What Tech Do I Need to Start a Podcast

Starting a podcast can be a daunting prospect. Just the idea alone of speaking to an audience can be a real hurdle. On top of that, you’re going to need to find the right bits of tech to put together your podcast studio. Do not fret! We’re going to help you get past this stage by putting together a starter kit of everything you’ll need to get going.

Microphone

First up, you’re going to want to find yourself a microphone to record your audio. We strongly advise going for a USB mic as these will plug straight into your laptop or PC. Some microphones will come with an XLR connection… if you’re borrowing a microphone from a friend who sings this will likely be the case. For this you will need to purchase an adapter or interface that will convert the XLR connection to an input that goes between the mic and the laptop or PC. 

We have a couple of mics that we use on a regular basis and absolutely swear by. One of these is a USB lapel mic – great for those regularly recording remotely or on location as they are low-cost and lightweight. They also work great for Zoom as you can quickly clip them on and take your audio game up a notch, providing a much cleaner, crisper sound. The other microphone we love is the Samsung Q2U. This mic comes with both USB and XLR connection, giving you the flexibility to use it in different recording scenarios. If you are carrying out a live recording you’ll need to make use of the XLR connection but when recording remotely you’ll want to use the USB connection. Having both of these options available is of great benefit to any podcast creator. Another great feature of the Samsung Q2U is that it is more directional than other options. This means it won’t pick up as much of that distracting background room noise you may notice when recording. 

Audio Recorder

The next bit of kit on your list is something that you can record the audio your microphone captures onto – this could be a software or a physical recorder. In terms of software, two excellent options that we use are Audacity and Adobe Audition. Audacity is a free option for those trying to stick to a budget, whilst still providing you with all the tools you need to convert your audio to an uploadable file and to do some basic editing. Adobe Audition is a more advanced version and will require you to pay a monthly subscription, but offers more technical features if you are looking to edit and manipulate your audio to create something more produced. 

One more software option that is available to use for recording audio is to use a browser recording site such as Riverside.fm or Squadcast. These are sites that allow you to capture audio and video from your browser meaning you can host your podcast on Zoom and the software will make recordings of the session. This is great when hosting a guest that can’t travel to record in person and usually will give you top quality audio and video. The files will be automatically uploaded to the Cloud meaning if you suffer from a Wi-Fi crash or any glitches, you’re covered. 

Our final option is to purchase an audio recorder, such as a Zoom H1 or H6, which will allow you to capture audio on location without having to set up a computer or laptop with recording software. This is much more practical but they do come at a price so will depend on the budget you have set to invest into your podcast. All three options are great… just pick one and get going.

Audio Editor

Once you’ve captured and recorded your audio, you’re going to need to use editing software to tidy up the file and remove any sections you don’t want included in the final version. The extent to how much editing you do will depend on your desired listener experience and how you want your podcast to sound. Some will opt for a rougher, more live-streamed style of podcast and some will want to add more production with the inclusion of music and sound effects to add to the audio experience. 

The two programs we mentioned above, Adobe Audition and Audacity, are great options for getting to grips with the editing of your audio. Hindenburg is another option that’s worth checking out. An important feature you’ll want to consider when deciding on an editing program is whether you will be recording all your audio onto one track or if you want to opt for a multi-track setup, meaning you can mix different inputs and layer the audio. Some programs will offer this, and some will not.

Music and SFX

If you decide to add music or SFX to your podcast –  in the form of intro and outro music or SFX to accentuate a story, you must use either use royalty free files or subscribe to an online music and SFX library. Unless you know a music producer that is willing to help you out and create some audio for you, don’t go sticking your favourite Beyonce track on your podcast unless you’ve got a spare four billion pounds to purchase the rights. 

A couple of great examples of sound libraries are; Epidemic Sound or Audio Jungle, which you can subscribe to for access to a huge library of audio files. You could also do this through Adobe, Envato or Shutterstock depending on your budget. This way, the music will be yours and you won’t run into any copyright issues later down the line. 

We know it can be overwhelming when facing the technology side of things, but don’t let it put you off. To simplify it, all you need to think about is how the sound goes in and how it comes out – that’s it. A lot of people allow the fear of tech to stop them from going ahead, but with a little bit of knowledge as well as a little bit of confidence, you’ll discover that it’s nowhere near as complicated as it seems. Once you get your hands on it, it will all start to make sense. We live in a world where we are lucky enough to have an infinite source of information at our fingertips. Anything you don’t quite understand. you can simply throw into Google or YouTube and be met with hundreds of people talking you through exactly what you need to do. Don’t be afraid to reach out and learn from the mistakes other people have made. No problem is unsolvable and all the answers are out there. 

Happy Podcasting!

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