What Do I Need to Record a Podcast
This is it: fourth dimension to record a podcast. Planning is great, publishing is a given, but recording, that's where the magic happens.
In this article, I'm going to cover every footstep. Here'due south a quick summary of how to record a podcast:
- Planning: what prep exercise you need to practice and so that the recording goes smoothly?
- Equipment: what gear practise you need to exist able to tape a great quality prove?
- Software: what tools do you need to be able to capture your sound?
By the end of this commodity, you'll know everything you need to record a podcast. All that's left is to hitting that big red push button, and get your vocalism out into the earth!
Planning to Tape a Podcast
It's tempting to miss this scrap out… You know the subject, subsequently all, and y'all're raring to go! Why not just wing it?
Well, equally much equally I'grand a fan of the seat-of-the-pants arroyo, an episode plan can make a huge difference to the quality of your show. Don't worry, this doesn't need to take up your whole day. A small plan can make a big difference.
Programme the Topic
Commencement thing, what are y'all going to talk about? This is the aureate. If you lot cull the wrong episode topic, then your $500 Heil mic and your pro-level Zoom H6 recorder don't thing a whit. Listeners won't care virtually the show, perfect audio quality or non.
Then, do your research. Figure out your platonic listener, and particularly what they care about. And so, for each episode, remember:
- What questions are your listeners asking?
- What problems are they experiencing?
- What are they struggling with, correct now?
Every episode, you should tackle 1 of them.
Let Alitu Have Care of Producing Your Podcast
Alitu is a tool that takes your recording, polishes it up, adds your music, and publishes the episode, all automatically.
Learn More well-nigh Alitu
How do you figure that out? Practiced old fashioned keyword research, tailored for podcasting. Cheque out that article for a full rundown of tools that tin help you find a bunch of questions that you can reply.
If y'all're into physical notebooks or journals likewise, then you might fancy getting yourself a re-create of The Podcast Host Planner. This acts as a great tangible reminder that you have podcasting seriously, and helps you plan out everything – from big picture goals to individual edit timecodes.
Script the Episode
Scripting is an frequently-debated topic. Should you lot become super-detailed, or might you go quite light and off-the-cuff? I answered that in a full commodity on how to script a podcast with a few examples. But, let'southward encompass it in cursory.
On the one paw, a detailed script tin can make for a really tight, value-packed episode. It cuts the rambling and ensures you cover every unmarried thing you lot demand to.
The only trouble is, a detailed script tin can cut the spontaneity and drain your personality from an episode. It does have quite a bit of skill to read a detailed script and still sound natural, conversational. But, information technology's possible.
Plus, of course, it takes quite a lot of time to put together something then detailed.
On the other paw, a light script – simply a collection of bullet points actually – can provide plenty guidance, but not tie you lot downwardly. You can be more engaging, more complimentary-flowing, more personable, and it takes much less fourth dimension to prepare.
But, again, the downsides… with a light-impact script, you lot can much more easily lose your way, forget things and repeat yourself. The waffle gene increases dramatically and your episodes will tend to be longer. That's not necessarily a good thing…
It frequently comes down to personality and practice. Beginning with a detailed script, until you get more comfortable on the mic. Then, reduce the item, chip by flake, until you find that rest between time spent, benefits gained and recording manner.
What Equipment Practice I Demand to Record a Podcast?
Yous Need a Microphone
Showtime, let'southward capture that voice. That's what the apprehensive microphone is designed to practice. You can find a collection of the all-time microphones here, and then accept a browse through and pick something that fits your infinite and budget.
If y'all want to continue things uncomplicated, go for a USB microphone. You'll plug that correct into your computer, and record there. No other equipment needed, just software. I'll cover the recording software below.
A USB mic is ideal for anyone that'll exist recording a solo show, or if you'll exist recording with others on the internet (more on software for this below, also). And, let's be honest, that's ninety% of the podcasts out there!
Practice You Need a Digital Recorder?
If yous think you'll be recording a podcast with other people in-person though, that'southward when a digital recorder comes in handy. The reason existence, it's hard to tape with more one USB mic into a single calculator.
In this case, the idea setup is one digital recorder and two (or more!) XLR microphones. For example, I use a Zoom H5 and two SamsonQ2Us for this.
