Starting your own podcast does not mean you need to run out and rent space at a recording studio! Podcasts do not need to be just like radio shows recorded in sound-proof studios. They’re certainly not the drive-by interviews of the local news in which the listener expects to hear a lot of background noise. Whether you are recording your own podcast or being interviewed on someone else’s podcasts, here are my 4 tips for setting up your recording space.
1. Set up a quiet space – Podcasts require a quiet space. You want to make sure the listener is hearing the content and the content alone… not anything in the background. As soon as the listener hears Mike the landscaper mowing your lawn, the mood is ruined, the listener may tune out, and your host won’t be pleased! Ideally record your interview in a quiet, small, carpeted room. The more fabric you have in your space to absorb the ambient noise, pops, and echos, the better. Some really fantastic podcasters even record inside a closet!
2. Identify the best time of day to record – Discuss the best times to record with your host or guest since the podcast isn’t a live broadcast. Perhaps the best time for you will be in the afternoon while the baby is napping or in the evening after everyone in the house has gone to bed. Work together to determine the best mutually beneficial time for the interview.
3. Eliminate sound disturbances – Turn your cell phone off or put it on airplane mode and also ensure that your desk phone (if you have one) is muted or unplugged. Also, put Skype on Do Not Disturb. In addition to eliminating a potential sound disturbance, you don’t want these interruptions to derail your train of thought while you’re answering a question! Turn off your fans, white noise machines, timers, alarms, etc. If you’re recording at an office where other people might be around, make a “RECORDING! DO NOT DISTURB!” sign for your door. The less noise and fewer interruptions you experience, the better content you will produce and the easier the audio will be to edit.
4. Make sure your technology is working and ready – Last but not least, make sure your microphone is plugged in, your headphones are on, and you double check your settings to ensure that your computer is picking up your sound from your external microphone and not your computer’s internal microphone. I always recommend restarting your computer and making sure you have no other programs running, so you get the best recording.
These are 4 simple steps that will make a big difference in your podcast quality. Whether you are a host or guest expert, Interview Connections can help you take your podcasting to the next level, so contact us today!
