Innovating Music Podcast – Guest Information

Welcome to the Innovating Music Podcast, now in its 5th year!  The show has moved from UCLA Music to become part of the Maremel Podcast Network, along with Creative Innovators, Amplify Music Conversations, and other new adventures.

Guest Information and Preparation Overview

Basics

Format: 30-40 minute interview. We record for up to 90 minutes with about 10 minutes of pre-air conversation about how the show runs and to get approvals for recording on the recording itself.

Host: Dr. Gigi Johnson, past director of UCLA’s Center for Music Innovation and current managing partner of Maremel.  

Narrative Path:

The conversation moves from the guest’s personal history in music and innovation — sometimes back into childhood and first creative directions — and explores different routes and rabbit holes. We often discuss blockages, creative team choices, the benefits of bad decisions, and non-linear directions in a non-linear life.

Toward the end, Gigi will ask the guest if there is anything else that we have not yet discussed that they would like to talk about. Usually, there are 1-2 thoughts that the guest would like to include, though that is not required.

We end at around 30-45 minutes of recorded content. We then spend about 5-10 minutes reviewing any questions.

Media: Audio and Video – recorded on Riverside.fm via a Chrome Browser on a computer

Lead Time: We tend to run 2-6 weeks to distribution, depending on past episode batching. We can aim for specific dates upon request.

Preproduction Info — Needs to be shared here or by email with gigi@maremel.com:

• High-resolution photo, optimally with space on each side of the guest (horizontal)
• Bio; optimal additional list of past jobs/roles
• Social media links for sharing/tagging
• Backup cell phone number in case of tech challenges.

Target Tech: 90 minutes at a computer with a good internet connection, external mike or headset, and headphones (not a laptop mike and optimally not earbuds). 

Tech Needs:

• We are recording via Riverside.fm via a web call using Chrome. (See more details below.)
• We ask that you use a decent webcam, microphone, and headphones. We have found that a cellphone or laptop microphone provides less-than-optimal sound recordings, as well as its own audio edits and cuts off the beginnings and endings of phrases.
• Please have some space on your hard drive, as Riverside.fm saves the 1080p video on your computer and uploads it progressively onto the system.  
• At the end, please wait until the system shows that the video is 100% uploaded to “disconnect.” It may take a minute or two at the end.
• We also ask that the guest looks at their own images in their camera to center themselves, have decent lighting on their face, avoid backlight from a light or window behind them, etc.
• We also ask that you record your side of the audio locally so that we can bring in the best quality sound for the podcast. You can find ideas on how to record locally at your computer at this link for either Mac or PC…or iPhone.
• Please send gigi@maremel.com the recording as soon as the interview is over in either in either .WAV or .mp3 format.

Guest Link for Recording

Click on the link provided separately in Chrome to go to the recording studio:

If you would like to have a guest in attendance, ask Gigi via gigi@maremel.com ahead of time for a guest/producer link that would stay “off-camera.”

We recommend that you try audio recording yourself before the interview — in part, you’ll be able to hear what your microphone picks up and how wonderful you can sound. 🙂