How to: Podcast

Cal Poly is in session. Students swarm through campus and file in and out of classes.

They're thinking about the chapter of reading they have tonight, their next class, their new dorm, your senior project, how to get to the gym, what's for dinner tonight? Where's the nearest bathroom?

Kate and I know, things can get a bit chaotic as a student navigating the ins and outs of college life.

At cal Poly. We focus on learning by doing, but sometimes you don't know what to do well. Emma and I are here to answer your who, what, when? Where? Why? An house here on CP one oh one Learned by Listening, presented by KCPR ninety one point three. Hi mustang, I'm Kate Lopenski, a graduating journalism student.

And I'm Imma Hughes, a graduating English student here at cal Poly.

And we're here to share our tell all guide on how to survive and thrive at cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

So grab a notebook. You may want to write this down.

All right, as you might have caught in the intro. Emma and I are graduating.

I know, bittersweet, it's so gross.

Okay, we hate to say this, but this is our last episode as the host of CP one Oh one.

I know you all are crying at home right now listening to this podcast.

I know it's so sad. We're crying with you, so sad.

But don't worry. We're going out with the bang and we're gonna leave you in good hands.

Yeah. So, to wrap up our podcasting days in a pretty neat little bow, we wanted to share with you are hidden secrets on how to actually run a podcast. So as we all know, we are the experts. So if you're wanting to start a pod, listen up, because we got good things to go over.

All right, So just to start off, finding your topic in your audience are absolutely crucial, and like we know the podcasts are all about talking, but the most important thing about having a podcast is at first just having something to say.

Yeah, and you want to make sure that you're choosing something that isn't like already being said, Like you want to have a niche and just stick to it. So I think one of the first things, first and foremost is to think about like the tone of your podcast, Like do you want it to be serious, informative, comedic, Like what is the end goal for your podcast?

Yeah, and you don't just have to stick to one tone. You can combine and mix and match like we do. We're supposed to be an informational podcast, but we also try to be comedic as well.

Right, and you can get that with different topics too, Like we've done how to Party, but we've also done like how to mental health.

Kay?

You did start a podcast before this one, right, Yeah, let's not talk about it.

Why because it's embarrassing.

No, I love it.

I like deleted it from like all platforms because I was so embarrassed. But like I mean, the statistic is that most podcasts don't succeed after three episodes, and I definitely fit that stat because I didn't have structure. I didn't have a scheduled recording time, I didn't have any of the proper equipment, which we will all dive into, yes, but it was good practice in the end. It definitely helped me tighten up my speech well.

And it also had a really cute theme that was like what walking and talking with key? So even if you weren't confident in your actual podcast, I loved the theme of it because it was just you and your thoughts, so just one thing to note with topic like genre and tone will really speak to then a specific audience, so kind of goes hand in hand. When you are crafting your topic, you want to be thinking about who it is that you're actually talking to, especially because podcast

And when you choose what your podcast is about your overall topic, you're essentially selecting your audience as well, because yeah, not every topic is for every.

Person exactly, and that's okay, and that's why, like for us too, when thinking about new episodes or like what would be most beneficial for cal Poly students.

Absolutely, another main thing about podcasting we're thinking about is considering your team and who you want to have on it. So yeah, podcasting can seem super simple, just like a conversation between two, three, four people, but it's actually quite complicated. You need to think about the chemistry between you and your co host or just if you're able to talk just to yourself who's going to edit it. It's a whole team that you need to be thinking about.

Yeah, so let's kind of get into it.

So first and foremost, what obviously comes to mind is just the host, So like, who is the person or the people that are going to yap on the pod? This could be one person or multiple people, depending on your topic, your setup, what's gonna work best for you. Obviously you're at CP one on one, Kate and I take the mics and do what we do best, which is just talking, and yeappen when we had like a hosting opportunity open up. Kate was one of the first people I had in mind that I knew you were

Yeah, I felt so honored when you reached out to me, and just like I can vividly remember the text that you sent. You're like, hey, there's an open hosting spot at CP one on one, and I wanted to ask you first because I know that you've experienced and I think I used to go to host with you and Like that's what I'm most proud of how like this podcast has grown is because our friendship has grown along with it. Yeah, like we were so awkward and I know,

And it's also just weird navigating, Like podcasting in general is a pretty like intimidating thing to start My first time ever, Like doing CP one on one, I like forgot to breathe because I was so worried that like the mics would pick up my breathing that I literally was like not like I couldn't even get out any words because I wasn't breathing. So it definitely is just

Yeah. So from your team, you pretty much have your host or like two three hostss. We love working in like bigger groups Honestly, Like I've tried hosting by myself before it didn't work out. It's totally up to you. But then we have an editor Gabby, who we're gonna hear from soon. She is gonna do a little interview with us, which is so exciting on the PO. And then we have our manager, Ben, our fearless leader. He's in charge of just distributing our podcast, keeping us on track.

