![]() How to Start Your Own Podcast. The podcast craze of the past several years shows no signs of slowing down, and while every armchair broadcaster with a voice recorder app is eager to get in the game, creating a professional- sounding podcast isn’t as simple as it might seem. Here’s how to create, record, and publish your own basic podcast—and get people to listen.*This story originally ran in June 2. August 2. 01. 7 with additional reporting from Patrick Austin.*Before You Start, Be Ready to Commit. Adobe Creative Suite Cs6 Silent Install CommandBefore you rush into things, it’s important to keep in mind that podcasts take a lot of effort to get going. They’re not just recordings of people talking (not the good ones, anyway). Pat Flynn, host of the Smart Passive Income podcast, recommends you treat podcasting the same way you would any other big project: Podcasting is extremely fun and exciting, but there is one thing you must do before you start podcasting: Commit. You must internally commit to podcasting, as you must do with anything that is potentially beneficial but takes some time and effort to do. It’s easy to assume that podcasts are easy to produce because they’re audio only, but don’t be fooled. They can take up a lot of time to put together, especially at first. Also, podcasts do best when they’re released consistently. If you’re interested in developing any kind of listener base, you have to be ready to release episodes on a regular basis. All in all, podcasting can be fun work, but it’s still work and should be treated as such. You also shouldn’t expect to get rich from podcasting either. It’s certainly possible to generate income from podcasting, but that usually requires advertisements and sponsorships—both of which you’ll get after you’ve built up a listenership big enough to make it worthwhile to advertisers. If you’re not interested in starting a podcast for the fun of it or to have your voice heard, you might not get much out of it unless you already have an audience. Adobe has been offering its Creative Cloud suite for years now with the estimated number of subscribers to be over 9 million, and with their latest news, it doesn’t. The Essential, Creative Design Arsenal (1000s of Best-Selling Resources) Just $29. ![]() Adobe Creative Suite Cs6 Silent Install QuickbooksWhat You’ll Need. You can’t start a podcast without equipment, and good equipment will go a long way. Here’s what you’ll need: Microphone(s): Any microphone will work for recording your podcast, but listeners can usually tell the difference between low and high quality microphones. If you’re not sure what to look for, our list of the five best desktop microphones is a great place to start (I use four analog Audio- Technica AT2. As you shop around, you’ll also need to decide whether you want to use a USB or analog (XLR) microphone. USB mics convert analog sound into digital so you can plug a USB mic directly into any computer and start recording without much hassle, but you could potentially get lower audio quality compared to analog. Considering you don’t need any extra tools or devices to record with a USB mic, they can be a little cheaper in the long run. Analog microphones use XLR connectors, which means you need another device to get your audio onto your computer, but you can get higher audio quality and can use them with other sound equipment (if you had a PA system or wanted to play live music, for example). Of course, if you have a gaming headset or other basic microphone around, you can easily use that too. Portable XLR Recorder (optional): If you plan on using analog microphones for your podcast, you’ll need something that captures your analog audio and converts it to digital. Portable XLR recorders can capture multiple microphone channels and allow you to do basic sound level adjusting and muting on the fly. Audio files automatically get organized and stored on a memory card that you can insert into a card reader or slot in your computer. These are amazing tools, but they can be expensive. You can find them for anywhere between $1. I use a $4. 00 Zoom H6 Handy Recorder with four available analog channels). Audio Interface (optional): If you want to record directly to your computer with your analog microphones, you’ll need an audio interface. These devices allow you to plug in one or more analog microphones and will convert the analog audio to digital. Most audio interfaces will connect to your computer via USB or Firewire.
