What you need to record a podcast
This may or may not be the most daunting part of podcasting but this episode is all about what you need to record a podcast.
In this episode, I'm delving into the options you have for both microphones and software/hardware to record your podcast. Because there is a multitude of options out there for both.
But if you're reading this before hitting play on the episode and wondering what you're going to need to record your podcast, guess what?! You have everything you need already! But we'll get into that in this episode, along with a few tips at the end to really help make podcasting as easy as pressing record.
Listen to the podcast audio here: Spotify Podcast Link Apple Podcast Link Google Podcast Link YouTube video of the episode below:
TRANSCRIPT FOR EPISODE 7:
(Note this may not have been correctly edited when transcribed)
I'm going to level with you hear this episode is what makes me geek out about podcasting.
If the kind of text side of it because this is that episode where we press record.
Maybe not for the full episode of we want to make but just to test things out.
This is where we're going to hit record, really looking forward to delving into this episode so Frank them titles today,
Welcome to Brand My Podcast I am your host Frank as always here and today.
I am so pumped for this one because this is that time when you first hit record.
I was instead of the intro we're not looking to press record and record your first episode just yet.
This is that time where we test things out see what works for us and get the deal for hitting record.
See what that feels like and then make that commitment into producing your first episode what I'm going to come here is a few different things.
The first is microphones then how are you going to record
and then a few different other tips that you might want to
consider when recording your podcast?
Cos I want to give you the confidence to hit record when
you do for your first episode, so that all of this stuff
that you need to consider is easy peasy.
So let's get into it.
So it's time to record your podcast.
How do we do it the first thing I want to consider here for
you and for all of us trying to start a podcast is what mic
we're going to use because at the end of the day.
Podcast is audio-based it can be video and there is a component
there that this will touch on if you want to do both video
and audio we want to think about first what Michael going
to use and this is the best thing about podcasting that it's
so accessible to anyone that wants to be a creator of the
podcast is that you most likely have everything you need
because if you're listening to, this is our you have a microphone
be on your computer or with your phone now if you're watching
this on YouTube you going to get a little bit more benefit
of this because you're going to see visually the things are
going to be holding up, but I make her my best effort to
describe what I'm talking about so you can find these things
online where necessary and if you need a reference point
hit up the YouTube video, it's on g'day Frank if you search
that and you'll find a video there now.
Let's get into the first first one that we can all do very
easily is a phone.
And I say this because there are multiple different ways
that you can record using your phone either directly into
the phone like you normally would at bone call you could
set it up on your desk and talk, but we make that maybe a
little bit better.
We could use the earphones that it comes with as it has a
mic attachment, and then we also have the opportunity to
connect it with proper microphones now.
You can get adaptors from audio stores.
What are your video kind of stores you'll know what is moss.
Most suitable for Where You Are to find something like that.
If not, eBay Amazon but have this kind of all the great ones
are by company name Road rode0.
They make all kinds of microphones and make some specific
stuff for podcast as well.
So using your phone that's one auction.
The other is your computer Mike now.
Every computer has a microphone in embedded into it.
Just like a webcam, most likely, let's say.
That's your only option that's what you have to work with
great. That's all.
It really is necessary.
So you have the option to use the internal microphone on
your computer The Next Step Up is maybe you're using a camera
microphone. So just a camera that you have it may be a let
me hold up here, and I'll DSLR of mine's a Canon you likely
have a Canon DSLR like this or a mirrorless camera.
Use the in-built microphone on that or you might have a little
point-and-shoot little thing like this and their perfectly
fine as well.
If you sit close enough to them in a quiet room.
They work fine again, audio quality isn't going to be the
best out there, but it is doable what you can do to up the
game of your camera recording is get one of these and I'm
just putting up the camera now.
This is a shotgun mic.
It's made by Road there are many other different brands out
there that sell these kinds of How things were sound road
again? Just a really good provider of audio equipment very
affordable as well.
You can plug that into your camera, and I say that because
if you're doing both audio and video this could be a good
option where you only having to record with one Mike and
One camera in the one setup and all you having to do is strip
the audio from that video recording to put up as podcast
episode. Then the video can go at me like YouTube instagram.tv,
LinkedIn rain website.
Whatever apart from that lot of podcast is that you going
to see online that you may follow the Joe rogan's out of
the world out there?
They're using a a proper microphone.
Podcast a kind of microphone to broadcast microphone.
Maybe if you will with that are my friends two different
types that you're likely going to consider hear the first
as a USB mic, which is exactly what I use for my podcast
at the moment.
It looks like one of these.
The second one that I have it's made by company name blue.
It's called a blue Yeti really really affordable, and they're
cheaper versions of it as well.
They're a bit smaller, but they really good what you call
a microphone and what that does, is it really eliminates
background noise because it has a thing called of gain control
on the back of it.
