AUDACITY

Last week was an interesting one. I learned how to make a podcast using Audacity. Who knew someone as technically illiterate as yours truly could do such a thing? But I did. Which goes to show what a little effort and watching tutorials can do.

You've likely seen my alter-ego blog, Quips from Calasandra, which I set up as a promotional tool for the up-and-coming "A Method to the Madness" anthology coming out this July. Michell Plested and Jeff Hite, co-editors, set out a list of questions to which we all had to respond, and I, not to be outdone by the other super-villains, had to learn how to create a podcast.

If you've never made a podcast before, Audacity is a great tool. It's free, open-source, and there are videos on Youtube to help you get started. Once I downloaded it (and yes, my first time downloading anything - I'm spoiled here at Casa MacGregor), it was pretty easy to figure things out. All I can say is, thank God for the re-do and delete keys. What you'll hear is a mixed version of twelve different tracks. I created my own sound-effects and edited them, trimmed out the awkward bits caused by machine clicks and breathing, amplified parts that needed amplifying, and added my own fade in and fade outs with the music (apologies to Edith Piaf). It was helpful to keep copies of the 'projects' as I layered them, so I saved those as I went along in case of mistakes. Then I turned the whole thing into a wave file, the final step in the process.

It took me about four days to learn Audacity and create the podcast. I warn you, it's a bit silly, but it's also in keeping with the lightness and humor of the anthology. I hope you like it. You can follow the link to The Mad Scientist site. Give it a moment to load. Enjoy!