SonicMaps is a new Locative Audio (GPS AudioTour) platform that’s designed to be a complete solution for sound geolocation.

With SonicMaps, you can create an audio guide to a popular place, a located music composition/playlist, audio games (e.g. Treasure Hunt), located poetry, or simply send geolocated audio messages to your friends.

Using the 3D audio engine option, sounds can be fixed to real world positions, so they are consistently perceived into space while rotating your device (panning) and levels are attenuated according to distance (intensity).

To use SonicMaps, you:

• Upload your audio files to your favourite hosting service.
• Go to the desired location and start placing sounds around using the SonicMaps Editor iOS application.
• Then, you can publish and share your project with other users who will be able to experience your composition as they walk on the selected location.

SonicMaps uses “on-site” editing, avoiding common inaccuracy problems in similar web-based services due to high buildings, maps displacements, etc.

Features:

• 3D Audio Engine
• “On-Site” editing using your iPhone/iPad
• Easy project publishing and sharing GPS tracking
• Sounds are activated as you walk

Note:

• Requires an internet connection to download/play sounds (Wifi or 3G)
• Requires iOS 4.3 or later.
• Audio files links must point to the actual file name which should be in the mp3 format (e.g. http://sonicmaps.org/sample.mp3). Short or encoded links are currently not supported.

SonicMaps is $2.99 in the App Store.

I-Jingle Pro is an app that turns your iPad into a professional jingle/sample cart player.

Easy to use controls let you either play up to 8 jingles simultaneously, cross fade 2 jingles, fade out the first jingle while starting the next or simply stop the first and start the next. So called 2nd touch settings allow you to stop, fade out or re-start a jingle.

At any moment you have 35 jingles on screen and scrolling up and down through the jingles or quickly switching between presets allows you to access up to 300 jingles without leaving the main screen.

I-Jingle Pro is $24.99 in the App Store.

Note: I-Jingle Pro is not recommended for the iPad 1.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is a demo video for the iRig Mic Cast, whic is a $40 portable micrphone for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

The iRig Mic Cast is designed for recording podcasts, interviews, lectures, voice memos and speeches. It features a unidirectional pickup pattern that minimizes background noise, making it ideal for single-source audio recording.

The video demonstrates the difference between using the iPhone’s built-in microphone and the iRig Mic Cast, in a couple of noisy locations.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This tutorial takes a look at how to make enhanced podcasts with GarageBand.

An ‘enhanced podcast’ is an audio podcast that can also contain images, chapter markers, hyperlinks, and artwork, synced to the audio. When an enhanced podcast is played on a compatible device, the additional information will be displayed in time with the audio podcast.

Media community Blubrry has its podcast publishing plugin for WordPress, PowerPress 4.0. The update adds support for the latest iTunes podcast specs and more.

iTunes upgrades include:

• An updated iTunes image requirement — RGB 1400×1400 — throughout the plugin for better cover image quality throughout.
• “Feature Episode” that allow podcasters to designate a primary episode, which can be used to introduce the podcast or lead in to a new series.
• An iTunes Order feature that allows a podcaster doing a series of episodes to have each listed in the desired order.

Other PowerPress 4.0 offerings include:

• A new video player option: VideoJS HTML5 JavaScript player — a player that has its own plugin. By adding this plugin, the new player will be available as an option in PowerPress video players list.
• A Feed Episode Maximizer “option” for shows with episodes in excess of what can currently be included in a feed. This feature allows the podcaster to maintain the latest 10 episodes in iTunes with all of the extensive episode data. The rest of the episodes are listed in a way that maximizes the number of episodes that can be listed on iTunes / Zune etc. Perfect for the serial podcaster with an extensive episode library.

See the Blubrry site for details.

The Pro Tools Expert blog has shared their take on 5 tips for recording great voiceovers that apply directly to podcasts.

They include:

• Banish (computers) to a separate room or to a specially designed cupboard.
• The room needs to be as dead as possible, especially at mid and high frequencies.
• Don’t record in front of a table. The reflections off the table will colour the sound. Radio broadcasters use special ‘acoustic’ tables which are acoustically transparent.
• Make sure the page turns in the script are placed so that the VO artist doesn’t have to turn the page in the middle of a line.
• Make sure the VO artist has a glass of fresh still water to keep everything lubricated and sometimes an apple can help to reduce mouth clicks that won’t go away with a drink.