He's just like the best support system for us, like he is if we're not our own hype man, he's definitely our hype.

Man, absolutely. And then from there we like, now that we have our team, we can divide up tasks. So yeah, like I said, Ben distributes the podcast, Gabby edits. We are in charge of hosting and also writing our script.

Yes, so hate to burst your bubble, but we do script some of our podcasts. For most of our CP one on one episodes, it's just Kate and I kind of breaking down what we want to talk about and adding like bullet points. So we do brainstorm. We choose topics like today we're talking you know, overall theme is how to podcast, but we're talking about like the setup your team, common pitfalls, having an interview, looking at marketing

To script the entire episode. But I do recommend doing a quick search on Google about how to script a podcast episode because it's a different format, Like instead of using commas, we use the lease so we can tell when we're supposed to take a break in our speech, because coms are just so tiny and so hidden.

The like written aspect of scripting a podcast is way more directive than like typical writing because you're on the spot in front of a microphone and you need to be able to see like, oh, remember when I said I couldn't breathe, or like I stopped breathing. The ellipses are like, girl, take a breath, Like that's where you need to be breathing.

So, now that we've talked about the team and just different tasks that we do, let's get into how we actually set up our equipment. So I have been lucky enough to actually get a really good understanding of how it all works. I really do enjoy the audio side of things and just the studio setup, So like, I do not mind coming in here a little bit early and making sure all the mics are working.

It's also helpful that I, well, it's not helpful that I show up late, but it's helpful that Kate comes early because I don't know how to set up and I am constantly late.

So I'm sorry, Kate, No.

You're fine. I like having on my AirPods and just getting into the zone. It's how like I kind of collect myself before we record.

Yeah, just because.

Sometimes we walk into the studio, like we record on Fridays in the night before is college Thursdays downtown.

Yeah, as you know from our how to Barcrawl episode, we frequently come in Friday mornings a little bit over.

By the time that this episode comes out, we will both be twenty two, so yeah, we are of age, but yeah we'll come in after like five hours of sleep just not feeling ourselves. So like, honestly, setting up just really gets me into the zone. But first thing that I recommend is testing your audio right away. We just we have an SD card that we record everything onto and this cool thing called a roadcaster that I'm

Typically involve singing yea and into the mic and I will harmonize, so.

It's really pretty Yeah, we're like great singers.

Yes, we just want to make sure that because Emma speaks louder than I do, so we adjust our audio so that it fits that so Gabby's not having to do anything crazy. And then also I know it just

You're trying to like recreate the moments that were so candid and like so like natural the first time, and then they just came out silted and weird, and you're like dang, I really wish that first one recorded.

No, even now, you can just see my head just like I know, we're constantly looking like we trauma from it.

Not working out.

So yeah, I mean I feel like that pretty much covers it. Just making sure that everything is on, that your mic levels are good, that you have an SD card.

I will also say, in terms of setting up, make sure that you come in knowing like what your vibe is for the day, because there's times where Kate and I, especially because of college Thursdays, we come in and our energy is so low and we don't want that for a podcast. So you do want to kind of check in with yourself before getting behind the microphone, just to know like what type of energy are you going to be bringing to the pod. What can you and your

So now let's record an episode. So first question that you need to ask yourself is what equipment do you have accessible to you. This can be as elaborate or as chill as you want. We use a road caster and then we plug in microphones into that. We also have headphones. We've stopped using them because we don't like hearing ourselves talk. Yeah, and it's just more real when we don't wear headphones.

Yeah, because when you wear the headphones, you're so like critical of your voice and like any other sound that like the microphones are picking up on. Versus like not wearing them. You kind of just relax and like ease into your role of like, let's just talk again. Yeah, big promoters of just having a conversation and just.

Make sure that you're recording an quiet space without an echo. That's also very important. Now we have a special guest.

Yes, this is our lovely editor Gabby. She's finally behind the mic.

Okay, so we've referenced you a few times obviously, but why don't you just introduce yourself for anyone new listening.

I'm Gabriella, also known as Gab.

I do the editing for CP one oh one for this year at least, And yeah, I'm kind of the behind the scenes voice that you guys never hear.

But now I'm on a mic, which is weird.

Yeah, how does it feel?

Yeah?

