Podcasts. How very 2005.

Broadcast your thoughts. Introduction & Part 1

When podcasting first emerged in 2003 it was relatively localised to the technological community, by 2005 it became a wide spread buzzword that seemed to be used everywhere.

There are several driving forces behind the growth of podcasting that still make it worth while considering 6 years on:

The first of these is the exceptional popularity of the iPod. Distribution has grown from over 4 million being sold in the first quarter of 2005 to over 22 million in the first quarter of 2008. Although the term ‘podcast’ is arguably a play on both the ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast’ it is important to note that it has no direct connection to Apple and therefore it is also necessary to take into account the other portable media players available in order to grasp the huge scale of portable media. From the iPod to the iPhone to the HTC to my new wardrobe, almost everything these days seems ready for RSS feeds.

The second of the driving forces is due to the rapid adoption of broadband Internet subscriptions allowing users to easily access larger sized media. The BBC spotted the link early on in 2005 correlating that “Broadband and portable music player sales have fuelled growth” in the podcast market. Well they really nailed it there.

Third of the driving forces is the increase in numbers of PC owners with the capabilities of creating multimedia content. As podcasting gets more popular the barriers to entry continue to fall with more and more “user friendly” pieces of software available for creating podcasts. Podcasting, therefore, offers the means for anyone who wishes to have their own ‘show’ the opportunity to do so. Tempted yet?

Another key factor to podcasting growth was due, arguably, to the lack in diversity of radio programming and the growing abundance of commercials [insert annoyingly catchy radio ad here]. Many of the early reports on podcasting emphasised the idea of bringing a medium online that gives any member of the public a platform to share thoughts and views. Mr Adam ‘Podcast’ Curry (2004), arguably the original proponent of podcasting, saw this new form of distribution as invaluable in a world where he suggests radio is over commercialised [re-insert annoyingly catchy radio jingle].

This idea of podcasts existing to hear what the masses have to say is furthered by Phil ‘Big Brains’ Leigh (2005) who suggests that podcasting provides a way to avoid the “exclusivity of franchises”. A well turned phrase... if you don’t mind me saying so.

So here’s the rub. Why not get involved? Have you got a computer? Have you got a microphone? Have you got a little drop of enthusiasm or, in my case, far too much time on your hands? Well if so then read on.

Step 1

Knowing Your Demographic

It is important to begin with some old-school planning. A target demographic is dependant on the individual podcast. This initial stage of development will set the content, audience, style and even the structure of your show. So go on, draw a lovely big brain storm/ spider diagram or even a gant chart (I do love a good gant chart).

Pick a subject with longevity and more importantly pick content that interests you. If you’re interested in it then I can guarantee someone else is too. That’s why we love the internet right?! I really feel that my life is lacking a good podcast on Tesco’s selection of world teas…. I mean, how am I meant to choose?

You should have a good understanding of your target audience. For instance, LittleSmasher Podcasting has created a series of shows for Brunel University, which is targeted at “pre-university students with other people in mind like parents, teachers and older students who are already at university”. The guys at LittleSmasher.com are worth having a listen to. They can tailor the style of broadcast to the content superbly… on the other hand why not look at Podcast.net, find the least listened to podcast and give it a shot. Time has gone into it. I will appreciate it.

At this stage it is important to gather whether or not you have a feasible target audience for a podcast, for example a vintage shoe shop could never have a sustainable podcast series (feel free to argue this point) as there’s no dedicated target audience for this whereas your ‘rockin’ band, for instance, have, or at least hopes to have, a wide fan base.

Perhaps with the power of podcasting behind you - your fan base could become international. You could be the next Lily Allen.

At the very least it could be quite fun.

My week in Music.

I've had the delight of my cousin for company this week. I thought I'd show her how much fun Birmingham can be.

Sunday night - Warlocks & Guile @ The Rainbow

Monday night - Kid British @ The Rainbow

Tuesday night - Dear Reader @ The Hare and Hounds

Tonight - Kong @ The Flapper.

I'm shattered and skint.

Ace.

Egg on my face...

Yesterday I thought I saw Nathan.

I thought Nathan saw me.

I thought I'd be funny to gesticulate rudely toward him accompanied by a few (bellowed) kind words of advise;

'Sort your life out mate'

Turns out it wasn't Nathan.

Irony.

Passive or Passé?

I love to overhear enthusiastic conversation. I love it even more so if it’s something I take an interest in (be that an active interest or a more passive one). I find that when I’m utilising my spy-like eavesdropping capabilities I often learn interesting views and opinions.

At a gig in Birmingham I was once given the delightful opportunity to listen to why, exactly, Funktion 1s are the best systems in the world (this was explained to me far too late in the evening by a rather excitable fellow who seemed to be having some issues with standing still). He proceeded to explain that his system ‘gives off a lot of renaissance man’ to which I had no reply. As he explained how certain frequencies vibrate the walls of the warehouse we were stood I couldn’t stop a rather large grin from playing across my face. It’s ok I survived the tale. Never mock a man, his vocabulary or his system.

