Using GarageBand, how do I create a podcast episode?

Before recording a podcast episode using GarageBand, be sure you have an internal microphone or microphone connected to the microphone-in connection on your computer. It's also good practice to have a set of headphones connected to the headphone jack of your computer so you can hear the audio as it will sound in the finished podcast episode.

To record a podcast episode using GarageBand:

1. Open GarageBand. If a previous project opens, close it, and then in the window that appears, either double-click Podcast (GarageBand 09) or choose New Podcast Episode (previous versions).
   
   
2. Next to "Save As", give the podcast episode a name, and then click Create.
   
   
3. On the left, click the icon next to either "Male Voice" or "Female Voice".
   
   
4. To ensure sound levels are adequate, speak into the microphone. Watch the green bars that appear next to the Voice option you selected. If the green bars don't move clear across, or they frequently bounce into the red, adjust the volume of your voice or adjust the GarageBand settings.

   Note: If your sound levels are not adequate, you may need to adjust your computer's sound and speech levels from within your System Preferences.

5. To begin recording, click the red button, and then speak clearly into your microphone.
   
   
6. To stop recording, click the red button again. The waveforms of the recorded sound will be displayed in the "Timeline" area of the GarageBand window.
   
   
7. To add music or sound effects to the episode, from the Control menu, select Show Loop Browser or Loop Browser. When you find the loop you want to add, drag it to the "Jingles" or "Radio Sounds" track.
   
   
8. To add an additional track, from the Track menu, select New Track.
   
   
9. To listen to the recording, either drag the playhead to the beginning of the track, or click one of the backward arrow buttons ("Go to the beginning of the song." or "Move back one measure."), and then click the forward arrow button ("Start or stop playback.").
   
   
10. To add photos or video to the episode, from the Control menu, select Show Media Browser or Media Browser, and then choose a file from under "Photos" or "Movies".
    
    
11. To add podcast metadata, select "Podcast Track". If the "Episode Info" box isn't visible (in the bottom right), from the Track menu, select Show Track Info. In the "Episode Info" box, edit your podcast episode's "Title", "Artist", and "Parental Advisory", and enter a "Description". For more, see In iTunes, how do I edit track metadata?
    
    
12. To add album art, drag an image to the "Episode Artwork:" box in the lower left.
    
    
13. To export the project as a podcast file, from the Share menu, select Send Podcast to iTunes or Send to iTunes. iTunes will open and prepare your podcast for playback.

You can post your podcast episode in the Oncourse Podcasts tool. For more information, see Using Oncourse CL Podcasts, how do I add, edit, or delete a podcast?

For a detailed explanation of objects in the GarageBand window, consult the appropriate "Getting Started" PDF from Apple:

• GarageBand 09
• GarageBand 08
• GarageBand 06

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