Pump Up Your Pod

Why does recording audio have to be so difficult?

If you’re trying to record audio of a very high standard, you’re often met with a barrage of choices you have to make.

What microphone do I need?

Is my location too noisy?

What am I going to plug my microphone into?

How do I record multiple people at once?

What software am I going to use to record it?

In the consultations I have with content creators, this line of questioning is one of the first topics we cover and I often see their eyes glaze over when I start listing all the options. 

I can confirm, there are too many options.

But my advice is to focus on one thing at a time, and today I’m focusing on the software that you use to record.

For the audio-only folks out there, there is very simple piece of software that will make your life easy. At least this portion of your life. I can’t guarantee the rest of your life will fall into place based on this decision. Sorry.

Today I’m excited to share a game-changer in the world of audio recording - Shure Motiv Mix, which at time of writing is currently in its Beta phase and it’s completely free to use.

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

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GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

Shure Motiv Mix

sE Neom

Shure Mv7+

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XLR Cables

Sony ZV E10

Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend

Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

It’s happening. You’re finally launching a podcast.

You’ve been thinking about it, planning it, buying the gear, deciding not to do it, then deciding you want to do it, then getting scared, putting the gear back in the cupboard, then getting it back out, then realising you really just need to do it.

You know, all the normal emotions that fresh podcasters go through.

You get over the initial hurdle of committing to the process, but then you start thinking what that first episode needs to be like.

It needs to be amazing.

The kind of episode that someone will listen to and think, “This is possibly the greatest podcast in the history of the world. I’m hooked and I will now be a raving fan forever. I will give them my first born child as gratitude for how good this podcast episode is.”

Sure, that’s one way to attack your first episode, but maybe it’s not the smartest…

In this episode, I step through how I believe you should approach your first podcast episode.

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Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

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Recording on location used to be such a huge pain in my ass.

I’d have this big carry case with my trust Zoom H5, Rode lapel microphones and clips, wind socks, XLR adapters for the lapels so that they’d connect to the Zoom and then a huge amount of leads to make sure all my bases were covered.

And then a few brands started bringing out wireless microphone options that could connect to your phone. 

Some of them were okay, but most of them weren’t good enough for me to switch from my bulky setup. I was capturing much better sound doing it my way. 

As the technology improved, so too did the wireless microphone options that were brought to the market.

Again, I was still dubious, but I decided to bite the bullet and put the Rode Wireless Pro to the test. I’d looked at some reviews on YouTube, reviewed the sound quality and inclusions and decided it may be a viable option for myself and our clients.

For the tests that I conducted, I was focusing on how the Rode Wireless Pro system handled a diverse array of recording environments. I tested in a quiet hotel room, at the beach, on a train, in the park and using the included lapel (wired) setup vs the completely wireless option.

I’ve been using the system now for almost three months, and I’m ready to give you my recommendations.

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

Book A Consultation

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GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

Rode Wireless Pro

SE Dyncaster DCM8

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XLR Cables

Sony ZV E10

Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend

Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

After recently watching Happy Gilmore for probably the twentieth time, it got me thinking about how we present ourselves as creators.

I found myself reflecting quite existentially on the impact that Adam Sandler’s character had on my view of where the world of content creation currently sits. 

And I honestly think it’s all a little boring. 

Overwhelmingly people are presenting as the “professional” version of themselves, especially on LinkedIn. This makes sense as we predominantly put out content to draw the viewer/listener into ultimately buying something from us. 

We present as the authority.

We present as a leader.

But are we showing enough of ourselves to keep our content interesting?

In this episode, I go through a few key lessons I learned from Happy Gilmore about content creation.

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

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GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

SE Dyncaster DCM8

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Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

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Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

Currently, the global creator economy is valued at around $155 billion.

By 2030 it’s expected to surpass $525 billion.

That’s a lot of wig wams.

And I know it might seem like every person and their pet is a “creator” these days, but it shouldn’t stop you from exploring this option for yourself too.

Being a content creator can mean many different things and encompass a variety of industries. It’s not all about selling the latest products, jumping on the newest trends and vlogging about your latest dental checkup.

There is nuance to this industry. It’s fun, creative, explorative, educational and thinking of yourself as a creator will open you up to delivering more valuable content for your audience.

No doubt you’ll also make more money as a result.

But the first step needs to be answering the all-important “why”.

I’ve got some practical tips to help you answer that question in this podcast episode.

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

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GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

SE Dyncaster DCM8

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XLR Cables

Sony ZV E10

Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend

Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

Here at Bamby Media, we’ve been producing podcasts for clients for almost a decade and I’d say at this point we’ve worked with almost every podcast hosting platform out there. 

From Omnystudio to Simplecast, Podbean, Libsyn, Blubrry, Acast to name a few. 

But do we really need that many podcast hosts? 

Don’t they all largely do the same thing?

The short answer is yes, they do all largely have the same basic functions.

But I do feel that not all podcast hosting platforms are created equally.

There are definite advantages to some hosts over others, and after years of experience in this space, there are two hosts that I’ve found to be the standouts in the field.

Buzzsprout and Captivate. 

I’m going to give you the breakdown as to why I’ve chosen these two, and who ultimately wins in a battle between the two.

—

Book our Podcast Hosting Migration Service

Try Buzzsprout

Try Captivate

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

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Aputure Light Box Min

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Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

One of my favourite things to do here at Bamby Media is run consultations for aspiring podcasters.

