Direct link to video.

I was watching a video by a local politician and it bothered me that there were no captions with the video. And then I noticed he kept looking down at a teleprompter or script for a lot of the recording. I want to show a possible fix for both those issues using one tool: Descript!

In the tutorial above, I discuss the importance of video accessibility features, such as captions, for both hard-of-hearing viewers and the general audience. I highlight issues like the lack of eye contact with the camera while reading from a teleprompter and offer a solution using Descript, a tool for editing audio and video. In addition, I show how Descript can help improve audio quality by reducing room noise using it’s Studio Sound feature. I also demonstrate how to use Descript’s text transcription and AI generated social media posts.

Links Mentioned in the Video

• Descript
• Transistor Podcast Hosting
• The original tweet with video I reference

Want More Tutorials?

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Leave a comment below if you’ve got a suggestion for the next video tutorial I should make!

Direct link to the video

In this tutorial, I record an episode of my podcast in Descript, edit it in Descript, and then send it off to Transistor for publishing as a new episode of my podcast. Especially for a solo podcast, it’s remarkably easy to do – plus you get a perfect (with some slight adjustments) transcription out of it as well.

You can listen to the episode I recorded in the tutorial or subscribe to my (under construction) podcast.

Apps Mentioned in the Video

• Descript
• Transistor.fm

Want More Tutorials?

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Leave a comment below if you’ve got a suggestion for the next video tutorial I should make!

Tangent: According to Wikipedia it was actually Apple that may have started the whole DevRel position back in the 80’s, but it didn’t really catch on everywhere else until the 2010’s?

And lucky you! You got a job at a software company in DevRel, and now you get to appear on podcasts and YouTube channels talking about the amazing APIs, edge functions, and FrontPage ’98 extensions that your new employer has that more developers need to be aware of.

Here’s My Ask:

As a podcast editor who may end up editing you as a guest on one of my client’s podcasts, please do us all a favor (but especially me if I’m being honest) and get yourself some better gear for recording audio using your new employer’s budget.

1) – Get a Microphone

No, your earbuds are not good enough. Nor is your $3,500 new MacBook Pro’s built in mic. There’s hundreds of options out there, but to keep it simple, get yourself the Shure MV7. Ideally get the bundle with the boom arm as well if your desk allows for it. It’s a great mic. It’ll plug in to your MacBook Pro’s USB-C port no problem. It sounds and looks great. You don’t need any other preamps, Fetheads, or compressors to power it. It just works.

Some alternatives if the MV7 is outside your budget include:

• ~$110 Audio Technica ATR2100x
• ~$200 Rode Podmic USB
• ~$200 Elgato Wave:3 (Elgato is a great brand for all sorts of audio and video recording gear.)

2) Get a Pair of Headphones

Technically you can use your AirPods or or whatever headset your employer gave you with your computer. Nothing really wrong with them as long as you use headphones. And make sure when you’re recording that you’re not using those as your input device!

One benefit to getting wired headphones, besides possible bluetooth latency, is the ability to plug them right into your microphone so you can monitor your audio input as it goes into the computer. Most of the mics listed above include a headphone plug so you can hear yourself.

It can take a bit of getting used to, but that way you can hear if the hard drive spinning up on your desk is making it’s way into your microphone before it’s too late.

If you want to keep it all really simple and on one line item on the receipt so accounting is happy, get the MV7 boom + headphone bundle.

Look at that fancy typography. You know they do their microphone gear right when they can afford typography like that.

Now You’re Ready to DevRel!

That’s it. That’s all you need to sound great while doing whatever it is someone in DevRel does. Or at least the part where you’re on a podcast or YouTube video with one of my clients.

You’ll sound better than at least 70% of the other DevRel people out there which will make you sound smarter. And your new employer will come off sounding like a very professional company with an amazing sounding DevRel team.

Share This Post So We Can All Heal Our Ears Together

A mic upgrade isn’t just for someone working in DevRel!

Maybe you heard a friend on a podcast and it sounded like they were using their 2011 iMac microphone. They don’t even have to work in DevRel to benefit from this post! Please send them this blog post, with love and kindness, so we can all collectively heal by having better audio on the internet and in our eardrums.

Other Posts About Improving Your Recordings

• 6 Tips for Better Podcast Recordings
• What Does it Take to Record a Podcast?
• Gift Guide for Someone Wanting to Get Into Podcasting

Got Questions?

Got any questions about guesting on a podcast or gear to buy I haven’t answered here? Drop a comment below, hit me up on Twitter, or contact me directly.

