Your reactions to current tarot podcasts

I have been listening to tarot podcasts for a while now, (Tarot-To-Go Radio being my current favorite), and I have decided to create my own. I wanted to do a little bit of research into what reactions people currently have to the tarot podcasts that are out there and see what is working and what isn't.

Things I love

-Great interviews with tarot High Muckety Mucks (love getting to hear deck creators and teachers just chat away)
-natural speaking styles and good use of humor
-deck reviews
-Anecdotes about readings people have given and the surprising Ah-ha!'s that came from them (I've learned so much)
-a look at what's on the horizon in terms of books and decks that are going to be published
-good intro and outro music

Qualms, gripes, things that make me not finish a podcast

-low production values (bad sound, bad mics)
-people who have obviously written their podcast in its entirety and are reading it. This takes away some of the spontaneity of podcasting
-podcasts that are too long (90 minutes is about the limit for me before I drift off)
-podcasters who use their interviews to just get up on their own soapboxes rather than give time to the interview subject (this kills me but only a few do it)
-long preambles


What about y'all... be as descriptive as you like.

I've only listened to one, and only because it was posted about here in adverts I think it was. I haven't a clue where to find them, do you have some links and times to share?

I'll be honest, the one I listened to put me off that author forever. She did readings that sounded like the worst of generic LWB responses.

I'm also never at the computer very long, just in and out so 30 minutes would be all I'd commit to. Longer than that and I just wouldn't bother because I know I'd never get around to picking up where I left off and how do you do that anyway.

thanks for bring up the subject

edited to add: what I'd really like is someone "wiggles eyebrows at shade" to put a bunch of them on CD so I can listen to them in the car. I listen to a lot of books on tape because I'm on the road a lot. Don't say the I word, I have one, and can't make it work. Luddite that I am.

I find most of them on iTunes which is a free download (and you can listen on your computer if you don't have a portable MP3 player like an iPod). I listen to these mostly during my commute.

If you have iTunes go to the iTunes store and search "Tarot." You will get a number of different results but on the right side of the screen you can narrow these results by the form of media "Music, Videos, Podcasts, Apps, etc).

My favorite Tarot related podcasts are

Tarot-to-Go radio
http://www.tarot-to-go.net/podcast/tarot-to-go-radio.xml

Leisa Refalo's Tarot Connection
http://tarotconnection.net/

Tarot Talk (this one has ended but all episodes are archived).
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/matarotwellness

Not strictly tarot related but Thorn Coyle's Elemental Castings is phenomenal and a recent episode focused on water dealt with tarot and Thorn interviewed Mary Greer. It is a fantastic listen
http://www.thorncoyle.com/podcasts/ElementalCasting-podcast.xml

You can download these from the links above but I use iTunes to check for updates and download them onto my iPod, this is the easiest method.

Ok now I task you with listening to these and letting me know what you like and what you don't like. ;-)


And I most definitely DID say the "i" word and I am willing to bet if you PM me with your problem I can help you make it work and you too will be enjoying digital content like tarot podcasts in the car.

I echo AJ's comment about podcast length. I'd like to listen to tarot podcasts but I see how long they are and it puts me off. Half an hour would be good for me too...although, I can see how, if some tarot high muckety muck has bothered to turn up, an hour would be better for them.

Preamble kills me too. Don't just bore us, get to the chorus (or something like that )

What else? Just general tarot chit chat - people sitting around talking about tarot. Okay, that sounds odd but sometimes when I'm doing some menial chore I wish I could use the time to talk with others about tarot and listening to people talking about tarot would be a good compromise.

I think a useful thing (for beginners to learn from perhaps) would be hearing a reading done with the querent there and discussion going on - a proper face-to-face, as forum readings are obviously usually quite one-sided.

I'd also like to know where I can get more of them... I have listened to some of the Tarot Connections one; I loved the interview with Ciro. It really made me look differently at his work.

