Podholes #22: Live From Balticon [50:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (171)

Yes, everyone. We’re alive. We didn’t podfade on purpose; we’ve just been slammed with a number of other projects, and it took a while for things to return to pseudo-normality for both of us.

We have new episodes in the can already to post over the next week or two. Meanwhile, here’s an episode we recorded back in May, at Balticon 2007. Thanks to Paul Fischer for helping us get the audio for this.

VOICEMAIL LINE! From this point on, we’re planning to focus the show less on reading e-mail and more on voicemail messages. We think it’s more fun this way. If you have a question you’d like us to cover, give us a call at 206-984-4203. (Bonus points to anyone who can make that spell something funny.)

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #21: P.A.P. Smear - Myth Show [18:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (227)

P.A.P. Smear #9: We critique Episode 6 of The Myth Show.

Does this journey into academia yield rewards for our heroes?

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #20: 8-Track Balls [34:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (157)

Very sorry for the late posting on this one, folks. We actually recorded it on time, but Steve screwed up on getting it posted.

• Steve splurges on the Shure Beta 58 instead of the SM58. Conclusion: It is a sexy beast.
• Proximity Effect: usually not your friend. Don’t get too close.
• How do you plug a lapel mic into the Zoom H4? You need this adapter or this one.
• Question from Tim Sullivan: “What are your rigs?” (Heh, heh. Guess what we spend the rest of our time talking about?)
• Question from William Morton: “Should I record in wave format or MP3 format?”
• Aside: How long should one keep the wave files and project files around?
• Question from Jonathan Walz: “Monitor on headphones from the mixer or the computer?”

P.A.P. Smear #9: We’ll be critiquing Episode 6 of The Myth Show. Listen to the episode, then hear us talk about it next week…

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #19: P.A.P. Smear - Off Topic Talk [27:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (247)

P.A.P. Smear #8: We critique Episode 14 of Off Topic Talk.

Does he live up to his promise, or does he stay on topic? Even more unlikely, do we stay on topic?

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #18: Zoom-Zoom [32:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (556)

We live! No apologies, just fresh podholery.

• Steve’s tip: if you miss episodes, just go on.
• We devote most the episode to discussing the Zoom H4 — recording samples, reviews, tips and tricks.
• Okay, we talk a little about the Zoom H2 as well.
• Question from Nobilis: “How much dynamic range is appropriate for a spoken word podcast?”

P.A.P. Smear #8: We’ll be critiquing Episode 14 of Off-Topic Talk. Listen to the episode, then hear us talk about it next week…

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #17: P.A.P. Smear - Adventures in SciFi Publishing [17:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (214)

P.A.P. Smear #7: We critique Episode 9 of Adventures in SciFi Publishing.

Interviews with science fiction authors and publishers — if only we knew something about that…

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #16: The Show Must Go On [35:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (207)

Steve’s sick this time. Will that stop him? No. Will it make him sound like crap? Yes.

• Steve’s recording on his new toy: the Zoom H4 portable recorder.
• Question from Paul Haring: “What’s the best way to mix in bed music? Live or during post?”
• Question from Jill Arroway: “How do you clean up voicemail messages?” (Especially from K7.net.)
• Question from P.G. Holyfield: “Which room should I choose for the best acoustics during recording?”
• Question from Andy Bilodeau: “What effects do you use in your audio software?”
• Question from Bill from MN: “How do you organize your folders?”

P.A.P. Smear #7: We’ll be critiquing Episode 9 of Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing. Listen to the episode, then hear us talk about it next week…

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #15: P.A.P. Smear - Submission and Coffee With Dollie Llama [25:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (438)

P.A.P. Smear #6: We critique the February 3, 2007 episode of Submission and Coffee With Dollie Llama.

It’s the audio journal of a BDSM relationship. Obviously this is not a P.A.P. Smear for the kids. (As if any of them ever were.)

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #14: The Hosts With the Mosts [38:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (211)

Mike’s back! Steve still manages to talk occasionally. The first two topics killed half an hour, so we run long to cover more questions.

• Talk into the correct end of the microphone.
• Mike corrects Steve’s mixer advice from the last episode:
• Using aux sends for compression doesn’t always work
• You can use buses if your mixer is an expensive one like Mike’s
• The Alesis USB mixer is a problem for wiring in compressors
• Tape outs can work better than main outs because they’re at different voltages
• Mike: PC sound cards can work fine — if they’re the expensive ones.
• Question from Andy (Club of Heads): “What’s the best place to host podcasts?” <-- The question that ate the show. Mike likes Libsyn; Steve is using Dreamhost.
• Question from Clair (Table 9 Studios): “Can you use dynamic mics together with condenser mics?”
• Question from Matt (The Off Topic Podcast): “Noise reduction — friend or foe?”
• Two questions from Greg (The Myth Show):
• “Is there a problem with handcoding your RSS feed?”
• “What are the fair use rules regarding TV and movie clips?”

P.A.P. Smear #6: We’ll be critiquing the February 3rd episode of Submission and Coffee With Dollie Llama. Listen to the episode, then hear us talk about it next week…

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!

 

 Podholes #13: My Mixer, My Self [43:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (315)

Mike couldn’t make it this week, so Steve’s stuck all by his lonesome. He gets his revenge by bringing you, in Mike’s absence…

(drum roll)

THE MIXER EPISODE.

It runs a bit long, but Steve covers all the basics of mixers for podcasters: setting levels, hooking up compressors and other devices, and which features (EQ, USB, Firewire, etc.) are generally useful and which ones aren’t.

(Question for the audience: Would an enhanced version of this episode with pictures be useful to anyone? Or is the monologue self-explanatory enough that illustrations wouldn’t add anything? I’m willing to put in the work, but only if it would truly be helpful.)

Have any questions or want to provide feedback? Just let us know!