20 Podcasts that Keep Musicians Up-to-Date

I received a lower score than I expected (49) on last week’s “63% of People Can’t Live Without Music – Are You One of Them?” quiz. One of the reasons for that is podcasts. Rather than listening to music as I drive, shave and garden, I regularly listen to podcasts. That way I’m not just being entertained, but educated as well.

A podcast is like a radio show, only distributed via RSS over the internet. Some are professionally produced, but many are done by amateurs. Most are about a particular interest or topic. And there are a ton of them on music and recording – some featuring indie music, others exploring music technology, and many explaining techniques for playing and recording music.

You can subscribe to podcasts in a variety of ways, including the iTunes store, RSS feeds, or by just streaming them from the website. Check the website of each podcast for subscription options. After subscribing, you’ll probably just find the podcasts arriving on your iPod or portable music device automatically.

Podcasts come and go, and I’ve tried to make sure all of the podcasts in the list are still being produced. To be fair, though, there are hundreds of useful and interesting podcasts on music and recording that are no longer being produced, some with hundreds of episodes. You should still be able to find them in podcast networks like PodcastDirectory.com or Podfeed.net.

Do you listen to podcasts? How do you find them helpful? Did I miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments. And let us know which podcasts in the list you found helpful, too.

1. CD Baby DIY Musicians Podcast

http://cdbabypodcast.com/

“The folks at CD BABY have done it again, offering another fun and innovative tool for learning and finding success as a musician. Horah! It’s a FREE bimonthly podcast of interviews with musicians, Lawyers, promoters, bookers and business owners—All from the perspective of the do-it-yourself musician!”

2. The Musicians Cooler Podcast

http://www.musicianscooler.com/

“The Musicians Cooler is a show by Musicians for Musicians or anyone in the Music Business. It’s where musicians come to trade advice about the music business, running a band, getting more fans, more music sales, etc. We also have segments called “Tales from the road,” where musicians talk about those lovely times on stage where everything goes wrong. About once a month we will have a speical “Three Link Thursday” episode which features tools, websites, and resources for the listeners. We typically end the show featuring a song from our guests.”

3. Magnatune Podcasts

http://www.magnatune.com/podcasts/

Magnatunes is an independent record label. Their podcasts feature music from their artists. They offer podcasts on many genres of music.

4. Chronicle Podcasts

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/chroncast/category?blogid=5&cat=50

“The folks who bring you the award-winning San Francisco Chronicle now bring you podcasts. Podcasts are audio files that can be easily downloaded to your computer or portable music player. Some of our podcasts will expand on stories appearing in the newspaper and on SFGate.com, while others will be stories unto themselves. And let’s face it – some content is best delivered in audio form.” The link above is for their music category.

5. WomensRadio Music Review Podcast

http://www.wrmusicreview.com/

“Join WomensRadio Music Review for a guided tour through the Finest Independent Female Musicians Worldwide in every style & genre!!” A monthly podcast.

6. Austin Connection Podcast

http://www.austinconnection.net/

“Welcome to the Austin Connection, where you will find some of the best songwriters in the Austin area performing their tunes and offering insight into their careers and music. If you’re a fan of Americana and new acoustic music this is a great way to discover some interesting and eclectic professional performers. All our podcasts are roughly 1/2 hour long and available in a high-quality stereo MP3 format, with new shows appearing once or twice a month.”

7. Inside Home Recording.com

http://www.insidehomerecording.com/

“Inside Home Recording (IHR) is a podcast that covers the latest in home studio recording and is hosted by keyboardist-producer Paul Garay, web guy–drummer/guitarist–editor Derek K. Miller and composer/home recordist Dave Chick. Original co-host James Devon left in mid-2006 before Derek joined. Both Paul and Derek are professional musicians involved in teaching, producing and recording music. Together, Paul and Derek provide a wealth of expertise, information, variety and entertainment. They live in Vancouver, Canada.”

8. Sonic Beyond

http://www.sonicbeyond.com/

“Sonic Beyond is the new exciting podcast that showcases the tech side of music. Every week we discuss how to get the most out of your recording software, guitars, keyboards, mp3 players and more. Plus we give you the latest in what’s happing with music technology news. It’s all covered in Sonic Beyond.”

9. Gallery 41 Podcasts: Interviews with Jazz Legends

http://www.gallery41.com/Gallery41_Main.htm

“Gallery 41 is produced from a collection of rare, historical, and personal conversations that I have been fortunate enough to have with many of the greatest Jazz legends of our generation. People like Max Roach, Teddy Edwards, Billy Higgins, Joseph Jarman, Abbey Lincoln, Frank Morgan, and Sam Rivers to name only a few.”

10. Raul’s World of Synths

http://web.mac.com/raulsworldofsynths/Site/Podcast_Homepage.html

“We’re talking about synths the kind with lots of knobs to twiddle..its a hobby of mine to make strange noises, no wait that didnt sound right….also audio principles and audio synthesis, hardware keyboards, midi, and other neato stuff!!”

11. Synthesis Radio

http://synthesisradio.net/

“Free online companion to the national Synthesis Magazine. Music, Art, Film, Fashion, Culture, Tech. Exclusive interviews, music, specialty audio and more.”

12. Maximum Threshold Show

http://maximumthreshold.net/

“Maximum Threshold is an internet radio show dedicated to presenting up and coming hard rock bands and current successful bands. This is a weekly show that has grown globally. Give this show a listen and pass us around to your friends. We are addictive and so is the music that we present for your listening pleasure. MT is a hard rock/metal and sometimes comedy show.”

13. RoughMix – the cast about how music is made

http://kempruffner.podomatic.com/

“Songwriting podcast created mostly from a mobile device that shares the ‘roughs’ of the songwriting process.”

14. Michael Gaither – Songs and Stories

http://www.michaelgaither.com

“Michael Gaither – Songs and Stories is a podcast about my trek through music, but without all the naval gazing that usually accompanies that sort of thing. I’ll discuss what led me to write certain songs, interview other musicians, and occasionally take you on an audio tour behind the scenes of a gig.”

15. Flatpicking Guitar Magazine Podcast

http://flatpick.libsyn.com/

“The podcast for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.”

16. Is This Thing On?

http://nicktann.podbean.com/

“Nick Tann, independent songwriter and performer, chats about music and musicians and plays examples of the best independent artists around the globe as well as some of his own compositions.”

17. Music News TidBits

http://www.musicnewstidbits.com/

“Get your dose of music news on the musicians and bands that shape your world. I’ll run down news from every style of music along with tour info, new albums and the twisted business side of music.”

18. Music News Podcast

http://musicnewspodcast.net/

“Keep up to date with the new releases, and music business headlines (delivered with a hint of sarcasm) in this entertaining and informative podcast.”

19. The Working Musician

http://www.theworkingmusician.com/

“Roger-Z interviews working musicians of NY, NJ, and CT.”

20. Music Business Radio

http://blog.musicbusinessradio.com/

“Music industry talk radio show for musicians, songwriters, and others in the music business…”