Oh but reading in a monotone voice; instant turn off!

i used to love them, now i find them boring, or irrelevant for me.
In the beginning i loved the tarotconnection podcasts, especially the ginny hunt ones, but the interviews bored me, especially if they werent about reading at all. I guess its because i dont care for deck art really, so talks with the arthor dont interest me.

I also have a short attention span, if its too long i fast forward them

Something that bugs me on multiple people/guests on a podcast, probably would fit into your production quality section. It is where everyone's volume is different (this may be due to various call options, as some are using a land line, another using a cell phone, another using Skype). It is very painful to be listening to a podcast, and you turn the volume up to hear a guest who is speaking low, then another speaker comes on and blasts your eardrums out.

Another thing is everyone interrupting and talking over each other...in the end, it cancels everything out, and I just hear the sounds of chaos.

I recognize the importance of trying to keep a "tight" program, and keep things moving along, but when you are answering a call, WAIT a second for someone to speak, instead of constantly saying "Hello..Hello..Hellooooo...anyone there--hellohello??" Without give a pause for someone to speak, also, forgetting that there are different technology systems in use, and there is a time lag between phones, online radio, etc. It makes it sound like a very impatient person, I would feel rushed and would not want to call in on a show that did that, no matter how much I liked the person's knowledge and experience.

Leisa Refalo has set the high mark for all tarot podcasters to achieve, IMO.

(I hope all that does not sound like a rant--I listen to LOTS of podcasts, daily, they are great company for me as someone who has no one to talk to about tarot--I still love the podcasts & hosts, and many of the above have gotten worked out, the longer they continued to do podcasts, and have gotten smoother speaking/sounding more natural, operating the technology, & conducting interviews. Practice DOES make perfect! All said in love... ).

Good luck in your research & adventures!

Great food for thought so far. I also really really REALLY hate it when the tech isn't working correctly and you spend 5 minutes listening to the host and guest trying to begin their conversation with the "Can you hear me now?" bit. I think the worst culprit for this is the Blog Talk Radio shows, but I think the issue is the tech they are working with and the fact that, since they are a live call in show, they can't edit anything out. I don't think I'd want to use that interface. A few more podcasts from them are:

Tarot Today
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tarottoday

and

Beyond Worlds
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beyondworlds

Shade said:

I also really really REALLY hate it when the tech isn't working correctly and you spend 5 minutes listening to the host and guest trying to begin their conversation with the "Can you hear me now?" bit. I think the worst culprit for this is the Blog Talk Radio shows, but I think the issue is the tech they are working with and the fact that, since they are a live call in show, they can't edit anything out. I don't think I'd want to use that interface.

Click to expand...

Exactly, they WERE BlogTalkRadio shows (not to be confused with a Verizon commercial, "Can you hear me Now??"). Beyond Worlds/DonnaLeigh has REALLY grown as a host & with practice, I really enjoy listening to her. I also loved TarotTalk, & missed it, because they both seemed so real, & like "normal" people. And now listen to Georgianna B. on Pyschic Friends Live, she has the most infectious giggle! But I agree, and I think many of the podcasts there are going to be hindered by BTR. It seems to be a very "bloated" website, slow, and I have given up trying to listen live, and maneuver around, because I just get so impatient with it. So I wait til later, and download and pop onto my Precious, err, iPod Nano.

I will also add, all that is from a "listener's" perspective...I have no idea what is available out there as far as hosting, and what the costs might be of doing it, etc. I admire anyone for jumping in and attempting it!

Being the podcast junkie that I am, I've listened to all of the ones mentioned in the previous posts at one time or another, but now I find most to be quite boring. A big turn off for me, is sound quality. If the hosts sound like they're talking through a fast-food drive-thru speaker or a tin can, I won't even bother with it, especially when there are multiple hosts all trying to talk over each other. I do like my podcasts on the longer side though, an hour or two is good, since I listen to them while at work and during my commute. When the content is good, that hour goes by real quick.

So far my favorite tarot related podcast is BeyondWorlds. The sound quality is not the best, but it is tolerable – the content usually makes up for it. The guests are usually book authors and tarot deck creators, which is always interesting to hear what they have to say.