Month: May 2007

“Good as any and better than many . . .”

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

It was several years ago when I used to race stock cars on Saturday night at the local track in the area where I still live. Now, I have to admit, it was quite a while ago, but, I still remember it as though it was yesterday. A good friend of mine, Peter M, who was also a racer, put little sign on the dashboard of his stock car, saying, “Good as any and better than many.” I thought it was a great thought and, I guess, since I still remember it, you could say it was indelibly stamped on my mind. That’s the way it is with some things — they’re just unforgettable. Another interesting thing about the saying is it applies to more than racing. (Oh, I guess you knew that already, huh?)

I remember when I was racing, there were people that just wanted to show up and be seen on the track in their cars with people that raced and won. They didn’t have the desire to do well and probably lacked the money to run at the front. It seemed as though they were content to just show up and say they were racers so they could possibly be thought of as important or special people simply because they ran with “the big dogs”. The truth be told, they were the people we were lapping every few laps and, in a twenty lap race, they would finish as many as six laps down. To me, that’s not racing. That’s just driving around in a circle, getting in the way of those that are trying to win the race or accomplish something other than just showing up and being heard or seen.

When I could afford to do it, I loved racing. I still do and would still race if it were more affordable to run competitively (and I do stress the word, ‘competitively’). You see, I just don’t like to go and try to run second or worse in a race. I want to be at the front, fighting for the lead. I want to have the opportunity to finish first. I want to win!! I don’t want to just be seen on the track running with the others, I want to be leading the race and taking the checkered flag, if possible.

Yeah, that pretty much seals the deal on my competitive nature when it comes to racing. To tell the truth, that pretty much seals the deal when it comes to podcasting and other things I do, too.

I have a tendency to take what I am interested in, and do, very seriously. Now honestly, I try not to take myself too seriously, but, I want to do the best I can at whatever I put my hand to do. You see, I feel that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well and it is worth taking the time it takes to do it right. To me there is no reason to do something if a person can’t put their heart and soul into it and do it well. It just seems like such a waste to me. I mean, why would anyone want to take their most precious commodity –their time –and spend it on something important to them, and yet do it half-heartedly?

That’s why I believe it is so important to get started right and to take the talent and equipment you have to work with and use it to turn out, or make, the absolute best possible product you can. Otherwise, why waste your time and the time of others?If you are always trying to do your best, sooner or later, your best will come out.

Does that mean that everything I turn out is flawless and mistake free? No, but when it does happen, I learn from it and try not to let it happen again. I have made recordings and never heard the mistakes until it is too late to do anything about it. Once I put it out on the net and it is there for a while before I notice it, I leave it out there in that form for a while because I figure many people have already heard it and formed their opinion, but, it will definitely bother me until I fix it.

I fervently believe in the addage, “Strive for excellence, not perfection.” Striving for excellence will inevitably allow you to turn out a great product. Striving for perfection could absolutely drive you crazy. I have noticed many don’t recognize, or at least they find it easier to overlook, certain mistakes if everything else is done right, (or, at least, the mistakes don’t seem to stand out quite so much.) If I notice an overlooked mistake of my own or someone else’s, I have to admit it bothers me every time I listen to it. To some, it won’t make any difference. To others, it will constantly stand out to them and I am sure they will form an opinion of my work (or your’s) based on that imperfection. Unfortunately, I cannot blame them because I feel the same way, also. I guess that’s the price I have to pay for being put together the way I am, and, if I expect it of others, I should expect it of myself. (Remember, we are talking about striving for excellence, not attaining perfection.)

So, how do you feel about your podcast or production? Is it something you work at to make better all the time, or, is it something you just throw together time after time and hope that people will be impressed by the fact that you show up with the rest of them? I hope it’s more than that. I hope you are doing everything you can to make it, “Good as any and better than many.”

See ya next time . . .

What To Do In Case Of Being Uninspired…

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

It happens to us all at some time or other. You just flat run out of things to talk about with your podcast, or, at least you think you do. You struggle and strain your brain, trying to come up with something worth talking about, but it seems the harder you try the more blank your mind goes. No matter what you come up with, nothing seems to germinate into an idea worth spending any amount of time on.

