Pump Up Your Pod Bamby Media

Alright podcasters and vocalists alike, it's time to settle a score! Today, we're throwing down in a microphone brawl between two titans: the legendary Shure SM7B and the lesser-known but highly regarded sE Dynacaster DCM8. 
By the end of this rumble, you'll know which microphone I prefer for females with similar vocal tones to my own, as well as vocalists looking for that extra bit of sparkle.
To set the scene, we’ve recorded this battle at Gasworks studio in Fortitude Valley with both mics plugged into a top-notch John Hardy M2 preamp. We're keeping things raw with no post-production on the sound, so you hear exactly how these microphones perform. All we’ve done is boosted the levels to ensure they’re the same. 
BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:
Free Podcast Audit Service
YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:
Shure SM7B
SE Dyncaster DCM8
Rode Boom Arm
XLR Cables
Sony ZV E10
Elgato Camlink
Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light
Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend
Focusrite Clarett+
Rode Streamer X
Rodecaster Pro II
Rodecaster Pro Duo

I’ve seen so many new podcasts launch with next to no promotion behind them.
Then they wonder why they didn’t receive as many downloads as they thought they should have. 
They’ve told their friends and family, put a few graphics or videos out across social media, and they feel like that’s plenty.
But it lands a little softer than they anticipated.
There are also podcasters out there that are so nervous about putting their show out, that they don’t want to promote it.
And that’s all well and good if you’re just testing the waters, or you don’t really want anyone to know about your show until you feel like you’ve found your feet.
But I’m not talking to that podcaster here. 
I’m talking to the podcaster who wants to make the most of their new podcast launch. The podcaster who wants to make sure they squeeze as much out of their launch as possible, without spending money on ads or other paid strategies. 
This is purely a strategy for those of you who want to use social media, email marketing and good ol’ fashioned word of mouth to help promote their new podcast.
So, here’s the exact strategy I recommend to our clients, and we use ourselves here at Bamby Media.
BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:
Free Podcast Audit Service
YouTube Channel
GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:
SE Dyncaster DCM8
Rode Boom Arm
XLR Cables
Sony ZV E10
Elgato Camlink
Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light
Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend
Focusrite Clarett+
Rode Streamer X
Rodecaster Pro II
Rodecaster Pro Duo

What makes a great podcast conversation?
Well, we all know the answer is nuanced, but after many years of producing podcasts I’ve certainly found the quality of the podcast has a lot to do with the quality of the questions being asked.

When I was thinking about who I could speak with to help podcasters craft better questions, Kendall Breitman came across my radar. A lot of you would know Kendall as the community manager for Riverside, but her role prior to Riverside was what piqued my interest.

Kendall knows implicitly how to craft quality questions, connect with your audience and build a sense of community around your show. She shared so much value in our recent conversation, and I’m delighted to share it with you all.

Podcast - Call Her Daddy
 / @callherdaddy  

Podcast - Life Shift
https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/

TRY RIVERSIDE
Riverside Conversation Creators Facebook Community

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:
Free Podcast Audit Service
YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:
SE Dyncaster DCM8
Rode Boom Arm
XLR Cables
Sony ZV E10
Elgato Camlink
Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light
Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend
Focusrite Clarett+
Rode Streamer X
Rodecaster Pro II
Rodecaster Pro Duo

I received an Apple Watch for my birthday.
“Woop de doo,” I hear you say.
“People get Apple Watches all the time. What’s the big deal?”
Well, the big deal is that it has changed my life.
And there is a very simple reason why.
Attention.
Prior to my Apple Watch life, my phone was the way I accessed the bulk of those things that we all need:
The time, the date, banking, messages, phone calls, music, podcasts, maps, photos.
But because my phone also had these:
Social media, YouTube, News, Business Apps, Analytics, Slack, Real Estate, Airbnb…
Well, I know you understand what I’m going to say next.
I would pick up my phone purely because I wanted to know what time it was, and all of a sudden I was on Instagram answering DM’s and “just checking” my work emails.
If I was ever “waiting” for something my default action would be to check my phone.
But since this little watch has come into my life, all that has changed.
My energy has shifted from distracted, to attentive.
I don’t bring my phone anywhere unless it’s a bigger business trip. Everything I actually need is on my wrist.
The rest I can access within work hours when I’m at my desk.
And I feel like me again. 
BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:
Free Podcast Audit Service
PodCoach Service
Bamby Media Services
YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:
SE Dyncaster DCM8
Rode Boom Arm
XLR Cables
Sony ZV E10
Elgato Camlink
Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light
Aputure Light Box Min

Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend
Focusrite Clarett+
Rode Streamer X
Rodecaster Pro II
Rodecaster Pro Duo

As a content creator and producer in the podcasting space, I am always on the hunt for the best microphones to make my voice and our client’s voices sound super fancy.
There are two heavyweights in the podcast industry that I was eager to pin against each other in a battle to the death.

Well, maybe not death. No microphones were harmed in the making of this episode.
Introducing into the ring, the Electro-Voice RE20 and the Shure SM7B. Both microphones are similar in cost (around AU$800) and they are probably the microphones that you see used the most in podcasting and radio.
But are they the best? 
Who is the winner?
Would I even choose one of these microphones for my clients or our personal podcasting projects?
In this battle, I aimed to compare the audio quality, sibilance, plosives, suitability for vocalists and overall sound. I also had our Lead Videographer and Designer, Alex join me so that we could hear how these microphones performed with both male and female voices.
Choosing the right microphone for podcasting is a personal decision that depends on individual preferences, recording environments, and vocal characteristics. As always, these opinions are my own and are based on the tests I’ve performed with my voice. 
This particular battle was conducted at a high-end studio in a controlled environment, so it’s important to be aware that if your studio setup is different, the results will vary. 

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:
Free Podcast Audit Service
PodCoach Service
Bamby Media Services
YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:
Shure SM7B
Electro-Voice RE20
SE Dyncaster DCM8
Rode Boom Arm
XLR Cables
Sony ZV E10
Elgato Camlink
Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light
Aputure Light Box Min


Pre-Amp/Mixers we recommend
Focusrite Clarett+
Rode Streamer X
Rodecaster Pro II
Rodecaster Pro Duo

How would you promote your podcast without social media?
In fact, if we think more broadly about this; how would you promote your personal brand or business without social media?
This might leave you scratching your head. We have become so used to relying on social media to help promote ourselves and it feels hard to get off the train..
But as we all know, we don’t “own” these platforms. Well, unless you're Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk perhaps. But if you’re a normal person, you’re playing to the algorithm. You’re doing what you’re told to do, and you’re probably seeing decent enough results. 

Or maybe you’re not. 

It depends on how you define “results.

If you weren’t seeing results, you’d get off social media right?

Well, that sounds good in theory, but it doesn’t happen as often as we might like. 

As podcasters, social media has been found to be quite an effective tool. A recent study done by Edison Research found that 76% of Gen Z say they discover podcasts through clips on social media. 

So if we don’t use social media, how do we promote our podcasts?

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with the supremely talented Amelia Hruby. 
Amelia is the founder and executive producer at Softer Sounds, a feminist podcast studio based in the USA. Her background stretches into academia, community organising, and broadcasting. And Amelia is an advocate for getting off social media. 

Her podcast, "Off The Grid," explores the theme of leaving social media while still maintaining an online presence, offering a refreshing take on digital wellness and creative marketing strategies. If you’re intrigued by this notion, I encourage you to go and give this show a listen. Her voice is also an absolute dream to listen to. 

Podcasting is not just about sharing stories; it's about cultivating connections, sparking conversations, and embracing the beauty of human expression. Amelia's journey exemplifies the transformative power of creativity, resilience, and passion in the world of podcasting.

WHERE TO FIND AMELIA:
Off the Grid Podcast
Softer Sounds Studio
Free Leaving Social Media Toolkit
The Interweb Community

BAMBY MEDIA LINKS:
Free Podcast Audit Service
PodCoach Service
Bamby Media Services
YouTube Channel

GEAR WE USE HERE AT BAMBY MEDIA:
SE Dyncaster DCM8
Rode Boom Arm
XLR Cables
Sony ZV E10
Elgato Camlink
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