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St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud State University

Podcasting

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Podcasting Home

Contacts

(320) 308-2077
helpdesk@stcloudstate.edu
Miller Center B43 (basement)

 

Create & Deliver a Podcast

Ready to do your own audio podcast? These are the basic steps and equipment you will need to create one.

1. Define your audio content

It’s best to go into podcasting with a plan. Before you begin recording, you will want to determine the scope of your podcast. This will help you deliver a clear message. Some people like their recordings tightly scripted, while others prefer to improvise. It’s your podcast — you can define it any way you like!

2. Record your audio content

MicrophoneYou can use your computer and an audio recording program or a mobile recording device to make your recording.

Recording Equipment: Selecting equipment depends on how much sound quality matters to your podcast and whether you need to record in a location away from your computer. Some suggested combinations of recording equipment:

  • Computer with microphone and recording software
  • A handheld recorder. There are many on the market.
  • Your cell phone, if you find the quality good enough.

New “Handheld Recording Devices” are being released all the time, and we can’t possibly review them all. The most important thing is that you are comfortable using the recorder that you buy. After doing side-by-side testing of the three devices listed below, we found that the M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 stands out as the clear leader due to its increased functionality and sturdy design. It is, however, the most expensive handheld recording device that we tested.

  M-Audio Olympus Sony
PC Compatible x x x
Macintosh Compatible x    
Built-in Microphone   x x
Removable Storage x    
File Formats wav/mp3 wma Sony
Power Rechargeable 1 AA battery 2 AAA batteries

 

M-Audio Microtrack 24/96M-Audio Microtrack 24/96  (Preferred Handheld Recorder)

Pros:
Records as .WAV or .MP3 and works with both Mac- and PC- compatible computers.
Flexible recording options, 1 or 2 microphones.
Rechargeable battery.
Uses “CompactFlash” cards, making it easy to upgrade.
If you would like to try one, we have M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 available for checkout at the library Circulation Desk, circulation@stcloudstate.edu or (320) 308-3083.

Cons:
Does not include a “built-in” microphone (ships with an 1/8 inch stereo mic).
Larger form factor.
Higher price (higher-quality recordings).

Olympus WS-300MOlympus Digital Voice Recorder

Pros:
“Built-in” stereo microphone.
Small, light, unobtrusive design.

Cons:
Records .WMA, making it PC only (With additional software, it can be used on a Mac, but not “out of the box”).
Uses 1 AA battery for power.


Sony Digital Voice RecorderSony IC Recorder

Pros:
Designed to fit in a breast pocket or clip onto clothing — compact and light.
Available for checkout at SCSU.

Cons:
PC-compatible computers only.
Records in Sony’s proprietary format. You must install their drivers for it to work.
Uses 2 AAA batteries for power.

3. Edit the content

Once your content is recorded, you should give it a listen. Tighten up the content by cutting out the parts that you feel are unclear or unnecessary. You may also want to edit it to fit within a certain time frame, such as 15 or 30 minutes.

Audio software: There are a lot of sound editing applications, and they vary in quality and features. You might have to try a few before you are satisfied with your results. These are two suggestions:

  • Audacity
    (Free) Available on the PC and the Mac. In order to save your files as mp3, you will also need to download the LAME mp3 encoder that is listed as an optional download from Audacity.
  • GarageBand
    (Part of Apple’s iLife suite) Mac only.

4. Publish the content

Now that you have finished creating your audio (or video) content, you need to publish it so that your audience can access it.

  • First, create the XML file. You can create the XML file yourself, but it’s easier to use programs such as VODcaster (Mac only) or Oxygen XML editor that will automatically build your RSS and XML for you.
  • Then place the recording (mp3 file) and the XML file on a publicly accessible server such as your SCSU Web space.

5. Test your podcast

Give your podcast a listen. It’s best to download it using iTunes or another RSS aggregator rather than just listening to it on your computer. By going through the process your subscribers will use, you can be sure everything will work properly for them.

6. Publicize your address

Make sure your audience knows how to access your podcast.