PODCAST · education
Sound School Podcast
by Rob Rosenthal/PRX/Transom.org
The Backstory to Great Audio Storytelling, hosted by Rob Rosenthal, for Transom and PRX.
Episodes
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Old School Sound School — "If" by Sherre DeLys
Sherre Delys says she sometimes thinks of her documentary "If" as her "hit single" — the piece she's best known for. We think of it as one of the coolest, most ear-catching documentaries of the last 30 years and it's featured on the next episode in the series "Old School Sound School."
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Old School Sound School – Concerning Breakfast
Whatever happened to handing tape decks to people so they can document their lives? These "radio diaries" offered an intimacy unavailable to most reporters. A perfect example is Annie Cheney's "Concerning Breakfast," produced for Jay Allison's series from the 1990s, "The Life Stories Collection."...
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Old School Sound School – 9/11 and The Sonic Memorial Project
Sound School is launching a new series, Old School Sound School featuring classic and rare documentaries 20-plus years old. The series begins by marking the 25th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center in September of 2001. The Sonic Memorial Project is a remarkable, hour-long...
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Coming Soon: Old School Sound School
Rob has a small but mighty collection of old audio documentaries on CDs. And even more audio files crammed on his computer. "Bazillions," he says, "and it's time share the ear candy!" In September, Rob's launching a series called Old School Sound School featuring deep cuts and classic docs and...
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Revisiting: Remember to Breathe
A breath may seem like the most insignificant detail in an audio story. But, actually, the opposite is true. For proof, all you have to do is listen to stories where the breaths are cut out. On this episode of Sound School, a primer on editing breaths. Perfect for people teaching audio storytelling.
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Sounds Cool!
Sounds Cool!
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Elizabeth Arnold — Have Mic, Will Travel
"(An) unstoppable, one-of-a-kind reporter." That's how NPR reporter Elizabeth Arnold is described in her recent obituary. Hear what that means in a story she reported at the North Pole, where she says "Nature doesn't want you here.... Maybe that's part of the pull. You come to defy it." I'm…
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Meditating with Platypuses, Penguins, and Wombats
Nocturnal Worlds is certainly a curious podcast. A unique mix of science, nature, meditation, and lush soundscapes from Audiocraft, an Australian production company. Why mix science education and meditation? Olivia O'Flynn, the host and producer of Nocturnal Worlds, lays out the how and why of…
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Deploy This One Tiny Maneuver to Improve Audio Essays
Cloe Axelson, a senior editor at WBUR, was feeling like the essays she produced that were written by listeners weren't sounding conversational enough -- until she deployed this one simple trick. It's a trick any producer could use to help narrators sound more like themselves.
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Witness to an Execution
How powerful can audio storytelling be? So powerful that distraught listeners stand-up, wave their arms, and yell "Turn it off! Turn it off!" That's how good the documentary we're featuring on Sound School is.
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Jad and FayFay Talk "Fela Kuti: Fear No Man"
Jad Abumrad and FayFay Odudu, drop some valuable audio storytelling reporting and production insights on the latest episode of Sound School. Jad and FayFay recently earned a Peabody Award for "Fela Kuti: Fear No Man," the podcast about Fela, the Nigerian saxophone player and political activist.…
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Revisiting: Nausea and Forehead Mics - Reporting in Zero Gravity
Almost every reporting trip has its pitfalls. Andrew Leland's story for Radiolab in 2022 had more than most including nausea, flying in the equivalent of zero gravity, and his blindness. On this encore episode of Sound School, Andrew lays out how he navigated it all.
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Salman Khan’s March to “More Muslim”
You could describe it as a long walk. Or a climb up a hill. But, it seems like Salman Khan's path to launching a new podcast was more like a slow, persistent march. Hear how Salman practically willed "More Muslim" into existence on the latest Sound School. It's inspiring.
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Silence Is Worth Your Time
Back when I worked at radio stations, people joked "Silence is bad juju." We're not supposed to include much, if any, silence in audio stories -- for broadcast or podcast. Noam Hassenfeld went the opposite direction and embraced silence -- lots of it! -- on a recent episode of Unexplainable, the...
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Revisiting: A Cow A Day
The first question I had to ask Pejk Malinovsky was "Why the hell did you think that would make for a good radio story?" Of course it was. Pejk followed a cow for eleven hours recording her every move and turned it into a 30-minute documentary. Naturally, Pejk answered saying "A cow a day keeps…
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Dialing In the Audio Flux Podcast
Julie Shapiro and John Delore made a pilot for the Audio Flux podcast. Okay, now what? How did they go from pilot in 2024 to podcast in late 2025? On this episode of Sound School, a deep dive comparing the Audio Flux pilot to the first episode of the podcast and the thinking behind Julie and…
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The Naked Pitch
Short Cuts said no. WNYC said no. Hell Gate said no. Even Transom said no. Finally, after about six months of pitching, Will Coley heard "Yes." Will regales us with his story of how he made it to "yes" with his pitch about public nudity on the latest Sound School.