Viva la Resonance!

It’s important to realise that PA system owners are a special breed (especially when they talk like proud parents of their system ‘child’). Often I have found myself sat in the middle of an (unnecessarily) complex discussion about the pros and cons of Funktion 1 vs Mackie….

I’m not qualified to answer, or even give my opinion on such things, but I have lifted enough systems to have an opinion on the broader Active vs Passive system mass debate.

There’s less bits to an active system but the bits that there are tend to be heavier.

They are quicker to set up and seem to deliver a better size to gain ratio.

Simple

So why do I own a passive system?

Money.

Isn’t it always the way.

If you are in a small to medium sized venue, maybe around 500 capacity or less, you’re fine with passive speakers. You don't get a lot of headroom, but, you also don't need that much with a small amount in your venue.For anything larger then that, you going to need an active crossover network and therefore you’re going to need to go and visit that nice chap at the bank who, in the nicest possible way, explains that you’re not eligible for that additional overdraft facility.So why is the choice size dependant?

Headroom. By limiting the amount of frequencies and maximizing the power going to each driver, you can increase the headroom by a large amount.With an active, you need an amp channel for each of the drivers in your box. In addition, you also need an active crossover as well. Plus all of the cables going down to each of the amps.

This adds to the weight…. But…

When the active approach is taken, the most critical 'match' in the entire path of the audio system (the amplifier/crossover/loudspeaker chain) can be approached as a whole, far more efficiently, each component working in its most optimal scenario, yielding potentially superior results to a more "conventional" passive approach.

It’s matched, there’s no need to tweak or fiddle, you can just turn up and play.

I like it.

Colin Miller has gone into much more depth than I could so to learn more please visit http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_4/feature-article-active-speakers-12-2002.html

Glastonbury 2009: The Magical Dance of the Sprinter

Ahh. Is there anything more satisfying than driving onto a festival site on a glorious British summer morning? Surely that feeling, coupled with the foresight of 7 days of frivolities ahead, would plant a grin on the faces of even the most melancholie folk. Yes! I have been fortunate enough to attend Glastonbury music festival many times before however this year was to be very different.

This was my first year working at a stage in Shangri-La.

I wondered how it would compare to volunteer work or going as a punter?

In any line of work at a festival I imagine that there is a feeling of unity that bonds us all together and leaves you with a real feeling of belonging. I felt this as soon as we arrived and throughout the week. This bond seemed heightened by the knowledge that inevitably something is going to go wrong but everyone has each others back (and failing that everyone has gaffer and cable ties).

After navigating our way through to our big top it was time to start dragging flight cases, monitors, back line, racks, let alone the powered system down to the stage whilst moaning, unnecessarily, about the lighting crew. The jokes begin and we are all in good form because, well, we’re at Glastonbury and it doesn’t get much better than this.

Then it rains.

Suddenly the magical dance of the sprinter seems less hilarious and the mad rush to wedge chipboard under the tyres of every sinking van leaves you feeling damp and muddy. Why on earth did I leave my wellies at the back of the trailer?

It’s a times like this that we all turn to our vices to keep going. My vice is tea (one sugar) and that’s all it took for us to get the system up and running and ready for the following days checks. That’s it, we’re all set, time for the whisky (oh yeah, my other vice).

The work was hard but great fun. We had a lot of band switch overs. We lost a good few xlr cables. We had the usual little issues from instrument failures to rather inebriated artists. The nights were spent working, the days were a mix of sleep and seeing other stages. Sun followed rain, vodka followed whisky. Alex and I slept in the back of his darling van (Dwain). We made new friends and hung out with old ones. Bands were on from Thursday til Sunday (from 10pm til 6am). We worked hard (Alex worked harder). We played hard. We ate like kings and danced like queens. We saw some truly amazing sights through Shangri-La, Arcadia, Trash City. We met some legends, some stars and some interesting (hmmm) folk. I dreamt of becoming a gypsy and running off with a band (check out Blackberry Wood). All in all ee remembered just how amazing Glastonbury is.

Then we lost power.

It was raining. The lighting boys (grrr) had left a socket open to the elements. We had put the DJ decks on the lighting circuit. Frantic panic as Alex took control and blasted reggae from his iPod at a packed tent. Situation remedied. We routed the decks into a different line and, reluctantly, swapped the reggae back for rock’n’roll.

Then we partied.

By Tuesday it was home time. It was hard to believe we’d been there for over a week. Working with the Rocket Lounge crew was truly one of the best times of my life. Bring on Notting Hill Carnival.

You guys rock.

Cheers; Alex, Dave, Gaz, Leo, Rache, Anton, Jason, Phil, the Steward boyz, the Irish lass that kept feeding me, Gypsy Lady, Fraser, Tom, Ann, Dizzy, Hayley…. everyone. x