We have been asked by quite a few people while we have been making these podcasts two questions…

  • Why?
  • How?

Well the first one we would need several years of agressive psychotherapy to answer, the second one is a little easier.

To start with I tend to create a temporary running order, based on some new ideas that I have had, and sometimes things that we dropped from the previous ‘cast. I do most of the writing, although james always writes the news, and the encyclopedia bits. We then send each other the bits and pieces that we have and re-examine the running order. We also try and bung a bit of banter in there if we can, which is unscripted, but james edits it into something usuable afterwards.  We record using Skype so that we can hear each other. We used to use Gizmo as Skype took a dislike to minrophones that were not in the “mic” socket. This has been fixed so we use it now, as the sound quality and more importantly reliability is far better in Skype. We used to spend a good percentage of our recording time making Gizmo work. Not helpful.

We record our own output at each end, using Adobe Audition. At this point things are subject to different outcomes, sometimes I will mix and edit my own bits. Although usually if it is only me in it, otherwise I send the raw WAV files to james and he works his editing magic. It has to be said that james turns my ideas and our voices into the podcast, never underestimate the difference that the right sound effect (SFX in jargon speak) or the correct ambience can have on a sketch. We then agree the final sound, as I am quite capable of editing it too, but he is better and quicker at it than me. In fact I did mix the first couple, and as you can see the later ones are better! :D

James adds:

“I use CoolEdit Pro, some gravy and my fingers to edit together each individual word of the podcast into sentences. Musical accompaniment is provided through Logic Audio and a steady supply of the bobbly ones out of liquorice allsorts, which provide the ‘plippy’ sounds. When I think it’s all finished, I play the whole podcast to a captive audience of ants, and measure their disinterest using a very sensitive crapometer. Then I buff it up with an old pair of pants and send it on to Trev to upload, since he’s in charge of the internet.”

Then I upload it onto the web, and let it roam free across the world.

These pics are of my old studio, but the tech is basically the same, beyond having a new PC.

A page with all of our kit on it, should you be that way inclined.