Podcasting for the Blind
I just got a call from a blind man who liked the sound of my podcast. He asked how he could get started podcasting. Would it require expensive equipment? I told him that all I used was a USB mic and some software. (In my case, Ableton Live, BIAS Peak, and Izotope Ozone, but there are plenty of free options as well.) The secret to my sound, I told him, was upgrading the mic, learning the software, and speaking with enthusiasm.
To demonstrate, I referred him to this before-and-after example (516KB MP3), contrasting my voice in the first episode and the tenth. The difference is enormous.
Then I offered to send him links to podcasting tutorials I'd found especially helpful. But when he told me that he uses a screen reader to browse websites, I started to wonder how helpful this background would be. Even if he could make sense of the pages (try clicking the "Listen" link above and closing your eyes), how would he be able to run a graphic waveform editor? I spend many hours cleaning up my recordings, often on a syllable-by-syllable level.
If you know of audio-editing software or techniques that are friendly to disabled people, please leave a link below. In the meantime, here are some of the podcasting tips I assembled for my listener.
Voice Recording Tips
- Changing mics made a big difference; the Rode Podcaster I’m using now puts out better highs and lows than the cheaper mics I started with, and its built-in headphone jack lets me hear the effect of positioning immediately. (As a dynamic mic, it boosts the lows as you move closer.)
- Experimenting with compression and EQ settings in Izotope Ozone is improving the punchiness.
- Recording in the closet instead of at my desktop helps prevent slapback echo and that "small room" sound.
- Recording during the day instead of late at night lets me add more volume and intensity to the delivery.
- Reading through the script out loud several times helps me find and fix awkward phrases.
- Recording multiple takes helps me warm up and get comfortable with the words. It also gives me an alternative phrase to paste in if a line isn’t quite right. I usually find the second or third runthrough is the best.
- Being conscious of microphone-overloading sounds like P’s and T’s helps me remember to enunciate more carefully and move back from the mic when I say words with those sounds. (If thumps do get through, I’ve found the best way to remove them is to snip off a tiny bit of the beginning in my audio editor.)
- Deleting some of the inhalation sounds and pauses (but not all, as I was doing) helps move the narration along.
- Sipping water helps avoid tongue clacks that the microphone loves to pick up.
- Purposely clucking my tongue generates spikes in the waveform that make it easy to identify sections of the narration. When I make a mistake and want to redo a line, I’ll cluck twice, creating a visual indicator for the improved version.
Notice how most of these tips, extracted from a previous blog, are based on technique rather than specific software or equipment.
Helpful Podcasting Articles
Podcast Interviewing Tips (Jack Herrington)
Podcast Editing Tips (Jack Herrington)
Audio Editing QuickStart (David Battino)
Ten Ways to Improve Your Podcasts (Jack Herrington)
The Art of Podcasting (David Battino)
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I just read your blog about Podcasting for the Blind. I really liked the tips you provided. I've been doing voice work for over 35 years with broadcasters around the world, and I have to say, your tips were ones I would, and do, give clients. I recently expanded my work to the podcasting world. You'll see my approach and tips at http://OnlineVoiceCoaching.com as well as info about my book, BROADCAST VOICE HANDBOOK.
If I can offer more help with voice, let me know. And keep up the good work!
@Olive: I need to get in touch with Penny Haynes
Try the Contact page on her site:
www.onlinecommunitymagazines.com/contact
I need to get in touch with Penny Haynes or anyone who would like to work with me for 6-9 months podcasting for the blind. I am not blind but I do work with the blind and I am interested in knowing how I can go about facilitating the blind preferably in an educational setting.
Dave, I will be releasing a Podcaster's multimedia recording suite that is accessible to visually impaired people March 1, 2008. It will enable people to record audio and have it automatically mixed with intro/outro or background music.
It will also let them screen record, webcam record, and mash-up digital images, video clips, music and audio recordings. There will be keyboard shortcuts as well as audio instructions.
It is part of our Online Community Magazine software, which is a complete podcasting system also accessible to the blind. They can create media, type in the a title, description and keywords, and upload unlimited media to our servers. The magazine software transforms it into a podcast.
Your inquirer is more than welcome to test if for us, if you can contact him about it.
@Dan: I’ll have to try the apple trick! Besides milk and alcohol, I’ve heard it’s helpful to avoid caffeine (a diuretic) and very cold or hot liquids. The idea is to keep your vocal cords moist and avoid the contraction or expansion caused by temperature shifts.
During episode 11, I had a cold. The resulting Vader voice actually sounds kinda cool.
I read that eating a green apple before doing voice work helps cut down on the little smacks/mouth noises that often get picked up. I've tried it out and it seemed to actually work. Something about a chemical reaction tied to the acid in green apples, if I remember right.
I know milk and alcohol are both discouraged before recording (especially together :-) ). Any other thoughts on diet do's and don'ts?
-Dan