For another recorder option, the Zoom PodTrak P4 is a newer piece of kit on the marketplace. Information technology'southward a defended podcast recorder that lets you record multiple mics, remote calls (online and phone), as well as play live music, clips, and furnishings in your episodes. Check out our full review of the Zoom PodTrak P4.
How About a USB Sound Interface?
Something of a middle basis betwixt a USB mic and a digital recorder. A USB audio interface connects to your computer every bit if information technology were a USB mic, but you and so plug in and run XLR mics into information technology. This is a great option for computer-based podcasters who want to meliorate their audio quality, whilst increasing their range of flexibility and control. Here are the Best USB Audio Interfaces for Podcasters.
Do I Need Whatever Other Podcast Recording Gear?
If you opt for a USB mic and so a cablevision will always be included in the box. If you're going XLR and running into a digital recorder or USB interface though, then yous'll need an XLR cablevision for each mic yous use. Sometimes XLR cables come with mics, merely it's good do to have a spare one kicking around anyway. You can pick upwards a decent one for less than $twenty. Check out our total guide to audio cables for more on that.
Elsewhere, you might want to mount your mic on a boom arm for more than flexibility and a better all-round feeling of professionalism. You'll also definitely want to use headphones for recording your podcast. A unproblematic pair of earbuds will do the play a joke on, but investing in a swell pair of podcast headphones probably costs a lot less than you call up.
Would You Like to Record into a Smartphone?
For solo recording or a two-person interview, an pick I really like is the Rode Smartlav+. This is a lavalier mic (tie mic or lapel mic – those wee ones you lot see clipped to a shirt!) and it plugs right into your smartphone.
If you add a Rode SC6 adapter to this setup, and so you tin can plug in two Smartlavs, and record an interview with someone correct next to you! Run into the whole Smartlav interview setup here if you recollect this might adjust yous.
What About My Podcast Recording Studio or Surround?
Proficient question! Yous can employ the best gear and software in the world merely if you're using them in a sub-par environs then your podcast is going to sound bad.
The practiced news is that information technology doesn't need to exist difficult or expensive to create a pro-sounding podcast studio. Check out our full guide there for a load of different options on that front end.
A final arrow on this front is that the way you use a mic besides impacts its sound quality. We tin help you sound your best in front of whatever mic y'all apply with our microphone technique for podcasters guide.
What Software Do I Demand to Record a Podcast?
The final ingredient, presuming y'all're non using a digital recorder, is software. In this example, we're talking about recording software, non editing. You tin read our full guide to podcast software for the entire range, merely we'll stick to podcast recording software here.
Recording Solo into your Computer
Let's take the simplest choice get-go: recording a podcast on your own.
If you lot're flying solo, so the easiest selection is to tape right into an editing package, similar Audacity, or Audition. Audacity is the starting time choice for many, for ane very proficient reason: it'southward free!
There are a few good reasons to pay for Audition, or one of the other paid editing packages, and you tin observe out more than near that here: Brazenness vs Audition.
Merely, if you're just starting, there's no risk in trying out Brazenness first. It'southward actually simple for recording, though can get a little clunky across that. If yous desire to acquire Brazenness inside out, check out our in-depth audacity course here.
The thing nigh Audacity, Audience, and any other "Digital Audio Workstation" is that they tin take a bit of fourth dimension and effort to learn. A lot of aspiring podcasters aren't interested in training to become audio engineers and many don't have the slightest interest in the inner workings of audio production – which brings me to my final selection…
If you're looking to tie recording into the wider process, then y'all might opt for Alitu: the Podcast maker.
Alitu is designed to accept care of the tech in creating your podcast, and recording is one part of that. With Alitu, you can easily tape remote calls or solo segments for your show.
As a bonus, information technology'll polish, make clean, and level upward your audio automatically, add your music, slice together all the clips (yous can upload your other recordings too, such as an interview that was recorded elsewhere), and publish your last file.
Here's more than info on how to make a podcast with Alitu.
Alitu makes everything super-easy, for sure. Information technology'due south a subscription product, and then information technology comes at a cost, but if you're willing to merchandise a monthly payment for saving a agglomeration of time and stress, it might be worth a go. Why not sign up for a week'southward free trial with Alitu and run into what yous call back?
