Poor old Safe Haven… This poor blog has been sorely neglected while I've been off fooling around with podcasting (at www.SexAndPodcasting.com).

But I'm starting a series of “how to” podcasts and they need some backup info and I've decided to post those notes here.

The first show is about all the things that you might want to put in your bag when you go out to record something as a “remote” (not in your comfy studio, but actually out there with da peepul). I decided to start with this one because I'm heading up to the Winnipeg Folk Festival tomorrow and needed to make this list anyway. Subsequent shows will trace a step by step path which, when it's done, should result in you having put together and published your own podcast.

So here's my list. Now all I gotta do is collect all the stuff and put it in the RV (we're renting a hum-dinger — 2 slide-outs, 33 feet long — I've christened it The Pale Whale).

Checklist for a remote;

MUST Have:

— Recorder – most likely digital, although not required (maybe i'll do a show about how to move audio from a tape recorder to your computer some time). mine's a Marantz PMD-660.

— Microphones – i'm going to take 2 kinds. a couple of really nice condenser mics for recording music, and a cheaper/sturdier dynamic mic for interviewing people

— Mic cables – can't have enough. leave 'em in the car if it turns out you don't need 'em.

NICE to Have:

— Headphones – to do quality-checking mostly

— Wind filters – those foam-rubber things that cover the mic

— Mic stands – one for the two condensers — i built a gizmo that lets me mount the two mics on one floor stand. another floor stand. a couple desk stands

— Interconnecting connecting connectors. over the years i've accumulated a bunch of things that convert from one kinda thing to another. they're all in a box and come along for the ride.

— Extension cords — i'm not going to have power available on this trip, but normally these are in the bag fersure

— Power supply — if you're going to a place with power, don't forget to take the power supply for the recorder. been there, done that.

— Cell phone – to call home for Marcie to bring emergency stuff i forgot, or didn't anticipate

— Notebook – for people to write “i grant you a Creative Commons license to podcast my stuff” and sign

SUPPLIES

Blank media – tapes or memory or whatever — i'm going to
take a 1 gig Compact Flash card, plus a couple of smaller
ones as backups

Batteries – lots and lots of batteries, can't have enough batteries

Gaffer's tape – or whatever you call it – duck tape, duct tape,
whatever

TOOLS

wire stripper
screwdrivers
wire cutter
scissors
flashlight

If you want to listen to the podcast that “goes with” this list, you can find it
right here.