We jump into a virtual meeting together and I get giddy with excitement while they explain their idea for a show.

Then we get down to business and I start asking the harder questions.

Why do they want to start a podcast?

Who is it for?

How will their podcast be any different to others in their field?

Where are they going to record their podcast?

Who is going to do the editing?

The point of me asking these questions is not to overwhelm them, it’s to make sure they’ve thought it all through. Because there are plenty of people who start a podcast on a whim, get 7 or so episodes in and then realise they can’t keep up. 

From the hundreds of podcasts we’ve worked with, I’ve seen the value of a long-standing podcast and I know that a proper plan goes a long way.

Our role here at Bamby Media is to help podcasters launch and produce their shows and grow their influence. It takes time, strategy and a significant investment to create the type of podcast that will create engaged listeners. 

Today, I’m running through the full step-by-step of how I recommend you start a podcast in 2024 and beyond.

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

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GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

SE Dyncaster DCM8

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Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

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Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

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When you’re listening to a podcast episode, do you notice the technical aspects of the edit?

If you said yes, I’m going to bet you’re either a very avid podcast listener, or you’re an editor yourself.

The truth of it is that most listeners don’t notice the editing on a podcast (unless it’s particularly bad). 

The listener doesn’t hear the original raw audio. They haven’t seen the hours it has taken to craft a conversation into a compelling story, or the subtle use of silence to heighten emotions at key points.

What they hear is a polished episode that (hopefully) is a pleasure to listen to.

And the podcast editor has therefore done their job. 

Our role is to make the edit so seamless that the listener accepts that it was recorded that way to begin with. 

But the editor knows better.

The editor has shaped the story, got to know the host and/or the guest on a granular level down to every vocal tic and they’re invested.

I recently spoke to Matthew Bliss at MB Podcast Services about the role of the podcast editor and I’d be thrilled if you checked it out.

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

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Matthew Bliss Links:

MB Podcast Services

[email protected]

https://www.mbpod.com

Matthew’s Podcasts:

Coffee with a Podcaster: https://coffeepodcaster.captivate.fm/listen

From My Home to Yours: https://frommyhometoyours.captivate.fm/listen

Kintsugi Heroes

Main Kintsugi Heroes Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvWGYmXsM8BDmYwcpDxI3gokMBKrBEKu3

Kintsugi Heroes - Alpine Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvWGYmXsM8BBz1ajxD6PrQ2fy-z7upiwY

Beyond the Deluge (Flood Stories): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvWGYmXsM8BDGXkr_WaTfAeWIxMTDZ483

Episodes Referenced

Ep11 Scott Carson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mQO42qIhoY&list=PLvWGYmXsM8BDmYwcpDxI3gokMBKrBEKu3&index=64&t=2s&ab_channel=KintsugiHeroes

Ep14 Martin Gillespie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eikOQ9uQcn0&list=PLvWGYmXsM8BDmYwcpDxI3gokMBKrBEKu3&index=61&ab_channel=KintsugiHeroes

Ep23 Naomi Yano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkqW7p-K2WI&list=PLvWGYmXsM8BDmYwcpDxI3gokMBKrBEKu3&index=52&ab_channel=KintsugiHeroes

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

SE Dyncaster DCM8

Rode Boom Arm

XLR Cables

Sony ZV E10

Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend

Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

Have you ever bought something online, thinking you scored a fantastic deal, only to realise later that it might not have been what it seemed? 

Well, that's exactly what happened to me with the Shure SM7B microphone. 

Today, I'm sharing my story of how I ended up with two fake SM7B microphones and the results of an audio battle I conducted between the real deal and its dupe. 

Find out if the dupe is worth the savings or if you should stick with the original. 

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

Free Podcast Audit Service

Apply to Join PodCoach

YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

SE Dyncaster DCM8

Rode Boom Arm

XLR Cables

Sony ZV E10

Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend

Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo

Have you ever been in a situation where an exciting opportunity lands in your lap, but something deep down makes you hesitate? 

I want to share a personal story that I think many content creators can relate to—deciding when to say no to a brand deal. Receiving offers from brands can feel like a huge opportunity, but sometimes, it’s in your best interest to pass on them as they might not serve the long-term goals you have.

Recently, I've started to receive opportunities from different software tools aimed at podcasters and microphone brands looking to partner with me. One brand in particular that I won’t name, reached out and offered to send me some of their latest products for me to review on our YouTube and podcast channels. On the surface, this offer seemed like a great idea and I agreed. I hadn’t heard of them before, but I was eager to give their gear a try.

Over the next couple of days, I started to dig deeper into this brand. I realised I hadn't heard of them for good reason. I have decades of experience in the audio space, and the fact that this brand never crossed my radar was a red flag. 

It's tempting to say yes to every offer that comes your way, especially when you're excited about the possibility of a new partnership. However, it's crucial to ask yourself whether this opportunity aligns with your brand’s values and how it may affect your brand’s reputation.

Next time you have an exciting offer, take a step back and consider its actual value. Are you saying yes because you’re genuinely enthusiastic about the opportunity, or are you just excited that someone reached out?

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:

Free Podcast Audit Service

Apply to Join PodCoach

YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:

SE Dyncaster DCM8

Rode Boom Arm

XLR Cables

Sony ZV E10

Elgato Camlink

Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light

Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend

Focusrite Clarett+

Rode Streamer X

Rodecaster Pro II

Rodecaster Pro Duo