Record Podcast In Garageband With 3 People in Separate Locations?

[blairh]

Hey everyone,

Two of my friends and I are looking to start recording podcasts and uploading them onto Itunes. Problem is, the three of us live in different cities.

I would essentially be recording (and editing) the podcast using my 13" MBP & Garageband. My question is, how can my friends be a part of the podcast too? The format of the podcast is one where the three of us are discussing a variety of topics for 45 mins to an hour. We will need to be able to clearly hear each other and have a clear conversation recorded despite the fact that we are in three separate locations.

Can this be done? And if so, how? I have no experience creating podcasts, but I've been told it's quite easy using Garageband. But I need to find a way to involve my two friends. On a related note, my two friends have Macs.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[ChrisA]

..The format of the podcast is one where the three of us are discussing a variety of topics for 45 mins to an hour. We will need to be able to clearly hear each other and have a clear conversation recorded despite the fact that we are in three separate locations...

The classic way to do this and you hear this done all the time on radio is that they set up a wideband phone link. These phones are as clear as an FM radio and the sound is very good. It's expensive and not a good options for you. But it's the best way, use a real time HiFi audio link.

Technically the simplest way is to write a script and each reads and records his part then sends the audio recording in to the editor who splices it all together on the time line, adds the music, effects and so on. This would be hard because it requires good writing and good voice acting and good editing. Very skill intensive. It is the method "Hollywood" might use. and it allows the actors multiple "takes" on their lines. But only the pros could pull this off and make it sound natural.

The last is harder to set up but could work. Each of the three of you speaks into two mics. One is a telephone and one goes to a recording device, like GB but it could be anything. each listens to the telephone conference call with headset and his voice goes into both the recorder and the phone.

Later all three recording are mixed in GB.

Do NOT use some VOIP service the lag will kill you. spring for a "real" three way conference call so you can interact in real time.

 

[blairh]

thanks for these suggestions, but none of them will work for me. the podcast is one where the three of us are having a group conversation. there is no script, aside from an outline of subjects we will be covering. i need to find a way, if possible, where the three of us can hear each other and essentially have a conversation that i can record into Garageband.

does anyone know of any third party software that is mac compatible that can do this?

 

[ChrisA]

thanks for these suggestions, but none of them will work for me. the podcast is one where the three of us are having a group conversation. there is no script, aside from an outline of subjects we will be covering. i need to find a way, if possible, where the three of us can hear each other and essentially have a conversation that i can record into Garageband.

does anyone know of any third party software that is mac compatible that can do this?

There can be no software that can do this. Yours is not a software problem, it's a communications problem. How to create a high quality three way audio link? for that you need either a very, very fast Internet connection that is just as fast both up and down stream. You'd pay $1K per month for that. Or you'd need a wide band phone which also costs a fortune. So your options are (1) forget about the "high quality" audio and put up with "phone quality" or (2) record locally and e-mail the data files.

You have to stop here. Decide (1) or (2)

If (1) then simply record the phone into garage band and yu are done.

If (2) then ....

Option #3 will do what you want.

You can hear each other because you have three way conference call that you setup with the phone company. You each listen to the call with headsets so the phone-noise does not spill out to the recording mic. This part is easy. You can all three hear and speak at once.

The next step is a way to capture the conversation. The simplest option is for each person to have a digital recorder of some kind running while the conference call is in progress. Later all of these recording are stacked and mixed. Not "spliced and mix" but simply stacked.

If you want to record to just one recording device in real time then you will need a high quality audio link. High quality links cost a lot. If you can put up with telephone quality audio then simply record the conference call direct to garage band. But I assumed you'd want better sound than that. and could not afford the hifi type audio link. So the ONLY option is local recording and stacking in post production.

I don't think this is a software problem. Garage Band would be enough for any of the options above.

 

[tozol]

Hiya,

being an owner of a podcast for 2 years, (crankygamersuk.net), I can tell you being a brand new macbook owner, I to was hoping to go through the mac.

However what I have seen so far, its not possible.
However I will tell you what I use and have done for 2 years.
Last nights episode 31, was done on the macbook for the first time, the previous 18 months worth were all done on the PC.

So now I will tell you what you need.

To record. use skype, we have used this from day 1.works flawlessly.
You then need a skype recorder.
On the pc use "mxskyperecorder", around $15

You then have the simplest , cheapest, way to record multi persons, live.

you are then left with a raw recording in mp3 form, to edit as you see fit in any programme.

I will say on the mac, again Skype was used as the communications tool, sadly no version of mxskyperecorder for the mac, however I have received similar results this week, using either, "audio Hijack", or "call recorder"
Both do the job, although, hijack was slightly better.

I will say this is really your best and easy option, I spent months originally trying to get all this to work.

And go have a listen to the casts on our site, I would be glad to help also, give me a PM on our forums.

Hope this helps you.

 

[deej999]

iChat or Skype can do this. Then you can record the conversation using audio hijack pro or similar.

 

[blairh]

can't i just record the conversation using garageband and ichat? i can have a conference convo with ichat and then record that chat directly into garageband. no?

 

[tozol]

can't i just record the conversation using garageband and ichat? i can have a conference convo with ichat and then record that chat directly into garageband. no?

I dont actually know that personally, but again I go back to my scenario..

skype is free for everyone, and then just pay for one of the recording software I mention, then its that simple to record all conversations irrespective of how many or were the others are.

I now record all my podcasts this way, one other big plus point as well here, is the fact it doesn't matter if its pc users or mac users on skype, still works great.

What I will say though, Judging by what I have looked at with the default mac software, is that it does look like it can only record a single person in podcast mode, and that puzzles me, as I have yet to comer across, well at least in gaming podcasts I haven't, 1 person recording, which of course defeats the whole act somewhat..

Now unless of course you can record more than one conversation on the macs default software, in which case I to would like to know myself.

All I can say though, if your a beginner,and in my 2 years experience so far, I would at least start with the skype option, its by far the least hassle for everyone involved.