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Revisiting - Don't Write, Tell
Noel King says first things first. Before writing a story, take a friend to a bar and tell them the story. On this archive episode of Sound School, Noel says that's the approach she took back when she reported for Planet Money and it worked like a charm. Her writing was more like telling.
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Reporting on Emotions in South Africa
Twenty-one year old reporter Kabir Jagram says young men in South Africa are stoic. Holding back emotions is a survival mechanism in a country wracked with youth unemployment and that can lead to serious mental health issues. So, how then, as a young man himself struggling with expressing…
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What If the Main Character Narrates?
We're starting the new year with an antidote to 2025 -- two episodes featuring inspiring early-career producers. On this episode, 28-year-old Anna Van Dine from Vermont who deployed an unusual storytelling maneuver that Rob hasn't heard in years.
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Revisiting: Two From the Road in Nashville
Here's your New Year's resolution: Attend a Transom Traveling Workshop. That's right. You know you wanna. The year 2026 is the year to give yourself a treat -- a little radio self-love. For inspiration, here are two stellar stories produced by new and emerging audio producers at a Transom…
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It’s Magic
If you're just beginning in audio storytelling or have some experience under your belt, you could toil alone making and making and making stories hoping to get better. And that might be the exact right thing for you. But, if you'd like a hand up from experienced producers, sign up for a Transom...
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Revisiting: We Need More Words to Describe Audio Stories
When you limit language, you limit thinking. When you limit thinking, you limit creativity. When you limit creativity, audio storytellers wind up making the same thing over and over and over again and that's not good. In this archive episode from 2022, producer Jazmine Green says we need new...
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Seeking Small True Things
Audio reporter Samantha Broun says young people are "full of life, complicated, passionate, confused, and they want to talk and want to be heard." That's why Sam offers them her curiosity and her caring ear for her project "Small True Things." Rob spoke to Sam in October for Sound School on the...
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Revisiting: Hang A Picture In Front of the Microphone
Susan Stamberg sang her own song at NPR. Her writing and her voice, you could always tell it was Susan behind the mic. She died at the age of 87 in October. In honor of Susan, we present this archive episode of Sound School where she lays out her best practices for reporting on the visual arts.
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When Funny Points to Truth
Neena Pathak produced a very touching story about grieving the death of her father. She says the humor in the story wasn't uncouth. It was how she captured the truth.
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Revisiting: Fill Your Notebook with Color Notes
In this archive episode from 2018, legendary NPR reporter and raconteur John Burnett answers a perplexing question "How to make an immigration story visual when no mics are allowed in the courtroom?" Answer: Fill your note book with color notes.
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Host Sits Down With a Reporter
"Host sits down with a reporter." That's a good way to describe how Radiolab stories are produced. Same with "two-ways" on NPR. You can hear those approaches everywhere. But, how else can a "host sit down with a reporter?" The Ghost of a Chance podcast from the Minnesota Star Tribune offers a…
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Writing Like TV in a Podcast
Writing like it's a television drama complete with instructions for a camera operator. That's an unusual maneuver for a podcast. One I'd never heard before. Neither had Susan Burton until she wrote that way herself in the latest season of The Retrievals, a production from Serial and The New York...
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Fill Your Pockets With Endings
NPR's Robert Smith says when he's writing and gets to the end of a story he has empty pockets. He's used all the good stuff and left nothing for the end. To combat that problem, Robert studied endings from some of his favorite reporters and put together a list of categories that broadly describe...
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Sound Design - Don't Say Rabbit, See Rabbit
"Don't say rabbit, see rabbit." Write it on a sticky note and post it where you can see it at all times. It's a mantra that will save you from cheesy sound design.
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Revisiting: Interviewing Shy People
A constant piece of advice for producers is "Find a good talker." But what about shy people? Given their reticence, they may not be great talkers but they may have a good story to tell. The question is "How do you help shy people open up?" Erika Lantz and her sister Elin Lantz-Lesser of The…
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Asking Dad Dicey Questions
Zach Mack really put it to his father. For "Alternate Realities," a series from NPR's "Embedded" podcast, Zach asked his dad pointed questions about the conspiracy theories he believes in that are driving a wedge into the family. On this episode of Sound School, Zach talks to Sally Herships of...
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Revisiting - Think of a Radio Station (or Podcast) as a Musical Instrument
"I think of radio stations as musical instruments." That's what Steve Junker, the managing editor at WCAI said to Rob over a couple of drinks one night. Soon after, Rob put Steve in front of a mic and asked him "What the heck are you talking about??"
