(Click here) for the podcast version of this article
When I started actually doing this thing called podcasting, I did it because it interested me. I never claimed, (and still don’t claim), to know much about podcasting. In fact, my only claim in all of this is simply that I have a lot of experience in recording, both live and in the studio.
I’ve been around, and done, recording and worked as a sound tech both live and in the studio. I’ve had the great priviledge of doing it for broadcasts on radio and on TV. I’ve done the same for my own personal creations and for my own pleasure. (No big deal, just fact.)
Does that make me an infallible expert? No, it doesn’t, but, it has given me one thing many haven’t yet acquired. What is that one thing, you ask? Hands on experience, (or, ‘Seat Time’ as they say in racing.)
- Have I done, and do I do, everything correctly? No, but I have learned from my mistakes.
- Have I attained perfection? No, but I have become much better at what I do.
- Will I ever “arrive”? Probably not, but I will enjoy the journey.
Probably the most important thing I have learned is just how much I don’t know. In fact, I would go so far as to say that is one very good thing that comes with experience and with growing older; you accept the fact that you don’t “KNOW IT ALL” and probably never will. I do know what I like in recording technique, sound and style, but, I try not to let that keep me from learning something new. If you have been a steady reader/listener of the info I provide, you know I am mostly audio oriented, but, I am also interested in the video side. I just have more experience in audio.
With the state of technology these days, I find it difficult to get too attached to any one thing for an extended period of time. The software and hardware constantly change, and not always for the better. Developing good habits and paying close attention to small details should never change because there is no substitute for quality. The better the quality of the product, the more we can be proud of the product we turn out and the more pleasing it will be to those that listen to it.
So, where does that leave you? Well, that is up to you. The nice thing about all this is that it is relatively new and is really seeking some well guided direction. Because it is so new, you just may be the one that has the idea or capacity to make a great impact on this blossoming industry or medium, (depending on how you look at it). That’s why it is important to remember this important fact:
You can have a lot of fun while you learn more about podcasting and you can develop your style and grow with the medium as you, and it, mature.
You may never know exactly what you are capable of attaining until you click open the mic and begin talking. And while you’re at it, “Enjoy the Ride!”
See ya next time . . .