And what that was eliminates the sound and only picks up
what it's closest to the microphone.
So what you can probably find is talking quite a bit closer
than what you normally would with something like a shotgun
microphone, which picks up.
You know something from a little bit of further of a distance,
but this is really accessible because this can plug into
your computer, and you can use software to record your audio
plug-and-play. Can you can use it in zoom calls?
This is the the go to Mike I use versatile.
It's it's real damn simple the scale of of microphones.
What you call an XLR microphone?
No, I don't have one to show you here.
I do have one on order at the moment again from a company
name Road call the pod Mike but there are many different
set alarm microphones out there some made by Blue the same
company that owns and sells that Yeti that I have and some
more kind of you'll see the me like Joe Rogan uses.
One is a brand called sure s h u r e and this is like the
Gold Standard of microphones, though.
It is freaking expensive.
It would cost you an Australian dollars between 7/8 hundred
Dollars so it's a really really expensive might for what
it is where as something like a blue Yeti you'll be paying
around $150.
Maybe Australian dollars.
That is so there's a disparity in that and there is an extra
complexity if you do you use an XLR microphone with a computer
setup. You need to have a separate interfere.
That will convert that signal into a USB input for your computer
sonexstella. Is what you do with fine with you.
No singers and musicians on stage.
They have those types of my phone's that have a specific
XLR connection now that might not be the best option to go
with especially if you're starting out of never done anything
like this before it can be a bit of a headspin.
If you use that kind of Technology for your podcast again.
It's not necessary.
If you would use your phone.
You computer your camera, or one of those blue yetis.
You are doing just fine.
If you can see me perfectly now that's really all that matters,
so they're the different types of microphones that you typically
can use.
There's probably other different ways that you could record
audio, but they're the typical ones.
I tend to find most podcast is using the second part of this
conversation is what do you record with apart from the the
gear? Things and that is software typically how do you use
mic in combination with software now the first is the microphone
that you would have on your phone so you can use an app on
iPhone voice memos or GarageBand if you have an iPhone there's
probably an equivalent on Android phones or an app that you
could download in the Google Play Store but they're the ones
that I know that can work.
Very effectively.
No, that's best used for if you are just recorded podcast
of your invoice.
If you want to have a guest involve.
It gets a little bit trickier using your phone.
That's what you really want to use a computer what you can
know before.
I move onto a computer is on your phone.
You can record your podcast directly to your podcast host.
Now.
I'm going to get a hosting a bit later and next few episodes
here of brand my podcast, but there is one host in particular
that Anchor Tattoo I used to upload my Cast to and they have
an app where you can record directly to their hosting provider
to get upload an episode.
You could edit little bit here in there at the music all
that kind of stuff, and that's all you need to do.
I need a computer at all to get your podcast published.
So that's a good option there if you want to keep it real
Loki just your voice.
Maybe have a partner in the room and you put two microphones
into your phone that's achievable to little tricky, but you
can do it do some research on Google you.
Will find the answers you need if you want to do that with
a co-host or a guest in person.
So the next option is a camera now.
I have a mirrorless Sony camera here, and I also have a Sony
Point shoot here for a second angle what I'm doing here is
recording audio at redundantly in addition to my blue to
have backup audio if this thing fails, so it also helps me
to sync the audio with a video so I can upload to YouTube
using audio from the mic and using the video from.
Two cameras now.
All you really doing there is just uploading that footage
to computer and then using your editing software to put it
all together.
The other one is to use a shotgun like I mentioned before
attached to your camera, and you can additionally use what's
called a lapel mic.
You know when you look at you watch.
The news news reporters and and journalist they have they
all the pole Mike's on the breast of the shirts or in a colour
or wherever it might be.
I'm you can use one of them as well with your camera.
If you have that if you want to be a bit more remote you
can have wireless lapel mic, so we can have wired ones again.
He gets a bit tacky, but if you're into this stuff, that's
an alternative option that can pick up better audio sometimes
depending on your setting and that might be something to
consider then we get into the computer now.
There's multiple different ways to record using whatever
type of Mike you want to use as long as you can get it into
the computer as more secure.
Record.
So the first is using zoom.
This is a great option.
If you have guessed you want to bring on the show you can
record the conversation.
You have a split of both your audio and their audio and the
video feed if you want to lay that into what I would suggest
there. It's make sure your settings or right to be able to
split both those audio tick boxes that you might want to
consider looking at and that's a great option.
That's how I do want my other pod cars to read chairs a record
my guests using zoom and it's really easy.
It takes no effort on their part to send me files audio quality
can be a bit limited of times.
You can get those little bit some pops and cracks and everything
like that that happened through an audio call to bit hard
to get past sometimes, but I got to say there's some other
apps out there that you can find and I'll probably cover
them and another day because they get a bit more technical.
