Trivial Pursuit type questions. I don't particularly care what category (though you know I prefer to have some geek element). Here's the example format I gave someone else:
What nickname was given to the first reigning queen of England, who came to power in 1553? Answer: Bloody Mary
You may notice right away that we’ve added some ambient music to the background. I’m torn about whether it works — let us know what you think.
In our Bidding War, Omar steals the rug out from under Ro with a run on Looney Tunes characters. Then in the Rank and File game, we examine the snarkerati.com list of top dystopian films.
Over in the Hot Seat, Paul nails ancient Greek mythology, Ro is a huge Firefly fan, Kevin casts his memory back to the days when the Simpsons were culturally relevant, and Omar identifies quotes from some future Greatest Movies Ever.
While we’ve been releasing pre-recorded episodes during the holidays, the ATW9K gets back to the studio on Thursday to record. I’d like to have a couple of listener-submitted questions. Send your single trivia questions to reporterjason@gmail.com.
On the bidding war my initial bid would have been 20, and after stopping the podcast before Omar started the count, I just barely made it there. And I did not count Tiny Toons characters.
On the bidding war my initial bid would have been 20, and after stopping the podcast before Omar started the count, I just barely made it there. And I did not count Tiny Toons characters.
I did the same thing. Bah humbug.
I request the Harry Potter Bidding War podcast and/or potpurri to go up soon.
The music you put in the background isn't too shabby. I could get used to it.
Yeah, I'm just not sure. I have a lot of quality public domain music like that, with no publishing restrictions. But I can't decide whether it's a distraction or a benefit. I wanted to see whether it could cover some silence gaps and drown out some latent background noise.
Yeah I'm of two minds about the music. I'm wondering if it can be a little much at times??
Also.... I knew I got La Cucaracha / Speedy gonzales marijuana references from somewhere:
Pepe sings La cucaracha, la cucaracha, (The cockroach, the cockroach) ya no puede caminar (can't walk anymore) porque no tiene, porque le falta (because it doesn't have, because it's lacking) marihuana pa' fumar. (marijuana to smoke)
The never-wrong Wikipedia says there's a couple different popular versions, and this version in the cartoon is the "post revolutionary" popular version in mexico??
You may notice right away that we’ve added some ambient music to the background. I’m torn about whether it works — let us know what you think.
I've not listened yet, but as soon as there is background music on a podcast, I generally stop listening. It isn't needed. Your podcast is a lot of fun already, and the quality is in the guests and interactions. The editing is fine. You don't need background music.
When background music works: a. when it is specially composed or chosen to reflect an enhance the mood or emotions or themes of the content it is accompanying. b. no other times.
Update:
So between writing the above and going online again to post it, I began listening to the podcast. It is worse than I imagined it would be.
For a start, I have an infection in my left ear at the moment, and can't hear anything on that side, so I'm only using the right ear bud. The music is making it way harder to hear everything. It's so bad I may listen to the rest on my laptop.
Second, while I was listening to the program I was walking around the promenade deck of the ship. At one end some music was playing, and the music playing under the chat on your podcast clashed with it constantly. I can't always control other music in the background, in real life, when listening to podcasts, radio or audio books. If the real life background music was constant, I wouldn't be able to listen to your podcast at all.
Third, I don't listen to your podcast for your taste in music. I listen for the banter and geekiness. I really enjoy electronic music, and techno and drum and bass and all that, but music bland enough to work as background music is just that. Bland. (That said, the final credits music in this podcast is pretty cool, though I'm not sure I could deal with more than 10 seconds of it.)
Fourth, it constantly sounds like you are either still introducing the podcast, or are about to wrap it up.
Fifth, the music is setting the pace, in the listeners mind, of the conversation. Every comedic pause and pause for thought is filled with beats and bass, and is simply killing the energy. In a typical quiz show, they use music behind the question rounds for real effect, as the music builds or gets faster in some way, to create tension. In between the questions, when the hosts or contestants are just talking, there is no music.
