First I would like to record an introduction and here is the effect:

Introduction voice

I'm quite happy with the outcome. In some parts of my speech I can hear as I take breathe and I would like to avoid it in my speaking, at the end I did a stop and were confusing what to tell next.

Then is to introduce my guest Nicolae

Introducing guest

Here I have improved the certainty of what I want to say, I like the fact my voice is clear however here I should work on correct pronunciation of English words such as 'travelled'. 

Next is to start an interview 

First question

I think my invitation is warm and friendly, I cannot hear correct pronunciation of the word 'where' as I hear it as 'what', I could improve pronunciation here.

This is the copy-right free music from Pixabay music I would include in my podcast and here I share the links:

Intro/Outro 

As my podcast will be a bit humorous I consider this music as a good introduction and outro to my podcast. It is optimistic music and it sounds well. It shows the importance of the theme used in podcasts. 

                                                                           Transition

Here is the sound after my guest replied with his feelings. I think this music is kind of pathetic. I think it suits well to his reply as he talk about his love. 

In the next blog post I will show my  podcast draft and the technical process of editing my podcast. 

Sources:

https://vle.dmu.ac.uk/bbcswebdav/pid-5723012-dt-content-rid-11398732_1/courses/LIPCF302_2122_503/E_H5_QuickGuide.pdf

https://discoverpods.com/best-podcast-mic-podcasting-microphone/

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/podcast-how-to-start-best-equipment-804418/

https://www.lewitt-audio.com/blog/do-i-need-a-shock-mount-and-a-pop-filter-for-my-microphone

Podcast: Initial Ideas

 

Today I will be doing brainstorm about my podcast. I would like to continue with passion for food. I have an idea about three topics: culinary receipts, culinary heritage and interview with a chef. 

Culinary receipts I would structure as an interview with one person - grandmother. I think it could work well because she knows the secrets of the kitchen and by answering questions she will share them with listeners. 

Another idea is to do research and talk about famous chef's from around the world. It could be solo podcast and I could do the reading. First is to play introduction music, then introduce myself and the subject and during talking add breaks with music. 

Culinary heritage is an interesting and in-depth subject. I can combine the interview and monologue in one podcast. I would set up introduction to the topic, then ask few people about them traditional dishes and favorite one's. I will include few answers. 

Here I share the link to my Podcast Outline

Also today we had One minute recording activity that we could check how it is and how to record someone. It was simple recording using our smartphones. We were working in pairs and I set up myself as a host and then I interviewed my classmate Jerzy. We did a quick brief using Microsoft Word to know what we will talk about and then I recorded three parts of our conversation.

Here I share the link to the outcome, you can download it and listen

One minute interview activity part 1 

One minute interview activity part 2

One minute interview activity part 3

Here is my reflection:

Introduction is the first part. When I started to talk, I can hear the sound of moving smartphone. I should avoid moving my equipment while recording. I think I should work with intonation of my voice. I think my voice is clear and friendly. Also I should work for appropriate pace. In part two I asked a question, and again we can hear moving smartphone during first three seconds. I should speak louder and more clear. I like the fact Jerzy speaks calmly. In part three I should speak with more confidence and stop moving phone. 

In the next blog post I will discuss the equipment needed to record my podcast. 

Podcast Research

 

Before I will be able to make my own podcast I will start with research. I will look at two different forms of podcasts. I would like to focus on interview and solo podcast. I will discuss the topic, production elements and techniques used. I will talk about my general impression and think about which elements could I use in my own podcast. 

Interview podcast usually includes one or two hosts who speak with one o more guests in episode. The guests give ideas of particular subject. We can highlight expert interviews and entertainment one. 

First podcast that I consider interesting is interview podcast. It was rewarded by British Podcast Awards in 2018 and it's title is "Griefcast: Funny People Talking About Death". Each week host Cariad Lloyds talks to a different guests about their experiences of grief. 

Following the author Cariad Lloyd (2020): "Griefcast is a podcast that examines the human experience of grief and death - but with comedians, so it's cheerier than it sounds" and then we can find Telegraph newspaper opinion: "Balancing the funny with the awful is something that Griefcast does brilliantly". This podcast is example of interview podcast. 

While I listened this podcast I noticed elements such as introduction music, women voice that introduces the podcast, background music, the reason why she did the podcast, then breaks with music, I can hear good quality of the recording and then she started interview with introduction of their interviewers. Then she started interview and asking questions. Interviewers sharing their experience about grief and death. In several moments they are using high volume noise and laughing and it makes this podcast comedy. At the end there is a thanks for conversation and outro that informs when we can find the podcast. 

