Discover new audio drama musically. How I Make Music is a podcast showcasing the musical talent behind the scenes of audio drama. Want to host an episode of How I Make Music? Read the submission guidelines and style guide.
Process
- Schedule a time to record.
- Select a music composition you've written for audio drama or film.
- You'll be sent a shared folder link. Complete the Google doc script and upload your master composition file and separate stems to the folder. MP3 320kbps is best, but whatever.
- Recording takes place at the scheduled time. During recording, you record your voice in high quality.
- After, upload your vocal recording to the shared folder. Be available for ad-libs in the week or so afterwards.
- Also please help out by listening to previous episodes and by uploading any additional music and sound files to the folder that you think would be resourceful eg relevant episodes of the audio dramas mentioned in the recording.
Submission guidelines
- The submitted song/track/composition should be your musical composition OR you should have played a significant part in the writing/recording process.
- The song/track/composition should be instrumental.
- You should have the rights to have it published in a podcast episode.
- The song/track/composition should be complete.
Style guide
- During the conversation all voice audio should be professionally recorded at a high quality. No pops, clicks, background noises, room sounds, reverb, clipping or audio effects (especially no compressors, limiters or maximizers). All files submitted should be (WAV or MP3 320kbps).
- Multiple contributors per show welcome only if they’re both/all part of the writing team behind the selected work.
- Expressive language is accepted in moderation.
- The aim is natural dialogue, not fully pre-scripted reading. However, talking points should be kept very concise and simple enough for non-native English speakers to understand.
- No prejudice in any form whatsoever.
Format
- Each episode is 15 - 25 minutes after editing
- Each episode name is the name of the selected composition and the composer’s name [Episode #131 - The Track Name by The Composer]
- Each episode features a high amount of music playback and short, concise amounts of talking
- Each episode begins and ends with playback of the selected track
- Music playback is always relevant to what is being talked about
- Each episode begins and ends with a brief self-promotion
- Each episode follows the episode template
Content
Talking points can and should include
- Single, concise and clearly understood messages
- (True) back stories behind the work
- Exposition of techniques used to produce the work
- Names of software and hardware tools used to produce the work
- The contributor’s opinion on why and how the work is significant or achieves its aims as a composition
- Any kind of rambling or speaking not directly related to the musical part being heard
- Self-centeredness or bragging about how important the work is
- Attempts at celebrity name-dropping or stories related to fame
- Excessive promotion of the work
- Technical depth that doesn’t appeal to the layperson
- The most distinctive moments in the song when played in isolation
- The most original, unique or defining elements of the work and the contributor’s artistic leanings
- Significant moments selected in order to convey the meaning behind the associated talking point
Ads, copyright and legal
- All copyright related to the selected master and separate musical recordings and their associated composition remains property of the original author of the work and not of the publisher John Bartmann Music of the podcast How I Make Music. Publishing musical work on How I Make Music exclusively or non-exclusively does not issue any rights for John Bartmann Music to reproduce or sell any of the associated rights to online or any any medium yet devised.
- Master recordings previously registered with publishers who are registered for online mechanical royalty collection through YouTube and other distribution channels may be flagged as infringements by automated systems. These infringements are the sole responsibility of the publisher John Bartmann Music to address by disallowing monetization of the work via YouTube, for which mechanical royalties may be collected by the publisher of the work. No copyrights or existing label deals will be expected to be rescinded or amended in order for the music work to be published on the How I Make Music podcast.
Episode template
EPISODE START
Selected track playback [30sec]
Intro narration [over music]: The piece of music you’re listening to is called [TRACK NAME]. It’s a [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TRACK]. I wrote it for [BRIEF BACKSTORY]. You’re listening to How I Make Music, where behind-the-scenes musicians tell their own stories. Every Wednesday, we break apart a song, soundtrack or composition and investigate the insights into how it was made. My name is [CONTRIBUTOR NAME]. I’m a [DESCRIPTION] from [CITY/COUNTRY/REGION] and this is How I Make Music.
Music fade out
Intro promo narration: Welcome to [EPISODE NUMBER / NAME] and thank you for joining. [BRIEF SELF-PROMOTION]
Content narration [talking points + selected musical parts]: Overview and brief back story of selected music track.
Influences behind the track
Talking point + playback 1
Talking point + playback 2
Talking point + playback 3
Etc
Outro promo narration: [BRIEF THANK YOU]. Catch new episodes every Wednesday on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. There is a link to download or buy this track in the show notes. [SELF-PROMOTION]. And now, here’s [TRACK NAME], a [TRACK DESCRIPTION] in its entirety. My name is [NAME]. [SIGNOFF / GOODBYE]
Music playback full track
EPISODE END
Selected track playback [30sec]
Intro narration [over music]: The piece of music you’re listening to is called [TRACK NAME]. It’s a [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TRACK]. I wrote it for [BRIEF BACKSTORY]. You’re listening to How I Make Music, where behind-the-scenes musicians tell their own stories. Every Wednesday, we break apart a song, soundtrack or composition and investigate the insights into how it was made. My name is [CONTRIBUTOR NAME]. I’m a [DESCRIPTION] from [CITY/COUNTRY/REGION] and this is How I Make Music.
Music fade out
Intro promo narration: Welcome to [EPISODE NUMBER / NAME] and thank you for joining. [BRIEF SELF-PROMOTION]
Content narration [talking points + selected musical parts]: Overview and brief back story of selected music track.
Influences behind the track
Talking point + playback 1
Talking point + playback 2
Talking point + playback 3
Etc
Outro promo narration: [BRIEF THANK YOU]. Catch new episodes every Wednesday on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. There is a link to download or buy this track in the show notes. [SELF-PROMOTION]. And now, here’s [TRACK NAME], a [TRACK DESCRIPTION] in its entirety. My name is [NAME]. [SIGNOFF / GOODBYE]
Music playback full track
EPISODE END