Definitely weird.

I mean I did.

I was on the mic for a podcasting class I took with Kate back in.

Oh gosh, that was junior year, Like, it was probably about a year ago.

It's been a while, but I'm excited, you know. I love to hear myself talk, so really great.

And we're excited to have you on the pod. It's so special.

I've been waiting for this one.

But anyways, so Gabby's really good at making us sound good. So just first of all, how did you learn how to edit?

Yeah, so the same podcast class I took with you was kind of my first introduction to editing.

I use Adobe Audition.

You could do Premiere Pro too, but there's video components and that's really hard to deal with.

So yeah, fair enough.

So with the editing that you are so fabulous at, we're just curious about how long it takes because obviously we are here in the studio, can and I clock in, clock out. You know, takes us an hour two hours to come in here and just yap at you. But what is the timeline behind the scenes, because we know it's a lot more intense.

Yeah, laughing through the.

I would say per week, I'm probably spending around three to four hours editing an episode, because it's usually about an episode a week.

That depends on how long the episode is.

It depends on how many errors or bloopers are kind of in it. You know, professionally, you don't want to hear a lot of umps and uhs and uh likes and all of that, those kind of like filler words that you use. If we're on an episode where you know every other word uh uh, that it's.

Gonna take me a lot longer to edit out each of.

Those individual things. It just depends on kind of how much needs to be cut. But yeah, I usually take about two days to do it.

I'll start on I don't know, earlier in the week.

I'll get my first cuts kind of in there and just listen to it one time over kind of get an idea of what we're working with, and then once I know kind of the key points of the episode and what I want to focus on, I kind of cut the not so interesting part. So i'd say the whole process is like three fourish hours totally.

So, are you, like so sick of our voices or what?

Like?

No, Actually, I really appreciate the way that this podcast is formatted, in the way that you guys have a different topic every time you're talking, So rather than like kind of spewing on about the same stuff over and over again, We're talking about something new and interesting, and it also helps that you have a little bit of personality. It's fine, there's something we try.

We try. We think we're comedians every year. Oh yeah, I'm kind of sad. I second that I actually we're funny. And then kind of tying into all of this, what are the easiest and hardest parts about editing our episodes? Because I know you kind of said that the filler words are difficult to edit out, but our formats make it easier. So just more along those lines for anyone who wants to start their own podcast.

There are rules on how loud your audio can be on published forms of journalism, and that rule is it cannot exceed twelve decipels. Basically, in essence, you don't want your volume pitch to reach a certain level, and so that volume pitch is reached when your mic volumes aren't adjusted correctly. When you know you're have plosive p's, which is when you can hear that.

Like breath popping, Yeah, that popping sound in the.

Mic, which if you're headphone user and you're listening to our podcast that is like a migraine waiting to happen.

We just cussed one.

Yeah, stuff like that.

And just like audio spikes, where like the audio is going above what it can be, just individually, like bringing down those levels is a bit of a pain, especially because it's such a quick little thing that will happen, like it'll be mid word, not even like or mid sound, where you'll just hear that little spike in audio.

So I would say that that is probably one of the harder parts of my job. For sure. It takes the most time. What was the other part of the question the easiest is.

Do we do anything that makes your life easy?

I would say probably the intro and outro, just because we already have it recorded and so that's yeah, yeah, I would yeah. I think my tip with that is pre record your intro and outro. And that doesn't mean that you can't tweak it as you go, but it just makes the editing process so much easier when you could just copy and paste that bad boy in and then deal with the actual content totally.

I also think, and this is not in terms of like us editing at all, but there's things that Kate and I can do at times to help you, like if we mess up, we are very clear about Gabby take it out, Yes, even when Gabby's not here. For hosts, if you're wanting to be a host, just think about your editor, especially if it's you yourself. Make a note of what you want to cut and just say it.

Okay, Well, if you're at cal Poly, take the podcasting class through the Journalism department with Patti Pieburn because that was one of the best classes I've ever taken in my life.

Shout out Patty.

I agree, Yeah, I definitely found my passion for podcasting through that because she'll walk you through all of the platforms and all of the editing, your volume levels, all of the legal stuff, so she really gives you a good understanding of editing in that way. But if that doesn't sound appealing to you, I would say go onto YouTube. Honestly, YouTube is like my best friend. When in doubt, google it. Out and just look up like anything you want to

So inspiring. Yeah, thank you so much, Gabby. Appreciate you, and we're happy that you finally got to get behind the mic with us.

And we've asked Gabby before and let's just like tell you the reaction has been like no, if I have to, like if you guys need me, so it's so much easier.

