So often I am approached by aspiring podcasters ready to make to take that leap, only instead of walking on airwaves they've landed in a bog of rookie mistakes. Below are a few tips and practices a that every podcaster needs to understand before getting started.
Equipment and Recording
No Cellphones
This goes without saying...you need a microphone! If you intend to record all your shows from a phone, you've already made a huge rookie mistake. Cellphones are designed for transmitting calls from across the globe, thus a phone microphone is designed to input as little signal as possible so that you can call your buddy in Hong Kong. Typical bandwidth for a phone/Skype is 200 Hz to 6,000 Hz, just barely enough for human dialogue. The actual spectrum of sound is measured at 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz! Most production microphones are designed to cover this broader range with varying degrees of success.
Recording Remote Guests
I get it, finding guests can be a challenge and you can't exactly fly them out to your studio. Many clients approach me with Skype or Zoom files of conversations they've recorded. These files are typically low quality, limited range of sound and your guest has bad background noise. If you want to record remotely, do these things:
- Get yourself a quality mic
- Use a web application designed for podcasting remotely. I recommend Squadcast but you can also go with Zencastr, Ringr or CleanFeed..
- Have you and your guest record a quiet setting, consider sounds like fluorescent lights and AC Units
- If your guest can't get a mic themselves, have them use a headphone mic. DO NOT use your laptop mic in any circumstance.
Multitracking
If you're serious about podcasting it is absolutely critical that you learn about multitrack. Multitrack is when you designate an individual audio track per mic. These tracks record simultaneously but only record their assigned individual.
Let's say you have 2 guests. If you were to multitrack you would have 3 microphones each assigned to an individual track. The microphones run to a box (called an interface) that then sends the 3 signals to the computer for recording. Once you've recorded the show, you discover Fred was too soft and Bill was too loud, and to top if off you sound too muddy. With multitracking, your audio editor will able to adjust each individual without affecting the overall show. After your editor is done tweaking, he can render a single finished file ready for distribution.
Multitracking requires proper equipment and know-how but it will also elevate your podcast game. At RojekAudio we will be able to assist you with equipment purchasing and setting up your podcast multitrack so all you need to worry about is simply hitting record.
Let's say you have 2 guests. If you were to multitrack you would have 3 microphones each assigned to an individual track. The microphones run to a box (called an interface) that then sends the 3 signals to the computer for recording. Once you've recorded the show, you discover Fred was too soft and Bill was too loud, and to top if off you sound too muddy. With multitracking, your audio editor will able to adjust each individual without affecting the overall show. After your editor is done tweaking, he can render a single finished file ready for distribution.
Multitracking requires proper equipment and know-how but it will also elevate your podcast game. At RojekAudio we will be able to assist you with equipment purchasing and setting up your podcast multitrack so all you need to worry about is simply hitting record.
Here are a few other tips and considerations when recording:
- Be sure to record in a room that dissipates sound. Don't record in an echo chamber! Consider your surroundings, are there 4 blank walls ripe for bouncing sound waves?
- If you're recording at home, consider putting up cloth padding on walls to absorb sound. A room cluttered with cloth furniture actually helps dissipate sound (in a McGyver sorta way).
- Consider any and all background noise that your mic will pick up. This includes AC units, florescent lights, your fridge! Even your laptop has a whirring fan, don't put it too close to your mic!
- If you are using multitrack, don't sit to close to the other mics, your voice will bleed into your guest tracks and cause an echo.
These a just a few considerations to start you off on your podcast journey. Once the show wraps you will have your raw audio files ready for editing. After your editor prepares a finished polished file you will want to share it with the world. Rojek Audio offers up Full Service Podcast Production and Management Service. We will be able to handle everything from set up all the way to publishing and RSS distribution. To learn more go to the Podcasting Page.