Setting Up a Podcast

[Mike Rivers]

Is this an appropriate place to ask just how do you make this Facebook Live thing work? I've figured out Zoom, but it seems that just about everything I hear about that I'd be interested in watching is on Facebook.

 

A little background: I'm not interested in doing podcasts myself, but lately I've been enjoying performances by friends and should-be-friends as half to hour long, usually solo or duo (with a regular partner due to the difficulty in getting a band together) mini-concert of old time string band music. No great production, usually just sit and play tunes. I don't think anyone's making any money at it - most have a tip jar and many donate tips to a local support organization like a food bank.

 

I have to say that as a pro audio guy, I'm far more impressed than I should be with the audio quality that people get using only a smart phone for these podcasts. Some use an arrangement for an external mic, often a handheld recorder used as a USB interface, and too many of them seem to have trouble with connectors, cables, setup, etc. Sometimes channels are reversed left to right, sometimes there's an intermittent connection, and, because this is all live, often a show starts late or is interrupted after a couple of tunes based on comments coming in through Facebook like "can't hear you." And the really dumb one is video reversed left to right so it looks like everyone's playing left-handed when I know they're not.

 

I've thought about putting together a tip sheet or maybe full set of instructions on how to set this up correctly and how to avoid dumb mistakes, but I just can't figure this Facebook Live thing out. Maybe it's because I don't really participate in Facebook (I don't even know if I have a "feed") or maybe it's because I don't have or want Facebook on my phone, and the simple stuff is for phone users. I did see a "how to" video that started off the section on using a computer, that referenced Facebook Business, so maybe that's why all my cheapskate friends use their phones.

 

Anyway - I'm hoping to find my way through at least trying it out and seeing what I can do wrong, which would tell me how to do it right. Can I get a good starting point?

 

One thing that I learned was possible that I think everyone should do is set up the podcast so that only you can see it. This would allow for a "dress rehearsal" so it wouldn't be necessary to futz with the tech stuff for the first several minutes of the show.

[nursers]

Hey Mike - I'll throw to others on this as I've never used Facebook Live beyond recording the odd snippet of a band playing on stage at a show. I can answer a couple of things though:

 

1. To start a FB Live feed you just select that you're wanting to post a video and it offers y ou the Live option. To test the setup you could definitely tell Facebook that you want that post to be only seen by you in the sharing settings for the post.

 

2. There's a bunch of options for Mics to connect to Facebook - given your pro-audio background I'd assume there's a way to even use some of your current gear with some sort of adapter?

 

That's about the limit of my knowledge sorry

[Mike Rivers]

Thanks for the reply, Dave. I think that maybe my problem is that I don't know the Facebook vocabulary. I see a list of stuff at the left side of what appears to be the home page, among which is "Live" with a video camera icon. When I click on that, I get a video that I can play, and some others that I can play if I choose, but nothing that tells me how to start sending something out.

[nursers]

Hi Mike - check the pic I've attached to this post. Your FB should look something like that at the top of the page. Click on the three dots at the right and a bunch of options come up, including Live video

 

Let me know how you go

 

David

[Mike Rivers]

Hi Mike - check the pic I've attached to this post. Your FB should look something like that at the top of the page. Click on the three dots at the right and a bunch of options come up, including Live video

 

I've opened that menu, but when I click on the Live video link, all I get is a page full of videos to watch. Where do I find the "point and shoot" button? Is this something that needs to be set up in advance? If so, where?

 

Here are the screens I see as I'm trying to find my way to sending a live video:

 

 

 

[nursers]

Ok - you just need to click on the 'photo/video' option, not the 'live video' option - the Facebook live selection is under the photo/video (as counter-intuitive as that is)

[Mike Rivers]

Ok - you just need to click on the 'photo/video' option, not the 'live video' option - the Facebook live selection is under the photo/video (as counter-intuitive as that is)

 

Duh!!! OK, that looks like I can upload a video, but then there's more stuff to figure out what it means. Isn't there a manual somewhere? How do musicians figure these things out? There seems to be some sort of schedule because a link to a live video will show up, but won't play until its live scheduled time. I can't remember when I've been so dumbfounded about something that "normal" people are doing.

 

[nursers]

No problems - on my Facebook the 'Live Video' option that is appearing greyed out for you is what I press to start streaming a video. There must be something in your FB settings that means it is greyed out.

[Mike Rivers]

Maybe it doesn't think I'm a legitimate Facebooker. I've never originated a post and only commented on a handful of posts from a couple of my "friends."

 

I think I'll retire this project and stick to something that I know and care more about. But thanks for the guidance so far, Dave.