But as part of Scott Tolinski and Wes Bos’ 600th episode, they also announced that Syntax is joining Sentry. Listen to the episode for their conversation with Sentry founder and CTO David Cramer about the how, why, and what it all means for the popular web development podcast. Sentry’s blog has details as well:

A lot of our inspiration for Syntax stems from the early days of the internet when it was a place full of organic culture, ideas, and most importantly, curiosity. Many of us reminisce about the glory days of web forums and personal blogs that looked like your cool neighborhood dive bar instead of the bland, cookie-cutter chain restaurant that has inevitably emerged. For me, Syntax is a reminder of that beloved neighborhood institution with true character and is one that we want to continue building upon.

It’s been an honour and privilege to work on the Syntax podcast for almost 200 episodes. Wes and Scott’s hard work on Syntax is a testament to the biggest “hack” in podcasting: Show up consistently over a long enough period of time and good things will happen. With 3 episodes per week – a short “Hasty”, longer “Tasty”, and a third “Supper Club” interview episode added recently, there’s a lot of web knowledge and BBQ tips being dropped each week on Syntax.

p.s. If you’ve read this far and you’re a Syntax listener, then you know what to try and do with this:

O25EZ

Direct link to video.

Over on my YouTube channel I had the opportunity to review Anker’s PowerConf C200 2K webcam. I decided to compare it to the current Logitech C920 and iPhone 13 Pro / Camo cameras that I use for videos and live streaming and see how they compare.

Too long, didn’t watch? I dig it. It’s a high quality, small webcam that is a great upgrade from the C920. It does a great job of lighting my face in low or lots of light, and looks more natural than the C920. A sub-$100 webcam can’t really compare to a $1,400 iPhone camera, but it definitely holds it’s own. Plus it’s a lot easier to set up and configure than finding a tripod mount and running cable to my iPhone 13.

Links Mentioned in the Video

• Buy the Anker C200
• Download Camo

Want More Tutorials?

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Leave a comment below if you’ve got a suggestion for the next video tutorial I should make!

As a podcast editor and producer for a bunch of podcasts, primarily in the web dev and tech community, who’s clients use a variety of podcast hosts (Libsyn, Simplecast, Anchor, etc.) I can honestly say I enjoy using Transistor.fm the most. It’s the easiest interface to get around in and just simply get a new episode of a podcast published.

A few points to consider when picking a podcast host:

1. They should charge money for hosting so you know they’ll be around in a year. Transistor charges a monthly fee, regardless of how many podcasts you start. That works great for being able to try out ideas, have a show with a single 10 episode run, or a private podcast you use to test ideas on before publishing it to the world.
2. You own your content. Every show on Transistor has a industry standard RSS feed you can pipe out to anywhere else if you decide to move. Nothing locked in.
3. They’ll never advertise in your feed. Again, because Transistor charges money each month they’re not interested in messing with your podcast. They do have a dynamic ad spot feature (DAI) that you can use if you want to, but it’s completely in your control, not theirs.
4. As with any good podcast host in 2022, Transistor can take care of (where possible) hooking up your podcast to all the major and many of the lesser known podcast directories. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, etc.
5. As I said in my intro, having used many different podcast hosting platforms for my clients, plus my own hobby podcasts, if I could go back in time I’d have a requirement that my clients must use Transistor.fm. Other podcast hosts have so many extra clicks just to get a new episode published.

I’m a unabashed fan of what Justin and Jon are building with Transistor – so much so that I use Transistor to host my own podcast network with friends over at Goodstuff.network.

Got any questions about podcast hosting I haven’t answered here? Drop a comment below, hit me up on Twitter, or contact me directly.

As I’ve written about many times, Chris & Dave were my first podcast editing client that helped kickstart me on a year long journey of transitioning from WordPress clients to 100% podcast related clients. Big thanks to Dave for thinking of me and reaching out when he did.

Speaking of Dave, he wrote up a blog post titled “Five Hundred ShopTalks” and he’s got some good nuggets for podcasters:

The biggest lesson I’ve learned about podcasting over the last 10 years: it’s all about consistency and quality. Releasing on a consistent day/week/etc (whatever that is for your show) and making sure the show you send to people’s earbuds and cars is a good quality audio file; that means good mic, good edit, decent music and audio cues.

Dave Rupert

In watching them from the producer / editor sidelines, I would upvote the consistency idea for podcasts. Not for the listeners – though they appreciate it when your episode is there each week. But for you, the host of the podcast. Take it from someone who has started and fizzled out on many podcasts of my own over the years: once you fall off the schedule, it’s way harder to get back on schedule. It’s like your brain suddenly realizes you’re allowed to skip a week – and then it becomes two. And before you know it, 10 years go by.

One other thing that’s helped Chris & Dave maintain a podcast over 10 years is at a fork in the road, choose whatever is easiest:

The other thing Chris and I talk about often is that whenever we’ve needed to make a decision we’ve always sided on making our lives easier and we have no regrets. This allows us to continue to enjoy the podcasting with less stress. For example, I use a USB mic with no audio interface, because easier. We don’t do high concept shows that often, because easier. We don’t typically have more than two guests, because easier. We pay an audio editor, because easier. “Easier” has been a good compass for us.