I guess you could say, but they do improve the audio quality
to make it hassle.
Everyone involves, but that's a lesson for another day the
other one.
If you want to record low clear on your computer not recording
with a guest or even recording with the gas, and this is
something that I do is well is recording on something like
QuickTime if you have a Mac computer or GarageBand and that
allows you to record directly on your computer using your
mic input into your computer like that and just record a
really simple audio recording of your podcast episode now
with QuickTime and encouragement.
Obviously.
They are Mac products.
There's something that come preinstalled with every Mac they're
very easy to use and I typically use QuickTime as a local
recording for episodes.
I record with guests that are doing a zoom recording.
So my audio.
Is Shrek the guests might not be unless they record audio
directly on their own computer as well and send that to me
and get a better.
What are you there?
What are the times?
I just like to have my audio sounding you know consistent
across the board and that's how I do it at the same time
as recording on Zoom now.
If you are on a PC or even on a Mac there is another program
called Audacity that something that's free to download and
use you can record your audio, and it's pretty straightforward.
Hit record save it put into your podcast editor of choice,
or just uploaded directly with an mp3.
Just as is totally up to you, and that's it.
There are some other programs that you could use if you're
a bit more savvy, and the space things like Premiere Pro
or Adobe Audition if you're a bit more of a music producer
a video editor.
There's some great tools.
If you have an Adobe script subscription or something like
Logic Pro I think it's called that Apple sell that's music
based programs, but yeah between.
We're getting a bit bit fancier.
I guess.
You might say because they're the programs there were you
can really edit as well as recording in the same program
there, and we'll get into one day how to edit your podcast
but that's it, then another lesson for another day additionally
if you're going to have a an XLR microphone same as USB microphones
the same process you could use all those same programs snow
real difference there, but you do have some other options
one in particular that might be of no to you and it's something
that I'm waiting.
Did you get my hands on?
I've ordered it.
I'm just waiting for them to send it to me is what you call
a rodecaster pro.
It's a podcast recording deck.
If you watching some YouTube I'm going to show you some photos
of it, and it allows you to plug your excellent microphones
after four of them directly into that deck you can put SD
card into it or connected directly to your computer and Watch
from that basically monitor device.
You would call it can program sounds in your intros and other
little bits and pieces in there, and you can also bring in
calls or even zoom calls into it by your phone and bluetooth
them into the conversation.
So can all be controlled from that deck again gets a bit
tacky, but if you're really down with this stuff, and you
understand it, and you just a bit like I do that something
to consider of course.
You can take that audio, and then drop it up on your computer
using your preferred editing software, and that's pretty
much how you are going to record your podcast using one of
those methods there.
I hope I didn't confuse you in that because there are such
a multitude of ways of doing something this in the same outcome,
but it accommodate to your budget your technical level and
this is something to say that you can always iterate over
time. You can step up at game over times of once you get.
Footing of how to do all this stuff and you've got a bit
of a rhythm going you could invest in a better Mike you could
look at using different tools to record your podcast with
things that work for you better in your workflow cuz every
podcast was different and every show is different as well
now one thing.
I will say he is just about recording is for all types what
you're looking to record is either a wav file or better yet
and mp3.
File the MP3 is going to be small and file size a wave file
is a little bit more complex.
Have either of those formats wav and MP3 what you looking
for from a recording and the easiest to work with and what
most podcast hosting providers are looking for when you upload
your final file to be at the one that you record with other
after you edit, either.
One of those files is perfect, and then just to recap of
how I do it at the I'm going to update this at some stage
soon once I get some different gear to try the all that stuff
out but at the moment it's using a blue Yeti microphone USB
connection into my computer that connect with QuickTime player
QuickTime player and that's just easily recording to sit
and start on that and then I have a Sony a73 camera with
a 2525 24 mm to 104 mm lens and then I have the Sony zv1
cameras my little sidekick cam for the second view of things
and that's my car set up there are some other things you
can use to schmick up your podcast and I'm going to give
them now in some tips so the first one is this bad boy you
might see me holding this up this is that you put in front
of where you're talking and more so in front of where the
mic is and it's called a pop filter this is just a little
sheet of something like that that is stretched out and it's
stops what you call plosives so if I do this into them I
can go Peas QS ours TS peas You might hear a popping sound
it may not my might not have picked it up, but it's is real
kind of harsh.
Sound that blows out the audio, and it's something we want
to avoid so there's a few ways of doing it 1 and really cheap
way of doing is a pop filter.
These things.
You can get on eBay for 10 $15.
You don't they haven't an arm that you can connect to do
the boom arm with your Michael to desk.
We can just hold it up whatever it might be that you can
do. I'm you can get some that integrated with the mic you
can clip on to the microphone itself and son microphones
that have one inbuilt as well, but this brings me to the
second point of you know tips.
