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podcasting tools

+ practices

Dr. Pam Lach (she/her)

Digital Humanities Librarian

Digital Humanities Center Director

DH@SDSU Co-Director

plach@sdsu.edu // @VisualizingPam

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tinyurl.com/dhc-spring2020

General DHC Resources: tinyurl.com/podcast-diy

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library.sdsu.edu/dh

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intro to podcasting

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what’s a podcast anyway?

“A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio or video files which a user can download in order to listen. Alternatively, the word ‘podcast’ may refer to the individual component of such a series or to an individual media file.” - Wikipedia

  • Not aired in real-time
  • Episodes can be stand-alone (Backstory) or chapters of a single story (Serial, S-Town)
  • Can be accessed via podcasting app (downloaded) or web browser
  • Broad range from amateur to professional

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what makes a podcast good/bad?

Think about podcasts you like/dislike...

  • What are some of the components of a good (or bad) podcast?
  • How are those components similar to / different from an academic paper?

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components

  • Voice(s)
    • Interviewees
    • Actors (when applicable)
  • Content
    • Sources: interview, audio clips, etc.
  • Narrative arc
    • Argument
    • Storytelling / narration
  • Additional sound
    • Background music (set mood)
    • Sound effects (help illustrate)

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building a soundscape in a podcast

Video made using iPhone iOS 13.1.2 Screen Recording in Podcast App

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considerations

...when crafting your own podcast

  • Balance of voices, words, and sound effects
  • Selecting sounds that are free to use *
  • Accessibility - supply a transcript

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some best practices

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getting started

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podcasting creation lifecycle

  1. Planning and pre-production
    1. Research
    2. Script
    3. Storyboarding
  2. Recording / gathering content
  3. Post-production
    • Editing, mixing, re-mixing, equalizing, tightening
  4. Indexing, Metadata, & Validation
  5. Submit

Design

Pre-plan

Implement

Evaluate,

Assess,

Sustain, Preserve, Reflect

Test

Digital Project Lifecycle

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additional considerations

that might shape the digital project lifecycle:

  • Technological hurdles and constraints
    • Time to identify + learn the necessary tools
    • Time to port content (narrative, multimedia, metadata) into the platform
    • Tech fails and crashes
  • Collaboration hurdles and constraints
    • Coordinating schedules
    • Divisions of labor and accountability
  • Different types of content to keep track of
    • Images, video, maps, URLs

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backwards design

  • Similar to reverse engineering - deconstruct a project to figure out how to (re)create
    • Posner, How did they make that?
  • Consider your end goals

Design

Pre-plan

Implement

Evaluate,

Assess,

Sustain, Preserve, Reflect

Test

Iterative Digital Project Lifecycle

  • Break those goals down into manageable pieces
  • Set small milestones

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focus on the BIG picture!

  • What is your project’s purpose?
  • What is your argument?
  • What is the project’s aboutness?
  • What is absolutely essential for the final project?
  • What is optional / would be nice to include?
  • Who is your audience(s)?
  • What content do you have? What do you need?
  • What tool(s) is most appropriate for advancing your argument?

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file formats and technical considerations

  • Broad range of file formats out there, and not all are supported by all tools and podcast streaming platforms
    • Apple accepts: M4A, MP3, MOV, MP4, M4V, PDF, or EPUB file formats
    • SoundCloud accepts: AIFF, WAVE (WAV), FLAC, ALAC, OGG, MP2, MP3, AAC, AMR, and WMA
  • MP3 or MP4 are probably safest (MP3 is likely the easiest for submitting your final assignment)

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file formats and technical considerations

  • Converting file formats
    • Lots of free tools to convert WAV to MP3
  • Lossy vs. Lossless compression (saving projects)
    • Keep your lossless project version even if you plan to submit the compressed project version!

Plan ahead of time; know what format you want to use so you choose the right tool(s)!

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file naming

Which file name is best? Why?

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Final paper!.docx

Lach_final paper.docx

Lach_final_paper_sp20.docx

Lach_finalpaper_ENGL579_sp20.docx

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file naming

  • Short but meaningful (< 25 characters)
    • 2-3 important attributes to describe and find
    • Apply to folder directories AND files
  • Web appropriate
    • ASCII / Unicode
    • No special characters ( “ & * ’ ^ | ! ? + ~ : $ [ ] / \ )
    • No spaces: use underscore _ or hyphen -
  • Use leading zeros to sort items (01 not 1)

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versioning

Which is the final version?! How can we be sure?

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Conference Paper (final).docx

Conference Paper (final final).docx

Conference Paper (final final) - this is the final.docx

Conference Paper NO REALLY THIS IS THE FINAL.docx

Conference Paper USE THIS VERSION.docx

Conference Paper FINAL USE THIS.docx

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versioning

  • Date (YYYYMMDD) is a good organizer:
    • 20190708_LachPodcast_original.mp3
    • 20190709_LachPodcast_draft.mp3
    • 20190710_LachPodcast_final.mp3
  • Keep multiple copies in multiple places
  • Never EVER edit the original primary source file; ALWAYS work on a COPY!

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back it up!