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Writing Makes All the Difference - Beautifully Braiding Scenes, Stand-Ups, and Narration
It's time for Leila Fadel at NPR to receive another award for her reporting. Last December, her stories from Syria after the fall of Assad were essential listening. And, as Rob notes in this episode of Sound School, her writing was top-notch.
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Writing Makes All the Difference: The Episode Handshake
There's a reason why serialized podcast episodes often start with "Last time on (insert name of podcast)" followed by a montage of quotes. It works. It's an effective way to help bring a listener back into a story. But it's used *far* too often. Surely, there's a better way, right? Rob spotlights...
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Revisiting - A Trip to the Dentist
A dear friend of Transom and all creative audio producers passed way last month -- Larry Massett. This episode of Sound School joins the chorus of voices on Transom marking Larry's passing. Rob presents "A Trip to the Dentist," a legendary story Larry made in 1977 for NPR. Easily one of the most...
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Writing Makes All the Difference, Part 1
I don't care how much good tape you have. I don't care if the scoring and mixing are superlative. I don't care if the narrator is a solid storyteller. If a story lacks strong writing, the story will fall flat. Great writing is essential. On this episode of Sound School, the brilliant writing in…
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Revisiting: My Kingdom for Some Structure
You've got all the good tape you need. Now what? How do you structure the story? Bradley Campbell has a few suggestions. He sketched them -- on cocktail napkins!
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Champions of Old Radio
Take a short walk into deep radio history. Julia Barton and Sarah Montague join Rob to talk about two audio storytelling classics from the 1930s: "Seems Like Radio Is Here to Stay," an homage to radio by Norman Corwin, and the anti-fascist play "The Fall of the City," by Archibald MacLiesh. Old...
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Beware the Chicken Bomb
The best way -- sometimes the *only* way -- to describe an element in a story that is disruptive and distracting for listeners is this: chicken bomb. This year, 2025, is the 20th anniversary of "chicken bomb" entering the lexicon of audio storytelling. What exactly is it? With help from Ira…
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Amen, Chenjerai (Bonus Episode)
In this bonus episode, Rob takes his conversation with Chenjerai Kumanyika one step further. He digs in a bit more to the big question from the last episode: Who is the "you" telling this story now?"
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Amen, Chenjerai
Chenjerai Kumanyika delivered the goods. Rob interviewed Chenjerai on stage at the recent On Air Fest where Chenjraie was passionate, animated, and electric as he talked about a question he sees as essential for anyone in audio storytelling to consider. We're sure you'll be as transfixed as the...
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Revisiting: The Longest Shortest Time
Just recently, Hillary Frank relaunched her popular podcast The Longest Shortest Time. This archive episode takes us back to Hillary's early days, when she was just finding her way in podcasting -- as we all were.
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The Layered Approach - Interviewing for Scenes
You want scenes in your story. But, reporting in the field isn't an option. What then? Simon Adler, a senior producer at Radiolab has an answer: interview for scenes using "the layered approach."
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The Backstory to "Our Ancestors Were Messy"
Nichole Hill pitched her show idea again and again. And, again and again, podcast companies said "no." But, that didn't stop Nichole. She said "I'm doing it myself!" Our Ancestors Were Messy, a podcast featuring hidden stories from the archives of historic, Black newspapers, launches February…
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All Hands On Deck - NPR and the Nixon White House
Just over 50 years ago, in 1974, NPR took to the airwaves for a 25-hour-broadcast that Rob thinks may be one of the most tedious recordings he's ever heard and one that was also an incredible broadcast service. What is it? You'll have to listen. Trust us. It's worth it.
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Revisiting: First, Tell Them an Anecdote
Rob's interview with Misha Euceph is one of his favorites. As he says, she's very clear, engaging, and insightful about the craft of audio storytelling. On this archive episode of the show from 2019, they discuss why Misha believed it was important to start each episode of her podcast "Tell Them…
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Dissection - Daniel Alarcón's Writing Maneuvers
Let's state the obvious: Daniel Alarcón is a gifted writer. It's evident from the writing in "The Good Whale," the latest series from Serial that Daniel wrote and hosted. Rob put his writing under the microscope and heard a lot of satisfying maneuvers -- and a couple that weren't so satisfying.
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Fingers Crossed, Twice
Nothing seems guaranteed these days for creative audio makers. "Short Cuts" was recently cancelled and "Pretendians" is seeking funding for a second season, two shows on this episode of Sound School that are high on Rob's must-listen list because they elevate the craft and deliver essential...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Sound School Podcast have?
Sound School Podcast currently has 393 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Sound School Podcast about?
The Backstory to Great Audio Storytelling, hosted by Rob Rosenthal, for Transom and PRX.
How often does Sound School Podcast release new episodes?
Sound School Podcast publishes regularly with 393 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Sound School Podcast?
You can listen to Sound School Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Sound School Podcast?
Sound School Podcast is created and hosted by Rob Rosenthal/PRX/Transom.org.
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