How to Record a Podcast

It’s now been over a year since I began to learn how to record a podcast. That’s right – Keeping Up with Joe is now over a year old. And, after 30 episodes, thousands of downloads, and plenty of great guests, I’m ready to teach you what I’ve learned. And it’s been a lot.

How to Record a Podcast – Don’t Be Afraid to Explore

A year ago, I had a process in place for my show. Get an awesome guest – check. Come up with good questions – check. Send guests a zoom link – check.

After a while though, I’ve only just now realized how much I didn’t know about podcasting. Subsequently, I’ve decided to revamp my show, and upgrade everything from sound quality to topics and beyond.

I could tell you all the lessons I’ve learned (and I will tell you some of them) – but of all the lessons I’ve learned from producing my podcast up to this point, my best advice would be this – don’t be afraid to explore.

Start somewhere – it doesn’t even matter where! You don’t need to be a recording master, a great interviewer or anything else. You just need a microphone, an idea, and the guts to make noise.

Where I Started

Where I used to record, I had plenty of cushions, books, and thick carpet to swallow up the ambient sound you don’t want in your recording. I’ve recently moved studios, however. Suddenly, my thick carpet was replaced with hardwood floors, and the four walls seemed a lot more imposing.

Suddenly, I was paying a lot more attention to sound.

I could hear my voice reverberating off of the walls directly in front of me, down onto my wooden desk, and off the wooden floors.

What was more, up until now, I had been doing most of my podcasts online, using tools like Skype and Zoom. I even wrote an article comparing the two for podcasts.

However, as I began to listen to the sound of my recordings, I began to realize that despite what I felt before, that audio quality captured over video call was virtually equivalent to in person recordings, proved false.

Sound Proofing the Room

Before I could record in person, however, I decided I would need to sound proof the room. That consisted of not only lining my tall bookshelves with plenty of books, it also meant adding sound panels to my walls. In addition to putting foam panels on the walls, I was lucky enough to have rubber puzzle workout mats lying around. These I put directly under my desk and on top of my desk. Finally, my room was free of the hard surfaces that caused that annoying reverberation, tangy sound I detested.

How to Record a Podcast with Two Microphones – in Person

Up until now, I had resisted recording in person. I didn’t have the knowledge about how to do it. Doing so made me nervous, and whenever I did record in person, I would simply have my guest sit across from me and speak into the same microphone.

More because I was tired of having to sit so close to my guests than because I thought the audio would be so much better, I purchased another microphone.

What Microphone Should You Use?

I actually had a pretty decent microphone to start out. I use a hand-me-down, AT-2020 Cardioid Microphone, but I needed a backup mic. Naturally, I ordered another AT-2020, as well as an arm boom stand. However, I realized shortly after ordering it that I had purchased the wrong version – not one that supported USB. I had to send it back.

But with a podcast session planned for that night, I needed a different option. I went to Best Buy and searched for a microphone that was versatile enough to deliver great audio but one that I could use with any stand I wanted.

There I discovered the Samson Q2U. Although a dynamic microphone and not a condenser, I purchased the microphone and brought it home.

With my microphones picked out and my room soundproofed, it was time to figure out the software stuff.

How to Record a Podcast with Two Microphones

I record my audio using Garage band. Garage band is actually incredibly intuitive to use and by far my preferred audio editing tool. Part of the reason I had not tried recording with two mics before was because I assumed it would be a technical nightmare to try and record with two microphones at once.

As it turns out, recording with two microphones at once with Garage Band is relatively easy. I recommend this great article on it to learn how to do it. It involves setting up an aggregate device and then setting up two tracks at once, and then recording.

In order to make sure that your audio is coming out the way you want it to, make sure to have a pair of headphones handy and switch on the monitoring control. This will make it so that you can hear yourself and, if you want, your guest.

Monitoring yourself is a little weird at first, but you get used to it, and you can always slip your headphones off a bit if it’s too off putting to hear your own voice while recording.

Can You Still Record Via Video Call?

Now, there will be times when you might still want to interview guests via video call. That is fine, but I would strongly recommend asking your guest before recording if they are okay with recording audio locally during the video call, and then sending you the file afterwards.

Of course, this will not be as effective as it is still easier to record in person and you have more control over the audio. But it’s a great option if you have to record remotely.

Leverage Blog Content for Your Podcasts

Lastly, blog posts make great content to draw from for your podcasts. Don’t be afraid to base your podcasts on some of your best blog posts. Chances are, if you’ve written a successful blog, it will also make for a successful podcast! Plus, it will help your SEO.

Ultimately, podcasting is fun, and great for your brand. And creating great noise is a process – one that you will get better at in time.

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