![]() Audio interfaces can cost as little as $3. You can see why a USB microphone is a cheaper option.)A Computer: Any Windows computer or Mac should work fine to record, edit, and upload your podcast. Thankfully, editing audio doesn’t take a ton of computing power. Additionally, depending on how you choose to record—directly to the computer or onto a dedicated recording device—your computer will also need the right ports. USB microphones, for example, will obviously need an open USB port. If you’re using analog microphones with a portable XLR recorder or audio interface device, you’ll need either a 3. USB port, or in some cases, a Firewire port. So before you spend any money on equipment, make sure you have a computer that can support it. Audio Editing Software: For the actual recording and editing, you’ll need a Digital Audio Workstation (or DAW), there are a lot of good options out there, but the licenses for some of them can cost a pretty penny, though. Licenses for professional level DAWs like Reason or Pro Tools can cost anywhere between $3. Apps like Hindenburg offer simpler audio editing software for under $1. Reaper is a fully loaded audio production app for $6. Adobe’s audio editing software Audition CC is available with a $1. Because of that, most people will recommend free open source programs like Audacity when you’re just getting started, and that’s what we’ll use an example throughout this how- to guide. Pop Filters (optional): The clearer your audio can sound, the better. Pop filters, while not required, are fairly cheap and can keep your plosives from making a nasty sound on your recording. If you don’t want to buy any, though, you can make some of your own. You might be thinking that all this equipment is pretty expensive, and you’re not wrong. However keep in mind that decent audio equipment will last forever if you take care of it. It may be expensive to get started, but after the initial purchase, you’re set. Step One: Narrow Your Topic and Find Your Niche. Just like blogs, there are a ton of podcasts out there. That means that you can probably find a podcast about everything under the sun already. Don’t get discouraged! While just about every broad topic is already covered, you just have to find your spin on things to make an old idea something new. Dear Lifehacker, As a side project/experiment, I’ve started my own blog. The problem is, now that I …Read more For example, if you wanted to make a podcast about music, ask yourself if there’s an audience out there for what you want to talk about. Maybe you narrow your idea down from music in general to bluegrass specifically. Now your coverage is specific: the music, people, and culture of bluegrass. Once you have your topic narrowed down, it helps to add a spin to it. Maybe you talk about bluegrass music and culture while sipping moonshine with your co- hosts. It’s kind of true that everything has been done before, but it hasn’t all been done the way you would do it. So find an angle that’s personally interesting and you’ll be better off. Step Two: Download, Install, and Set Up Audacity. As mentioned earlier, Audacity is a great DAW for podcasting beginners. It’s open source, free to use as long as you like, and is available for Windows, OS X, and Linux. Before you can jump into recording, however, there are a few tricks to getting it all set up properly: Download Audacity 2. Connect your microphone and open Audacity. See if your microphone is being recognized by Audacity by checking the drop- down menu next to the small microphone icon. If you see your mic, go ahead and select it. In the top- left corner, you should see the pause, play, stop, skip back, skip forward, and record buttons. Click the record button and talk into your mic to make sure it’s working properly. Stop recording and playback what you just recorded to make sure everything sounds okay. You’ll want to export your audio in the MP3 format later on. In order to do that, you’ll need to download and install the Lame MP3 encoder for either Windows or Mac. Once that’s installed, close and reopen Audacity. Record yourself talking for a few seconds like before, then go to File, then Export Audio, and select MP3 Files in the ‘Save as type’ dropdown menu. Name your file something simple like “test. Find the MP3 file on your desktop and try playing it in your MP3 player of choice, just to make sure everything is working properly. How to Save 7. 0% with the New Adobe CC Student/Teacher Editions. Let’s face it, Adobe’s traditional product prices have seemed expensive over the years, especially if you’re on a student’s budget. The last perpetual version available, Creative Suite 6 from 2. Dreamweaver through $9. Photoshop Extended and on up to $2,5. Master Collection suite, which contained all CS6 applications. As cool and powerful as this software was, it’s hard to afford when you’re in school – even after the student/teacher discount. Adobe has stopped selling CS6, as the version reached EOL and end of support – but fortunately the company still offers deep discounts for education customers on the newer CC release which replaced CS6. Not long ago, in fact, they increased the discount on Creative Cloud to up to 7. And while there are a lot of misconceptions about CC, the main products like Photoshop, Illustrator, In. Design, etc., still download and run on your desktop as normal. Get All Tools with the Latest CC 2. Release. So if you want it all – and all in one complete package – then Adobe is now offering full Creative Cloud membership at a 6. A$1. 