Guest Instructions

Be our guest

First off, thank you for joining us on Practical AI!

We have a lot of fun on our shows and do our best to create an enjoyable, relaxed environment for everyone involved. Here's what you can expect:

Before we record

Concerning audio

We strive for the best audio quality possible (within reason). Things you'll need to achieve this:

• A good external microphone 🎙
• Good starter mic 1: Blue Yeti
• Good starter mic 2: Razer Seiren Mini
• Good pro mic: Shure SM7B
• Good last resort mic 1: Wired EarPods
• Good last resort mic 2: M-based Mac onboard mic
• Not good mic: Wireless AirPods (bad audio quality)
• A good pair of headphones 🎧
• Over-the-ear preferred
• Good pro headphones: Sony MDR-7506
• AirPods work in a pinch (make sure they're charged!)
• A quiet place to record 🤫
• Turn off nearby fans, heaters, A/C units
• Close nearby windows and doors
• A reliable internet connection 🔌
• A Chromium-based browser such as Brave, Edge, or Google Chrome 📞

Creating a local audio recording

Riverside takes care of recording everyone's local audio. As a backup (because Murphy's Law), please create a local audio recording of just your voice. Here's some videos on how to do that:

• On macOS, we suggest using the built-in QuickTime Player
• On Windows, we suggest using the built-in Sound Recorder ("Voice Recorder" on Windows 10)
• On Linux, we suggest using Audacity

Concerning video

We record video, but we don't ship the entire show as a video. It's just used for sharing clips and highlights to Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram. Things you'll need to prepare for this:

• A decent webcam or external video camera 📹
• Good enough lighting so people can see your face 💡
• Your face centered vertically and horizontally in the shot 🖼

While we record

Join Riverside via the link we provided at the scheduled time. Here are some tips and tricks for a great show:

• Put your mobile device(s) on Airplane Mode 📳
• Have a glass of water nearby to avoid the dreaded Dry Mouth Syndrome 🚰
• Don't worry, we edit every episode for smoothness and listenability. 👂
• Relax. Have fun. Bring your opinions 💯

After we record

The hard intimidating talking part is over! As soon as you're able, upload your local audio file right here. The episode will be professionally edited, produced, and transcribed. Then you will:

• Receive an email when the show is published 📥
• Help share and promote the episode 🗣
• Get an awesome sticker pack as a thanks from us ✊

Please do share your episode. You put a lot of effort into what you do, and we want to see its impact maximized. Our guests' favorite places to share their show:

• Project website and/or README
• Personal website, blog, and/or Medium
• Twitter, Reddit, Hacker News, etc.

That's All!

Thanks again, we truly appreciate it! 💚💚💚