Emphasis mine – naturally. 🙂 Hiring out an editor like me to take the “grunt” work out of producing a weekly podcast means you get to to the fun stuff – having a conversation that’s recorded – without having to worry about any of the other stuff you don’t like doing: editing out mistakes, adding in sponsor spots, writing up show notes, checking links, setting up the episode in your CMS and podcast host, publishing it out to the world.

Want to hire someone like me just like Dave & Chris have done? Get in touch!

Video

Direct link to video

Want More Tutorials Like This?

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel

If you’ve got any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I love to try and help people create better audio without losing their minds.

Before stumbling into podcast editing, I would build websites for clients but spend the whole time dreaming of being able to do my own thing… following some entrepreneurial dream to be a YouTube creator, podcaster, video game tutorial maker, blogger, etc.

And part of it is maturity and life experiences, but a big part is finding something that I really enjoy doing. Taking ShopTalk Show as an example – I’ve been listening to the same 2 dudes (+ guests) for almost 400 episodes?? And I still love it.

This year I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to parlay the audio work into video work with fun people like Jason Lengstorf, among others, and that’s come at a perfect time to force me to sharpen my skills and learn new tricks rather than relying on what I already know.

All this to say: I was reflecting, as one does this time of year, on the tremendous blessing of being able to do what I love. And not in a “burn everything else down so that I can live out my dreams” kind of way. Though there were some very, very, lean years along the way.

Thank you for reading this far along, and following along on the various social media channels I burp and fart out on, and I really hope and pray you get the opportunity to do what you love whether through career, or a hobby, or both. 💕

p.s. Please get you and your family vaccinated / boosted 💉and be safe! 😷

(This was pulled from a Twitter thread if you prefer to read / share / like there.)

Here’s the quick version: sign up for their annual plan and you’ll get 20% off one year of podcast hosting.

Video Version

Direct link to the video on YouTube.

One way of looking at it is if you’ve been thinking about getting a podcast going: this is the perfect way to give yourself two and a half months of runway before you’d have to start paying for your hosting. (20 percent of 12 is 2.4 if my math is right?)

Go here and you’ll automagically get the pricing discount until 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021.

And yes… I get some affiliate credit for sending you over to Transistor if you use my link. It helps keep the lights on and food on my table, but that’s not really why I’m recommending this.

I run my business editing podcasts, and honestly one of the biggest barriers for a lot of indie podcasters is getting over the hurdle of paying for podcast hosting. Free podcast hosts come and go. And they’re fine for trying out an idea. But if you’re somewhat serious about podcasting, then I really encourage you to check out Transistor for your podcast.

Also: if you’ve got a podcast hosted elsewhere, you can get this pricing as well and the awesome people at Transistor will help you move your podcast over. Or if you’re an existing Transistor customer, you can get this price if you’re paying monthly and move to an annual plan.

Here’s a few reasons to check out Transistor:

You can host multiple podcasts for that one price.

If you want to add a new podcast to your plan – or try out a podcast with a friend – no need to worry about adding more costs to your plan. With one price you can host unlimited podcasts on Transistor.

They’ve got 24/7 live customer support.

No zombies on their support team. All 100% live human beings. And they’re responsive, kind, and smart to boot!

They’ve got awesome analytics!

Podcast distribution.

They take all the work out of distributing your podcast to all the podcast aggregators… Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Pocket Casts, Overcast… all the casts basically.

You can create private podcasts!

So if you’ve got a special podcast you want to make just for that special someone – “Hi mom! Hope you’re having a nice time on the beach with dad while we’re stuck in the snow and ice of winter!” – or maybe you want to create an internal podcast just for your company, or clients – you can do that on Transistor.

Dynamic Audio Insertion with Transistor

The coolest thing Transistor just added is Dynamic Audio Insertion. Which is a fancy way of saying “Add some audio to the beginning or end of my already published episodes for me automagically”. Why would you want to care about Dynamic Audio Insertion? Well let’s say your podcast is rolling along with 10 episodes and a sponsor comes along and wants to throw money at you to advertise on your podcast. Normally you’d say “Sure… let’s work out a deal for the next 30 episodes at $300 an episode.” With Dynamic Audio Insertion – DAI – you can also offer to add their sponsor spot to the episodes you’ve already published without any extra work on your part. Transistor takes care of all the audio processing. Which basically means you get paid more money for content you’ve already published for almost no effort.

Sign Up On Transistor’s Annual Plan

If you’ve got a podcast idea you’ve been itching to try out, set yourself up in 2022 with a great podcast host on a great deal and make it happen.

Sign up here for Transistor’s annual plan and get 20% off the price for your first year of podcast hosting.