6. 9. 9 a month for your first year, or less than $1/day)… This gives you the entire “Master Suite” and much more – essentially, the new CC 2. Adobe makes, with thousands of new features and improvements compared to CS6 – plus ongoing upgrades included at no additional cost, so your tools are always up- to- date. Install now: Get all new Adobe CC 2. How to Get the Student/Teacher Discount. All of this software is available via instant download at the Adobe Education Store for both Windows and mac. OS. Adobe’s education discounts are available internationally as well – in many other countries and currencies (for example, Europe/euro, UK/pound, Australia/dollar), where the percentage reductions are similar. To get these lower prices, essentially all you have to do is prove your academic status at a qualified school. Most students and teachers of most grades and institutions can qualify, from primary school through university levels. Importantly, even part- time students or folks who enroll for a class at their local community college can be eligible – there is no upper age limit. Online colleges are on Adobe’s list too, and there is also a path for homeschoolers. If you think about it, sometimes going back to school could even pay for itself in such situations. You can validate your status with proof of enrollment such as your school ID card, report card, transcript, tuition bill or statement, etc. Any documents dated within the last six months are considered current for these purposes. The verification all happens online so takes only 1- 2 days. In the meantime, you’ll be able to easily download and install your products as a fully- functional free trials to get going right away, start learning with free tutorials, and so on. Recently Adobe added an even simpler option – now if you just provide a school- issued email address during purchase (like ending in “. Special: Legally download dozens of free Adobe books for a limited time! The academic editions work the same as the regular versions – and you can continue to use the same products after you graduate, or after whenever you leave your current school or term of study. You can also use this software for commercial purposes if you so desire. However there remain some differences between the two with limitations of the education versions that are important to know and understand. You can install the software on up to two computers, and if for some reason you change your mind after buying, you can easily return the product within 1. Adobe. A Word on Software Piracy – “If It Sounds Too Good To Be True…”Some folks think they might be able to do better by trying to find and download Adobe software for free or cheap using torrents, cracks, key makers, keygens, untrusted sources, unfamiliar sellers, old or used versions, no- name websites, auction sites, and so on. The first thing to say is any electronic download or serial number delivery from anywhere besides Adobe is inauthentic, so it’s illegal. The second thing is that it’s very risky – but not only because it’s illegal…Increasingly, the desire to save money on software by getting it from sources or sites you’ve never heard of leads to identity theft, credit card fraud, virus infections, email spamming, and more. A great deal of the hacked and illegitimate Adobe software out there now is embedded with malware. This malware includes viruses, worms, and trojans that can do significant harm to your computer, data, and privacy (like quietly taking your sensitive information such as logins, passwords, and credit card numbers). And now there is new ransomware that can hold your entire hard disk hostage with no fix available. Cracked and hacked copies are easily manipulated and infected. For example, the Asia- Pacific region has a very high piracy rate of 6. There is a direct correlation. In other words, the hackers that create and distribute these “free” or “cheap” copies are receiving payback in other ways (e. Adobe. Why install unknown and untrusted software onto your valuable system? Why give a stranger control of your machine, or your financial credentials? Further, the agencies have really been cracking down lately on download theft – in one recent case, the authorities were able to obtain the locations and contact information on 2. Bit. Torrent users and the fines paid are $3,0. Lastly, stay away from deals or “bargains” on e. Bay or Craigslist, or any seller you’ve never heard of (including on Amazon Marketplace), or anything that seems too good to be true – because it probably is… there are authentic- looking fakes everywhere. Reputation means everything in this area – because you don’t want to end up in regret, like so many there do, after their money has left their hands permanently and the software or their computer has stopped working. Read more details on why you shouldn’t buy from e. Bay, Craigslist, or Amazon Marketplace. So all in all, it’s not something for nothing – and really the only sensible and safe choice is getting the real deal straight from Adobe at up to 7.
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