So, what do you do . . . ?

You begin to write. That’s right, you take the first things that come to mind and do your darndest to expound on them. You work at them until one of them catches fire within you and you begin to notice that it has captured your interest. After that, the rest is following the flow. Yes, you heard me, “you follow the flow.”

So, what does that mean? It means, you have just forced your way through a bout with ‘podcaster block’ and the creative juices begin to flow once again.

Sometimes, it takes forcing yourself to think about subjects you want to talk about, write them down and then, after you have some fresh ideas before you, your mind begins to work on those ideas. Somewhere along the way, your mind takes the hint that you aren’t going to stop bothering it until you have something to focus on so it begins letting the ideas flow. (At least that’s one way of looking at it.)

If that sounds strange, maybe you haven’t actually experienced it yet. But don’t worry, you will. “Writer’s block”, “podcasters block”, or whatever you want to call it, does happen and it happens to everyone, (somewhere in their journey through this life).

When I run across those times that I just don’t have the ideas readily available, here’s what I do.

  1. I take the time to write down some titles of some subjects I want to talk about.
  2. After I have written down a few, I go back and begin writing a sentence or two to remind me of the specifics I want to talk about.
  3. After I have written down those ideas, I walk away from them for a period of time. That’s right, I walk away from them and let them gel a bit.
  4. Either a few minutes, or possibly even a day or so later, I go back and read over them again.
  5. I take the one that captures my attention and begin to write more about it. If it doesn’t begin to flow, I save it and go back and grab another one and do the same.

As I continue reading and writing on them, I find I have several good ideas, and possibly, even a few finished articles. Then I go do the same thing all over again. Usually, I find I have enough to keep me busy for a while. Some of them even get combined together to become one article.

If all of the above things don’t seem to work, I go check out a few of the sites I like to frequent and see what they are talking about. In doing this, I hope to get inspired by an idea or two, or, at least a new angle on an old idea to discuss. With all of the available information out there, I know there just has to be something I haven’t been able to think of and it helps to get other people’s input and viewpoint. Their input may or may not be exactly what you want to talk about, but, it could quite possibly be something that inspires you in a whole new direction and gives you an abundance of things to talk, or write, about.

See ya next time . . .

You Can Do This

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

I’m sure you already realize this, but, podcasting can really be a lot of fun. If it isn’t going to be fun, then you might as well hang it up right now, before you get started. If it becomes a drugery to you, you won’t make it for long because there are going to be days that you just won’t ‘feel’ like doing it. Once that “feeling” settles in, it gets harder and harder to make it happen. When that happens, you no longer look forward to doing your podcasts or any of the preparation it might take to ‘get ‘er done’ and it’s for sure, you won’t want to take the time it takes to do it right.

Let’s take a look at some of the things we’ve been talking about over the last several weeks. We’ve talked about things to do, and think about, to get a good start in podcasting.

In doing that, we’ve talked about several things I think are important:

  • First and foremost, don’t be too proud to get input from others that are already successful at podcasting
  • Check out other sites for their information and possible affiliations, etc
  • Decide which equipment you want to use (Its okay to start cheap if you want)
  • Decide what software you want to use. (Will you use free software or will you pay for it?)
  • What is your focus going to be? (What is the subject, or subjects, of your podcast going to be?)
  • What length format you will use? (will it be minutes or hours?)
  • Who will host your podcast? (Free hosting or pay hosting?)
  • How often will you be creating a podcast? (Once a day, week or month?)
  • Who is your main audience going to be (Do you know who you are trying to reach?)
  • Have a long term and short term plan for your podcast (Planning helps insure your success)

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to give the beginner podcasters an edge over others who are unwilling to listen to voices of experience. Do I think I know all there is to know simply because I have been doing it for a while? Of course not! I talk a lot about technique, paying attention to details and numerous other things because I think they are necessary for turning out a good product.

