Podcaster's Portal: your podcast studio

Your podcast studio

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Considering podcasting kits
Microphones, hardware and software you need
Room and acoustics for getting the best sound

To produce a podcast, you will need some hardware and software. These include:

Microphone (If you have multiple microphones, you’ll also need a mixer.)
Headphones
PC with sound card
Audio editing software

If you are really serious, you should also purchase a portable sound recorder so you can conduct interviews. Ideally it would be digital and have the capacity to download files through the USB port on your PC.

Complete kits
A number of manufacturers are offering podcasting kits in consumer electronics shops like Best Buy, Comp USA and PC World.

They include a microphone, mixer and headset, along with the software you need to record and upload your pods.

It’s worth looking at these. We haven’t tested any of these products because we’ve been happy to set everything up on our own.

Let’s look at what you need to start podcasting.

Microphones
When you buy a microphone, make sure you don’t buy a poor quality one. There are so many microphones to choose from. Each one has different characteristics. Interestingly, different microphones suit different voices.

At an entry level, you probably won’t have the luxury of an audio engineer choosing your microphone for you. So the best bet is to buy from a well-known brand such as Sure, Sennheiser, or Neuman.

Consumer electronics shops will be more than happy to sell you a microphone. Just make sure they don’t force a domestic one on you! And avoid headphone sets with a built in microphone.

When you buy your microphone, also buy a windshield or wind sock. This is a piece of foam rubber you can put over the top of the microphone to cut out wind noise when you are using it outside. It also reduces some of the pop sounds.

Headphones
Buy a nice pair of quality headphones. When you are recording your voice, you will need to listen to yourself and adjust your microphone position accordingly. Almost all professional broadcasters wear headphones.

PC with sound card
Podcasts are made on PCs. Make sure yours has a sound card. Of course, you should also have a word processor and printer on your PC to write your scripts. As we say elsewhere on this site, scripting your podcast is essential.

If you intend to do a lot of podcasts you may consider investing in an external hard drive which can store all your audio.

Audio editing software
You will need to record your audio on some software. Using an editing tool such as Audacity or Adobe Audition is ideal. High-end audio enthusiasts root for Pro Tools, but for a simple podcast, we recommend Audacity.

We have two reasons for recommending Audacity. First, it has all the functionality you’ll need. Second, it is free and you can download it from the Internet.

Portable Recorder
If you want an edge with your podcasts, chances are you’ll have location interviews. For this, you’ll need a digital recorder.

In the old days we used Nagras and Sony professional cassette recorders. Today you should be looking at solid state.

Nagra and Marantz do excellent solid state recorders that allow you to easily load your audio onto your PC via USB or memory cards. They’re also brands that have long been associated with broadcasting.

The final piece of equipment you may consider buying is a telephone recorder. This is if you intend to conduct interviews over the telephone. There are models available for under $500. Alternatively you could use Skype to record telephone interviews.

Room
Of course you can create your podcast from anywhere. But beware of the acoustics in the room you use. If you’re recording in your den or a bedroom, watch out for an echo. Rooms with little furniture, shiny surfaces and parallel walls and ceiling create an echo. You don’t want to sound as if you’re podcasting from your bathroom. So use a room that has non-reflective, sound absorption surfaces.