Publishing a Podcast Episode of Elsie's Yoga Kula: My Process

I often get questions regarding podcasting. I love it actually, as I love podcasting and truly enjoy helping folks get themselves going. I thought that I’d share my process with one of my podcast episodes. My podcast is primarily my live yoga classes recorded and posted, but within the past 6 months I’ve been posting a series within Elsie’s Yoga Class: Live and Unplugged Podcast called Elsie’s Yoga Kula (EYK). In this series I don’t ‘teach’ per say, but offer responses to feedback that I receive, share products and reviews of yogic things, and as of the latest, do interviews. 

This episode was unique, as are much of the EYK episodes, so the following process is not necessarily the norm, but it may give you a bit of insight of what it takes to commit to producing something like this. 

The Process:

Scheduled interview with James Wvinner way in advance, so I’d have time to prep for it, and made sure that I would have babysitting, as holding interviews with a 16 month old is not optimal. 

Prepped for the interview (1.5 hours)

• Googled subject
• Studied personal site/business site, 
• Studied FB pics and vids. 
• Searched for any other social media profiles.
• Researched prior interviews.
• Emailed subject list of possible questions, plus a request for feedback, making sure to honor his boundaries, plus to give him the ability to tell me specific things that he’d like to speak about. (I don’t do this with all my interviewees, I feel it out, depending on what is the intention of the interview)

Conducted interview (30 min)

• Used my Zoom H2 Recorder to record my audio.
• Had James call into my conference call line, and recorded our conversation there. 

*I did not do any Skype recording because I do not have the luxury of being in one place. Being a Mom I have to be ready to record anytime anywhere, whether there is an Internet connection or not. This is the set up that at this moment gives me the most freedom...although not the best audio...but it’s enough for the moment.

Wrote “script” for the rest of the episode (30 min)

• I’ve been currently using MacJournal to write my blog posts/shownotes/scripts. It works lovely for me, as I have everything organized in one place. 
• I also use Evernote for the feedback that I use in the show. Whenever I get an email, FB message, find an article I put it in Evernote tag it (example eyk #4) and when I’m writing my script, I just search for my tag, and voila!

Recorded the episode (20 min)

• Using my H2 Zoom Recorder. 
• In the bathroom in the middle of the night (quietest place and quietest time)
• Macbook on my lap with MacJournal on Full Screen (makes for a lovely ‘TelePrompTer’)

Edited episode (2 hrs)

• Imported all audio from the H2, plus downloaded MP3 from the conferencing site.
• Used Garageband to edit all audio, exported to iTunes. 

*Usually it doesn’t take me THIS long to edit an episode but the interview really did take me a while.

NOTE: Made sure that I got all editing done, as I knew that all the other stuff  (id3 tags, artwork, uploading, etc) I could do while taking care of my toddler. The editing was all done at night (dawn).

Polishing Audio (60 min) 

• I downloaded the audio to my iPod and listened to it while I washed dishes and fed my baby, to make sure the quality and levels were ok
• Re-encoded the audio as I wanted better quality
• Edited id3 tags and added artwork 

Publishing of Podcast and corresponding shownotes + publicity (2 hrs)

• Uploaded audio file to Libsyn
• Used Smultron to edit my final shownotes
• Finalized shownotes on Wordpress, plus added pictures and a gazillion links
• Published podcast episode in Libsyn
• Pinged iTunes
• Published corresponding blog post for episode
• Posted link to FB Fan Page/Personal Page
• Twittered

NOTE: Thanks to my daughter taking an unusually long 2 hr nap I was able to get all this done at once! If not, this process could have taken the entire day. 

Tallying the time, the whole process took me almost 6 hrs! How’s that for quick and easy? No wonder I haven’t been posting as much as I would like. My intentions are always there. My ideas are always flourishing, but motherhood is the sucker of all time and energy. 

So, fancy peeps, see any ways that I could streamline the process? or wanna know more or have any questions?

Look forward to hearing from you!

Inexpensive Audio Equipment For Recording Your Yoga Classes

I've been asked enough times now that I know I MUST write a post about this :)

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE UPDATES AT THE END OF THE POST!

Oh and of course you must watch my goofy video above to see the stuff 'live'. It's an ode to silent movies :D

Basic Audio Equipment for Yoga Teachers to record their yoga classes

The following microphone and digital recorder are what I use to record my audio yoga podcast:

A Zoom H2 Recorder

I find this recorder pretty easy to use. There were a couple of settings that I had to figure out when I first started to use it, as I was unable to make my lav mic work with it, and then once I did I was unable to record so that my mono microphone sounded in 2 channels. Both of these things frustrated me to no end :(

Both of these were solved once I actually READ the instructions! Imagine that ;)

in order to make the lapel microphone work with the H2 I had to make sure that in the settings the PLUG-IN was set to ON.

In order to have my mono lapel microphone record on two channels I had to make sure that in the settings the MONO MIX was turned ON.

Once I took care of both of those things, then my recording went quite smoothly :) I still haven't figured out how to get my volume levels optimal...just yet. I often have to raise the level in post. Speaking about battery life, the AA batteries that it uses last me for at least 5 classes, sometimes many more. I haven't really kept track of how often I change the batteries because it doesn't happen very often. You can also plug the recorder to the wall, but of course that wouldn't work as I'm wearing the thing when I teach!

The lavaliere microphone that I use is the Audio-Technica ATR35S Omnidirectional Lavaliere Microphone

It's been working just fine. I haven't found an optimal place to put the HUGE cord that comes with it. Lately I've just shoved it in the back of my pant's waistband.

The whole set up works pretty well for me, although I am seriously thinking of investing on a wireless lavaliere microphone. There are plenty of times that I am unable to demonstrate a pose or something because the cord of the lav mic is in the way. I usually attach the H2 to an armband that came with another MP3 player, and during winter time, this proves to be problematic as I put the armband on over my clothes, I get hot while teaching and removing the top layer of clothing is an absolute hassle as I have to take the recorder off, plus the microphone and I undoubtedly end up turning the recording off cause it's too much of a hassle. Obviously this would also be taken care off with a wireless microphone!

As of the date of this post on Amazon the H2 is selling for $141.30 and the Audio-Technica ATR35S is selling for $29.99

FULL DISCLOSURE: ALL LINKS FOR THE H2 AND MIC ARE MY AMAZON AFFILIATE LINKS.

I KNOW I'm not the only yoga teacher podcasting...so how about you share what you use to record your yoga classes, and how's it going for you?

***UPDATES: I have invested on a wireless microphone, the Audio Technica PRO 88W. I haven't used it enough to feel I can review it properly BUT it has worked out pretty darn well :) 

I now use the Apple Battery Charger for the H2. Love the rechargeable batteries. They are awesome and cute ;)