One of the problems many podcast producers fall into is how to record a podcast when your co-host or interview subject lives in another state or province. Since having that person fly or drive to your location is silly, there are many cost-effective ways to record individuals for your podcast and still get a broadcast quality sound. Since I'm the only host for my podcast called Cubicle Divas, when I need to record an interview to include in my podcast, I use a service called Audio Acrobat. For a small monthly fee, I call the person I need to interivew, and then call the Audio Acrobat number using my three-way calling feature on my phone. If you're looking for a no-fee option, Jason Van Orden has a solution for the more frugally-minded podcaster. Van Orden co-hosts a podcast called Internet Business Mastery with another person in another state. He has a simple strategy for recording both of their voices at the same time that doesn't cost a dime. "We call each other on Skype or Google Talk so we can hear each other. We each have the same outline in front of us, which clearly indicates who is doing what. We each have a recording software open on our computers and press record at the same time (someone counts off)," says Van Orden."My co-host uploads the audio file to his site and I download it. Then I put the two audio files together and sync them. It sounds like we're in the same room. This technique is often called a 'double-ender'," says Van Orden. Paige Eissinger, who co-hosts a podcast called Views from the Coop, also uses Skype, but she uses a different technique than that of Van Orden. "I use Skype and HotRecorder to create the podcasts I do with my co-host who lives in another state. HotRecorder is a very inexpensive program available online for download. Either party (or both) can record the conversation directly to their own computers with HotRecorder," says Eissinger. According to Eissinger, there is an additional benefit to using Hot Recorder to record your interviews. "HotRecorder saves the file in the HotRecorder format, but a companion program called HotConverter comes with it that allows you to convert to a wav or ogg vorbis format. Once you've converted the file, you can open your conversation in your favorite audio editing program and edit away. The cool thing about it is that it records each voice of the conversation on a different track so you can edit them individually," says Eissinger. Podcating guru Penny Haynes, who produces 3 podcasts and is also the founder of the International Podcasting Expo, shares her own technique for recording interviews so she can get a broadcast quality sounding audio. "I have interviewees download a free version of a program called RecordPad and give them my FTP information to insert into the Options section," says Haynes."When they finish recording, the mp3 file is automatically uploaded to my server, so I can mix the two files as if they were with me when I recorded." For less technical interviewees and co-hosts who may be all thumbs when it comes to FTP programs and recording software, Donna Papacosta, who produces a podcast called Trafcom News Podcast, suggests getting recording equipment that connects into your phone. "For remote guests, I use a Telecom Audio VoicePort hooked up to my phone and my Edirol R-1. The person on the other end doesn't have to do anything other than talk," says Papacosta. As a first-time podcast producer, Danielle Culter used a tool called Gizmo Project to record her first podcast with her co-host who lives in another state. "Quality isn't too bad, and can be fixed up when you edit. My co-host spoke rather softly, so you can notice a difference in the levels there (or maybe I'm just a loudmouth), but overall I was pretty happy with the results," says Culter. Warren Contreras, a podcast enthusiast, agrees that the Gizmo Project tool can be effective at recording multiple voices in multiple locations. "For multiple remote participants you might have a look at Gizmo Project. Conference calling is included as well as a one click record button," says Contreras. Quotes for this article were collected from the Podcaster Central network on Ryze.com. (c)2006 Leesa R. Barnes. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. |
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