Professional Podcasting Tips For Beginners
Let's face it, starting something new can be exciting but difficult.
Whatever your story may be, you are eager to have your thoughts heard and to see your podcast succeed. According to 2021 statistics, there are currently over 2,000,000 podcasts in circulation. This sheer number of competitors can be overwhelming to a novice podcaster, however, we encourage you to look at this challenge as inspiration; what can you do to make your podcast stand out against others in the market?
At Your Podcast Pal, we receive podcasts from our talented and passionate clients every day. Our experience has allowed us to develop an understanding of what simple adjustments can be made to greatly improve your podcast. Following these tips will not only make our editing process more efficient, but will help you adjust to the steep learning curve that comes with being new to this exciting and demanding industry.
Tip #1: Set an Appropriate Microphone Input Level
Your microphone input is the level you need to amplify your sound by, so that it has a clear output.
For reference, a common output source would be a speaker system.
Aim for an average microphone input level of around -12db for optimal clarity and volume. This means that on your input meter, the sound levels should peak around -12db when you're speaking.
We cannot stress enough how important it is to balance your input level when speaking into a microphone. An input level that is too high will cause the audio to clip or distort and this can’t be fixed in post production.
WavyWayne has a great explanation of this on YouTube for all of you visual learners. For a deeper dive into audio signal levels, check out this blog post too.
Tip #2: Use a Room with Minimal Reverb
Sound is a wave. It is a mechanical vibration that is produced when a physical object is disrupted. When you speak, you produce a mechanical vibration as your vocal cords vibrate from the air leaving your lungs to the air outside of your body. This wave continues to travel outward until it is eventually picked up by your ear and interpreted.
Because sound is a wave, reverberation happens. Reverberation is when multiple waves get in the way of each other and bounce off of different surfaces. Usually, the harder the surface, the more bounce the wave has and the more they can collide with and obstruct each other. This will result in an echo in your recording. Reverberation can be minimized during the mixing process, but can never be fully removed.
If you can't afford a professional sound booth, try not to record your podcast in a room with a bunch of hard surfaces. Carpet is your friend. Building a pillow fort around your microphone or recording in your closet can help as well!
Tip #3: Speak at a Consistent Level and Distance from your Microphone
One thing we have found is that people change the level of their voice often. This leads to constant changes in the sound and is, unfortunately, not very pleasing to listen to.
Changing the tone and volume of your voice can be crucial to the overall tone of your podcast. We understand that using expressive vocals creates a more exciting and engaging podcast for your audience. While these changes are necessary, we recommend speaking at a consistent distance from your microphone. This will ensure that there aren’t any unplanned volume changes, and that you are still free to use all of the excitement and expression that you’d like while recording. We recommend maintaining a distance of 3-6 inches between your mouth and your microphone.
Sending a recording with consistent audio helps us, to help you.
Finally, we recommend pre-recording yourself to get a feel for how you sound and for your volume levels. Sometimes, you may not realize how loud you are speaking or how much you’re moving around while you speak. Think of these pre-recordings as a kind of “training” for your final product.
If you have any further questions please feel free to reach out to us! A good podcaster never stops learning.