I think it is important to do all of those ‘things’, but always remember this. I am, in no way, trying to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams or trying to mold them in a certain way so that they can fit into the mainstream of the ‘status quo’. I just want all of you to be the very best you can be and think further down the road than one audio or video podcast. This is not because I want you to be like me. I simply want you to understand that there are many people that have knowledge of podcasting and recording and editing. You can cut down your learning curve by taking some time to listen to their input and see if what they know will help you accomplish what you want. None of us are trying to remake you into something other than who you are. We just don’t want you to make the same mistakes we did. (Perhaps it was in those days when we thought we knew it all.)

There are so many reasons why it is necessary to learn as much as you can about properly recording and editing audio and video for podcasting and other purposes. A very important one is that it is becoming increasingly evident that the internet is becoming a place where more and more people are visiting first to check out differing products and desired information. It is still a blossoming industry and all of its potential is still being recognized. Why not be a leader in it instead of an ‘also ran’?

You see, I believe that everyone is endowed with certain characteristics and talents that are theirs to pursue and build on. I really like the creativity expressed by those that have turned out some very interesting videos and some really great audio podcasts. Some of us wish we had your talents and I personally call upon you to continue expressing your creative pursuits. That’s what is so great about podcasting. You are relatively free to present your ideas in your own creative ways and get the message to hundreds of thousands easily and relatively cheaply.

Now that you are ready to really begin your podcasting adventure, I only have one short statement to make as you move on to getting started. YOU CAN DO THIS!

See ya next time . . .

To Get Started Right … The Choice Is Up To You

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

Life is full of choices and entering into the podcasting life is no different. Have you really thought about who you want to reach and what you want to accomplish with your podcasts? There is nothing wrong with beginning with a single idea and trying it out, but you also need an expanding vision of the possibilities. Along the way, you may find your focus and direction change a little –maybe even a lot– but it becomes more clear.

If I may, I want to speak to you from my personal experience on this subject. When I first started with my pursuit of podcasting, I had an idea of what I wanted to do and I had a lot I wanted to say. I wanted to share the things I have learned over a lot of years of working with live and studio sound. I have also spent a lot of time during those years recording groups and individuals, capturing them live. Most of what I have done in the recent past can be edited later, but I only get one chance to capture it. Many of the things I have done, and do, are for broadcast, both live and captured live and edited for later broadcast.

I learned a long time ago, whether recording or podcasting, the more your do it, the less you find you know. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I’m not saying that experience and knowlege don’t mean that much, but, the more you learn the more you know there is to learn. I have always been a person willing to share what I know if someone is willing to listen. Still, everyday is a learning experience for me. I don’t know everything there is to know, but I am thankful that there are others that are willing to share their knowledge with me. Technology is changing at such an abrupt pace that it is difficult to keep up with everything.

The more I’ve done, the more I have changed my approach, but not necessarily my direction. I haven’t departed a long way from my original vision but, over time, I have expanded and honed it to take in more things that I, at first, thought I didn’t want to do. I have begun to focus more on a method to teach what I have learned and know. What you choose to do with my knowledge is up to you. I simply share what I know and have learned an hope that it helps one, or many of you, advance toward your goals for podcasting and that you can avoid at least some of the pitfalls.

Now, getting back to you and your podcasting; do you want to take the idea you have and make it an everday thing or once a week? How about once a month? We can talk about those options more fully later, but they are options that must be considered very early on.

You have to choose how you want to get to where you want to go. If you think you can just get on the mic and start talking, you will find your dream may be short-lived. Understand, your short sightedness may work well if you are the only one listening to your production, but, if you want to grow your audience, you need to have a strategic plan for your podcast.

In the end, the choice is up to you. You choose what you want to say and how you want to say it. You even choose whether you want to take ‘the time it takes to do it right’ or just throw it all together and hope for the best. You see, ‘flash in the pan’ podcasts, whether audio or video, can be wonderful for the moment, but they seldom last any length of time. Your choices will affect the way your podcasts will be looked at and thought about by those that frequent them. Choosing to plan, whether short term, long term or both, is the best way to better assure yourself of extended success.

See ya next time . . .

