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Once compiled and edited, save the new file as an MP3 (if you’re
using A u d a c i t y, you’ll need the LAME MP3 Encoder). To make your file
ready to podcast, there is specific ID and naming protocol you need to
f o l l o w. Yahoo! Has an easy tutorial at http://podcasts.yahoo.com/publish/1,
and there’s another great step-by-step explanation at
w w w.podcastingnews.com/articles/How-to-Podcast.html. Then you need to
F T P your file to your own web site, or use a hosting service like Ya h o o !
G e o c i t i e s .
What sets podcasting apart from the simple hosting of MP3 files is
that subscribers automatically get updates as soon as you post new shows.
To make that possible, you have to create an RSS feed for your podcast.
The RSS feed alerts subscribers’ podcatchers to your updates and allows
them to be downloaded immediately.
This article originally appeared in Disc Makers’ Fast Forw a rd monthly en
e w s l e t t e r. Visit www.discmakers.com/music/ffwd to get a free subscription.
PODCASTS AS A P R O M O T I O N A L TO O L
by Colin Meeks, IndieLaunchPad.com
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
♦
In their simplest form, podcasts are audio files created on a computer or
portable media device that are subscribed to by people interested in the
content of the Podcast. These audio files are then transported across the
Internet to the users computer. This can be done automatically using one of
a myriad of podcast aggregators like Juice, Doppler or Wi n P o d d e r. Podcast
comes from the amalgamation of two words, iPod and broadcast. This has
led to the common misconception that an iPod is required to listen to them,
this is not the case. You can listen to a podcast on any computer, MP3
player or CD player if the podcast has been written to an audio CD. T h e
early genesis of podcasting is commonly attributed to Adam Curry and
Dave Wi n e r. With A d a m ’s drive to make it happen and Dave’s RSS (Really
Simple Syndication) to act as the kind transport layer to get the podcast out
to all subscribers. Talking of subscribers, another common misconception
is that you need to pay for the podcasts you download, after all you are a
s u b s c r i b e r. While there are a few paid for podcasts, the vast majority are
totally free. Podcasts have grown at a phenomenal rate and their popularity
was launched into the stratosphere, when Apple decided to jump on the
podcast wagon and allow people to subscribe to podcasts through iTu n e s .
Like music before it, suddenly podcasts were available to the regular
person, without requiring complex knowledge of RSS feeds and aggregator
s o f t w a r e .
With podcasts coming into their own in the latter half of 2004,
suddenly there was a medium that was inexpensive and could reach the
world over. Creating a podcast can be relatively cheap, but once the bug
catches hold, it’s not long before podcasters outgrow their modest
hardware and strive for perfection with a new microphone and mixer.
Another big issue for podcasters is bandwidth. Having a few dozen people
download your podcast is fine, even though the average music podcast is
around 20-30 megabytes, but just imagine what happens when you have
thousands of people downloading. Many people find themselves with an
expensive bill from their Internet provider. There are many services that
alleviate this problem for a small fee and it’s these hidden costs that most
people, especially listeners are not aware of.
Adam Curry had his own podcast called the Daily Source Code. A t
the beginning of each show and occasionally within, he would play music
often referred to as mashups. This was the fusion of two or more diff e r e n t
songs into one. This sometimes resulted in some great songs, but it was
also in direct violation of copyright. While many didn’t think it to be a real
problem, it wasn’t long before the powers that be came knocking on Mr.
C u r r y ’s door and he was forced to stop. In the latter half of 2005 however
an artist from NY, USA stepped into the breech and gave Adam full
permission to play his song Summertime on the Daily Source Code. T h i s
artist was Brother Love and it was the beginning of something quite
special. It wasn’t long after this, that bands began to see the potential of
podcasts and either gave permission to podcasts to feature their music or to
sometimes create podcasts themselves.
There are now literally thousands of podcasts, featuring a multitude of
new bands and artists. Bands are now finding new audiences from around
the world. Hollow Horse, a band from Glasgow, Scotland are one of the
many bands with positive things to say about podcasts. Kenny Little from
the band says “If it wasn’t for the medium of podcasting we would
probably have split up. As it is, we are now in the middle of recording our
third album and, the strange sideline to all of this, is we now have friends
and fans from all over the world.”. After being first featured in a couple of
podcasts, Kenny said “We have sold more copies of the album in A m e r i c a
than we have in Scotland. How amazing is that”. Many bands now have no
intention of seeking a record label, preferring to handle everything
themselves. With Podcasts, MySpace and a Myriad of other services
available in your arsenal, it’s now quite a feasible thing to do.
Colin Meeks is host and produce of the Indie Launchpad Podcast
w w w.indielaunchpad.com which showcases some of the best in
independent music.
W H AT IS PODSAFE MUSIC?
by David Wimble, The Indie Bible
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
♦
As you visit the hundreds of music podcast and MP3 blog sites you’ll
notice that most them feature something called PODSAFE MUSIC. For
this article I have gathered information from various internet sites in order
to help clarify what podsafe music is and how it can become another
helpful tool to place into your marketing utility belt.
Definition of podsafe music (from Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org )
Podsafe is a term created in the podcasting community to refer to any work
which, through its licensing, specifically allows the use of the work in
podcasting, regardless of restrictions the same work might have in other
realms. For example, a song may be legal to use in podcasts, but may need
to be purchased or have royalties paid for over-the-air radio use, television
use, and possibly even personal use.
The effective definition of “podsafe” for a given work depends
entirely on the contract through which the podcaster licenses the work;
there is no single podsafe license. The concept of podsafety, in its true
form, greatly favors the artist and the profitability of the artist’s product, in
exchange for only very limited concessions to the podcasting community.
While some works such as public domain works or works under some
Creative Commons licenses are inherently podsafe, the only actual
requirement for a work to be podsafe is that any licensing requirements it
has, if applicable, allow for the work’s free use (typical broadcast use in its
original form, if in no other form, depending on the specific license) in a
podcast or web broadcast. This gives specific favor to podcasts only,
allowing the artist to impose more traditional constraints on everyone else.
Podsafe licensing can, for example, continue to require non-podcast
consumers to pay for the work, require royalties on derivative works, and
profit significantly from the work’s use in traditional radio, television, or
f i l m .
The licensor of any podsafe work must be legally capable of making it
so. An artist cannot distribute his or her own work through a podsafe
license if doing so would break any laws or breach any standing
agreements (e.g. with the RIAA). The creator of a derivative work may
also not claim this work podsafe without express permission from the
original copyright holders. (PMN has more specific and stringent terms to
this effect in its agreement.)
Another point of contention is that not all podcasts are noncommercial
works; in fact, an increasing number of podcasts are taking on
sponsors and looking to make a profit. In general, no significant distinction
is yet made between podsafe for non-commercial use and podsafe for
commercial use, but it could easily arise at any moment.
Motives for the podcaster to use podsafe music ( f r o m
Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org )
As podcasting grows more and more popular, illegal use of heavily
licensed music (as through the RIAA) becomes increasingly difficult to
hide. This is in general of greater concern to podcasters than to the typical
sharer of music, because podcasters usually produce their shows for and
promote them to the public—a far more overt and traceable action.
The Indie Bible – 10 th Edition www.indiebible.com