Take Control of
Podcasting

Create your own podcast—or improve an existing podcast—using your Mac, iPhone, or iPad! This book walks you through every step of the process, from choosing equipment and software through recording, editing, mixing, and polishing. Once your audio is in the can, you’ll find real-world advice and steps for encoding and publishing your episodes. The book includes more than a dozen sound samples from various combinations of mics, positions, filters, and processing, so that you can hear the differences before you buy any special gear.

Take Control of Podcasting provides the help you need for creating podcasts on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad:

• Plan your podcast. Decide on a topic and format, decide on a production schedule, and learn common terms and techniques.
• Choose the right mic, headphones, and other equipment. Pick out audio gear while considering your budget and studio (or mobile!) needs. Plus, you’ll learn whether you should buy additional audio hardware, like a breakout box or mixer, and find an explanation (with photos) of the main cable types you’ll come across.
• Pick audio software. Use the right apps to record, edit, and mix your podcast, explore audio and video calling software for interviews and remote recording, and learn about various web-based podcasting platforms.
• Learn key recording tips. Find advice about how to prepare for and conduct a successful interview, plus get a few essential tips for using a mic well.
• Record in the studio or the field. Get step-by-step recording directions for GarageBand for Mac and iOS/iPadOS, as well as Audacity, Ferrite Recording Studio, Voice Record Pro, and Audio Hijack.
• Record online interviews. Follow the book’s steps for recording an interview online through services such as Skype, Zoom, and FaceTime.
• Edit and mix your audio. Find directions for removing unwanted noises and pauses, adding professional polish, and generally editing and mixing a recording.
• Encode your podcast files. Before you send your podcast episode out on the internet, you’ll want to save it in the right format and add tags.
• Get syndicated with RSS. Understand what should be in a podcast’s RSS feed.
• Be a publisher! Get ideas for blog services that can host your podcast and related blog posts, and find directions for publishing your podcast.
• Monetize your podcast. Learn how to use advertising, sponsorships, donations, and paid subscriptions to earn money from your podcast.
• What do other podcasters do? Find out about the gear and techniques used by podcasters Chuck Joiner (MacVoices), Jason Snell (The Incomparable), and Kirk McElhearn (The Committed).

About Andy Affleck

Andy J. Williams Affleck (the Affleck part was stolen from his wife) has been using Macs since 1984 and has always been obsessed with any new medium that improves communication. At first it was mainframe-based chat systems (Dartmouth College’s XYZ for anyone who would remember that), then email, instant messaging, and news­letters, then finally the web. He built Dartmouth College’s first website in 1993, put together the original website for the sitcom Friends, and started a virtual community that celebrates its 30th birthday in early 2025.

He has a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Technology in Education, specifically online networks for teaching and learning. When he’s not figuring out new ways for people to communicate online, he works at Pfizer as a project manager. He blogs about random stuff at AndyAffleck.com. He’s also the Executive Director of Swamp Meadow Community Theatre as well as an actor, director, and sound-guy. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife, daughter, two cats, and a lot of LEGOS.