Syllabus

Getting Started with Podcasting:
GarageBand

Instructor: Bryan Lane

Planning guidelines

1. Consider your content first. Scripting is essential for most podcasts. Podcasts with short, focused messages are most common, although some exceed 60 minutes.
   • Example (2:45): Mandocasts: "Meta-Mandocast" about Fair Use Exceptions to the Copyright Law
   • Example (2:17): Henry VIII and His Six Wives
2. Identify the media elements you want to include, such as narration, images, titles, and soundtrack.

3. Create a high quality audio recording. The Student Multimedia Design Center provides studios and equipment kits. This session will use the Logitech 350 headset, pictured at left.
4. Use software that can assemble all of your media elements and package them in podcast format. This session will use GarageBand (available as part of iLife '08 from Apple).
5. Consider how you will transfer your podcast project files and where you will publish the finished podcast. Putting Podcasts Online is recommended as a follow-up session.
6. Choose one platform (Windows or Mac) at the outset and stick with it for an entire podcast production. Windows is the selected platform for this session.
7. Read more about multimedia planning guidelines.

Advantages, disadvantages, and variations of the podcast format

"Podcast + Videocast Essential Training" offers 5 hours of online training, available on lynda.com in the Student Multimedia Design Center

• Advantages
  • A low-threshold form of multimedia content creation and delivery.
  • Gives the user a choice of when and where to listen.
  • A method of "narrow-casting" to a selected subscriber base.
• Disadvantages
  • Creating a good podcast takes time: make sure the effort is appropriate for your project.
  • It can take extra effort to identify and capture an audience.
  • Unlike a web page that a reader can visually scan, lengthy podcasts need to take other approaches to serve users.
  • Can involve large files that lead to file storage and transfer issues.
• Variations
  • Narration and soundtrack example: Wall Street Journal Tech News Briefing (RSS link)
  • Narration, soundtrack, and images example
  • Podcasts that include video are another variation but are beyond the scope of this session.

Use the resource list for this session to find out more about podcasts.

How to combine images, narration, and soundtrack to create a basic podcast

Find out more about sounds, mics, sound control, and techniques from the video101 web site, available in the Student Multimedia Design Center.

We'll use GarageBand to assemble this sample podcast. Step-by-step instructions for the class exercise are available.

Instructions

Important: Your GarageBand project file (with the .band file extension) is not the same as your podcast output file (with the .m4a file extension). Keep track of both files!

Options for follow-up assistance

1. Lynda.com and video101 offer excellent self-paced online tutorials.
2. Come to the Student Multimedia Design Center service desk.
3. Submit a question at AskSMDC.
4. Make an appointment with our staff by calling 831-8832.
5. For general technology questions, contact the Help Center.
6. For help with a class presentation, contact the Oral Communications Fellows.
7. For faculty who need help with technology, contact PRESENT.

Enjoy "Great Moments from the Golden Age of Podcasting!"