Here at B&H, we’ve written countless articles on podcasting, including guides on editing, mixing, and mastering your podcast. But if you’re still having trouble getting the sound you want, we recommend simplifying your production process. Let’s discuss how to separate and streamline your production tasks to get a better final product with hopefully less effort.
Separate the Recording and Mixing Processes
Many people feel the need to be connected to their computer’s DAW while recording their podcast. Although there are many good reasons to do this, it may also complicate things. Especially if you’re the podcast host in addition to being the producer and sound engineer, staying attached to your DAW may incline you to focus on more than one task at a time. By introducing too many technical elements during recording, you may be concentrating less on the podcast conversation and more on the tracks and plugins crowding your computer screen. This can lead to distracted conversations and less awareness of important considerations like maintaining the right distance from your mic.
Keep in mind that podcasting is a two-step process. First, you need to ensure that you have a clean recording and that your content is engaging. And then you can zone in on the mixing and mastering journey.
Don’t Overthink the Mic
At the end of the day, if you’ve done your research on podcasting mics properly, whatever model you choose for your podcast will probably do just fine. It’s how well you use these mics and how well you edit and mix the recording that counts. And the best method is to get things right during recording. Odds are that by trusting your ears, you’ve probably discovered how the proximity to your mic can affect your voice quality. That said, if you’ve got the windscreen or pop-filter fitted and aren’t hearing distortion, overwhelming plosives, and mouth sounds in your headphones while speaking, you’re probably good. Ultimately, even for well-trained pros, every recording will always need some degree of clean up in the editing and mixing stage.
Focus on Low-Cut Filter and Gain Limiter
Now that we’ve overcome any mic anxiety, make sure that, above all else, you focus on employing a low-cut filter and gain limiter. The two biggest sound killers in podcast recording are room noise and mic distortion. You can make great edits and add compressors and all that fancy stuff, but if you don’t have these two settings in place, you may be in trouble. A low-cut filter will minimize the most disruptive types of room-noise, and a limiter will keep you safe from reaching the point of distortion. As we’ll see below, there is hardware that can make these two things happen easily during the recording phase without you having to mess about with too many plugins on your DAW (limiters and low-cut filters are typically found on most popular DAWs).
If you’re worried about setup and all the factors you need to account for, such as the audio interface, the computer and DAW (digital audio workstation), signal boosters, etc., chill out. There are dedicated podcasting recorders and workstations that can keep the recording process straightforward and slick, so that you can speak and accurately monitor without getting your head clouded with unnecessary technical distractions.
We’ve heard great sounding podcasts that were recorded on the simplest and most affordable equipment on the market. Of course, these recordings were skillfully edited and mixed (more about that below), but the nuts and bolts of recording are super basic.
If you’re a solo podcast or podcasting duo, a fantastic and wallet-friendly podcast recorder is the Zoom PodTrak P4. You don’t have to be attached to the computer because it can record straight to an SD card (sold separately). The great thing about a simple, yet high quality recorders like this is that they make it tough to screw up your recordings. The PodTrack P4 only has two processing options – a low-cut filter and built-in limiter – which as we’ve discussed, are the two big ones. In addition, you’ll see 4 sound pads with built-in sounds and the option to download your own sounds. This is a great way to save you time down the line if you’re introducing any sponsors or integrating punch in sounds and sizzles.
Finally, with a Zoom companion Bluetooth adapter, you can record phone calls as well as stream stuff from other devices. It’s incredibly easy to use, if not fool-proof. And when you’re done recording, that’s when you can worry about transferring the files to the computer for clean-up.
A more advanced podcasting station would be something like the RODECaster Duo or RODECaster II Pro. Some advantages to getting one of these two models is that they can handle harder to drive mics, like the Shure SM7B, without the need for a signal booster. You’ll also have better processing abilities and presets that take a lot of the legwork out of post-production. Again, with a model like RODECaster Duo, you don’t have to be attached to a computer. Though, like the PodTrak P4 above, it does work as an audio interface if you choose to use it that way.
Make Use of AI Integrating Software
Don’t feel like you’re cheating just because you’re using modern technology to make your work infinitely easier and better quality. Especially if you’re short on time, skills or mixing resources, consider a powerful online processing platform, such as Auphonics, at least to start. Many seasoned sound engineers admit to being floored by how well and how quickly software like this works. For a reasonable fee, it allows you to drop your files into the processor, which will clean up any noises, mouth sounds etc., as well as remove fillers words and shorten silences between conversations. In addition, it will normalize the tracks to make sure the volume and gain levels are consistent and suitable for broadcast. You decide the processing strength for each parameter, and it will do the work for you. Then, if you choose to improve the sound further, you can move the processed files to your DAW for more mixing.
If you want more control over your mixing and mastering process, and you’re willing to deal with a learning curve, we highly recommend the iZotope RX 11. It will allow you to effectively eliminate plosives and room noise, reduce breath noise, mouth sounds and sibilance, as well as so much more. This software also employs some AI technology to speed up your workflow and create a result that would take you countless hours and advanced skills to produce on your own.
Making Your Podcast Sound Better
As our moms like to say, take it one step at a time. The better you separate your tasks, the cleaner and more professional the result will be. You’ve probably also heard the term, “jack of all trades, master of none.” Don’t be a hero and try to master everything. There’s a reason that famous podcast hosts don’t do their own post-production work. Especially if you’re a host of your own podcast and don’t have a passion for sound production, leverage all the impressive technology currently available at your disposal. The investment will be well worth the results.
For more information about the products listed, including additional features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product pages for more information. Or drop us a line below, and we’ll do our best to answer all your comments and questions.
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