Next on the CC Lab agenda: Creating a podcast

We will break this session into three parts: 1.Recording a sound file 2.Getting the results into proper file format for subscription and distribution 3.Being happy and joyful

First, recording onto a computer

The main thing you have to remember is that computers have different types of audio inputs (the Mac and the PC don’t always work the same way)

So, you can’t always just stick a microphone into the computer and expect it to work. You need to check the “levels” and make sure that your mic setup works.

By far the easiest way to record to a computer is to use the built-in microphone on a laptop (a powerbook or a PC)

The next easiest way to record to a computer is to get a microphone made for the computer. This can plug into either the “audio in” port or USB.

If you are using a PC, sometimes you can plug a normal microphone right into the audio input (in the front or back, usually pink in color)

You need a microphone with a “mini” (1/8”) connector

If you are using a Mac workstation, you will need an “iMic” connector (the 10FL lab has a few, check one out)

If you want to get really serious, you can use a fancier preamp unit such as a USB M-Box (by M-Audio, 55W13 labs have some of these) or a fire-wire box (M-Audio makes these too, and the 10FL Lab has one)

The next few slides are about the fancy set-up. We won’t be messing with this stuff today, but some of you will want to try it out to get better quality results.

Mbox front and back USB Mbox front and back-- 55W13 has some of these

M-Audio firewire pre-amp (the 10FL lab has one)

Fancy fancy recording setup 1. Computer + Audacity + LAME + M-Audio Driver 2. Preamp 3. Power Cord 4. Firewire Cable 5. XLR Cable 6. Mic

Steps for the fancy setup: 1. Connect the preamp to a power source using the power cord 2. Connect the mic to the preamp using the XLR cable 3. Connect the preamp to the computer using the firewire cable

Preamp Settings Turn it on! Depress

Preamp Settings Ensure that your mic input is turned on and that the levels are turned up. Depress Turn up

OK now, whether you are working fancy or simple, once you have a mic set-up you think works, go into System Preferences (Mac), or Control Panel (PC), choose sound, and check that your input settings are correct.

If your settings are right, you should see the input level bar go up and down while you speak (on the Mac)

So, once you have the microphone set up, you need recording software. Some of these will be on 10FL lab computers: Peak (Mac) Ableton Live (Mac) Logic (Mac) Garageband (Mac) Audacity (PC and Mac)

We will use Audacity for today’s demo. It is free, and works on both Macs and PCs: audacity.sorceforge.net audacity.sorceforge.net

Audacity on the Mac (the PC interface looks very similar)

One last software thing we need is the “Lame” libraries, which allows us to export the Audacity files as mp3 files

So, now please go to a computer, get a microphone set up, and try recording a short file. Let’s try this in groups first, as we won’t have enough mics for everyone. If you can’t cop a mic, use your laptop built-in mic for now

Record Press record and talk into the mic. Access Audacity’s HELP MENU to get fancy. Press stop when finished and export the file as MP3. RecordStop

Then export the file as an mp3. You can play the file back from Audacity or from iTunes.

Ok, so now you have an mp3 file. That’s not quite a podcast yet. Why not?

Two reasons: 1.You are expected to script and edit your content. A typical podcast structure includes music, intro, credits, etc. 2.The final edited mp3 file must be referenced using a protocol that allows users to “subscribe” to your podcast

As far as the sound editing goes, start with Audacity and try putting some clips together. It’s like video editing. It’s easy.

The code protocol we use for podcasting is called: RSS

RSS actually stands for three things: Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91) RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9 and 1.0) Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0.0) (No, this is not a joke-- we will use RSS 2.0)

RSS is a family of XML file formats for Web syndication used by (among other things) news websites and weblogs [The following RSS defs are from Wikipedia]

The technology of RSS allows Internet users to subscribe to websites that have provided RSS feeds; these are typically sites that change or add content regularly.

The RSS formats provide web content or summaries of web content together with links to the full versions of the content, and other meta-data.

RSS is widely used by the weblog community to share the latest entries' headlines or their full text, and even attached multimedia files.

A program known as a feed reader or aggregator can check RSS-enabled web pages on behalf of a user and display any updated articles that it finds.

On Web pages, RSS feeds are typically linked with an orange rectangle or optionally with the letters or

A podcast is an RSS file that contains a link to downloadable audio files instead of a link to a news story.

An RSS file is a lot like HTML. There are tags and content. The file can be named just about anything, as long as the tags and content are correct.

You are going to make one RSS file for your feed. You can add many mp3 content files to your single feed. You do not need a new RSS file for each mp3!

Code INSERT YOUR CODE HERE (There are links on the CC Lab site to good tutorials)

Your Code Your Site Title Description of your sitedescription> Title of Your Podcast 1 Description of Your Podcast 1! Repeat for each media (mp3) file

Display Save RSS as YourFile.xml Create HTML page to display descriptions of your podcast and a link to the subscription file. Upload your files to your server. Test subscription file in an aggregator such as NetNewsWire

Repeat: you must test your final site! Download an aggregator or a feed reader and use it to make sure your RSS file works.

First podcast due date October 23rd. Topic: Some sort of artist narrative or personal statement

Many of you will still have questions. Please work with your friends to figure this out. It is not complex, but it will require you to work through the different steps.

Sven will answer anything you can’t figure out at the next CC Lecture (December 13th)