Sixth, going back to my pre-listening points above, the music choice just doesn't fit with the content. At one point you are discussing the history of Metropolis, and you guys are actually being interesting and informative, not just joking about comics. But the music is just bleeping away in the background, undermining the current level of conversation. Then there is a round about Greek Mythology, and compared to that the music is just trite.
And even worse, when someone makes a joke about learning the myths from anime or something, it isn't funny. The tone has already been destroyed by the music, so a joke that was designed to be self-deprecating, when spoken over shitty techno, just isn't funny any more.
Seventh, see points one to six again.
Music accompanying spoken words is amazing, when done well. You mention Bladerunner in this podcast, and a while ago I listened to a radio show where they discuss the movie. There they played a clip from the very end "... like tears in rain..." and with the music playing, I teared up myself!
Also I listened to the every episode of A Life Well Wasted in about a day and a half, and the music in that is amazing. Like I said, normally if there is background music in a podcast, I just don't bother, but his podcast kept me enthralled, even if I didn't particularly care about the subject matter.
I kept thinking "How has he managed to find all this music that matches the content and tone of interviews so perfectly?"
And then, of course, I found out he produced the music himself. Of course the tone of the two mediums fit perfectly, he designed it that way from the start! Of course, it takes him months to record and edit his shows. But you can tell! The care and attention and craft and skill and heart he puts into each episode is way more than I'll ever fit into ten of mine.
But then, I don't have to use background music I wrote myself (though I did write the theme music to my own podcast) because that isn't why people listen. And you don't have to use music either, because people listen for the banter and fun. You use of music is killing that. People here won't point that out, because they are used to the personalities and format, and this change won't put them off. But if this was the first episode I listened to, I wouldn't have made it through, because I don't know you, and the music is just a reason for me to turn it off.
Second, while I was listening to the program I was walking around the promenade deck of the ship. At one end some music was playing, and the music playing under the chat on your podcast clashed with it constantly. I can't always control other music in the background, in real life, when listening to podcasts, radio or audio books. If the real life background music was constant, I wouldn't be able to listen to your podcast at all.
I haven't listened, and I agree that music behind an entire podcast is bad. We experimented with it early on for just a short segment, and gave up on it very quickly. However, this particular problem of background music, get some isolation or noise cancelling headphones/earbuds. Mandatory.
Second, while I was listening to the program I was walking around the promenade deck of the ship. At one end some music was playing, and the music playing under the chat on your podcast clashed with it constantly. I can't always control other music in the background, in real life, when listening to podcasts, radio or audio books. If the real life background music was constant, I wouldn't be able to listen to your podcast at all.
I haven't listened, and I agree that music behind an entire podcast is bad. We experimented with it early on for just a short segment, and gave up on it very quickly. However, this particular problem of background music, get some isolation or noise cancelling headphones/earbuds. Mandatory.
Or I can use the headphones I want, which are suitable for everything I do, and choose to listen to audio that is an appropriate quality level.
I don't want to be isolated aurally from the world around me. I like hearing birds and waves and conversation and other music and life in general. Just because I want to listen to an audiobook doesn't mean I have to cut myself off from all other sounds.
I don't want to be isolated aurally from the world around me. I like hearing birds and waves and conversation and other music and life in general. Just because I want to listen to an audiobook doesn't mean I have to cut myself off from all other sounds.
That's nice and all, but it's bad for your hearing. Well, maybe not with waves and birds, they aren't too loud. But in most circumstances you want to cut off outside noise as much as possible so you can then keep the volume as low as possible with the music or talking still being audible. People younger than I am are already losing their hearing. I plan to be able to hear when I'm very very old.
That's nice and all, but it's bad for your hearing. Well, maybe not with waves and birds, they aren't too loud. But in most circumstances you want to cut off outside noise as much as possible so you can then keep the volume as low as possible with the music or talking still being audible
You can listen to music at reasonable levels without isolation. It won't be too audible, but you'll be able to hear both sets of sounds.
