This series is all about Libsyn’s podcasters. Its sole purpose is to introduce these awesome podcasts to the world as well as share their podcasting insight to empower the community!
Q & A with Eric from the MLS Fancast
When did you start podcasting?
I we started podcasting a little over two years ago with our talk radio style podcast “Talking Rubbish with Eric and Stacey”
Why did you start podcasting?
I started podcasting after being out of radio long enough to want to do it again (without the risk of a program director and/or radio consultant telling me how to run my show).
Poor Stacey was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got sucked into it by myself. Sometimes I feel guilty about the terrible brain thoughts I turn into mouth words that she is forced to listen to every week…but I get over it quickly.
What’s your show about?
The MLS FanCast is two brand spanking new fans of Major League Soccer talk about the not so serious side of the game.
We are not experts by any means, and we do not do the normal “stats” sports radio style show. It’s a fan cast. Like a podcast for a TV show.
We watch, we talk about it, we take your voice mails, and we talk to MLS supporters about the club they live and breathe. It’s all about the love of the fastest growing sport in the US. Not so much about the politics behind the scenes.
What’s your podcasting set-up? Hardware, software, CMS, etc.
Our gear. (I’m a gear nerd by the way)
▸ Software, Audacity.
It’s still awesome. It never fails me and it’s super easy to use.
I know there are other programs that have more features..but our shows are recorded live…um live’ish? Live to tape? ummm live to computer?
We record while I’m riding levels and playing audio as if it was on air. I’m sure there’s a word for it..but I digress…because of the way we record, editing is at a minimum.
I’ll cut long spaces if Skype dumps out or a loud cough but other than that we don’t really need anything more than Audacity. Did I mention the free part? Always good.
▸ The hardware electronic things –
Behringer Xenyx X1204USB (I do not use the USB output) I go main out to audio input of the desktop (not mic input! I can not stress that enough, yes it will work but it sounds like you’re on Blogtalk)
Also on a side note of audio quality, check for sound card software updates online for your model computer. They are often cheap if not free and can make you sound soooo much better.
3 Audio Technica ATR2100 mics.
Yes there are better mics, but this is podcasting not morning radio.
For all your sound quality efforts you will, in the end, convert your podcast into a MP3. That alone sucks the CD quality right out of it.
You don’t want a $12 mic, but there is ZERO need to go over $80. As long as you can learn good mic technique (it’s kinda like an instrument, learn how to play it) you’ll be fine.
DO and I mean DO get good insulated mic cables. If you are unsure ask someone at guitar center. They will know what you need.
Sony amp and monitors (studio speakers for editing without headphones or rocking out while doing cover art)
Sony headphones. Us snooty radio people call them “cans” but they’re the same thing. Don’t get Beats. What are you a pro basketball player? They really don’t sound that much better. Seriously.
3 year old HP laptop for nothing but Skype. It has one job. It’s hooked up to the board like any other piece of audio equipment so I can adjust the sound through the mixer and our main desktop doesn’t get bogged down by running Skype.
Behringer headphone amp, one channel is from the output of the mixer to the input of the Skype computer so we can adjust our end up or down for the Skype guest without adjusting our levels being recorded.
How have you promoted your podcast?
For MLS FanCast I do very little promotion.
I took the opposite approach that I did with our other show.
Oddly enough, if I started both shows the same day this one blows it away.
I’ve talked to actual people that are soccer fans in person (like the old days when people used to have to ride their horse into town to tell their friends about their podcast) and the word has been spreading that way.
I relied on Twitter in the past with the other show and it’s well…not as good as people expect. Yes you can have 3000 followers, but how many are bots? How many just wanted a follow back and could give a rats *** about your show. How many are spam?
Do not rely on Twitter. Do we have to get Rob fired up about Twitter bombing again? Just do a good show. Word of mouth is key. We have a Facebook page. I’ve done nothing with it. Facebook is the devil.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Do not try to be another podcast or radio show. I didn’t think in the beginning anyone would want to listen to us as us. We tried a lot, but ultimately being ourselves the best move.
And build you website to be mobile friendly! If your site is clean and simple it loads way faster and people can get to the listening before the spinning wheel of misery make them close the window.
Soccer fans unite! How could you pass up subscribing to the MLS Fancast? Do it. STAT.
Are you a fan? Any kind of fan. Wanna talk about it with other fans? Podcast. We’ll host your media. You concentrate on your content.