I can hear  effective story telling in a funny way but often dramatic and emotional, I see an interesting setting and there is reflection from the experience. Also I can hear great background music. All of these elements are good connected.  

Here is the link that you can listen to it: Griefcast

Another example of podcasts it is Mono-Cast/Solo podcast. I found interesting podcast made by Joanne Penn - a creative writer called " The Creative Penn Podcast for Writers". She is sharing parts from her book 'How to make a living with your writing: First principles'. This podcast lasts about twenty minutes. 

At the beginning we have the voice of the author with background music when she is introducing her podcast. Then she say about the date, and what she will be talking about. She is talking about her book and its chapters. The topic of the podcast is how to make the money being a writer. When she finished introduction I can hear break with music. Then she is reading her book. At the end we have outro music and summary of the podcast. Then she talk about where can we found her book and where to find her. Then she express hope to see the listeners next time. What is important there is no presence of any other people, just her. 

I discovered different types of  podcasts. Now I will know in which direction to go. Both interview and solo podcasts I consider interesting. I noticed different elements used in them. An idea for my podcast is slowly emerging my head. I can see Joanne Penn has a blog about creative writing and she is supporting her articles with podcasts. I think this a very good idea in terms of content writing. She made diversity of her content. Her work is not only accessible for readers. Not every people has too much time and then they have an option to choose podcast and listen to it. Then I think about nicely designed cover for 'Grief podcast'. It is no something sad but colorful. Quite interesting. As we know people in grief wearing black clothes to express his sad feelings. 

How I will implement the research to my work? 

Now I have clear idea how my podcast should look like. First is to think about the title of my podcast. Then think about the introduction music, next is to introduce myself. Then will be break with music. Then I will introduce my podcast and talk about it's topic. After I will do a break with music - I think about jingle or something similar. Then I will introduce my interviewers. Next will be to ask questions and listen the answers. At the end I will add outro music and say thanks for listening. At the end I will think about how to design my Podcast cover. 

In the next blog post I will do the brainstorm and start generating ideas about my podcast, I will think about it's topic and outline. 

Sources:

https://www.brafton.com/blog/video-marketing/types-of-podcasts/

https://castos.com/best-interview-podcasts/

https://chefcharlescarroll.com/2021/11/18/episode-245-adam-heath/

https://cariadlloyd.com/griefcast

https://podcasts.google.com/

Podcast Introduction

 

In today's class we had introduction to podcasting. In the next couple of weeks I will work on my Podcast Project. We discussed examples and elements of podcasts. Third part of our lesson was podcast activity. Then we talked about effective story telling. 

Podcast is an audio file that all can download or stream using different podcast applications. The term podcast came from words 'iPod' and 'broadcasting'. The Oxford dictionary definition :"A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically. The Cambridge dictionary definition: "a radio programe that is stored in a digital form that you can download from the internet and play, on computer or on a MP3 player". 

Following Winn (2011) a podcast is a collection of episodes released or uploaded on a regular basis. A podcast episode could be released every day, every week, or even every month, depending on the niche and target audience. Podcast hosts have the option of making their podcasts available for free in exchange for a subscription. Using a podcast app, listeners can subscribe to their favorite podcast and download each episode to their computer or mobile device. 

Personally, sometimes I listen podcast. I know that there are many interesting podcasts that we can found on Internet. My favorite one's podcast are about restaurants and chef's work. I enjoy listening podcasts, especially the fact I can discover something new from my interests subjects. I like the fact I can listen chef's from around the world that I would be never able to meet them personally. I listened professional chef 's podcast from Feedspot.com where people share them work and life. 

To introduce ourselves to podcasting, I had podcast listening activity. I listened three different short podcasts and made notes about them. Important thing was to think about what was being said or discussed and what were production elements. Here I share with you the form of the podcast activity:

I discovered different types of podcasts. Now I will look at the styles of podcasts. 

Interview

The most common type of podcast is one-on-one interviews as the primary audio source. The presence of two separate voices keeps the brain engaged and lowers the likelihood of the audio becoming monotonous. In addition to your own content, guests contribute useful perspective and their own content.

Storytelling

There are two types of storytelling podcasts: fiction and non-fiction. This type of podcast relies heavily on narration. Through interviews, monologues, and occasionally essays, as well as diligent content creation, a clear story is delivered. One such example is the film Criminal. Producing these podcasts is time-consuming and requires substantial planning, research, interviews, and writing, among other things.

Repurposed Content

Turning a live show into a podcast is a common source of this type of podcast. These are live storytelling, variety, and game shows that include a combination of storytelling, musical acts, and special guests. They are live-streamed and edited later so that a broad audience can hear them.

