Cloudy Day Art Presents:
The Poet Tech Podcast – Episode #002

 

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In this week’s podcast I go over the basics of poetry home recording.  Many of the topics discussed will be the subjects of upcoming episodes, so please feel free to ask questions or offer your own personal insights.  I know many of the listeners of this podcast and readers of the blog have had experience in this area as well. Please leave a comment. Thanks!

Topics discussed:

• Show schedule update
• Reasons for recording
  • Share on personal blog
  • Send to a friend or family
  • Record a series of poems to sell via CD or download (future series)
  • Send in for sharing on a poetry podcast
    • Covered basic Audacity how-to video
• How can it help you as a poet
  • Reciting a poem out loud can help you get a better feel of how the piece flows, which may lead you to revise it
  • Listening to the playback of your recital can give you a feel of how an audience member or even a reader receives it
  • Sharing audio of you poetry can help give you exposure if you are trying to promote your works
    • Play on podcasts
    • Audio samples of a CD you have for sale
• Equipment needed:
  • Microphone
    • Internal laptop microphone
    • Web-cam microphone
    • USB microphone (cheap or expensive) ($15-400)
      • (I used a USB mic on very first Poetry Podcast in 2005.)
    • Hand-held dynamic (cheap or expensive)
  • Mixer (only if using higher end microphone)
    • $50-1,400
  • Recording device
    • Computer
      • Audacity (free (PC or Mac))
      • Garageband (free for Mac users)
      • Adobe Audition ($350)
    • External recorder
      • Can be used to record to without buying a mic or mixer
      • No noise from computer components (electronic noise and static)
      • No loss of recordings from software issues (mainly affects longer recordings)
• Process
  • Be familiar with the poem you’re recording
    • Cloudy Day Art #80 “Tips For Reading Poetry Aloud with Don From ClassicPoetryAloud.com”
  • Record in the quietest part of the house possible (in the evening or early morning may be best)
  • Turn off everything (A/C, fans, computers, refrigerators, etc)
    • (Don’t forget to turn it all back on!)
  • Multiple takes if necessary
  • Edit recording
  • Upload and send!
• Other options
  • Phone
    • Audioboo (iPhone)
    • Utterli
    • Voicemail

Thanks for listening! I looking forward to hearing your feedback and suggestions.