I plan to be able to hear when I'm very very old.
Nature couldn't give less of a fuck about your plans. Hearing loss by age is both inevitable and a total roulette. Some people with no predisposition start losing hearing in their late fifties and need hearing aids by their late sixties. Some people wake up in their mid-thirties and discover that they're deaf.
Nature couldn't give less of a fuck about your plans. Hearing loss by age is both inevitable and a total roulette. Some people with no predisposition start losing hearing in their late fifties and need hearing aids by their late sixties. Some people wake up in their mid-thirties and discover that they're deaf.
Yeah, because some people operate jackhammers for a living, and some people are librarians.
Nature couldn't give less of a fuck about your plans. Hearing loss by age is both inevitable and a total roulette. Some people with no predisposition start losing hearing in their late fifties and need hearing aids by their late sixties. Some people wake up in their mid-thirties and discover that they're deaf.
Yeah, because some people operate jackhammers for a living, and some people are librarians.
Not really. There's a type of deafness that can just occur suddenly and overnight. It's a sort of mass suicide of aural tissue. Sudden-onset deafness. No one knows why it happens in any given case, but it occurs.
Other unavoidable factors: Ototoxics, epigenetics, medications, illness, age. Hearing loss is not an "if," it is a "when," and background noise is a relatively tiny factor.
Well, it's not the background noise itself that is the problem. It's sustained decibel levels over time. The more decibels, the less time it takes for it to damage your ears. A sonic boom next to your ear, and you're done. A metal concert will take some more time to do permanent damage.
The reason that background noise is a problem when using a portable audio device is because it makes it harder to hear what you are listening to. Sit in your room quietly with headphones and set the volume to a comfortable level. It will be pretty low. Then do the same thing near a busy street. You'll still feel comfortable, but if you look at the volume meter, it will be much higher. Even though it isn't painfully loud, it's many many more decibels that you don't even realize. That high decibel level for sustained periods will do permanent damage, and the proliferation of portable media players and their shitty headphones is causing a great increase in hearing loss of this variety.
Comments
By the way, I do have another Disney category written. I'm guessing Ro will snatch that mother up.
What nickname was given to the first reigning queen of England, who came to power in 1553?
Answer: Bloody Mary
You may notice right away that we’ve added some ambient music to the background. I’m torn about whether it works — let us know what you think.
In our Bidding War, Omar steals the rug out from under Ro with a run on Looney Tunes characters. Then in the Rank and File game, we examine the snarkerati.com list of top dystopian films.
Over in the Hot Seat, Paul nails ancient Greek mythology, Ro is a huge Firefly fan, Kevin casts his memory back to the days when the Simpsons were culturally relevant, and Omar identifies quotes from some future Greatest Movies Ever.
While we’ve been releasing pre-recorded episodes during the holidays, the ATW9K gets back to the studio on Thursday to record. I’d like to have a couple of listener-submitted questions. Send your single trivia questions to reporterjason@gmail.com.
I request the Harry Potter Bidding War podcast and/or potpurri to go up soon.
Also.... I knew I got La Cucaracha / Speedy gonzales marijuana references from somewhere:
Pepe sings
La cucaracha, la cucaracha, (The cockroach, the cockroach)
ya no puede caminar (can't walk anymore)
porque no tiene, porque le falta (because it doesn't have, because it's lacking)
marihuana pa' fumar. (marijuana to smoke)
2. It's "Una pata para andar" (one leg to walk) that clip is definitely edited.
La Cucaracha Wiki
I'll admit I'm but a tourist and may not have a firm grasp of this!!!
por que no tiene, por que la falta
un cigarro que fumar
"La Kukaracha. La Kukaracha. Something something something something-o."
When background music works:
a. when it is specially composed or chosen to reflect an enhance the mood or emotions or themes of the content it is accompanying.
b. no other times.