Editing other people's voices. I don't know why.

You just don't hear the same thing in That's the other thing is like once you hear yourself back, like, don't be disgusted by your own voice.

That's like a very common thing. Like no one likes to hear themselves talk.

But except for us, because we're perfect every.

Single okay, but we have stopped wearing headphones because we don't like hearing our own voice. So there's caveats, all right, Well, is there anything else you would like to share about editing in general or your your work here at CP one one?

Oh my gosh, yes, actually is there?

Yes, if you're an editor, please take a break when you need to, because I will get to a point where I'm like physically crashing out because I've listened to the same ten second audio bye over sixty times and like my hands will physically start shaking and like I could feel a headache coming on. So please, like take the time to get up and walk away. And that

Like you're not gonna.

Be super duper successful when you first start, but that's like the glory of the process. You know, you just gotta kind of stick with it, and then when you do see success, it just means so much more.

Yeah, So learn by doing.

Sponsored back help.

Hey, thank you, Gab, Thank you Gabby Woo. As you know by now, we're experts. We're perfect in every single way, but I mean we have to admit that we do make mistakes, sometimes only very.

Minimally, yeah, like so minimally.

Yeah, but let's talk about some of the mistakes that we.

May gus, I guess we can talk about our faults.

Yeah, so as we talked about with Gab, just those plosives, those massive piece that closives elosives, Yeah, those are like unpleasant to the ear.

Yeah, And like I remember, I didn't know, like I never heard the word plosive before. I was like, I don't know what you guys are talking about. And one thing that is super helpful was just angling the microphone, like so you're not talking directly into it.

So even if you do. What is this angle? Like, it's like forty five free angle.

Yeah, so that's what we do just because I mean, plosives are inevitable, but if it is angled, the mic won't pick up on it as much, and it will make it a little bit easier for editing purposes. Another thing that I think is super like common and this isn't necessarily a mistake, but it is totally a challenge.

Yeah, because people want to listen to your podcast because you're a human being and they find what you're saying is interesting and that you're fun to listen to. And honestly, the more nervous you are, like, the more it's going to reflect through your voice and it's just not as fun to listen to. And then another thing to note that we've already kind of talked about already. Is just

Another thing to think about, which is something Yeah, this is.

Like twisting the night.

I know this might be Kate and I like this might just be us.

But like we have lost SD cards that have had our episodes on them before.

We've put it on like online.

Yeah, so like this is so easy to avoid.

Yes, Like we have like been in communication with each other and like with our managers and all that, and we thought we figured out like Okay, I'm gonna leave the SD card here so that you can come by the studio and grab it so you can edit with it whatever, and then it just poof vanishes, disappears, never to be seen again. Yeah, and all that work, that whole episode is just gone.

But the way to avoid this is just to make sure that your editor has their own SD card and they just have it. Like for example, today, like I she's not here anymore right now, she had to go, she's busy, but I'm gonna be taking home the SD card and uploading it as soon as I walk through the door. Yes, just that we don't lose anything, because it's a constant fear. Yeah.

Well, even in our last podcast that we recorded, the audio like did not transfer, no, and like we were freaking out and we like, we're so sure we recorded, we had it and then it just disappeared. So just be aware of where you are placing SD cards, how you're working with the audio and things like that.

And then lastly just stumbling over our words. But again this is an easy fix. If you don't like what you said, just be like, just communicate to your editor while you're recording. You'd literally just say, gab cut this. I don't know, but it happens. You get excited when you're behind the mic. But like Tricia Paya's style, just talking super fast.

Well, then some words too, are just tricky, Like I know, we've had to look up pronunciation sometimes to be like are we even saying this correctly?

Like curous? How is that how you say it? For the bar Cross episode, I don't even remember. I just remember we saw that. We're like what yeah, so yeah, just do your research and it's okay if you make a mistake. Just tell your editor.

Well, that's all the time we have for today. One last piece of advice don't be afraid to go out and start a podcast and stay consistent. Whether or not you stick with podcasting, you should at least be consistent with your passions. That's a final, little last lesson. Kate and I want to leave.

You with anyways, We'll be back with more tips and tricks and new hosts next time on CP one oh one Learn by listening. You can find us on any preferred streaming platform for the next episode and.

To keep up to date with CP one oh one, which I know I'll be doing and all KCPR podcasts, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, TikTok, or Facebook at KCPR nine one three or check us out on KCPR dot org slash podcast. Signing off for the last time, I'm Kate Lopenske and I'm Emmi Hughes. Thanks for keeping up with the two of us and all things cal Poly