Recording an Online Phone call
If you run an interview show then at that place's a good take chances you lot'll need to record your podcast online at some point, if not every calendar week! Similar if you lot take a co-host and they're not local to y'all.
I've already mentioned Alitu which lets you record online calls, as well equally edit, produce, and publish your episodes. This makes Alitu the ideal all-in-one podcasting solution.
Alitu is far from the just online call recorder option though, here are a couple of others…
Zoom.united states of america – Costless, Lower Quality
The most common these days is zoom.u.s.a.. Zoom is, at a basic level, a video conferencing tool. You gear up a room, requite out a spider web link, and anyone can sign into the call via that link.
As a bonus, Zoom automatically records the call and sends you an sound and video file at the end. You can even set up it up to record two speakers on separate channels, then yous can process your interviewee dissever during editing. Skillful for folks that love the control!
Zoom is free to employ if you lot're merely recording ane other person, and information technology's relatively depression-cost for bigger groups. Pop through to this link to run into our guide to using Zoom for podcasting.
'Double-Ender' Call Recorders – Paid, Higher Quality
The term 'double-ender' refers to recording both ends of the conversation separately, directly on the speaker'south figurer. So, your mic is recorded on your figurer, and your interviewee's mic is recorded on their calculator. This bypasses the usual internet-phone issues of call-dropping and audio glitches.
There are a few proficient double-ender call recorders on the market place these days, making it pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to run. You'll simply prepare a new call and transport your interviewee a link, similar to Zoom.united states of america. Just, this time, the software volition record each side independently, and stitch it all together at the terminate. That just leaves you to download the final result and use it in your episode. Easy!
Our top choice at the moment is SquadCast. Our link here is an affiliate, which ways we may earn a small committee if you were to sign upwardly through information technology – though at no extra cost to yourself.
Every bit I say, though, there are a few keen options on the market today. And so if you'd like to shop effectually a lilliputian more, then check out our guide to recording a podcast online.
Smartphone Recording Software
If you've decided that the Smartlav microphone above might accommodate you, so a final option is to record a double-ender call on your Smartphone. Ringr provides a great mobile app for this, so you can record into your Telephone, via a Smartlav+ mic. Riverside.fm too has a new iOS app that lets you go mobile with your podcast recording.
If you're doing a lot of interviews and yous've decided that a double-ender tool, like Ringr, is worth the money, then a Smartlav+ is a good addition to your recording armory. It gives yous a lot of flexibility since you can then record a good quality online interview just about anywhere.
Think to bank check out our all-time podcast making apps article if you want to become beyond recording, and create the podcast entirely on your phone.
Practice you Know How to Tape a Podcast?
I promise that's answered any questions you had nearly how to record a podcast. I know information technology can look a picayune intimidating at first, but actually it'south down to just three parts: the planning, the equipment and the software. Start simple, and work upwards from at that place!
Every bit mentioned, the low-price way to start is to grab yourself a USB Microphone and simply starting recording, solo, into Audacity. Then, if you need to record a call, opt for Zoom.united states
From there, yous tin can upgrade your online interviews past switching to a dedicated 'double-ender' telephone call recorder. Or, you can grab yourself a mini podcast studio like the Zoom PodTrak P4 which will let you lot record both remotely, and in person.
Or, if you want to go on things as easy as humanly possible, become for Alitu. With Alitu you can tape your podcast (be it solo eps or online calls), edit, produce, and publish it all in one uncomplicated to use interface. You don't demand to know the slightest bit most audio production equally Alitu automates all of the complicated stuff for you lot. Effort it free for vii days and see for yourself.
Next Steps?
For more than detail on each stride, bank check out our dedicated post on each:
- How to plan & script your Podcast
- Equipment for Recording a Podcast
- Software for Recording a Podcast
If y'all nonetheless need any help with planning your evidence, choosing your equipment, or setting upwards your software, think nosotros run weekly live Q&A sessions in The Podcast Host Academy, where nosotros tin answer all of your questions. We also take a set of in-depth courses on all iii topics, to give yous the confidence to beginning.
Any path yous cull, remember that this is where the magic happens! It just takes the nerve to hit record, and the motivation to proceed doing that every calendar week. With that, you'll find your audience!
Source: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/recording-skills/how-to-record-a-podcast/
0 Response to "What Do I Need to Record a Podcast"
Publicar un comentario