Update:
So between writing the above and going online again to post it, I began listening to the podcast. It is worse than I imagined it would be.
For a start, I have an infection in my left ear at the moment, and can't hear anything on that side, so I'm only using the right ear bud. The music is making it way harder to hear everything. It's so bad I may listen to the rest on my laptop.
Second, while I was listening to the program I was walking around the promenade deck of the ship. At one end some music was playing, and the music playing under the chat on your podcast clashed with it constantly. I can't always control other music in the background, in real life, when listening to podcasts, radio or audio books. If the real life background music was constant, I wouldn't be able to listen to your podcast at all.
Third, I don't listen to your podcast for your taste in music. I listen for the banter and geekiness. I really enjoy electronic music, and techno and drum and bass and all that, but music bland enough to work as background music is just that. Bland. (That said, the final credits music in this podcast is pretty cool, though I'm not sure I could deal with more than 10 seconds of it.)
Fourth, it constantly sounds like you are either still introducing the podcast, or are about to wrap it up.
Fifth, the music is setting the pace, in the listeners mind, of the conversation. Every comedic pause and pause for thought is filled with beats and bass, and is simply killing the energy. In a typical quiz show, they use music behind the question rounds for real effect, as the music builds or gets faster in some way, to create tension. In between the questions, when the hosts or contestants are just talking, there is no music.
Sixth, going back to my pre-listening points above, the music choice just doesn't fit with the content. At one point you are discussing the history of Metropolis, and you guys are actually being interesting and informative, not just joking about comics. But the music is just bleeping away in the background, undermining the current level of conversation. Then there is a round about Greek Mythology, and compared to that the music is just trite.
And even worse, when someone makes a joke about learning the myths from anime or something, it isn't funny. The tone has already been destroyed by the music, so a joke that was designed to be self-deprecating, when spoken over shitty techno, just isn't funny any more.
Seventh, see points one to six again.
Music accompanying spoken words is amazing, when done well. You mention Bladerunner in this podcast, and a while ago I listened to a radio show where they discuss the movie. There they played a clip from the very end "... like tears in rain..." and with the music playing, I teared up myself!
Also I listened to the every episode of A Life Well Wasted in about a day and a half, and the music in that is amazing. Like I said, normally if there is background music in a podcast, I just don't bother, but his podcast kept me enthralled, even if I didn't particularly care about the subject matter.
I kept thinking "How has he managed to find all this music that matches the content and tone of interviews so perfectly?"
And then, of course, I found out he produced the music himself. Of course the tone of the two mediums fit perfectly, he designed it that way from the start! Of course, it takes him months to record and edit his shows. But you can tell! The care and attention and craft and skill and heart he puts into each episode is way more than I'll ever fit into ten of mine.
But then, I don't have to use background music I wrote myself (though I did write the theme music to my own podcast) because that isn't why people listen. And you don't have to use music either, because people listen for the banter and fun. You use of music is killing that. People here won't point that out, because they are used to the personalities and format, and this change won't put them off. But if this was the first episode I listened to, I wouldn't have made it through, because I don't know you, and the music is just a reason for me to turn it off.
I don't want to be isolated aurally from the world around me. I like hearing birds and waves and conversation and other music and life in general. Just because I want to listen to an audiobook doesn't mean I have to cut myself off from all other sounds.
Other unavoidable factors: Ototoxics, epigenetics, medications, illness, age. Hearing loss is not an "if," it is a "when," and background noise is a relatively tiny factor.
The reason that background noise is a problem when using a portable audio device is because it makes it harder to hear what you are listening to. Sit in your room quietly with headphones and set the volume to a comfortable level. It will be pretty low. Then do the same thing near a busy street. You'll still feel comfortable, but if you look at the volume meter, it will be much higher. Even though it isn't painfully loud, it's many many more decibels that you don't even realize. That high decibel level for sustained periods will do permanent damage, and the proliferation of portable media players and their shitty headphones is causing a great increase in hearing loss of this variety.