Mono-cast/Solo

There is only one voice in this podcast. This style of podcast features a monologue by the host about a topic of their choosing. One that is essential to them and one in which they are likely well-versed.

Educational

This podcast takes from interview and conversational podcasts, but takes a more focused approach. Because the goal of an educational podcast is to teach a lesson, it's critical that the parts are well-structured and content is delivered in a clear and concise manner. Quests can be invited to give their knowledge in an interview format for this podcast type, but the goal should always be to teach the listener anything about the topic at hand.

Here are elements and techniques of effective story telling:

Now is to share my Story telling activity. I will listen short podcast and  I will think what elements of storytelling were used:

The next part of our podcast activity was to practice about story telling. I had to write 5 topics that I am interested in, write them down and then select one question and tell a story to my classmate. I asked myself question - 'What are your thoughts on cats?' and then made draft with notes for help to answer. 

Now I know what is podcast. I discovered what elements are important in podcast production. I discovered different styles of podcasts. I started to have ideas of effective story telling. Today's lesson was very interesting. I think soon I will be able to do my own podcast. In the next blog post I will do the research and discuss examples of podcast and then start generating my ideas for my own podcast. 

Sources:
https://www.podcastinsights.com/what-is-a-podcast/

https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/blog/podcast-what

https://www.oberlo.com/blog/what-is-podcast

https://www.brafton.com/blog/video-marketing/types-of-podcasts/

The Final Chapbook

Here I share with you the link to my completed Midnight Rose Chapbook. I hope you enjoy it!

Now I would like to show how I did the digital version of my chapbook using Flipsnack software. 

First I click on Upload Files to upload my JPG's files from Canva

Now I have uploaded my files and then is to click Next button

Flipsnack will automatically create the flipbook:

Now I can decide about its appearance and background:

Here I add all screenshots:

In my opinion I did well as I have only two weeks for complete this project. I am surprised that I was able to write a poem in the given amount of time. I think this project was really enjoyable for me. In my opinion writing comes easy to me. Also the helpful is fact that I am able to write on the keyboard very fast as I have 6 years experience with working on computer in fast-paced environment. I really like the illustrations. In general I like the art. I would like to print my Chapbook and share with others. What I would do differently is to work much more with linking and connection of the words. Also make sure to fit as much as possible words that are used in romantic writing. My reflection is that for now I should learn everything about learning language and how to use words in appropriate way. Furthermore I will be happy to study in the future another course which is Creative Writing. Overall I'm happy with the outcome. Perhaps, one day I will be able to write a novel. I hope so!

Finalizing the chapbook

I completed my chapbook now. I added all the text and illustrations using Canva software. The layout I have used is Great Vibes font with size of 76 point for the titles and Open Sans Light for the main body. I finished last time with the letter for Margaret. Now is to continue and add the next chapter. 

I added my own love poem and add illustrations

Now I have everything completed and all pages are done before proofreading and publishing. To publish my work I will be using Flipsnack software. I will download the project from Canva and save it as a jpgs files. Then I add it to Flipsnack to create Flipbook. I will show the process in the next blog post.  In my opinion the text is well presented. Also illustrations are well layed. I wanted to keep everything without color to have my chapbook consistent. I'm satisfied with my work. What can be improved is if I have more time I would write one chapter more and work further with sophistication of the words. In the next blog post I will show my final chapbook. I'm very excited. 

Composing the story

To write my story I will be using Google Docs. I started with my summary, and the first chapter's goal was to describe and set the scene, introduce main characters, and begin to develop character and setting. We will follow then by it's narration. After I write a piece of the text I will add it then to Canva as a textbox and then decorate the text with romantic illustrations and I will also add my own love poem. For me Canva software is very easy to use. During my writing the idea of a letter came up to my mind so I found appropriate layout for the vintage looking letter and I wrote the letter from a young man to Margaret.   

Here I include link to my draft Midnight Rose. 

Here on blank page I show how I simply add elements such as textboxes, title and subtitle and illustrations using left menu bar

After I checked the grammar and spelling then is to copy my text from Google Docs, add my text to the textbox from Canva and justify it, then choose font and size

On blank page I added ready illustration from Canva

Here is the letter that the young man Edward wrote to Margaret  

Writing the story was very enjoyable to me. I could swim using my imagination. I like the characters which I made up. In my first four pages of the story I was able to show the setting of the story, main characters and how they came up together. Also I wrote the vintage letter which describes adoration for Margaret. I think it looks great. In the next blog post I will show the further part of my Midnight Rose chapbook.