15 Mar How To Record An Effective Podcast!

Podcasting has been around for over a decade but has recently gained a lot of traction as major media outlets have picked up the practice. Podcasting is the new blogging, and why not? Podcasting is more interactive than blogging, more entertaining, and lets everyone and anyone talk about their passions with other like-minded people. So, let’s talk a little about recording an effective podcast.

How To Record An Effective Podcast

There are two important hardware components to consider when recording a quality podcast. One is the camera and the other is the microphone. Let’s discuss both for a moment.

Video For Podcasts

The camera is the least important piece of hardware, especially so if you have no desire to record video. Any decent camcorder made in the past 5 years will work well. The reason being is that the video will more than likely be uploaded and streamed from the internet. It will be compressed heavily by the time it reaches the viewer. The biggest feature a camcorder, or video capture device, needs is to be able to stream the input directly to the PC to record in real time. That’s because you need the video source to sync properly with the sound source.

Sound For Podcasts

The sound source will come from different hardware. You need a good quality mic to record podcasting. If nothing else, the mic is the piece of hardware that you really need to spend money on.

Think of it this way. Podcasts are more akin to a traditional talk show. The primary focus of a podcast, or a talk show, is the audio, or the vocalization from the hosts. Viewers will forgive poor video quality or even a rocky flow in the show, but they will not forgive poor audio. If the audience can’t understand the speech or there are a lot of distractions like pops and clicks, people will go find something else to listen to.

Do some research, or speak with a professional, to find the best mic for your voice and recording area. Different mics respond differently to bassy voices or sound reverb. You can spend upwards of €200 on your first mic. Don’t put yourself in the position to have to buy a second one immediately.

Lighting For Podcasts

Also, consider the lighting. The lighting really requires an article by itself (in the future), or more appropriately, a class for itself. Just be aware that a well-lit recording space is a must.

I know I said there are only two pieces of hardware to worry about, and indeed when starting there are, but as you gain followers and decide that you want to take podcasting on full-time consider getting a tricaster. A tricaster is a hardware component that can take audio and video sources and merge them together with screen overlays and other effects. It’s a professional grade piece of equipment but can make the difference between an amateur and professional recording. Renting one is always an option too.

Software for Podcasts

Now, let’s talk about software for a second. Thankfully, software is easy and cheap. There isn’t any software made specifically for podcasting so you’ll have to use good old-fashioned audio / video programs.

Use Audacity for audio. It’s an open-source piece of software that will work perfectly. It’s like the Photoshop of audio. There is a lot of paid-for software, but Audacity is just as good.

There are a lot of different options for video. I would suggest Camtasia. Camtasia isn’t free but it’s second to none for recording video and capturing your PC desktop should you need to. Otherwise, the software that comes with the camera will work just as good.

Chances are you’ll be using Skype or another video chat program. That’s because you’ll want to have other co-hosts on the podcast that most likely aren’t located anywhere near you. If you’re using Skype, use software to record the call. There are a number of pieces of software that do this.

Another way to record multiple hosts is to have each host independently record the podcast themselves. After the podcast is recorded, someone will need to gather all the recordings and merge them together. This can avoid some of the hiccups of recording Skype calls but can be more difficult to pull edit together properly.

Recording Effective Podcasts!

This is only a brief dive into the world podcasting but has hopefully given you something to think about when it comes to recording effective podcasts. Don’t be afraid of the mic and camera, enjoy yourself and make the next big podcast! If you need any help when it comes to podcasting feel free to ask a question below.

And, if you need a good mic, camera or mixer then we can help there too. Call us on +353 1 4133892 or contact us online!