Most of these seem obvious, but you still hear plenty of podcasts that could benefit from them.

See the site for the full article.

Alesis has introduced the iO Mix, a new docking station that turns your iPad into a 4-Channel recording studio.

The Alesis iO Mix lets you mix and record four channels of audio directly into GarageBand or other compatible Core Audio apps, turning the iPad into a multitouch portable studio.

Around the back, iO Mix lets you connect microphones, instruments, speakers, headphones and more to your iPad, which could make it a great audio podcasting workstation.

Features:

• The world’s first mixer/multi-channel interface for iPad
• Mix and record up to four channels, or a stereo mix into your iPad
• Works with mics, instruments, speakers, headphones, video monitors and projectors
• Four combo XLR-1/4″ input channels, each with trim, channel gain, pan, and low & high EQ
• Switchable 48V phantom power for use with studio condenser microphones
• Guitar-direct (DI) switch for guitar recording without an amp
• Balanced, stereo 1/4″ outputs and 1/4″ headphone output with separate volume controls
• Direct Monitor switch for latency-free input monitoring while recording
• Switchable limiter for clip-free recordings
• Hinged door completely encloses and secures your iPad
• Core Audio-compliant: works with virtually any app in the App Store
• Video output for connection to TVs and projectors: perfect for presentations, meetings and VJs
• Mountable to a mic stand using the Alesis Module Mount (sold separately)
• Complete routing and signal-management controls
• Power supply also charges your iPad

In a talk at South By Southwest, being held March 9-18 in Austin, Texas, filmmaker Kevin Smith (Clerks) said that podcasting saved his career.

“I had no idea, but that would become the fucking center of everything I’m doing now,” said Smith. ”The ultimate freedom that allowed me to walk away from the ‘heroin’ [money] of the movie business – what gave me the strength to walk away – was podcasting.”

In 2007, Smith launched SModcast, a weekly podcast, with friend Scott Mosier, and he’s been doing it ever since.

Smith also noted several ways he’s made money from his podcast:

• “People would tweet left and right: ‘You put out so many free podcasts; how can I pay it back?’ ” said Smith. “I was like, ‘Go buy a T-shirt’ and they were like, ‘Cool.’ “
• Paid advertising – The first sponsor was adult product Fleshlight.
• A paid version of the podcast which contains bonus features, but no ads.
• Taking the podcast on the road, selling tickets and merchandise.
• Creating a podcast network of affiliated shows.

“In terms of filmmakers, it was me and Peter Jackson on the Web,” said Smith. Then, one day, he said ‘I’m going to get offline and go make classics’ and I was like, ‘I’ll stay here.’ ”

via cnn

Apple today updated GarageBand for iOS, adding new collaboration and editing features for musicians, and social network sharing that could be useful for podcasters.

Here are the highlights:

• GarageBand 1.2 introduces Jam Session, a feature that lets groups of people wirelessly connect their iOS devices to play instruments and record live music together. Jam Session automatically synchronizes the tempo, key and chords of your Touch Instruments. After jamming, everyone’s tracks are automatically collected on your iOS device for you to edit and mix.
• GarageBand also introduces Smart Strings, a new Touch Instrument that allows you to ‘play’ a string orchestra with one finger.
• The new Note Editor is probably the most welcome addition. It allows you to fine tune a Touch Instrument recording instead of replaying it from scratch.
• Integration with iCloud keeps your GarageBand songs up to date across your iOS devices, and you can share your finished songs directly to Facebook, YouTube and SoundCloud.

GarageBand 1.2 will be released today for $4.99. Updates are available for free to existing customers.

Wizzard Media today announced the official launch of an integrated, Netflix-style subscription service for podcasts, MyLibsyn.

Through the Libsyn platform, audio and video content can be designated as free or paid, letting producers charge for selected ‘premium episodes’.

“Producers are embracing the subscription service as a way to offer not only premium content but hundreds of episodes from their back catalog of content for sale,” said Rob Walch, VP Podcast Relations, Wizzard Media. “The flexible subscription pricing allows the over 10,000 shows on the Wizzard Media network with continually expanding content catalogs, to offer exclusive online media and generate ongoing revenues for the show.”