Matthew McLean - The Podcast Host

Centauri Express | Fiction Podcast of the Week

Posted by Matthew McLean | May 17, 2017 | Fiction Podcast of the Week, Fiction Podcasts, Sci-Fi |

If you’ve got a story to tell, find a way to tell it. A lot of the best stories have been told without a lot of resources, and some of them benefited from having to innovate their way out of scarcity. We’re big fans of audio drama and fiction podcasts here at The Podcast Host. As listeners we’re always looking for new shows to subscribe to, and as podcasters we’re always looking to help fellow creators grow their audience. Because of this, we decided to compliment our Best Fiction Podcasts roundup article with a Fiction Podcast of the Week feature. Each week we’ll...

Eliminate Background Hiss With The SS-1 Microphone Preamp | A Podcasting Review

Posted by Matthew McLean | May 15, 2017 | Equipment, General, Interfaces |

When you buy a microphone for podcasting, one of the big considerations in that process is “dynamic or condenser?” If you’re not already familiar with these terms, don’t worry. They’re basically the two most common ways a microphone is built, how it functions, and how it records sound. This isn’t an in-depth comparison of dynamic and condenser mics, as I want to talk about the SS-1 Microphone Preamp, but it’s important to touch on why these terms could be important to you. Noise Dynamic Microphones will traditionally pick up less environmental sound (neighbours, dogs, cars, planes), but can give you...

Best Headphones for Listening to Podcasts

Posted by Matthew McLean | May 8, 2017 | Equipment, Headphones |

Do you need fancy or expensive headphones to listen to podcasts? Definitely not. That doesn’t mean that any old pair will do, though. A good set of earbuds or over-ears can make a huge difference to your listening experience. If you’re fed up with the 3.99 buds you get in TKMaxx that disintengrate after 2 hours in your pocket, then this article’s for you. I’ll explain why we recommend something a bit better than those paper-mache efforts, and what benefits they bring. Then we’ll go on to our own recommendations for the best headphones for podcast listening. Sound good? Of...

Setting Up Your Mixer To Record Skype Calls

Posted by Matthew McLean | May 4, 2017 | Equipment, Mixers |

A mixer is a great means of recording podcasts with remote guests or co-hosts over call apps such as Skype. Mixers also give you the capability to create your episodes “as-live” by playing effects, transitions, and other audio clips during the recording, as opposed to editing them in afterwards. If you combine the two, you can have a remote guest on the show with you, and set your mixer up so that they can actually hear all the audio that’s being played into the mixer. But the one thing you don’t want them to hear is their own voice,...

12 Blackened Petals | Fiction Podcast of the Week

Posted by Matthew McLean | May 3, 2017 | Fiction Podcast of the Week, Fiction Podcasts, Sci-Fi |

Sound is a wonderful medium that allows the listener to develop their own visuals. It’s your job, however, to fuel those visuals. We’re big fans of audio drama and fiction podcasts here at The Podcast Host. As listeners we’re always looking for new shows to subscribe to, and as podcasters we’re always looking to help fellow creators grow their audience. Because of this, we decided to compliment our Best Fiction Podcasts roundup article with a Fiction Podcast of the Week feature. Each week we’ll pick the brains of someone who runs an audio drama or fiction podcast. We’re going...

Best Headphones for Listening to Audio Drama Podcasts

Posted by Matthew McLean | Apr 27, 2017 | Equipment, Fiction Podcasts, Headphones |

Most audio drama podcasters will express sincere gratitude when they find out you’ve been listening to their show. Then they’ll sometimes wince a little when they find out how you’ve been listening to it. Low-budget, low-quality earbuds are a common way of consuming any type of audio from your smartphone or device. This makes sense because most people don’t consider themselves audio purists or “snobs”. Very few consumers ever listen to audio in optimal conditions either. Naturally, listening is mainly taking place on public transport, on busy streets, or in places where there’s lots of external noise competing for your ear’s attention....

The Centropic Oracle | Fiction Podcast of the Week

Posted by Matthew McLean | Apr 24, 2017 | Fantasy, Fiction Podcast of the Week, Fiction Podcasts |

“Read lots and lots of short fiction, and listen to audio fiction whenever you can, taking notes of performance styles you like and why you like them. Get to know actors in your community – even if it’s only online – so that you have a wide pool to draw from for matching voices to story style.” We’re big fans of audio drama and fiction podcasts here at The Podcast Host. As listeners we’re always looking for new shows to subscribe to, and as podcasters we’re always looking to help fellow creators grow their audience. Because of this,...

How to Do Sponsored Content in a Niche Market with Tom Evans from The Zone Show | Podcast Case Studies

Posted by Matthew McLean | Apr 18, 2017 | Interviews, The Podcraft Podcast |

Description: This week I’m talking to Tom Evans of The Zone Show. Tom is a prolific podcaster, having reached 232 episodes in just 3 years, and he has experimented with various ways to monetise the show through that time. On the episode, I talk to him about creating sponsored content within any industry, about the dangers of dynamic advertising and some examples of how he has earned a lot of benefit through the network his show has developed. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS The sponsored content examples are really interesting to me....

5 of the Best Podcasting Courses on the Market

Posted by Matthew McLean | Apr 14, 2017 | Training & Development |

Perhaps the most common method of learning to podcast is the “self-taught” approach, where you learn by doing, through a process of trial and error. Fortunately, there’s a tonne of free resources out there that can help you start and run your own podcast. But if you’re coming in as an absolute beginner, that can be slightly overwhelming. Where do you start? And how do you know which advice is good or credible? This approach is a huge investment of time, and whilst that suits some people, there’s another group of absolute beginners who’d rather invest financially to learn...

A USB Mixer for Podcasting | The Samson MXP124FX

Posted by Matthew McLean | Apr 3, 2017 | Equipment, Mixers |

The Samson MXP124FX (Or UK Link) is a USB or digital mixer, which is part of the company’s MXP range. It has an analogue alternative in the form of the MXP124 for those who don’t want to work directly into a computer. There are also bigger versions of both, with more inputs/channels – the MXP144 and the MXP144FX. Each model has more similarities than differences, but it’s the MXP124FX that we’ll be taking a look at in this review. Why Might I Need a Mixer? Firstly, you don’t need a mixer to podcast, but there are a few good...

Author: Matthew McLean