PEL Presents NEM#244: Year-End Chat with NEM Audio Editor Roger Heathers

What It Covers

Host Mark Lintemeyer interviews his audio editor Roger Heathers, discussing podcast production workflows, guest selection strategies, and the challenges of interviewing musicians with varying levels of preparation and engagement.

Key Questions Answered

• •Guest preparation variance: Musicians range from highly prepared fans who listen to multiple episodes beforehand to elderly artists with no memory of their own songs, requiring different interview approaches and expectations.
• •Podcast editing workflow: Using Logic Pro with iZotope RX for noise reduction, editors apply destructive editing for content while hosts handle final mixing separately to maintain consistent audio levels across multiple participants.
• •Music catalog research strategy: Focus exclusively on original compositions rather than covers when preparing for interviews, as this maintains the show's core mission of exploring songwriting craft and creative processes.
• •Guest acquisition methods: Cold outreach through artist websites, promo person relationships, and listener recommendations prove more effective than mass solicitation emails, with geographic clustering around promo contacts creating regional scenes.
• •Technical recording setup: Recording guests locally while using Zoom as backup creates superior audio quality, though many musicians surprisingly lack proper recording equipment despite their profession requiring studio familiarity.