3 2 1 rule

  • 3 copies
  • 2 onsite (computer + external hard drive)
  • 1 offsite (cloud backup)

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accessibility

  • How can we make podcasts accessible to
    • Visually impaired individuals
    • Hearing impaired individuals
    • Individuals whose primary language is not English
    • Individuals unable to access streaming online content

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copyright + fair use (libguides.sdsu.edu/copyright)

Beware when using commercial or copyrighted content, even if you can claim Fair Use:

  1. Purpose and character of the use (not for profit, non-commercial, educational)
  2. Nature of the copyrighted work (creative aspects)
  3. Amount and sustainability (the heart of the work; transformational)
  4. Effect upon work’s value (potential future market harm)

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Not sure? Use a Copyright Decision Tree (KU) and Fair Use Checklist (Columbia) and always CITE your image/sound sources (as you would any source)

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finding free stuff

Best practice: use content in the public domain / appropriate creative commons license

Sound

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resources

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tools and technology

  • Campus Resources
    • Computer Labs
    • Library Equipment - checkout @ Circulation Desk
    • DH Center DIY Podcasting Studio (2 workstations)
  • Making use of what you have
    • Smartphone or laptop
    • Free software
    • Apps for podcast creation

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tools and technology

  • Audio editing tools for Mac or PC
    • ** Audacity - www.audacityteam.org
    • Adobe Audition - part of Adobe Creative Cloud; faculty/staff can access via SDSUid - available for students for $25 annual fee (requires SDSUid)
    • Free Audio Editor
    • Ocenaudio
  • Audio editing tools for Mac
    • GarageBand (part of Mac OS), Audio Hijack
  • Audio editing tools for PC
    • Wavosaur
    • Additional recommendations for Windows PC

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podcasting studio @ DHC

  • 2 studios (LA 61 - Bottom of the Dome)
  • Equipment
    • USB microphones
    • Pop filters
    • Wrap around headphones
    • Table-top "whisper room" sound proofing
  • Bring your own laptop
  • Request to use it 10am-4pm M-F
  • DIY Resources: tinyurl.com/podcast-diy

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audacity

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audacity: http://www.audacityteam.org/

User manual can be accessed via Audacity or at manual.audacityteam.org

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audacity: project vs file

  • Audacity project
    • Entire set of audio file(s) + edits you make
    • Audacity projects can only be opened in Audacity
    • Lets you save unfinished work (lossless) and re-open it later in Audacity exactly as it was, with all edits and recorded/imported tracks preserved.
      • Undo history is not saved with the project and so the project history starts afresh when you re-open the project later
    • Export as WAV or MP3 when you’re done
  • File
    • Individual audio files that can be exported

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audacity: recording

  • Recording devices
    • Blue Yeti (in DHC) or mic checkout
    • If desperate, use your headphone/mic
  • Remember to adjust your input/output devices
  • Adjust your mic settings
    • Position, gain (sensitivity to sound), posture
  • Start all recordings with ~3-5 seconds of silence
  • Pause + mute = your BFF
    • You can edit coughs, ums, silences later, too

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Learn more: Audacity tutorial and DHC slides (#7-9)

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audacity: navigating your audio file

  • Zoom in/out to see more or less of the audio file
  • Play-at-Speed to listen closely
    • Slowing it down is great for transcribing
  • Selection tool to
    • place cursor on the timeline
    • select sections of the file to edit
  • Time Shift Tool to
    • place additional tracks on the timeline, including inserting other files before/after, or re-order the audio files

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audacity: basic editing

  • There are lots of little edits you can do to improve sound quality (Edit Toolbar)
    • Remove background noise (requires ~5 seconds of silence at the beginning of your recording)
    • Delete long silences, coughs, ums
  • Normalizing and sound balance
  • Cutting and fading in/out

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Check out this Audacity tutorial. You may need to install/activate specific effect plugins

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audacity: background noise reduction

Step 1. Wait 3-5 seconds to begin speaking whenever you’re recording

Step 2. Select the opening silence > Effect > Noise Removal > Get Noise Profile

Step 3. Select entire audio file > Effect > Noise Removal > Preview > OK if ok

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audacity: normalizing

Helps balance your gain (more even listening experience)

Step 1. Select entire clip > Effect > Normalize

Step 2. Adjust peak dBs - ideal range of -2.0 to -1.0 (-1.5 is nice); 0.0 is not a good idea

Step 3. Preview and adjust until good; click ok to apply changes

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audacity: eliminating coughs + silences

Forgot to hit pause in Audacity or mute your mic? No problem. You can also cut out those gafs and unnecessary silences (including the opening silence you used for background noise levels).

Option 1. Select the section and use the Cut tool

Option 2. Select the section and use the “Silence audio selection” button

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audacity: the fade in/out

Great for transitions (like chapter breaks)

Step 1. Select the portion of audio to fade in (at the beginning) or out (at the end)

Step 2. Effect > Fade In / Fade Out

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audacity: adding tracks

Used to stitch sections together or add music/sound effects. Keep in mind, you can’t add a stereo audio file to a mono file.

Option 1. Add a full audio file: Tracks > Add Track to a project (need to specify a master file)

Option 2. Paste in an audio selection.

  • Open audio file separately and copy section you want to use
  • Use the Time Shift Tool in your master file to create space to paste in the portion of audio into the blank track space

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audacity: exporting and saving

Keep the project as a file to save all your changes. When you’re done, you can export out as a MP3 to make it easier to submit (requires Audacity v. 2.3.2)

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Reminder of lossless vs lossy

  • Lossy vs. Lossless compression
    • Keep your lossless project version even if you plan to submit the compressed project version!

In the end, you should have the (1) lossless project, (2) lossy project, and (3) final MP3 file.

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audacity: a helpful tutorial

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audacity: another helpful tutorial

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remember

  • Stay focused on the story you want to tell (narrative + argument)
  • Consider what you have to work with (the material)
  • Figure out what you need to fill gaps in the story

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got questions?

Email me!

plach@sdsu.edu

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Additional resources:

tinyurl.com/podcast-diy

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Tool a Week Feedback:

tiny.cc/dhworkshop_feedback

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