Ithaca, NY—Podcasting has become the talk radio of the Internet era. Beginning a podcast is easier than starting a radio station, but it's still hard to assemble the necessary hardware and software, and to learn essential tricks of the trade. Mac users can easily meet that challenge with the second edition of Take Control of Podcasting on the Mac (TidBITS, $10.00 USD), a 118-page ebook that provides start-to-finish guidance from long-time podcaster Andy Affleck.
The ebook leads off by discussing how to plan a podcast's topic, format, and polish. Then Affleck focuses on the practical details of choosing the right microphone and audio software, followed by step-by-step instructions for recording using Audio Hijack Pro, GarageBand, Sound Studio, WireTap Studio, and Ubercaster, with advice about conducting interviews by phone, iChat, and Skype.
Once the audio is in the can, Affleck explains how to use audio plug-ins to make a recording sound better, complete with downloadable sound files to supplement his text. He also explains how to edit out any awkward bits, plug in additional audio, and mix tracks. Finally, the ebook offers detailed coverage of how to encode a podcast, add useful tags and chapters, find a publishing tool, and publish the final podcast for the world to hear. The ebook costs $10 and is available at Take Control Books and O'Reilly Media.
Questions answered in this ebook include:
- What types of microphones are best for podcasting?
- How can I find and use audio plug-ins to improve my podcast's sound quality?
- What's the best way to conduct a podcast interview?
- Should I record directly into MP3 format or encode later?
- How do I remove weird pauses or other glitches from my recording?
- How do I smoothly add music to the start and end of my podcast?
- What should I watch out for when choosing an Internet host for my podcast?
- What tools are available for publishing podcasts?
- Where should I promote my podcast to attract the most listeners?
For a review copy or more information please email takecontrolpr@oreilly.com. Please include your delivery address and contact information.
Andy Williams Affleck has been using Macs since 1984 and has always been obsessed with any new medium that improves communication. He has a master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Technology in Education, specifically online networks for teaching and learning, he's a senior project management officer (PMO), freelance Web and graphic designer, an accessible Web design expert (Section 508).
Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bios, and cover graphic, see the catalog page for Take Control of Podcasting on the Mac.
Publisher: TidBITS
Andy Williams Affleck
Take Control of Podcasting on the Mac, Second Edition,
PDF format, 118 pages, free 30-page sample available
PDF Price: $10.00 USD
ISBN: 9781933671062
About TidBITS
The Take Control series is published by TidBITS Publishing Inc. TidBITS co-founders Adam and Tonya Engst have been publishing highly regarded news and editorial since 1990 when they created the online newsletter TidBITS, which covers Macintosh- and Internet-related topics. The Take Control series has helped many thousands of readers with high-quality, timely, real-world, cost-effective documentation since 2003.
About O’Reilly
O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.