The Macintosh iLife 06

I've already described how you can use iTunes and your iPod to listen to podcasts of all kinds (pages 3637). With GarageBand 3, you can go from listener to producer.

GarageBand 3 turns your Mac into a radio studiowith broadcast engineer. Connect a microphone to your Mac or use the built-in mike that some Macs provide. You can also use the microphone built into Apple's iSight video camera. GarageBand 3 contains audio filters that optimize the sound produced by an iSight or built-in Mac mike.

Record your rants, vacation dispatches, family interviewswhatever you like. You can even record remote interviews with iChat users. Your audio is recorded into real-instrument tracks, so you can edit it using the same techniques described earlier.

Need theme music? Compose your own or use one of the many royalty-free music jingles included with iLife '06. Use the ducking feature to have GarageBand automatically lower and raise the music volume when you start and stop talkingjust like the radio.

But don't stop there. Consider creating an enhanced podcast. Add chapter markers that enable listeners to conveniently jump around through your show. Add artwork that appears during playback in iTunes and on any iPod that can display photos. And add Web URLs that let iTunes users jump to specific Web pages as your show plays.

When you're finished, send your completed production to iWeb for publishing on the Internet. Here's how to become a podcaster.

Pick a Background

Use the loop browser to explore and choose from more than 100 jingles, including many sets that provide the same song in lengths of 7, 15, and 30 seconds. You can also choose from hundreds of sound effects and music stingersand even use the Musical Typing window to play them as you do your show (page 333).

Add Visuals

Use the media browser to add photos (page 358) or movies (page 362). Use the search box to quickly locate what you need.

Add Web Connections

Want your listeners to be able to jump to Web pages that relate to your subject? Add Web addresses (URLs) to your markers (page 359).