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This series is all about libsyn\u2019s newest podcasters. Its sole purpose is to introduce these awesome podcasts to the world as well as share their podcasting insight to empower the community!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n We released our first episode of Tiny Odd Conversations<\/a> on June 12, 2011. We\u2019d talked about doing a podcast for several months before that and recorded some test shows in May of that year \u2013 most of which got thrown out.<\/p>\n My opinion \/ advice: DO NOT JUST AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE THE FIRST THING YOU RECORD. The odds of you hitting it out of the park on your first try are stacked against you.<\/p>\n You could make an awesome show right out of the gate, but that\u2019s pretty rare. It takes a while to figure out the flow and format. Heck, I\u2019m married to and live with my co-host and we were still awkward together the first few times we recorded.<\/p>\n It\u2019s best to work out as many kinks as you can ahead of time before you unleash your inaugural episode into the world.<\/p>\n Fun fact about my show: Episode 004 is really the first test show of ours that I didn\u2019t hate. No one had really heard it so eventually I put it out. So technically that\u2019s our \u201cpilot episode.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n I was recovering from a gnarly back surgery when I decided to do a podcast. I was literally in a brace, popping pain pills and unable to do much. Basically I couldn\u2019t go out and perform any more as a comic or an actor but I still wanted an outlet. So I decided to build a show based on the assets I had around me.<\/p>\n I had a bunch of sound equipment left over from several failed bands. Gear: check.<\/p>\n Thanks to a life long curmudgeonly attitude I had strong opinions on pretty much everything I encountered. POV: check.<\/p>\n My wife is one of the most entertaining and naturally \/ unintentionally funny people I\u2019ve ever met. Co-host: check.<\/p>\n The basics were covered so we put it all together and eventually Tiny Odd Conversations was born.<\/p>\n Another fun show fact: I was still on heavy pain medication for the first 4 months of the show so I will often listen back to the early episodes to try and remember what was happening back then<\/em>.<\/p>\n This is always a tough question for me. I usually give a smart-ass answer like, \u201cOur show is about an hour\u2026 give or take a few minutes.\u201d Some people laugh, others will ask, \u201cNo seriously, what\u2019s it about?\u201d I\u2019ve tried to come up a quick summation. Sometimes I say, \u201cImagine if Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington were a married couple.\u201d I\u2019ve heard others say we\u2019re like a filthy George Burns and Gracie Allen for the 21st century.<\/p>\n That\u2019s very high praise in my book.<\/p>\n Basically the show is a snap shot of those weird, funny, personal and of course odd conversations that you\u2019ve had with friends or your significant other.<\/p>\n We try and tackle three different topics or conversations per episode. They can range from the seemingly mundane like bug problems at our new home to the surprisingly candid where I come to the realization that I might actually want to be a father.<\/p>\n In fact, those two subjects were part of one segment on a recent show. The topics we start off with are never where we end up and that\u2019s part of the fun. That\u2019s why our main tagline for the show is \u201cBridging The Gap From Inane To Insane.\u201d<\/p>\n Although a new one I came up with recently is pretty accurate too\u2026 \u201cIt\u2019s like eavesdropping on your crazy neighbors without having to get dangerously close to them.\u201d<\/p>\n We use Heil PR-40 mics into a Mackie 1402 VLZ-Pro board into an Apogee Duet into an iMac. We record into GarageBand but we do each segment individually.<\/p>\n Then I mix each segment down into MP3\u2019s and put them on an episode timeline that I created a template for. It took me a few episodes before I realize I could save a lot of time by creating the template.<\/p>\n That way all our tracks are always laid out the same for each episode. I try to do weekly recording sessions with our announcer (AKA Eric The Announcer) to record taglines that correspond with each segment. That doesn\u2019t always happen so sometimes I reuse old ones that are just funny but not topic specific.<\/p>\n As far as other equipment goes we also use a Samson C Que 8 for a headphone amp. That way we (and our occasional guests) can all hear each other. I try to make our podcast sound as professional as possible, but if you saw the actual set up it\u2019s just a bunch of stuff piled up on a kitchen table.<\/p>\n We look like audio equipment hoarders.<\/p>\n I have emailed, tweeted and Facebooked just about anyone I have ever met to repeatedly tell them about my show.<\/p>\n Granted this has resulted in at least 90% of my friends and family blocking me on social media, but such is life.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also found ways to seamlessly mention the fact that I have a podcast into any conversation. \u201cOh I\u2019m sorry your uncle has kidney stones. You know what\u2019s a great way to relax while he\u2019s passing them? Listening to my podcast!\u201d<\/p>\n See? Seamless.<\/p>\n One of the best ways I\u2019ve found to increase your \u201ccircle of influence\u201d and get your show heard by different people is getting involved with other podcasters.<\/p>\n Towards the end of last year I joined an awesome Facebook group called the IPA (Independent Podcast Alliance) and it really has been a great resource.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a very supportive group where other members will answer podcast related questions and we all do our best to help promote one another. And people who help me promote myself are my favorite kind of people.<\/p>\n I wish I knew not to get so stat obsessed. For over a year I would literally check the stats at least every half hour.<\/p>\n No joke. I\u2019d take it personally if the show wasn\u2019t being downloaded. I\u2019d pout and drive myself crazy trying to figure out why some shows got a lot of listens and some didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n But I\u2019m much better now. Now I only check the stats every hour.<\/p>\n That\u2019s progress, right?<\/p>\n With a killer interview like that why are you NOT wanting to go SUBSCRIBE<\/a> to their show? You really should. If you want to engage in conversation with Travis\u2026at your own risk, please reach out to tocpod(at)gmail(dot)com.<\/em><\/p>\n Any of you confined to your home in some way and are wanting to step into the podcasting world? You really should get your podcast going<\/a> with us!<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nQ & A with Travis from Tiny Odd Conversations<\/h2>\n
\nWhen did you start podcasting?<\/h3>\n
Why did you start podcasting?<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s your show about?<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s your podcasting set-up? Hardware, software, CMS, etc.<\/h3>\n
How have you promoted your podcast?<\/h3>\n
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?<\/h3>\n
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