When It Comes To Podcast Quality, Equipment CAN Make It Happen

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(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article

You’ve probably already noticed, but there is something different about the podcasts I do now. But, before I talk too much about that, I’d like to talk about another difference in what I am now doing and that is, the direction I want to take as we journey forward together in the near future.

Over the last few months, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about ways for beginners to get started in podcasting without making a large financial investment –(refer to Starting a Podcast ‘On the Cheap’)– and I still believe you can do that. If you don’t remember too much about those articles you can check them out, but, let me give you a quick overview refresher of at least one of those articles.

I have mentioned several ‘On the Cheap’ start up softwares and equipment many times in the past. If you remember, one of the most important and inexpensive things we talked about was the software program, ‘Audacity’. If you spend much time researching podcasting in general, you will find many people talk about this free recording/editing program in their books and podcasts. There is a reason why that happens. It is because it works and works well. I tend to use it most of the time for editing my podcasts because it is quite easy to use and because I am already familiar with it.

There are a few programs out there that do more than ‘Audacity’, but if you’re just beginning, or even if you’ve been around a while, you will find it does a great job. It is very easy to use and to get started with as well as being cost free. In a very short period of time, you soon find it is easy to move on to use some of the more sophisticated options it offers. In fact, I plan to spend a little time talking more about the use of ‘Audacity’ in the very near future.

You see, I like a program that allows me to get started quickly with the basics and then easily allows me to work my way into the options necessary to make my recordings, and edits of those recordings, better. This is the way it is with ‘Audacity’. Oh sure, I know there are some other programs out there that are great programs but, in my opinion, some of them are not as easy to get started with. They seem to be a bit too sophisticated and require too much ‘reading of the manual’, often causing a more than a bit of frustration, just to get started. This only leads to early termination of peoples’ productions because, it is just too hard to get started. (Personally, I like easy and I know I am not alone in that consideration. Easy is good.)

Also in those earlier articles, I often mentioned how easy it is to use some simple equipment you probably already own. Whether it was a small, hand held digital voice recorder or a good sounding headset mic, I still firmly believe you can turn out a ‘decent’ recording with relatively inexpensive equipment. The important thing about the recordings you make is the quality that your equipment can capture and reproduce. If you don’t have a relatively clean and good sounding master recording, it is a pretty good bet your final product is going to have poor quality sound also.

So, where is all this leading? I have added a new piece of equipment to my toolbag and I just love it. I think it has added yet another bit of quality to my recordings and podcasts. (I’ve also done a few other things I will discuss in the future.)

I finally decided to step up and try one of the portable, handheld devices for capturing audio and making it quite easy to load into my computer. The one I decided to buy was the H-4 by the Zoom corporation. I’ve been using it for about three weeks and I am quite pleased with the quality it turns out. I have to admit, it took about an hour or so to get comfortable with how it worked with its menus and things, but, I was able to get started with it relatively quickly. I’m still learning how to use all of its capabilities but haven’t mastered all of them yet and I’m not trying to learn it all in one day. I just take it one step at a time.

This little unit can do a lot. I list some of its features here:

  • 2 track mode for stereo recording
  • 4 track mode for multi-track recording
  • Built in X/Y pattern stereo microphones
  • High Z inputs for guitar and bass
  • MP3 recording up to 320kbps
  • WAV recording up to 24bit/96kHz
  • USB audio and mass-storage interfaces
  • XLR inputs with phantom power
  • Up to 2GB SD card memory capable
  • Can be hand-held or tripod mounted for versatile ease of use

Believe me when I tell you, it can do a lot of things and I have only scratched the surface of its capabilites, but the thing I like about it is the quality of the recording it can turn out. I can record and save it as an MP3 file or a WAV file. This makes it great for quick loading into ‘Audacity’ for editing because ‘Audacity’ directly accepts both of those files. It can also be used as an interface for direct recording to the computer.

I made the choice to step up my equipment and thought long and hard about just how I wanted to invest my money. This seemed to give me the most versatility and portability for the price. I like the part about it being portable and able to set it up quick in any situation I choose. I will tell you more about the progress in the coming weeks. So far, it is wonderful.

See ya next time . . .