Episode 46: Meetup with Ryan Jackson and Chris Sikkenga

This week's podcast features the audio from our meetup on how to get good sound, featuring multimedia photojournalist Ryan Jackson of Full Circle Visuals and podcaster and video editor Chris Sikkenga. We gathered at Variant Edition Comics and Culture in June to learn more about why sound is so important, how to control the room to improve the conditions for recording, how to work the microphone to avoid common errors, how to monitor your sound along the way, and what, if anything, you can do after the fact to fix it up if you mess up. The irony is not lost on me that the sound for this is not pristine, as it was recorded on a snowball mic on a table in a room with a lot of hard surfaces. And it occurred to me after re-listening to the recording that I still haven't mastered their advice for good microphone technique. It's not terrible, but there's room for improvement. Do as they say, not as I do.  This episode is also available in iTunes, on Google Play, on SoundCloud or on Stitcher. Be sure to follow Full Circle Visuals on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And please listen to, subscribe to and rate Chris's podcasts, Montreal Sauce and Film Frown. Thanks again to Variant Edition for technical assistance, the room and a door prize; to NeWest Press for another door prize; and to CafeRista for delicious treats. Our next meetup will be held at CafeRista (14213 103 Ave.) on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 1 pm. Save the date, and watch for details on the Edmonton Podcasting Meetup page. Here is some of the gear that Chris brought along for show and tell: Behringer XENYX 802 eight-channel compact audio mixer Rolls Pro switchable microphone mute/talk switch Shure SM58-LC vocal microphone Pyle Pro PHA40 four-channel stereo headphone amplifier Zoom H4nSP four-channel handy recorder A lot of that is next-level stuff. If you're just looking for gear to get started, previous podcast meetup guest Justin Jackson recommends this setup: Microphone: Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Pop filter: "Find one that will work with your mic. This one is a good start." Headphones: Sennheiser HD 202 II Editing software: Garage Band (for Mac) and Audacity (for PC) This week’s Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Podcast Canvas, a tool to help businesses and organizations that want to start a podcast figure out who to reach, what to say, and how to make it happen. If you want to start a podcast, want to help your company start a podcast, or keep getting asked "How do I start a podcast?", visit podcastcanvas.com for a free planning tool and guide.  Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.