[linux-audio-user] LAU podcasting

[Mark Constable]

Greg Wilder wrote:
> This is a fantastic idea - and I'd like to offer some help along with some 
> thoughts...
> 
> Like you, I've been watching the growing influence of podcasts with great 
> interest.  As you mentioned, there's much potential for the medium - while at 
> the same time - there's plenty of poorly produced (read: unlistenable) stuff 
> out there.

Yep, good podcasts are the rarity. I generally stick to
the Daily Source Code and only those referred to from
elsewhere... in fact if the gems weren't real gems I
wouldn't bother much at all because of podjunk.

> Instead of inviting everyone to simply record descriptions of their studio 
> rigs, would it make more sense for the *community* to create an interesting 
> format as well as the content?  Imagine a "community* built and maintined 
> padcast focused on Linux audio!

That's interesting, like "our way of doing it" built
from the ground up by community consensus.. so it's
not only the LAU biased content but the delivery system
that could be developed as well ?

> Maybe a wiki segment, a gear review segment, edited segments directly

That sounds like the canonical LAU portal I've been
looking out for... for years.

> contributed by Linux users as well as other listeners, software development 
> reviews, email question of the week, interviews with developers, whatever.

You've just about brought me to tears...
 
> If we hope to gain listener interest in an effort to broaden the community, 
> we will need to put together an organized podcast that is both entertaining 
> and informative.

Yes... but, if the bar to entry is too high then it'll
discourage some potential contributors. Perhaps something
where "anything" gets initially published at a known URL
then there are the separate feeds for various categories
and some moderation system to decide if some incoming
podcasts get redirected to specific feeds. So if someone
was primarily interested in MIDI then they could only, or
mainly, subscribe to the MIDI feed and ignore the main
incoming feed.

> I'm a audio professional (www.gregwilder.com) in an unusual situation - I have 
> direct access to actors (read: voice talent & personality) in 
> Philadelphia/NYC who might very well be interested in contributing their time 
> in return for exposure.

Would it be fair to say that exposuse alone would be enough
reward for these kind of professionals to commit their time ?
Well spoken and recorded LAU documentation, aside from news
and tutorials, would be welcome around my PC.

> My studio (www.steeprockmedia.com)  runs 90% 
> GNU/Linux and is capable of better than broadcast quality.  (Much of my work 
> produced using open-source tools has been heard on TV, radio, blah, blah...)

Wow, if you personally could be comfortable talking about
how you go about using this system, and how you put it
together, along with audio examples of your hints and tips
then I'd be totally locked in on your feed.

> If we could get a community effort together to create the format and content, 
> I'd be willing to consider donating my studio time and experience in order to 
> produce the show.

So there is no problem with you being able to wrap a quality
wrapper (intro/breaks/outro) around peoples contributions ?

> Thoughts?
> Greg Wilder

In a word... excellent. FWIW here is a message I sent to AC a
few days ago... he never responded. At the time it was beyond
my wildest dreams that something similar to this could be done
for and by linux audio enthusiasts.

--------------------------
Take two things, podcasting is newer than new to most people yet,
and your DSC is one, if not the, best example of the genre in all
facets... focus, presentation, quality of sound... with all those
nice standout features that only comes from a solid background in
pro industry audio situations. Of which, the rest of us do not
have the luxury of, it's _all_ so new to the vast majority of folks
out there still toying with the potential of doing their own podcasts.

So one thing I feel would accelerate the growth of quality content
would be if the prince of podcasts himself did an ongoing parallel
podcast series of technical howtos describing various facets of the
overall mastery of podcasting. I would suggest not "polluting" DSC
with this kind of content but having a dedicated podcast along with
associated website and feed. They only need to be 15 to 20 mins
so both presenter and audience don't get fatigued with the extra
focus needed by a torrent of techie details.

You would have fun... it'd just you describing what you are
actually doing while you are doing it... like tweaking mic
settings or reviewing a new app... or describing the code you are
developing yourself, and the problem it's trying to solve, in
greater detail. It could be good therapy and focus for you to
vocalize all the techniques and ideas you use and you would
certainly get a variety of feedback.. on a finer more focused
technical level.
--------------------------

--markc