Here is where in relation you are to your microphone.
So really close and up close to it.
Like.
I am here.
You need to be careful with those plosives of if hitting
them I can and saying there's peas.
And TS I'm in the probably another letter that in there that
I'm missing.
Play the ones that create those sounds and even breathing
with your nose and mouth can create those popping sounds
so you want to this is my TP is to talk over the mic put
at it, but over it a slight bit.
So my mic is just below my chin line, and it's pointed up
at me as directed at my mouth, but I'm talking over it, and
I find that tends to take away the plosives, as long as you
have the game that a good setting that isn't picking up too
much noise for echoey kind of reverb e sound, but you still
picking up your voice.
Nicely.
You may need to level up the the levels of your audio when
you edit your podcast, but I found this is a good alternative
to having to have a pop filter in front.
So you can see my face in this kind of recording here on
YouTube that's my tip to and my third tip is headphones or
earphones. These are really really helpful when you are recording
with a Either in person or on a zoom call because then you
can definitely hear each other, especially for a little bit
further away from each other when you're recording in person.
These can help but only want to use it.
Most effectively is for an online call.
You don't want the audio from your guests coming through
your computer speakers, because that will interfere with
your recording from your mates.
You can't keep them separately and you're going to hear that
kind of feedback.
You kind of them cos they're voice will come through your
mic, and then out to them.
This is echo chamber.
That's what you call feedback.
It's made me want to avoid so if you're doing a zoom call
have some earphones in airpods Apple earphones headphones
whatever earphones headphones you have doesn't matter, as
long as you can hear the person at the other end of the call
plugged into your computer or even plugged into the Yeti
mic that writes in the mic, I have you can hear that person
talking and it won't interfere with your audio recording
then the fourth tip is audio tests, which is the purpose
of this part.
Cast episode is I want you to test this stuff out before
hitting reported to produce your first episode the reason
being is that we want to test the environment that we're
in the quality is the microphone if you're happy with it
or not, and then if there's any difference you kind of bits,
and this is something you want to do before each and every
recording it's in the guy do I check the levels and I make
sure that the audio isn't fizzing or there's nothing interfering
with it?
Because then you don't want to have to record it.
Especially be done with a guest and you can't re-recorded
it. You don't want to have to go into editing software, and
then he this weird sound you like I can't use that that sounds
awful awful to you.
It's just an awful to your listeners, so I want to avoid
that by doing those test before it's going to save your shoulder
pain, especially before each episode producing test now check
the environment that you're in is it to echoey you know is
it is?
It's quiet and after not pick up.
You know your family in the background or someone cutting
down a tree outside of birds flying over that those last
two other things are always bug me when I'm recording.
It's always happy, but funnily enough today.
Nothing's happening.
It's amazing.
And when I touched on quality the last hit there really is
to not worry about the amazing level of quality like if you
were if you're using a phone or yeah apple airpods or something
like that, or you computers Mike you know, it's not going
to be the best in the world, but this is the real big Point
here. As long as we can hear you and when he articulate your
words and you can hear you guessed effectively.
That's all that matters.
That's a topic for the next conversation in this next episode.
I'm going to put out there for you to listen to but I just
want to make sure that you aren't self-conscious about how
it sounds when you're starting out.
If you don't have the Geo the access to it.
It is beside the point of podcasting we want to make sure
that you Bring some great content first and foremost, and
I want to cover that in the next podcast episode.
So that's the end of the episode is probably a little bit
longer than all the other ones because I'm just as you can
tell I really like this stuff.
It's kind of my bread and butter.
I love having this stuff around his makes me feel alright
happy about it.
I just get over it.
And I'm sure you can tell but I hope that this is been a
bit of a learning point for you.
There's so much about this gear that you can learn more things
about everyday, especially for using a camera in the mix,
and that's make I'm going to cover of the day is not recording
your podcast for video because add that extra complexity
two things, but that's that's pretty much it for today.
So if you're listening on Apple podcast, please leave a review
in a testimonial seen a couple coming through it's so appreciative.
It's so fun to see that feedback and was dm's and I'm getting
some people that have listen to her about to listen to the
next episode 1.
Close that sound Instagram on the Indian thank you so much
for listening.
It's so fun to do this and engage with you and help you on
that journey to start in your podcast again.
It's always I can help you out if you if this is all you
know too hard basket, and I would love to help you get this
podcast of yours off the ground, or if you have an established
podcast. Maybe help you out with how we can move it forward.
And if that's you when you're looking to get some help their
hit me up at brand my podcast.com happy to help you there.
You can get in contact for a little form there, or you can
hit me up on Instagram at g'day.
Frank your setup popping up here in the show notes and apart
from that.
I will see you in the next episode by.